Sounds like the suspension PJ Jones endured last year is paying off

[Coach34]

the DT's are the key to our defense. If these guys play up to their potential, command double teams, and allow our LB's to run free- our defense is going to be very damn good.

PJ was a non-factor last season. Suspended 1/3 of the season and then trying to blend in for reps, and never could play well enough to overtake Cherry. He got the memo and is playing his ass off this Spring. Obviously he has been busting it in the weight room also. This is what we need. Nobody wants to be that 5th DT- gonna be hard to get playing time.

Quay- 5 star
Eulls- 4 star
PJ- 4 star
James- 4 star
Virges- 3 star

That's a talented group and they have to step it up in 2013 after being downright embarrassing in 2012

[BeastMan]

Bingo. It looks like PJ "has seen the light" and I'd add Nick in that group too

[FlabLoser]

It all starts on the DL. If the DL isn't getting it done, it doesn't matter if you have a Thorpe Award winner at one CB spot and another NFL CB on the other side.

The wool is sprouting.

[ComradeDawg]

The wool is sprouting.

Now tell me you still think 6 or 7 wins...

[Coach34]

It all starts on the DL. If the DL isn't getting it done, it doesn't matter if you have a Thorpe Award winner at one CB spot and another NFL CB on the other side.

.

a pretty smart football guy has been preaching this to our fans since last November

[TopDog58]

Now tell me you still think 6 or 7 wins...

Our total lack of a running game down the stretch plus a tougher schedule tempers my enthusiasm for a 8-9 win prediction. Now, if the O line and D line man up and Tyler puts up even better numbers, it's possible. But the "we are MSU" in me can't allow me to chalk up wins at Carolina, at A&M, and against LSU just yet. In order to get to 9 wins, one of those has to happen AND we have to roll thru Arkie, OSU, and Auburn. That's a tall, tall order.

[MSUDawg4Life]

Our total lack of a running game down the stretch plus a tougher schedule tempers my enthusiasm for a 8-9 win prediction. Now, if the O line and D line man up and Tyler puts up even better numbers, it's possible. But the "we are MSU" in me can't allow me to chalk up wins at Carolina, at A&M, and against LSU just yet. In order to get to 9 wins, one of those has to happen AND we have to roll thru Arkie, OSU, and Auburn. That's a tall, tall order.

I'm not a "we are MSU" person, but I agree that winning comes down to running the ball and stopping the run against our better opponents. We've got to exert our will on the ground on both sides of the ball. Until we do that, wishing and hoping for wins is useless in my opinion.

[engie]

Another thing worth noting is WHO these guys are looking good against...

Anyone looking good while commanding double teams from Gabe and Day has no excuse to be anything but a stud. They won't see a better inside tandem in the SEC this year than those two...

[ScoobaDawg]

Now tell me you still think 6 or 7 wins...

Very hard to tell this early but looking at the schedule with just knowing what we expect, 6 or 7 is not out of the question. OSU is a big OOC game that is an unknown. Bama is a loss. LSU has the voodoo and until the week of the game I wouldnt pick us to beat them. Ark is unknown and history still favors them in a game in Little Rock. The Aggies have Manziel in our first visit to College Station. South Carolina is going to hard to beat in Columbia.
We screw up and drop the Egg Bowl a 2nd year in a row or Gus finds some athletes and pulls a fast one down in Auburn and we are going to Birmingham or sitting home.

[tenureplan]

a pretty smart football guy has been preaching this to our fans since last November

Thanks for the compliment

[Todd4State]

Very hard to tell this early but looking at the schedule with just knowing what we expect, 6 or 7 is not out of the question. OSU is a big OOC game that is an unknown. Bama is a loss. LSU has the voodoo and until the week of the game I wouldnt pick us to beat them. Ark is unknown and history still favors them in a game in Little Rock. The Aggies have Manziel in our first visit to College Station. South Carolina is going to hard to beat in Columbia.
We screw up and drop the Egg Bowl a 2nd year in a row or Gus finds some athletes and pulls a fast one down in Auburn and we are going to Birmingham or sitting home.

