Michigan State University Athletics
2011 Outlook: Defense
8/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 5, 2011
Outlook: Offense | Roster | Preseason Depth Chart
Under fifth-year head coach Mark Dantonio, Michigan State has solidified itself as a perennial Top 25 program and one of the top teams in the Big Ten Conference.
The Spartans are coming off the winningest season in program history after going 11-2 in 2010 while claiming their first Big Ten Championship in 20 years. MSU has appeared in four consecutive bowl games, including two on New Year's Day, and finished No. 14 in both of the major polls last season.
This season, the Spartans are stocked with talent and depth at nearly every position as they prepare to defend their Big Ten title and attempt to reach the Rose Bowl for the first time since defeating USC in 1988. Michigan State welcomes back 15 starters - including eight who earned All-Big Ten recognition last season - and a total of 47 letterwinners overall.
In addition, several rising players who redshirted in 2010 and stood out during spring practice will get to vie for key spots on both offense and defense.
As MSU gears up for preseason camp, Dantonio, who has won more games (33) than any Spartan coach in his first four seasons, takes a position-by-position look at the 2011 Spartan defense.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The Spartans have the potential for one of their best defensive lines in years as three starters and eight lettermen return in 2011.
Leading the way up front is junior defensive tackle Jerel Worthy (6-3, 310), who has been named to preseason watch lists for the Bednarik, Lombardi and Nagurski Awards as well as Outland Trophy.
An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore by both the coaches and media, Worthy ranked first among Spartan defensive linemen in 2010 with 40 tackles, including eight for losses (42 yards) and a team-best four sacks (27 yards). In two seasons, Worthy has collected 17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
Backing up Worthy will be fifth-year senior Johnathan Strayhorn, a former defensive end who moved to the inside during spring practice. Strayhorn (6-0, 272) ranked second only to Worthy last season with 3.5 sacks while recording a career-high 27 tackles.
Both Kevin Pickelman (6-4, 288, Sr.-5) and Anthony Rashad White (6-2, 316, Jr.) will see significant time in the rotation at nose tackle. Pickelman started seven games last season and responded with a career-best 31 tackles. He sat out spring practice for precautionary reasons with a neck injury, but he's healthy as he begins his final season at MSU. White was one of the surprises of spring practice, emerging as a legitimate force on the defensive line. After transferring from Fort Scott Community College and then getting a season of Big Ten football under his belt in 2010, he showed significant improvement in the spring, spending a majority of his time with the first team.
"Rashad became a dominant player in the spring," Dantonio said. "He now needs to transition that effort into the season."
Blake Pacheco (6-1, 264, Sr.-5), Micajah Reynolds (6-5, 320, So.), Jordan Sanders (6-1, 288, R-Fr.) and Dave Curtis (6-2, 250, Jr.) will add depth on the interior.
Tyler Hoover (6-7, 290), in his first year as a full-time starter at defensive end, tallied a career-high 36 tackles. During a highly productive two-game stretch against Illinois and Northwestern, he compiled 18 stops and three sacks; he was named the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week following his nine tackle, two-sack performance against the Wildcats.
Opposite of Hoover will be a combination of William Gholston (6-7, 280) and Denzel Drone (6-2, 262), two rising sophomores that could have breakthrough seasons in 2011. Before a shoulder injury caused him to miss the final three games of the year, Gholston had 13 tackles and five quarterback hurries. Drone started four contests and also finished his first season with 13 stops.
"At 6-7, 280-290 pounds, both Tyler Hoover and William Gholston can be very good defensive ends," Dantonio said. "Tyler has been in the program for four years, so he has a good understanding of our system. William has a lot of talent, and he really benefitted greatly by playing last season as a true freshman."
Marcus Rush (6-2, 250, R-Fr.) and Corey Freeman (6-2, 250, Jr.) will see time in the rotation behind Hoover, while Taylor Calero (6-3, 245, R-Fr.) also adds depth at the position.
LINEBACKERS
MSU's linebacker corps will have a new look in 2011 following the departure of two of the top linebackers in school history: two-time All-American Greg Jones and Eric Gordon. Jones and Gordon combined for 796 tackles and 95 starts in their careers, staggering numbers that will have to be replaced; however, MSU has stockpiled talent at the position the past few years and is in good shape entering the season.
 In his first year as a starter, Chris Norman ranked sixth on the team with 59 tackles.  | |
The Spartans do return Chris Norman (6-1, 227, Jr.), who started 10 games last year at Star (weak side) linebacker and finished sixth on the team with 59 tackles (4.9 avg.). With 11 career starts, the two-year letterman is the team's most experienced linebacker in a unit that does not have a senior and features only one other upperclassmen in Steve Gardiner. After ranking second on the team in 2010 with 13 special teams tackles, Gardiner (6-1, 222, Jr.) is looking to have a larger role on the defense this fall. He enters preseason camp slated to be Norman's back-up at Star while also possibly having a chance to play at Mike (middle) linebacker. Danny Folino (5-9, 195, So.) will provide depth behind Norman and Gardiner.
