With Davis Back: What's New & What's Next
Jim Comparoni | Editor
EAST LANSING | With Ed Davis being granted a sixth year of eligibility today, the next questions are when will he begin seeing playing time, and what impact will he have on the Spartans?
WHAT'S NEW:
Michigan State released news of Davis’ eligibility via a press release on Friday afternoon. Other than a statement from Mark Dantonio, no coaches have commented on Davis’ return.
Michigan State plays at Notre Dame on Sept. 17, giving the Spartans time to begin working Davis into the playing group on an official basis at today’s practice.
Davis resumed practicing with the Spartans during the third week of August, after finishing a summer semester class. He missed last fall with a torn ACL. He redshirted in 2011. He needed to finish the summer class and graduate before petitioning for a sixth year of eligibility.
Davis (6-2, 237, Detroit Southeastern) was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection as a junior in 2014 when he led the team in production points and was third on the team in tackles for loss and sacks (seven).
Davis has been practicing at 'money' linebacker since Aug. 22, anticipating his full reinstatement.
WHAT’S NEXT:
Michigan State's linebacking corps has been in a bit of flux in recent weeks, but now regains a big boost in talent, depth and flexibility.
Chris Frey made the first start of his college career at 'money' linebacker during last Friday’s 28-13 victory over Furman. Frey played in place of Jon Reschke, who was out with an undisclosed ailment.
Reschke is expected to be available to play at Notre Dame next week. Reschke and Frey have the ability to move to ‘star’ (slot-area) linebacker. But Davis is entrenched as a 'money' linebacker (also known as Sam linebacker in MSU’s system).
“Ed is a ‘money’,” co-defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said during August camp. “We’re not going to mess with him. We’re not going to move him, and Andrew Dowell is a ‘star.’ Those two guys play those two positions, only.
“Those other guys, like Jon Reschke and Chris Frey, can rotate around a little bit. They’ve been cross-trained to do both. And Reschke can play Mike too. He played that position all up until last year.”
Senior Riley Bullough is entrenched as a second-year starter at Mike linebacker.
When Davis went down with the knee injury in August of 2015, Reschke moved from Mike linebacker to ‘money,’ linebacker and competed with Frey for the starting job. Reschke won the job.
Reschke (6-2, 227, Jr., Sterling Heights/Birmingham Brother Rice) excelled as Davis’ replacement last year. Reschke earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors while ranking fifth on the team in production points.
Reschke has earned praise from coaches in practice for taking his physicality to another level with what Tressel called “knock-back tackles.”
Davis made a splash with the 2013 Rose Bowl team as a pass rusher on the nickel defense. He improved to become a well-rounded, impact player as a starter in 2014.
Without Davis in 2015, Michigan State’s pass rush in blitz situations wasn’t as productive as it had been in 2013 and ’14. With Davis back in the group, Michigan State should receive a shot of play-making ability, especially in the pass rush department. The question is how long will it take for Davis to begin to look like the Davis of 2014, or better?
Dantonio said in August Davis was in fine shape from a conditioning standpoint, as well as knee health.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
Look for Reschke to return to his starting spot at ‘money’ linebacker for the Notre Dame game.
Davis has been going through the process of regaining trust in his knee and shaking off some rust.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Davis returns to the playing group for the Notre Dame game, but we’ll learn more from Dantonio on this matter at his next interview opportunity, which is scheduled for Tuesday.
With Reschke and Davis available at ‘money’ linebacker, Frey might see some of his playing time shifted to being a back-up ‘star’ linebacker, behind Dowell.
Coaches are looking forward to having a full allotment of linebackers for the first time since the end of the 2014 season.
“I think this group has the most depth of any linebacking group we’ve had since we’ve been here,” Tressel said. “When you say, ‘How many guys can actually be out there that you would be comfortable with as starters?', it’s the highest number we’ve had. Are the top three the best three we’ve ever had? We’ll see.”
In Reschke and Davis, Michigan State has a pair of players who were honorable mention All-Big Ten at the same position, in different seasons. They’ve never been part of the playing group at the same time. Now, both players are available, and will presumably pack all-conference potential.
