In five seasons as head coach, Mark Dantonio basically has had just two starting quarterbacks: Brian Hoyer and Kirk Cousins.
With Cousins' career in the books, current redshirt sophomore Andrew Maxwell is expected to move into the starting role. Maxwell was a touted recruit who has gotten a lot of praise from those inside the MSU program, but he's a bit unknown to those outside it.
Here is my MLive post on Andrew Maxwell taking the reins.
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Friday, January 6, 2012
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award video for Cousins
I think this video sums up Kirk Cousins pretty well. It should air during the BCS National Championship.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Cousins is the greatest quarterback in MSU history
With his career now in the books, I think it's clear Kirk Cousins finished as the greatest quarterback in school history.
No, he's not the most prolific. He doesn't have national championships nor a Rose Bowl appearance (but damn, was he close twice). It's hard to compare eras in football. Cousins throws more passes per season than a lot of guys did in their careers during MSU's glory years of the 50s and 60s. From a physical standpoint, it's quite obvious Cousins is better than those guys.
And everything Cousins does off the playing field certainly plays a factor, along with all the on-the-field records.
Here is my post for MLive making the case for Cousins as the greatest quarterback in Spartan history.
No, he's not the most prolific. He doesn't have national championships nor a Rose Bowl appearance (but damn, was he close twice). It's hard to compare eras in football. Cousins throws more passes per season than a lot of guys did in their careers during MSU's glory years of the 50s and 60s. From a physical standpoint, it's quite obvious Cousins is better than those guys.
And everything Cousins does off the playing field certainly plays a factor, along with all the on-the-field records.
Here is my post for MLive making the case for Cousins as the greatest quarterback in Spartan history.
Worthy forgoes senior season for NFL (w/ video)
No surprise. Even before the season started, it seemed like a sure bet Worthy would head to the NFL early.
After an All-American campaign and a bowl win, Worthy made the decision to skip his senior season.
Mark Dantonio said he talked with general managers, scouts and coaches after receiving feedback from the NFL and the the general consensus among everyone he talked with was that Worthy is a top-50 player and probably will be selected in the first round.
Worthy said he made his decision after the bowl win and thought it was a good way to go out. Had the Spartans not won that game, both Worthy and his mother said it was likely Worthy would have stayed. Worthy's mother said Jerel felt like he owed Dantonio a bowl win.
After an All-American campaign and a bowl win, Worthy made the decision to skip his senior season.
Mark Dantonio said he talked with general managers, scouts and coaches after receiving feedback from the NFL and the the general consensus among everyone he talked with was that Worthy is a top-50 player and probably will be selected in the first round.
Worthy said he made his decision after the bowl win and thought it was a good way to go out. Had the Spartans not won that game, both Worthy and his mother said it was likely Worthy would have stayed. Worthy's mother said Jerel felt like he owed Dantonio a bowl win.
The futures of Worthy and Narduzzi
There will be a press conference at 2 p.m. regarding Jerel Worthy's future. Either returning for his senior year or heading to the NFL.
Worthy was projected as a top-10 pick before the season, but slid out of the first round. His performance in the Outback Bowl has him as a late first- or early second-round pick. That's still good money. I expect him to leave.
It is interesting that his teammates on Twitter seem to not know what his decision is. That's not the case with Montee Ball, who reportedly told his teammates in the locker room after the Rose Bowl that he was coming back. Ball has a press conference scheduled at 4 p.m.
As for Pat Narduzzi, several reports have the defensive coordinator looking very closely at Texas A&M. Hondo Carpenter says A&M is set to pay him $600,000, with a chance for that to get up to $750,000.
Worthy was projected as a top-10 pick before the season, but slid out of the first round. His performance in the Outback Bowl has him as a late first- or early second-round pick. That's still good money. I expect him to leave.
It is interesting that his teammates on Twitter seem to not know what his decision is. That's not the case with Montee Ball, who reportedly told his teammates in the locker room after the Rose Bowl that he was coming back. Ball has a press conference scheduled at 4 p.m.
As for Pat Narduzzi, several reports have the defensive coordinator looking very closely at Texas A&M. Hondo Carpenter says A&M is set to pay him $600,000, with a chance for that to get up to $750,000.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Reports: DeAnthony Arnett is a Spartan
This according to Allen Trieu of Scout.com and several media outlets.
