What are your spring ball questions/concerns?

[BeastMan]

As excited as we all are about the 2014 season, there are some concerns I would like to see addressed.

http://3rdand57.com/msu-spring-questions-and-concerns/


A few of mine:
-Kicker
-#2 center
-Safety
-Dak's health/back-up QB battle

I go into much more detail in the article but I know everyone has some of their own. What are they?

[War Machine Dawg]

For me, it's the obvious one that you missed: OL. We're pretty much set everywhere else except Kicker and Safety, which you covered.

Market has one safety spot locked up, in my mind, but it's the spot opposite him that's the concern. I've been saying it for weeks, but I still think we should take a look at Ced Jiles back there. I expect Justin Cox to emerge as the other starter, but we're pretty thin there right now.

OL, everyone knows the score. Gotta find a RT and develop a little depth. I look for Malone or Joc Johnson to lock up RT by the USM game. The other probably starts at the RG spot. It'd be nice to see Justin Senior and Jake Thomas step up and be ready to play.

I'm not worried at all about backup QB. Damian Williams showed he was more than capable last season. With a full year of offseason work and practices under his belt, I'm very comfortable with turning him loose should, God forbid, something happen to Dak. The kid seems to have that "it" the way Dak does. It's the battle between Fitz and Staley for QB3 in the fall that I'm more interested in seeing.

The other BIG thing I want to see is for us to use Nick Griffin at FB this spring. That move would be a huge benefit to our offense and help get a guy onto the field who's earned PT. Outside of that move, I want to see how we use our TEs. We need MoJo to finally live up to his potential as the mismatch hybrid TE that we need. The 2 TE sets we used with Dak last year were really effective, so I'd like to see if we expand that package. Artimas Samuel could be a big factor as more of a blocking TE and showed good hands towards the end of last season. I'm really excited about his future moving forwards. The last thing I want to see is Holloway as our primary return guy. He seems to have the natural instincts for it and certainly has the explosiveness.

[Political Hack]

kicker.
depth at OT, including who steps up at RT.
the run/health balance with Dak.

The fact that Cox was still at CB some tells me they feel pretty good about Hughes. Also, we have about 5 guys that could rotate to a S spot and be fine on passing downs, not limited to Wells, Cox, Redmond and maybe a few more.

[FISHDAWG]

I know spring is still to early for an injury like he had, but I'm curious as to the rehab of J Hughes ... hoping he will return strong but after watching N. Whitley's return it seemed like it took two years before his play was back ... here's to hoping it only takes a year

ETA: I hope my man Tavez Calhoun opens the season as an animal and continues the great play he had in the last half of last season .... so, to make it spring related, I hope no one gets a major injury

[slickdawg]

Kicker
RT
Safety, since the Arrington news broke


I hope Hughes can get a 6th year, kid deserves it, hard worker, dedicated, and he doesn't mess with mission trips to Haiti that are actually in the Florida Panhandle.

[engie]

If Cox isn't full time free safety, that speaks very highly of Deontay Evans.

Market and Hughes are going to battle for one spot(strong safety) -- Evans and Cox will battle for the other one.

[msstate7]

A little hijack here...if fitz loses the 3rd qb spot, do we give him a look at an athlete type position?

[engie]

A little hijack here...if fitz loses the 3rd qb spot, do we give him a look at an athlete type position?

Not yet, IMO...

We won't know who actually won that competition till next season at the soonest. The better of the 2 could still easily be redshirted this year, letting the other be 3rd string, and spacing out our "the guy" QBs to every other class...

[BeastMan]

Not yet, IMO...

We won't know who actually won that competition till next season at the soonest. The better of the 2 could still easily be redshirted this year, letting the other be 3rd string, and spacing out our "the guy" QBs to every other class...

Bingo. Even if Fitz loses the 3rd QB battle this spring, folks have to remember how raw he is in the passing game. He barely threw the ball in hs. He has a great arm and can spin it but that isn't the passing game. He's way behind as far as passing concepts,scheme, etc... He's a guy that may take until his rs soph year to truly understand the position. No way I'd even think about moving him until then and that would require filling really good about the guys we sign behind him.

[BeastMan]

If Cox isn't full time free safety, that speaks very highly of Deontay Evans.

Market and Hughes are going to battle for one spot(strong safety) -- Evans and Cox will battle for the other one.

I wouldn't set that in stone. Cox and Evans issues are one in the same: understanding the position. Both are great athletes. We know Hughes is like a coach out there but we don't know how he has come back from the injury. Market is just a good, heady football player. It wouldn't shock me if Hughes is 100%, to see he and Market on the field at the same time.

[PassInterference]

1. Kicker
2. Kicker
3. I read Dee Arrington might not be medically cleared to play. What's up with that and what does that mean for his position.

[Maroons]

Kicker

Aside from that, I want to see a true homerun threat at WR.

Just the threat of stretching the field vertically would make this offense lethal.

[engie]

I wouldn't set that in stone. Cox and Evans issues are one in the same: understanding the position. Both are great athletes. We know Hughes is like a coach out there but we don't know how he has come back from the injury. Market is just a good, heady football player. It wouldn't shock me if Hughes is 100%, to see he and Market on the field at the same time.

Would be a complete role change for Hughes -- although if there is one player on the team that could make that adjustment mentally, I'd bet on him. But I'm very, very gun shy about expectations off achilles injuries. I just haven't seen the recovery from that like I have the ACLs these days. I'm expecting Market to own that role and us to ease Hughes back in slowly...

Have we ever had excellent free safety play under this regime at any point? I'm tempted to say the first 2 years of Nickoe -- but he wasn't exactly a heady/efficient football player even then, his pre-injury athleticism just made up for the bad angles and bad reads in most situations.