Reschke is expected to bring even more force in 2016, potentially at two positions.
If Davis comes back strong, will he challenge Reschke for the starting ‘money’ linebacker job in the weeks ahead? Or will they split time close to 50-50 at ‘money’ linebacker while Reschke gets additional time elsewhere, possibly at 'star'?
“When we’ve talked about depth before, what it’s meant was: These three guys are the guys until or unless someone gets tired,” Tressel said. “And then we had our nickel package with Chris Frey going in.
“But this year we truly feel like we can give people roles where it’s not, ‘That guy needs a series out because he’s exhausted.’ It’s, ‘This is my role. I go in against this personnel group, or that personnel group.’
“It allows you to have more specific film study and really lock into your role and have greater knowledge of those situations.
“And when you get to playing Indiana, you’ve got to have six linebackers.”
So what happens with Ed Davis back?
“Then you can take it even farther and get to have a situation where you have pre-planned rotations where you say, ‘If they’re in pro personnel or two tight end personnel, these are the guys in the game,’” Tressel said hypothetically, in late August, about ways to work Davis into the group. “Or if they are in three receivers, four receivers, these are the guys in the game. And these guys are the nickel package. And then you can get to the point that you have four or five guys that truly are starters, and this is your role, and this is the other guy’s role.”
MSU could potentially have different “starters” and “finishers” each week, depending on the offensive personnel groups that are checked into the game.
The era of uptempo offenses, such as Indiana's, has put a new premium on depth and substitution strength. Michigan State has the pieces at linebacker to rotate liberally and stay fresher than ever against uptempo teams.
In the meantime, Dowell needs to come along in the mental aspects of the game. Dowell has explosive potential, but there are times when the position could use a little tag-team help from a reserve like Frey, or possibly a moonlighting Reschke. With Reschke and Davis back in the lineup, Dowell will have more reserve help than he had last week.
THE BREAKDOWN ON DOWELL
Dowell had eight tackles against Furman, ranking second on the team. However, there were several times when he leveraged plays improperly, due in part to his inexperience, as well as Furman’s surprising new wrinkles, formations and plays - most of which the Spartans hadn’t prepared for in practice.
At 6-1, 218, Dowell plays with excellent speed and quickness. He might be the fastest starting linebacker Michigan State has had under Dantonio.
“I think had the play of the game on his pick,” Dantonio said. “He flipped it (momentum) the other way immediately. Great pick, big play in the game. Great effort.”
But he needs to play correctly as he gains a feel for the starting job.
“Got to know where to go sometimes,” Dantonio said. “And that's coaching and that's also experience because the game changes and you have to adapt. You have to adapt to things you haven't been coached on throughout the week, because they show something different. That's a big part of it.”
If the most improvement truly comes between game one and game two (especially with a bye week thrown in), then the Spartans should see a better version of Dowell at Notre Dame, and in the weeks to come.
Furman didn’t have a great day on the ground against Michigan State, averaging 2.6 yards per carry. But Furman had occasional success on an assortment of inside running plays and then some speed option, sometimes with Dowell at the scene of the crime.
SpartanMag’s unofficial scorecard on Dowell:
- Dowell slipped and fell on an inside zone run that went for a 7-yard gain with 2:40 left in the first half.
- Dowell was a little late squeezing and closing on a shovel pass on third-and-three, late in the first half.
- On Furman’s first play after MSU went up 21-6, Furman gained 7 yards on a speed option pitch in Dowell’s direction. Dowell was influenced inside toward the box too tightly, losing leverage and getting out-flanked.
- Later, Furman scored on a 6-yard speed option TD, in the direction of Dowell and DE Gabe Sherrod, cutting the lead to 21-13.
Michigan State hadn’t anticipated speed option from Furman and hadn’t emphasized speed option defense in game preparation. Furman didn’t show its speed option package until after halftime, giving Michigan State even less time to adapt to it. Dowell and Sherrod happened to be the guys in the area when Furman sprang the speed option on Michigan State during the Paladins' lone touchdown drive.
“On the option, backs were diving into the box,” Dantonio said. “They (Furman) created a different gap a little bit, things with a young player that you've got to get straightened out from a coaching perspective, as well. Things that can be alleviated, things that can be fixed.”