Trieu said Arnett visited East Lansing today and met with Mark Dantonio. This shouldn't be a surprise, as is it believed MSU finished to second to Tennessee in his recruitment out of high school. Arnett will begin classes on Monday.
If you don't know the background on Arnett and why the freshman wide receiver is transferring from Tennessee, check this out.
No word yet on if Arnett will be granted a medical hardship because of his ailing father, allowing him to play this upcoming season. Obviously the Spartans are hoping for it, as MSU loses its top three receivers to graduation. Perhaps no one outside of Arnett's family wants to see him on the field more than Andrew Maxwell, who needs all the help he can get in replacing the best quarterback in school history.
MLive spoke with Arnett, and the Saginaw native plans on having his father attend his games at MSU, which is great to hear. The fact East Lansing was closer to Saginaw than Ann Arbor sounds like it was a factor, but MSU was already the frontrunner.
Trieu said Arnett visited East Lansing today and met with Mark Dantonio. This shouldn't be a surprise, as is it believed MSU finished to second to Tennessee in his recruitment out of high school. Arnett will begin classes on Monday.
If you don't know the background on Arnett and why the freshman wide receiver is transferring from Tennessee, check this out.
No word yet on if Arnett will be granted a medical hardship because of his ailing father, allowing him to play this upcoming season. Obviously the Spartans are hoping for it, as MSU loses its top three receivers to graduation. Perhaps no one outside of Arnett's family wants to see him on the field more than Andrew Maxwell, who needs all the help he can get in replacing the best quarterback in school history.
MLive spoke with Arnett, and the Saginaw native plans on having his father attend his games at MSU, which is great to hear. The fact East Lansing was closer to Saginaw than Ann Arbor sounds like it was a factor, but MSU was already the frontrunner.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2001: A Streak-Ending, Overtime Odyssey
Yesterday, the MSU football team won its first bowl game since 2001 with a 33-30 triple-overtime win over Georgia.
Tonight, the MSU men's basketball team won its first game at the Kohl Center in Wisconsin since 2001. But man, was it close.
How close?
So close that the clocks weren't synced (video of the play here). A turnaround, game-tying three-pointer from the Badgers was determined to have been shot too late, after a long review. But it shouldn't have even gotten to that point. Draymond Green, who had made all 15 free throw attempts in the previous game and this one, missed two with 10 seconds left and MSU up three. The Spartans (14-2, 3-0) also didn't foul, which I'm always a fan of in this situation.
Tonight, the MSU men's basketball team won its first game at the Kohl Center in Wisconsin since 2001. But man, was it close.
How close?
So close that the clocks weren't synced (video of the play here). A turnaround, game-tying three-pointer from the Badgers was determined to have been shot too late, after a long review. But it shouldn't have even gotten to that point. Draymond Green, who had made all 15 free throw attempts in the previous game and this one, missed two with 10 seconds left and MSU up three. The Spartans (14-2, 3-0) also didn't foul, which I'm always a fan of in this situation.
Is DeAnthony Arnett on his way to MSU?
Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley has finally wised up and will let freshman wide receiver and Saginaw native DeAnthony Arnett transfer to any school.
In case you didn't know, Arnett chose Tennessee over MSU, Michigan and other schools last year. Arnett had a solid freshman season (24 catches, 242 yards, 2 TDs), but with his father ailing, Arnett wants to play close to home. Initially, Tennessee would only let Arnett transfer to Mid-American Conference schools in Michigan. But now they'll let him go to to any school, which likely means MSU and U-M are the frontrunners.
Given the facts MSU is closer to Saginaw and Arnett could start right away because of a depleted receiving corps, common sense would say MSU has to be the favorite to land him. He can get a medical hardship from the NCAA and play right away because of his father's situation.
Arnett tweeted: "I am very appreciative of coach Dooley for making this decision today! We both have the same beliefs that family is first! & That it isn't always about football! I wanna say thanks to all the fans for supporting me because you will be truly missed!..."
In case you didn't know, Arnett chose Tennessee over MSU, Michigan and other schools last year. Arnett had a solid freshman season (24 catches, 242 yards, 2 TDs), but with his father ailing, Arnett wants to play close to home. Initially, Tennessee would only let Arnett transfer to Mid-American Conference schools in Michigan. But now they'll let him go to to any school, which likely means MSU and U-M are the frontrunners.
