Better Than I Thought

After a dissapointing loss at home to Penn State, the Spartans are rolling with three straight wins, including impressive wins over Minnesota and at Michigan. I expect MSU to win most of their games, but now they are playing without Raymar Morgan, argueably MSU's best player. I have been impressed by how well the Spartans have played without Ray, but I belive it also helps the team. Guys are getting minutes that don't normally play as much, like freshman Delvon Roe. Delvon has really stepped up to the pressure with 14 points at Michigan and 9 points against Indiana.

Who has really impressed me the most is sophmore guard Kalin Lucas. Without Morgan, he has really put the team on his back and carried them to some key victories. Izzo says is Lucas can step up more and be a leader like he is now, the Spartans will make a run in the tournament.

Michigan State looks like they can make a long run in the tournament, and Izzo is one of the best tournament coaches ever. They have the tools to make a run, they just need to cut down on mistakes.

MSU face a big test next tuesday at West Lafyette, playing at 19 Purdue. Last year the Spartans were upset by the Boilermakers and seek revenge this year. If they win this game, there is no doubt in my mind that they should win the Big Ten tournament in March.

MSU 2009 Recruiting Class

Coach Dantonio brought in a strong class this year with 23 commits and 10 of them are 4-star recruits. MSU dominated the state of Michigan with 12 of the 23 from Michigan. Topping the list is running back Edwin Baker (right) out of Oak Park, MI. The 5'10", 204 lbs. RB looks like he could be another Javon Ringer. He has blazing speed running a 4.4 40 yard dash. He hits the hole hard and once he is in the open field, he is gone. Baker is ranked #11 in running backs by espn.com.

Another solid recruit is offensive lineman David Barrent. MSU was thin on the offensive line, losing Mike Bacon, Jesse Miller, and Roland Martin. Barrent shows good size (6'8" 290 lbs.) and has great leg drive. He plays a little high, but the coaches will fix that in the off season. Barnett will help open holes for the backs and give Cousins/ Nicols time to throw. Barnett is ranked #8 in offensive linemen.

MSU is in the top 35 in recruiting, ranked 16th in the nation. With top recruits coming in, the sucsessfull seasons are not going to be a two year thing. Dantonio achived a lot with 2 and 3 star recruits, not he is getting 3 and 4 star recruits. For a complete list of MSU's recruits, click on http://rivals100.rivals.com/commitlist.asp?Year=2009&School=45.