+ Dowell showed good speed in an explosive tackle on RB Darius Morehead after a gain of 6 on an inside isolation play.
- Dowell allowed the No. 3 receiver to get inside of him for a gain of 11 to the 3-yard line on a third-and-six curl.
- Dowell was caught “breaking down” to “catch” a tackle rather than going full-tilt through the tackle, as Tressel wants it, allowing hidden yardage on a 3-yard run through his gap. This came after DT Kevin Williams did a good job against a double-team to free up Dowell to make the stop in the hole. It could have been stopped for little or no gain by Dowell.
+ Showed improvement on speed option to his side, pursuing the alley to hold it to a gain of 3. This was one play after Furman’s trick double-pass.
++! Dowell turned in the play of the night with the game-changing interception with 11:44 to play. Caught in a classic run-pass conflict, Dowell stayed inside for a moment to play his run gap assignment, and then when the QB showed pass, Dowell made three or four fast steps out to the slot area, covering ground with terrific quickness and knowledge in getting into position to have a chance to lay out for the one-handed interception. That was text book coverage of a difficult run-pass option play. The play on the ball was beautiful. But the knowledge, timing and quickness Dowell showed to make the play were exquisite.
“He played with a lot of effort and I think he was involved in a lot of tackles, a lot of production,” Dantonio said of Dowell. “I thought he played very, very well.
“And Chris Frey, same thing, more experienced, played very well.”
Frey performed well in his first start, and will provide zip in an expanded reserve role at two positions.
Davis will likely be a reserve of sorts, too, and potentially an immediate play-maker in pass rush situations.
Dowell, who has been praised by teammates and coaches for his work ethic and commitment, will likely show rapid improvement at ‘star' linebacker.
Now, Reschke will return to the lineup, likely as a better version of last year’s honorable mention All-Big Ten model.
They will revolve around Bullough, one of the best middle linebackers in the country.
The five-man linebacking corps appears ready to become a force. How much Davis contributes to it in South Bend will remain to be seen.
Jim Comparoni | Editor
EAST LANSING | With Ed Davis being granted a sixth year of eligibility today, the next questions are when will he begin seeing playing time, and what impact will he have on the Spartans?
WHAT'S NEW:
Michigan State released news of Davis’ eligibility via a press release on Friday afternoon. Other than a statement from Mark Dantonio, no coaches have commented on Davis’ return.
Michigan State plays at Notre Dame on Sept. 17, giving the Spartans time to begin working Davis into the playing group on an official basis at today’s practice.
Davis resumed practicing with the Spartans during the third week of August, after finishing a summer semester class. He missed last fall with a torn ACL. He redshirted in 2011. He needed to finish the summer class and graduate before petitioning for a sixth year of eligibility.
Davis (6-2, 237, Detroit Southeastern) was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection as a junior in 2014 when he led the team in production points and was third on the team in tackles for loss and sacks (seven).
Davis has been practicing at 'money' linebacker since Aug. 22, anticipating his full reinstatement.
WHAT’S NEXT:
Michigan State's linebacking corps has been in a bit of flux in recent weeks, but now regains a big boost in talent, depth and flexibility.
Chris Frey made the first start of his college career at 'money' linebacker during last Friday’s 28-13 victory over Furman. Frey played in place of Jon Reschke, who was out with an undisclosed ailment.
Reschke is expected to be available to play at Notre Dame next week. Reschke and Frey have the ability to move to ‘star’ (slot-area) linebacker. But Davis is entrenched as a 'money' linebacker (also known as Sam linebacker in MSU’s system).
“Ed is a ‘money’,” co-defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said during August camp. “We’re not going to mess with him. We’re not going to move him, and Andrew Dowell is a ‘star.’ Those two guys play those two positions, only.
“Those other guys, like Jon Reschke and Chris Frey, can rotate around a little bit. They’ve been cross-trained to do both. And Reschke can play Mike too. He played that position all up until last year.”
Senior Riley Bullough is entrenched as a second-year starter at Mike linebacker.
