The return of SlinkyJr. to MSU has the team and fans excited hoping to return to former glory
Season Overview:
After a 1 season hiatus, Slinky is back at the helm at MSU and looks to build upon his success at MSU. Known for his defenses and future talent like Keyshawn Thompson and Brandon Sauter, Slinky could have his next superstar in Kordell McKinnon (loins pls). I believe Slinky is one of the better coaches on the site, and should be able to elevate MSU to higher levels than one might expect for this team. With Kyle Davidson and RB transfer Gabriel Shields, MSU will be a threat in the East.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Strength:
CB Kordell McKinnon 6-0 195 Sr Henry Ford Community College (Dearborn, MI) 5.0 of 5.0 [Zone Coverage]
CB Sean Freeman 6-1 167 (Jr) Posen (Posen, MI) 4.0 of 4.0 [Zone Coverage]
FS Kofi Neal 6-2 215 (Jr) Wonewoc-Center (Wonewoc, WI) 4.5 of 4.5 [Zone Coverage]
SS Eddie McCullough 5-11 196 (Jr) Clarke Community (Osceola, IA) 4.0 of 4.0 [Zone Coverage]
With Slinky back coaching at MSU, you knew we were going to talk about the secondary. McKinnon is the gem of the group, all 4 players have pro potential and Slinky hopes that will form a No Fly Zone 2.0. They definitely have the talent here, and while the rest of the defense might not be as strong, it might not matter as much with Davidson, Shields, and Thurston leading the offensive side of the ball. Slinky knows how to coach the defensive side of the ball very well, and I expect large strides made on this side of the ball and for these 4 players in particular, after the 1 season of RayBaxter at MSU.
Weakness:
WR Joseph Thurston 6-0 210 (Sr) Blair-Taylor (Blair WI) 5.0 of 5.0 [Target]
TE Samuel Hare 6-5 203 Fr Bellevue (Bellevue MI) 1.0 of 5.0 [Receiving]
WR Henry Oswald 6-4 202 (Fr) Barnesville (Barnesville, OH) 2.0 of 3.0 [Target]
WR Benjamin Serna 6-1 194 Fr Holland Christian (Holland MI) 1.0 of 3.5 [Speed]
TE Finn Chase 6-3 227 Sr Holy Cross (River Grove, IL) 2.5 of 2.5 [Blocking]
Pre-transfers, if I was writing this I would have definitely had said RB was the biggest weakness for the Spartans, as they only had a 2.5/2.5 on the roster. Luckily they were able to bring in Shields, who should help MSU tremendously and keep the team more balanced where teams will now have to respect the run. Before he transferred, and with these receiving weapons outside of Thurston it would have been expecting a lot from Davidson. Starting a true freshman TE at WR2 who only has 1.0 skill is a risky move for Slinky, but considering the other options at WR, I understand why he is doing it. I think it will pay off in a few games, but overall I expect Hare to struggle against the more elite secondaries in the B1G, and again, I'm generally not a huge fan of playing players out of position, but Hare looks to be built almost more as a WR than a TE so this could work out well for Slinky. Still, with only 1 player with higher than 2.5 skill, I expect Thurston to carry the load on the receiving end, and Slinky to try and limit turnovers and play a more conservative offense and rely on his secondary to keep them in games.
Key Games:
vs. Toledo
vs. Iowa
@ Michigan
Week 1 against Toledo is a huge match-up for Slinky. Toledo has the talent of a team in the B1G, and should be a great litmus test into how they will face against the top-tier teams in the B1G. If MSU is able to pull out the win, then Slinky has the team back on track and they will be a dark horse in the East. Get blown out and it could be a long season for Slinky. I think the game against Iowa will be another very important game on the schedule for the Spartans, this seems like a game MSU needs to win in order to compete in the East and try and do more than win 6/7 games. MSU got a relatively schedule, avoiding Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin from the West, so Slinky must take advantage of this and try and win 2/3 of these games in order to really surprise people this season. Finally, the first match-up between Slinky and I as coaches of MSU and Michigan has been highlighted on the calendar ever since Slinky announced his return to MSU. Lose and Slinky will never hear the end of HARBAUGH in the Lions chat, win, and Slinky might be looking for a new job in NFLHC