Strong safety has been consistently excellent though -- outside of early 2012 before Hughes took it from Broom, who was mostly OK...

[engie]

Kicker is an obvious issue -- but we won't learn anything about that in the fall -- and we're setting ourselves up for disappointment if we try to take anything positive away from it. You can't replicate the bright lights and pressure of an actual game -- which was 100% of Bell's problem. By all accounts, he's f'n money in practice and simulated situations.

Still think he's going to be a great one for us before he leaves. Just gotta mature mentally and get some confidence going...

[jumbo]

Still think he's going to be a great one for us before he leaves. Just gotta mature mentally and get some confidence going...



I agree with you. He's got great leg, it's the 6 inches between his ears that are f'n him up

[esplanade91]

Whitley got hurt at the end of the season. Hughes was hurt halfway through the first. I think all things equal, Hughes will be good to go and will be a day one starter. He's our best safety when healthy.

[Bothrops]

What positions do we think Brandon Wells and Gabe Myles will settle at?

[jumbo]

Myles is working at slot WR now...not sure about Wells

[BeastMan]

What positions do we think Brandon Wells and Gabe Myles will settle at?

IMO Wells at FS and it's already been reported Myles at slot

[defiantdog]

Brandon Wells will be a special teams guy this year, but will most likely fit the hybrid linebacker mold that Matthew Wells is in. Arrington was gonna move to that linebacker position. Quadry Antoine has been moved to that position as well.

I think we are set at that safety positions with Market, Hughes, Cox, and Evans. Don't forget, Collins likes to move these guys around a lot. I wouldn't doubt seeing Irvin-Sills play multiple positions on defense either.... but I think he plays the majority of special teams along with Brandon Wells.

I'm concerned with the OL the most. It's the same every year with our concerns there. Except this year, we don't have that one stud that stands out. It'll be interesting how Spring Ball plays out there.

I'm really interested to see the battle on the DL as well as receivers. I heard they put Chappelle in the slot behind Tubby and Myles. Also, Ross is behind RoJo. Wilson is the starter on the other side behind Morrow and Brown as of now. I wouldn't be surprised to see Christy move up as soon as he can practice at full speed. Also, BJ Hammond playing TE will be something to watch.

[defiantdog]

Also, looks like Brandon Bryant has made the necessary ACT score to get in this summer. And Durr might actually qualify as well. So there are 2 potential DB or Safety prospects that may or may not redshirt next year.

[msstate7]

Also, looks like Brandon Bryant has made the necessary ACT score to get in this summer. And Durr might actually qualify as well. So there are 2 potential DB or Safety prospects that may or may not redshirt next year.

This is great news. Any news on graham?

[defiantdog]

This is great news. Any news on graham?

Haven't heard one way or the other on him. Even though he's almost a guaranteed redshirt. He'd be behind Tubby, Myles, and Chappelle. Not to mention, Gray coming in next year. Hopefully, they'll redshirt him this year and he can fight it out with Myles and Gray next year. I would hate to see him go Juco cause then we'd almost certainly lose 2 years of eligibility with him.

[Johnson85]

Kicker is an obvious issue -- but we won't learn anything about that in the fall -- and we're setting ourselves up for disappointment if we try to take anything positive away from it. You can't replicate the bright lights and pressure of an actual game -- which was 100% of Bell's problem. By all accounts, he's f'n money in practice and simulated situations.

Still think he's going to be a great one for us before he leaves. Just gotta mature mentally and get some confidence going...

Bell may have been hurt by playing so early. He's had two years for bad performance to get in his head. Maybe it will click this year, but if there's nto a bad habit for him to address as far as mechanics go, it seems unlikely that he will just fix his mental issues.

[Political Hack]

Brandon Wells will be a special teams guy this year, but will most likely fit the hybrid linebacker mold that Matthew Wells is in. Arrington was gonna move to that linebacker position. Quadry Antoine has been moved to that position as well.

I think we are set at that safety positions with Market, Hughes, Cox, and Evans. Don't forget, Collins likes to move these guys around a lot. I wouldn't doubt seeing Irvin-Sills play multiple positions on defense either.... but I think he plays the majority of special teams along with Brandon Wells.

I'm concerned with the OL the most. It's the same every year with our concerns there. Except this year, we don't have that one stud that stands out. It'll be interesting how Spring Ball plays out there.

I'm really interested to see the battle on the DL as well as receivers. I heard they put Chappelle in the slot behind Tubby and Myles. Also, Ross is behind RoJo. Wilson is the starter on the other side behind Morrow and Brown as of now. I wouldn't be surprised to see Christy move up as soon as he can practice at full speed. Also, BJ Hammond playing TE will be something to watch.

good stuff. I think Clayborne may end up being that stud although it won't look like it in practice everyday going against CJ and James regularly. I would expect Day to have a great season too. I think the interior OL should be pretty solid so long as they don't pillage if for depth at OT. Almost everything he he's on Clausell staying healthy and finding a RT before league play starts.

[msstate7]

Haven't heard one way or the other on him. Even though he's almost a guaranteed redshirt. He'd be behind Tubby, Myles, and Chappelle. Not to mention, Gray coming in next year. Hopefully, they'll redshirt him this year and he can fight it out with Myles and Gray next year. I would hate to see him go Juco cause then we'd almost certainly lose 2 years of eligibility with him.

I was hoping graham would have a shot at returns. He's so fast and elusive

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I think Brandon Wells will stay at FS unless he gains 20-25lbs in the next year or so. He's currently 190lbs. Arrington & Antoine both are in the 225-230lbs range & doesn't have the foot speed to cover ground like Wells does on
the back end.