When Davis went down with the knee injury in August of 2015, Reschke moved from Mike linebacker to ‘money,’ linebacker and competed with Frey for the starting job. Reschke won the job.
Reschke (6-2, 227, Jr., Sterling Heights/Birmingham Brother Rice) excelled as Davis’ replacement last year. Reschke earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors while ranking fifth on the team in production points.
Reschke has earned praise from coaches in practice for taking his physicality to another level with what Tressel called “knock-back tackles.”
Davis made a splash with the 2013 Rose Bowl team as a pass rusher on the nickel defense. He improved to become a well-rounded, impact player as a starter in 2014.
Without Davis in 2015, Michigan State’s pass rush in blitz situations wasn’t as productive as it had been in 2013 and ’14. With Davis back in the group, Michigan State should receive a shot of play-making ability, especially in the pass rush department. The question is how long will it take for Davis to begin to look like the Davis of 2014, or better?
Dantonio said in August Davis was in fine shape from a conditioning standpoint, as well as knee health.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
Look for Reschke to return to his starting spot at ‘money’ linebacker for the Notre Dame game.
Davis has been going through the process of regaining trust in his knee and shaking off some rust.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Davis returns to the playing group for the Notre Dame game, but we’ll learn more from Dantonio on this matter at his next interview opportunity, which is scheduled for Tuesday.
With Reschke and Davis available at ‘money’ linebacker, Frey might see some of his playing time shifted to being a back-up ‘star’ linebacker, behind Dowell.
Coaches are looking forward to having a full allotment of linebackers for the first time since the end of the 2014 season.
“I think this group has the most depth of any linebacking group we’ve had since we’ve been here,” Tressel said. “When you say, ‘How many guys can actually be out there that you would be comfortable with as starters?', it’s the highest number we’ve had. Are the top three the best three we’ve ever had? We’ll see.”
In Reschke and Davis, Michigan State has a pair of players who were honorable mention All-Big Ten at the same position, in different seasons. They’ve never been part of the playing group at the same time. Now, both players are available, and will presumably pack all-conference potential.
Reschke is expected to bring even more force in 2016, potentially at two positions.
If Davis comes back strong, will he challenge Reschke for the starting ‘money’ linebacker job in the weeks ahead? Or will they split time close to 50-50 at ‘money’ linebacker while Reschke gets additional time elsewhere, possibly at 'star'?
“When we’ve talked about depth before, what it’s meant was: These three guys are the guys until or unless someone gets tired,” Tressel said. “And then we had our nickel package with Chris Frey going in.
“But this year we truly feel like we can give people roles where it’s not, ‘That guy needs a series out because he’s exhausted.’ It’s, ‘This is my role. I go in against this personnel group, or that personnel group.’
“It allows you to have more specific film study and really lock into your role and have greater knowledge of those situations.
“And when you get to playing Indiana, you’ve got to have six linebackers.”
So what happens with Ed Davis back?
“Then you can take it even farther and get to have a situation where you have pre-planned rotations where you say, ‘If they’re in pro personnel or two tight end personnel, these are the guys in the game,’” Tressel said hypothetically, in late August, about ways to work Davis into the group. “Or if they are in three receivers, four receivers, these are the guys in the game. And these guys are the nickel package. And then you can get to the point that you have four or five guys that truly are starters, and this is your role, and this is the other guy’s role.”
MSU could potentially have different “starters” and “finishers” each week, depending on the offensive personnel groups that are checked into the game.
The era of uptempo offenses, such as Indiana's, has put a new premium on depth and substitution strength. Michigan State has the pieces at linebacker to rotate liberally and stay fresher than ever against uptempo teams.
In the meantime, Dowell needs to come along in the mental aspects of the game. Dowell has explosive potential, but there are times when the position could use a little tag-team help from a reserve like Frey, or possibly a moonlighting Reschke. With Reschke and Davis back in the lineup, Dowell will have more reserve help than he had last week.
THE BREAKDOWN ON DOWELL
Dowell had eight tackles against Furman, ranking second on the team. However, there were several times when he leveraged plays improperly, due in part to his inexperience, as well as Furman’s surprising new wrinkles, formations and plays - most of which the Spartans hadn’t prepared for in practice.