Given the facts MSU is closer to Saginaw and Arnett could start right away because of a depleted receiving corps, common sense would say MSU has to be the favorite to land him. He can get a medical hardship from the NCAA and play right away because of his father's situation.
Arnett tweeted: "I am very appreciative of coach Dooley for making this decision today! We both have the same beliefs that family is first! & That it isn't always about football! I wanna say thanks to all the fans for supporting me because you will be truly missed!..."
Monday, January 2, 2012
Thoughts on MSU's Outback Bowl win vs. Georgia.
B-1-G! B-1-G! Ok, not exactly.
Kirk Cousins' final season at MSU started with the famous speech at the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon. It appeared it would end the way so many others did: with disappointment. After rallying back from a 16-0 deficit to take a 20-19 lead, MSU trailed Georgia 27-20 with just under four minutes remaining. When Georgia picked up a first down and the clock starting winding down, it appeared MSU was on the brink of defeat.
But a smart challenge from Mark Dantonio that caught many by surprise ended up making a huge difference. The challenge saved some clock, MSU got the ball with two minutes left and Cousins kept his season alive driving MSU down and into the end zone with 14 seconds left. And after some questionable calls from both teams in the overtimes, Anthony Rashad White's arm saved a 33-30 Outback Bowl victory; the first under Dantonio and the first for MSU since 2001.
(Highlights from MSU here)
For all the big plays made, this win was about the MSU seniors, who have taken MSU to unprecedented heights with back-to-back 11-win seasons. The only ones in school history. On the game-tying drive at the end of regulation, Cousins went 5-for-7 passing with four completions to his fellow seniors. For everything the class had accomplished, they hadn't achieved what Mark Dantonio has said are the team's top two goals: Play in the Rose Bowl and win the final game of the season. They didn't win the Rose Bowl on Monday, but you could see how much the other goal meant to them.
Cousins finished 27-for-50 for 300 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. When he threw his third pick in the first overtime, it appeared he was set for a Brett Favre ending (Favre nearly ended his careers with each team with an interception as his final pass). But Georgia coach Mark Richt made one of several questionable calls, playing for a 42-yard field goal. His kicker missed and MSU ultimately won. It wasn't his best game, but you had to be happy for Cousins to go out on top. For everything he's done off the field and what he has meant to the MSU community, it would have been a shame if he went out with a loss and a poor performance.
Oh, and he also broke the school record for passing yards. All the major records are his, and he surely has to go down as the best quarterback in school history, as well as people.
While the win was about the seniors, the game was won by MSU's defense. MSU had a season-high and school-bowl-record 17 tackles for loss. Georgia had a season-low 51 rushing yards, averaging just 1.3 yards per carry. Georgia's offensive line averaged out at 329 pounds, a 40-pound average edge on MSU's defensive line, but the Spartans played big and creative blitzes from Pat Narduzzi helped stymie Georgia's ground game. They also spooked Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray.
Jerel Worthy likely boosted his NFL stock in this game and may be gone, William Gholston made it look like next season will be his last and Anthony Rashad White filled in quite admirably for injured Kevin Pickelman. Rashad White had a career-high seven tackles, including three for loss and had the final blocked kick to secure the win. And of course there was a creative name for the play.
"We got the call from coach, I think it was "Monster," and Jerel got a good surge off the ball," Rashad White said in a quote from MSU. "I followed right behind him, jumped as high as I could and blocked it."
MSU's defense gave up just 18 points to Georgia in regulation. They went toe-to-toe against an SEC team and came out on top.
On the other side of the ball, Dan Roushar will take a lot of heat for some playcalling, but won't get credit for the adjustments he made. On MSU's first touchdown, the Spartans came out in all sorts of formations that confused Georgia. Not all of his adjustments were good, but at least he started to change up things, something that has hurt the MSU offense in years past.
At halftime, MSU trailed 16-0 and Kirk Herbstreit basically said it was over. He apparently didn't watch the half, because MSU had given up 207 yards, but 140 of that had come on two plays. It wasn't the world-famous SEC speed that resulted in the punt return touchdown, it was overcommitment from three Spartans on the coverage. MSU was still in the game and eventually made the comeback. No more talk of SEC speed and dominance when it comes to the Spartans. MSU held its own.
