Michigan State had what many considered to be a very good “pushing off” year, where they were able to finish 7-6 and “push” off of the dock that they had been roped to for a while in terms of football success. Now, Spartans fans are certainly interested to see what they can do with some big names back but also with some other question marks going forward that could determine what the season actually holds for the warriors from East Lansing.

Both the offense and defense bring back six starters, but in terms of impact players, the offense certainly holds the aces overall, with QB Brian Hoyer, RB Javon Ringer, and WR Deon Curry, even though Mark Dell is expected to be the team’s main receiving option. A big question looms as to an offensive team leader now that Devin Thomas is collecting paychecks on Sunday, and while Ringer may be the most logical option, he has had some shoulder problems that could spell disaster if they don’t heal fully in time for the season.

On defense, the team brings back leading tackler Greg Jones who is the catalyst at linebacker, but the buzz is around defensive end Trevor Anderson, who was All Big East in Cincinnati prior to following coach to MSU. He will really pose matchup problems for some Big Ten offensive lines, and his presence could be a huge difference maker this season.

Overall, the Spartans could be a really good team with the schedule they have. They get to play Notre Dame, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Purdue at home, but have tough outings at Michigan and Penn State. My guess is that this team will improve upon last year and win 8 and possibly nine games. Things are definitely looking up in Spartanville.