At 6-1, 218, Dowell plays with excellent speed and quickness. He might be the fastest starting linebacker Michigan State has had under Dantonio.
“I think had the play of the game on his pick,” Dantonio said. “He flipped it (momentum) the other way immediately. Great pick, big play in the game. Great effort.”
But he needs to play correctly as he gains a feel for the starting job.
“Got to know where to go sometimes,” Dantonio said. “And that's coaching and that's also experience because the game changes and you have to adapt. You have to adapt to things you haven't been coached on throughout the week, because they show something different. That's a big part of it.”
If the most improvement truly comes between game one and game two (especially with a bye week thrown in), then the Spartans should see a better version of Dowell at Notre Dame, and in the weeks to come.
Furman didn’t have a great day on the ground against Michigan State, averaging 2.6 yards per carry. But Furman had occasional success on an assortment of inside running plays and then some speed option, sometimes with Dowell at the scene of the crime.
SpartanMag’s unofficial scorecard on Dowell:
- Dowell slipped and fell on an inside zone run that went for a 7-yard gain with 2:40 left in the first half.
- Dowell was a little late squeezing and closing on a shovel pass on third-and-three, late in the first half.
- On Furman’s first play after MSU went up 21-6, Furman gained 7 yards on a speed option pitch in Dowell’s direction. Dowell was influenced inside toward the box too tightly, losing leverage and getting out-flanked.
- Later, Furman scored on a 6-yard speed option TD, in the direction of Dowell and DE Gabe Sherrod, cutting the lead to 21-13.
Michigan State hadn’t anticipated speed option from Furman and hadn’t emphasized speed option defense in game preparation. Furman didn’t show its speed option package until after halftime, giving Michigan State even less time to adapt to it. Dowell and Sherrod happened to be the guys in the area when Furman sprang the speed option on Michigan State during the Paladins' lone touchdown drive.
“On the option, backs were diving into the box,” Dantonio said. “They (Furman) created a different gap a little bit, things with a young player that you've got to get straightened out from a coaching perspective, as well. Things that can be alleviated, things that can be fixed.”
+ Dowell showed good speed in an explosive tackle on RB Darius Morehead after a gain of 6 on an inside isolation play.
- Dowell allowed the No. 3 receiver to get inside of him for a gain of 11 to the 3-yard line on a third-and-six curl.
- Dowell was caught “breaking down” to “catch” a tackle rather than going full-tilt through the tackle, as Tressel wants it, allowing hidden yardage on a 3-yard run through his gap. This came after DT Kevin Williams did a good job against a double-team to free up Dowell to make the stop in the hole. It could have been stopped for little or no gain by Dowell.
+ Showed improvement on speed option to his side, pursuing the alley to hold it to a gain of 3. This was one play after Furman’s trick double-pass.
++! Dowell turned in the play of the night with the game-changing interception with 11:44 to play. Caught in a classic run-pass conflict, Dowell stayed inside for a moment to play his run gap assignment, and then when the QB showed pass, Dowell made three or four fast steps out to the slot area, covering ground with terrific quickness and knowledge in getting into position to have a chance to lay out for the one-handed interception. That was text book coverage of a difficult run-pass option play. The play on the ball was beautiful. But the knowledge, timing and quickness Dowell showed to make the play were exquisite.
“He played with a lot of effort and I think he was involved in a lot of tackles, a lot of production,” Dantonio said of Dowell. “I thought he played very, very well.
“And Chris Frey, same thing, more experienced, played very well.”
Frey performed well in his first start, and will provide zip in an expanded reserve role at two positions.
Davis will likely be a reserve of sorts, too, and potentially an immediate play-maker in pass rush situations.
Dowell, who has been praised by teammates and coaches for his work ethic and commitment, will likely show rapid improvement at ‘star' linebacker.
Now, Reschke will return to the lineup, likely as a better version of last year’s honorable mention All-Big Ten model.
They will revolve around Bullough, one of the best middle linebackers in the country.
The five-man linebacking corps appears ready to become a force. How much Davis contributes to it in South Bend will remain to be seen.
