For our 2013 Michigan State football season preview, we’re going to throw in a new wrinkle. “Everyone knows we had the six losses by a total of 13 points, but they don’t know how great we could have been,” said MSU DB Darqueze Dennard.
So we’re going to go through a horrific situation, five of the six losses, game by game, from the 2012 Michigan State football season, with Dennard explaining exactly what happened, in his own words. Some reporter did this at Big Ten Media Day, and whoever it was- brilliant idea!
Maybe with Darqueze Dennard’s insights, we’ll learn more about 2013 Michigan State football!
Hawkeyes: “that one is on me. Before overtime I gave up a big pass for them to tie the game, and then in overtime I dropped an interception to seal the deal, all we had to do was kick a field goal to win, and we ended up losing,” he said. “That was a Darquezze loss.”
Wolverines: “Darquezee loss again. I had a chance to block the field goal, they made the field goal they win the game.”
Ohio State: “The defense’s fault. We didn’t stop them enough and give our offense a chance to get the ball back to have an opportunity to score.”
Nebraska: “Everybody knows it’s my fault. I get that pass interference penalty.”
Northwestern: “We didn’t get enough stops. Too many big plays.”
Interesting how he blames himself for every loss! Darqueze Dennard should be a NFL first round pick, so he has the right to be as hard on himself as he wants.
Michigan State football reasons to get EXCITED! ALL CAPS! They had five losses by four points or less, but they also had four wins by four points or less. So they know how to close the deal. Sort of. Actually they know how to not close the deal; I guess. Point is, it’s a “game of inches” for Michigan State football last year and probably will be again this year. Yes, they could have very easily been 10-2 last year instead of 7-6. Of course, they could have easily been 4-8 as well.
The defense will be DOMINANT! THIS IS SPARTA!!!
The Spartans were 1st in the league in scoring, total and rushing defense. Yes, they lost a couple of guys to the NFL, but the front-seven will be very strong again with NFL sized OLB Taiwan Jones, the guy who BLEEDS Green and White Max Bullough, Tyler Hoover and Marcus Rush. A Defensive End named Rush, how cool is that? Expect another top ten defense this year.
Michigan State football reasons to be worried :( Did you watch them in 2012? Were you drunk? I hope for your sake you were, because they were borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring. Their offense was terrible. The WRs were a train wreck, the QB play was atrocious and LeVeon Bell was all they had. They were like a high school offense in the southern suburbs of Chicago: all running attack, no passing threat.
Michigan State football key games: Sept 21st at Notre Dame, October 5th at Iowa, November 2nd vs Michigan (always a season definer)
Michigan State football bottom line: another year of low scoring, bad passing. However, the OL should be better and that should make the whole offense much better. Perhaps 7-5, the conference schedule does them no favors. However, the non-con is easy enough to propel them to 8-4. Provided Michigan State football can find people to actually throw and catch the ball.
the 2013 College Football rankings 1-51
Big Ten team Season Previews:
Indiana
Iowa
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, a Fox Sports affiliate. He is also an analyst for 95.7 The Fan, and writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks), like him on Facebook