The heir apparent to Jones in the middle is sophomore Max Bullough (6-3, 245). In limited action as a true freshman, Bullough still managed to record 23 tackles and was named to the ESPN.com Big Ten All-Freshman Team. During an impressive spring season, Bullough cemented his role as the starting Mike linebacker and become more of a vocal leader on the field for the defense.
"I don't think Greg Jones is a guy that you can easily replace, but Max has been playing very well," Dantonio said. "He has a great command of our defense and has awareness out there on the field. Max has a great future ahead of him."
Sophomore TyQuan Hammock (6-0, 230) will also see time in the rotation at middle linebacker. Hammock had an excellent offseason in terms of conditioning and returned to his natural position of linebacker in the spring after spending the 2010 campaign at fullback. He led the Spartans with 16 tackles on special teams a year ago and tied for the lead in tackles at the spring game with eight.
At Sam (strong side) linebacker, Denicos Allen (5-10, 220, So.) appears ready to take over a starting role after seeing significant playing time as red-shirt freshman in 2010. Allen saw action in all 13 games and compiled 18 tackles, and also made one of the plays of the year with a blocked punt against Purdue in the fourth quarter that helped spark MSU's 15-point comeback victory.
"Denicos has always been a great tackler, and he had a good year on special teams as a red-shirt freshman," Dantonio said. "He played in a lot of different situations. Denicos had a great spring and is in excellent condition, so he'll be a factor out there."
Sophomores Jeremy Gainer (6-1, 228) and Kyler Elsworth (6-1, 215) along with red-shirt freshman Ty Hamilton (6-0, 230) also could see time in the rotation at Sam linebacker.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Michigan State was one of just two schools in the Big Ten last season to have all four starters in the secondary earn all-conference recognition. Two of those players return this fall, as Johnny Adams (5-11, 175, Jr.) will line up at field corner and Trenton Robinson (5-10, 192, Sr.) at free safety.
 Trenton Robinson, who heads into his third season as the starting free safety, recorded career highs in tackles (76), interceptions (4) and pass break-ups (8) in 2010. | |
Robinson, a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches in 2010, blossomed his junior season, ranking among the Big Ten leaders in passes defended (tied for second with 12), pass break-ups (tied for third with 8) and interceptions (tied for fourth with 4). He also was fourth on the team with a career-high 76 tackles. With the departure of several key players from last year's defense, Robinson will be looked to as a leader in his senior season.
"Trenton Robinson is a solid player who provides great leadership in the secondary," Dantonio said. "He has grown significantly every year he's been in our program. In order for us to be successful on defense, we need him to be a leader and a playmaker."
Adams started every game last season and earned second-team All-Big Ten accolades by the coaches. He showed promise as a true freshman in 2008 but was granted a medical redshirt after he missed 10 games in 2009. The Akron, Ohio, native bounced back in a big way as he ranked sixth in the league in both interceptions (3) and pass break-ups (7), while also compiling 50 tackles. This spring, he elevated his game even further and was cited by the coaching staff as one of the standouts on the defense.
A number of younger players will also get a chance to make their mark in the secondary this season.
At boundary corner, sophomore Darqueze Dennard (5-11, 185) is projected to be the starter heading into preseason camp. Dennard appeared in six games as a true freshman last year before missing the final five games due to a knee injury. In his two starts against Northwestern and Illinois, he combined for nine tackles, including two tackles for loss, while also forcing and recovering a fumble. In addition, Mitchell White (5-11, 180, Jr.), a two-year letterwinner, will be in the rotation at boundary corner.
One player that could see time on both sides of the ball is Tony Lippett, a red-shirt freshman who has impressed the coaches with his versality and athleticism. Lippett (6-2, 189) split his time in spring practice with the offense and defense, and enters camp listed on the depth chart at both flanker and field corner.
"Tony is a guy that can make plays for us," Dantonio said. "I think we have to play him more than 15 to 20 snaps, and with our depth at wide receiver, you have to look at him on defense. He got enough reps at both positions in the spring, so we'll just have to make those decisions as a coaching staff during preseason camp."
Dana Dixon (6-2, 170, So.) and Arjen Colquhoun (6-0, 187, Fr.) add depth at cornerback.
Isaiah Lewis (5-10, 195, So.) has the inside track at strong safety following a solid showing during the spring. Lewis appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman and made 15 tackles to earn a spot on the Rivals.com Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Jairus Jones (6-1, 209, So.) was in line to be in the rotation this fall at strong safety, but an Achilles injury toward the end of spring practice sidelined him for the spring game and summer conditioning. There is still a possibility Jones could see the field this fall.
A pair of red-shirt freshmen, Mylan Hicks (5-11, 191) and Kurtis Drummond (6-1, 196), will support Robinson and Lewis at safety, respectively.