Also of note, B.J. Cunningham tied Devin Thomas' 2007 record with 79 catches on the season.
Some of the most underrated plays in the game were Larry Caper's tackle after a Cousins interception (would have been a TD, resulted in a FG) and Brad Sonntag's holding. Long-snapper is not a position one would think plays a big role, but with Matt Giampapa suspended, Sonntag came down with some big-time holds after bad snaps on the late tying touchdown and in overtime.
MSU likely will finish in the top 10 in the polls, but might not be there to start next season if Worthy leaves. MSU proved that last season wasn't a fluke. They went through probably the toughest schedule in the Big Ten and finished with the best record in the conference. They fell short in the championship game, but the program still took a major step forward. People were ready to come out with the "Same old Spartans," (see: Sparty no!) but this isn't them. The negative talk about the Big Ten will continue, but the Spartans don't have to listen to it. They did their job.
Next season, Andrew Maxwell will have big shoes to fill. Everyone in the program has the utmost confidence in the former Midland star, but he won't need to shine next year. MSU returns 10 players from its bowl-starting defense (nine if Worthy leaves) and it appears defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi will be sticking around for now. The Spartans also return four starters on an offensive line that still has a high ceiling. Maxwell will have a completely new receiving corps, but it's a group he has worked with on the second-team offense. All of the major running backs will return and I expect Le'Veon Bell to be one of the best running backs in the Big Ten.
So farewell to Kirk Cousins, one of the best people I will ever cover as a journalist. He will go on to find much success in something, on the field or off it, and will change the lives of many people. Because that's always been what's most important to him. All the seniors helped change the culture for MSU and took the program to the next level. Joel Foreman finished tied with Eric Gordon for most starts in school history (50). He would have the record if he didn't give up his spot to Arthur Ray against Youngstown State. But which was more important?
I'll end this with a quote from Keith Nichol on Cousins, per the Lansing State Journal, and a video of the men's basketball team's reaction to the game.
Is it time for spring football yet???
Kirk Cousins' final season at MSU started with the famous speech at the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon. It appeared it would end the way so many others did: with disappointment. After rallying back from a 16-0 deficit to take a 20-19 lead, MSU trailed Georgia 27-20 with just under four minutes remaining. When Georgia picked up a first down and the clock starting winding down, it appeared MSU was on the brink of defeat.
But a smart challenge from Mark Dantonio that caught many by surprise ended up making a huge difference. The challenge saved some clock, MSU got the ball with two minutes left and Cousins kept his season alive driving MSU down and into the end zone with 14 seconds left. And after some questionable calls from both teams in the overtimes, Anthony Rashad White's arm saved a 33-30 Outback Bowl victory; the first under Dantonio and the first for MSU since 2001.
(Highlights from MSU here)
 |
| (via @sbnation) |
Cousins finished 27-for-50 for 300 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. When he threw his third pick in the first overtime, it appeared he was set for a Brett Favre ending (Favre nearly ended his careers with each team with an interception as his final pass). But Georgia coach Mark Richt made one of several questionable calls, playing for a 42-yard field goal. His kicker missed and MSU ultimately won. It wasn't his best game, but you had to be happy for Cousins to go out on top. For everything he's done off the field and what he has meant to the MSU community, it would have been a shame if he went out with a loss and a poor performance.
Oh, and he also broke the school record for passing yards. All the major records are his, and he surely has to go down as the best quarterback in school history, as well as people.
While the win was about the seniors, the game was won by MSU's defense. MSU had a season-high and school-bowl-record 17 tackles for loss. Georgia had a season-low 51 rushing yards, averaging just 1.3 yards per carry. Georgia's offensive line averaged out at 329 pounds, a 40-pound average edge on MSU's defensive line, but the Spartans played big and creative blitzes from Pat Narduzzi helped stymie Georgia's ground game. They also spooked Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray.
Jerel Worthy likely boosted his NFL stock in this game and may be gone, William Gholston made it look like next season will be his last and Anthony Rashad White filled in quite admirably for injured Kevin Pickelman. Rashad White had a career-high seven tackles, including three for loss and had the final blocked kick to secure the win. And of course there was a creative name for the play.
"We got the call from coach, I think it was "Monster," and Jerel got a good surge off the ball," Rashad White said in a quote from MSU. "I followed right behind him, jumped as high as I could and blocked it."