I believe the Liberty Bowl will always pick us if they have the opportunity to. I think us going to Birmingham is going to be pretty rare.

[ComradeDawg]

to MSUDawg and TopDog, our lack of a running game down the stretch had more to do with playing a lopsided schedule than anything else. the first 7 being so easy and the last 5 being so hard didn't allow us to develop good habits against great defenses. We were playing the same style of ball against Bama, LSU, aTm and bears as we were against terrible SEC adn OOC teams. You cant do that and win against the top of th econference. had those games been spread out, we would have been more prepared to play smash mouth with the big boys.

I think we had the ability to play with and win against bama, lsu, atm and bears for sure, we just didnt get that hard nosed edge installed in time. we got soft playing soft teams for 7 weeks straight and we got over conifdent. Once we got smacked by Bama and atm, we lost our want to. If Arky hadn't quit and our O woke up in the second half, we might have lost that one too.

all I'm saying is that this years schedule dont setup that way. we get OSU and LSU early and a good one against USCe before bama, atm and bears. Meaning, we'll have to put on our big boy pants much earlier and we'll have them broken in better by then. Yall are going to hate all the shit I'm going to dish out when we're sitting at 7-2 before the bama game...

[mic]

and dont forget about Jordan Washingotn. Ohio St wanted this kid..
thats 6 guys.. just need 4 to really separate themselves from the pack

[TopDog58]

to MSUDawg and TopDog, our lack of a running game down the stretch had more to do with playing a lopsided schedule than anything else. the first 7 being so easy and the last 5 being so hard didn't allow us to develop good habits against great defenses. We were playing the same style of ball against Bama, LSU, aTm and bears as we were against terrible SEC adn OOC teams. You cant do that and win against the top of th econference. had those games been spread out, we would have been more prepared to play smash mouth with the big boys.

I think we had the ability to play with and win against bama, lsu, atm and bears for sure, we just didnt get that hard nosed edge installed in time. we got soft playing soft teams for 7 weeks straight and we got over conifdent. Once we got smacked by Bama and atm, we lost our want to. If Arky hadn't quit and our O woke up in the second half, we might have lost that one too.

all I'm saying is that this years schedule dont setup that way. we get OSU and LSU early and a good one against USCe before bama, atm and bears. Meaning, we'll have to put on our big boy pants much earlier and we'll have them broken in better by then. Yall are going to hate all the shit I'm going to dish out when we're sitting at 7-2 before the bama game...

I can buy that with LSU, Bama, and A&M. All were top 5 caliber teams. But against the Bears? Nope. This is a game that Dan has built his career focusing on. It was a team we could have sent home. And they had a 230 pound nose guard. And we ran for less than 30 yards if I remember correctly. NO excuse for that. At all.

[MSUDawg4Life]

to MSUDawg and TopDog, our lack of a running game down the stretch had more to do with playing a lopsided schedule than anything else. the first 7 being so easy and the last 5 being so hard didn't allow us to develop good habits against great defenses. We were playing the same style of ball against Bama, LSU, aTm and bears as we were against terrible SEC adn OOC teams. You cant do that and win against the top of th econference. had those games been spread out, we would have been more prepared to play smash mouth with the big boys.

I think we had the ability to play with and win against bama, lsu, atm and bears for sure, we just didnt get that hard nosed edge installed in time. we got soft playing soft teams for 7 weeks straight and we got over conifdent. Once we got smacked by Bama and atm, we lost our want to. If Arky hadn't quit and our O woke up in the second half, we might have lost that one too.

all I'm saying is that this years schedule dont setup that way. we get OSU and LSU early and a good one against USCe before bama, atm and bears. Meaning, we'll have to put on our big boy pants much earlier and we'll have them broken in better by then. Yall are going to hate all the shit I'm going to dish out when we're sitting at 7-2 before the bama game...

If we are sitting a 7-2 before the Bama game, you can talk shit to me all you want. However, if we ARE 7-2 it will primarily mean we ran the ball well and we stopped the run well. Regardless of where the better teams are placed on the schedule.

But, let's hope we're 7-2 and put a major ass-whipping on Bama. Shit talking for everyone!