"Michigan State has one of the best defenses I've had a chance to game plan against," said Fleck, a former assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "They're extremely experienced. They play their tails off. They're where we want to get to,Cheap Football Jerseys Wholesale, in terms of how they play. But one thing this team will never be is intimidated."
TWO-FOR-ONE DEAL: When Michigan State workhorse Le'Veon Bell left for the NFL, Dantonio had a casting call for running backs and looked at seven possible replacements. The Spartans appear to have settled on fleet junior Jeremy Langford, a former cornerback and receiver, and bruising redshirt-freshman Riley Bullough, a converted linebacker. Together, they might night have the 421 touches that Bell did last season. Yet, they might be just as productive and present new problems for opposing defenses.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) ? Michigan State has a lot to prove and a lot of players determined to prove it, beginning Friday night against Western Michigan.
DEVASTATING DEFENSE: Michigan State's calling card will be a defense that should stack up against any in the country. The Spartans ranked with Alabama and Florida State as a top-10 unit in total defense, rushing defense and scoring defense the past two years. With senior standouts like middle linebacker Max Bullough, Riley's big brother, and cornerback Darqueze Dennard, Pat Narduzzi's unit is likely to be the best.
"You build a resume as you move forward,China Wholesale Shoes Free Shipping Worldwide," Dantonio said of Michigan State's often-maligned offense. "Everybody always wants to see change. That's exciting. So they lump things in to what has happened in the past. I believe you learn from the past and grow from the past."
Mark Dantonio's Spartans lost five games by 13 points last season but salvaged a 7-6 record with their second straight bowl win. This time, an unranked,Cheap NHL Jerseys From China, under-the-radar Big Ten contender expects a return to double-digit wins.
BUCKEYE TIES: Dantonio and most of his staff have deep Ohio roots,Cheap Shoes Websites, including new co-offensive coordinator Jim Bollman. Dantonio and Bollman were the coordinators at Ohio State when it won a national title 11 years ago. But new Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck,Cheap Hockey Jerseys From China, a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes, also learned a lot from Jim Tressel. One obvious attribute is a positive attitude, even as a decided underdog.
Here are some things to know about the Spartans and Broncos:
STARTING OVER: Fleck isn't the only new face for the Broncos. Senior quarterback Tyler Van Tubbergen takes over for record-setting Alex Carder and has the added burden of throwing to three freshman wide receivers. Van Tubbergen will have to be alert for a wide variety of blitzes, especially by outside linebacker Denicos Allen. A broken leg in training camp will put the Broncos' most dangerous threat, wide receiver Jaime Wilson, on the sideline all season. With his team's inexperience, Wilson's absence will be felt as much against the Spartans as it will be all season.
QUARTERBACK QUESTIONS: Fifth-year senior Andrew Maxwell started every game and was a Michigan State co-captain in 2012. But he had to fend off stiff challenges from sophomore Connor Cook, redshirt-freshman Tyler O'Connor and true freshman Damion Terry to earn a second chance. Maxwell completed just 52.5 percent of his passes and threw for only 13 touchdowns as the successor to school career passing king Kirk Cousins, who produced back-to-back 11-win seasons. With more experience, fewer dropped passes,Cheap Jerseys, more players to share the load and fewer injuries, Maxwell believes this year will be different.