MSU's defense gave up just 18 points to Georgia in regulation. They went toe-to-toe against an SEC team and came out on top.
 |
| Worthy jump-kick! From gifulmination.com (click on the image for animation) |
On the other side of the ball, Dan Roushar will take a lot of heat for some playcalling, but won't get credit for the adjustments he made. On MSU's first touchdown, the Spartans came out in all sorts of formations that confused Georgia. Not all of his adjustments were good, but at least he started to change up things, something that has hurt the MSU offense in years past.
At halftime, MSU trailed 16-0 and Kirk Herbstreit basically said it was over. He apparently didn't watch the half, because MSU had given up 207 yards, but 140 of that had come on two plays. It wasn't the world-famous SEC speed that resulted in the punt return touchdown, it was overcommitment from three Spartans on the coverage. MSU was still in the game and eventually made the comeback. No more talk of SEC speed and dominance when it comes to the Spartans. MSU held its own.
Also of note, B.J. Cunningham tied Devin Thomas' 2007 record with 79 catches on the season.
Some of the most underrated plays in the game were Larry Caper's tackle after a Cousins interception (would have been a TD, resulted in a FG) and Brad Sonntag's holding. Long-snapper is not a position one would think plays a big role, but with Matt Giampapa suspended, Sonntag came down with some big-time holds after bad snaps on the late tying touchdown and in overtime.
MSU likely will finish in the top 10 in the polls, but might not be there to start next season if Worthy leaves. MSU proved that last season wasn't a fluke. They went through probably the toughest schedule in the Big Ten and finished with the best record in the conference. They fell short in the championship game, but the program still took a major step forward. People were ready to come out with the "Same old Spartans," (see: Sparty no!) but this isn't them. The negative talk about the Big Ten will continue, but the Spartans don't have to listen to it. They did their job.
Next season, Andrew Maxwell will have big shoes to fill. Everyone in the program has the utmost confidence in the former Midland star, but he won't need to shine next year. MSU returns 10 players from its bowl-starting defense (nine if Worthy leaves) and it appears defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi will be sticking around for now. The Spartans also return four starters on an offensive line that still has a high ceiling. Maxwell will have a completely new receiving corps, but it's a group he has worked with on the second-team offense. All of the major running backs will return and I expect Le'Veon Bell to be one of the best running backs in the Big Ten.
So farewell to Kirk Cousins, one of the best people I will ever cover as a journalist. He will go on to find much success in something, on the field or off it, and will change the lives of many people. Because that's always been what's most important to him. All the seniors helped change the culture for MSU and took the program to the next level. Joel Foreman finished tied with Eric Gordon for most starts in school history (50). He would have the record if he didn't give up his spot to Arthur Ray against Youngstown State. But which was more important?
I'll end this with a quote from Keith Nichol on Cousins, per the Lansing State Journal, and a video of the men's basketball team's reaction to the game.
"I hugged him at the end of the game, I said it’s just been a blessing to go along on this ride with him, to have someone like that on my side, in my corner. I couldn’t ask to be with a better person through a journey like that. And to connect like that … it was a big moment for the team...
"It’s something as a man, to go through something for four or five years and say you competed in college football and you made it through the grind of early-morning conditioning, workouts, whatever it is, walking off the field and knowing you gave everything you had – that’s the best feeling I’ve ever had. I mean, that was better than the Hail Mary catch for me. This is a game I will remember. I’ll see that Hail Mary catch for a long time, but I won’t remember that like I remember this right here. Hugging B.J. and Kirk, Foreman, Keshawn. I mean, that’s what makes college football so great. The relationships you have with those kind of guys.”
Is it time for spring football yet???
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Cousins gets his chance as 'this guy.'
I may be in the minority, but I absolutely love watching Jon Gruden's QB Camp on ESPN.
I love seeing what quarterback meetings are like and watching Gruden pick the brains of quarterbacks who soon will be drafted into the NFL.
That's why I'm really excited to see how Kirk Cousins does in Gruden's camp. According to MSU, the segment will air on College Gameday around 11:50 a.m. Monday and during the Outback Bowl telecast. Georgia's Aaron Murray will also be part of the segment.
Now I know Gruden usually gushes about every player he talks about, but his confidence in Cousins' intangibles I believe is one of the biggest selling points Cousins has to NFL scouts compared to the top-level quarterbacks in the draft.
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