Offensive Notebook: Warner provides the latest
Jim Comparoni | Editor
EAST LANSING | Spartan fans are less than two days away from the opener of the 2016 football season, and the debut of a new-look offensive backfield.
When No. 12-ranked Michigan State plays host to Furman on Friday (7:04 p.m., BTN), the Spartans will trot out a new starting quarterback, two new options at fullback, and the expectation of new-and-improved talent at tailback.
Senior Tyler O’Connor has been a lightning rod for attention and anticipation, heading into the season. The tri-captain started last year’s monumental victory at Ohio State, but this is the first time he has handled first-string duties for the long term.
Many are expecting a blowout of Furman, and the likelihood of back-ups Damion Terry andBrian Lewerke getting some time at quarterback.
But coaches indicate that there are no plans to schedule early-game work for Terry or Lewerke.
“I think he (O’Connor) is our guy and we’re going to go with him,” co-offensive coordinatorDave Warner said on Wednesday at the Skandalaris Center. “Like every position, you’d like to give other guys the opportunity, but at the quarterback position, he’s going to be in there for the long haul until we feel like we can get somebody else in.”
“He's had a great camp,” head coach Mark Dantonio said of O’Connor on Tuesday. “Nobody's dislodged him. He's thrown the ball very effectively with knowing where to go with the ball and I think his arm strength is very, very good. He's got the ability to move and he understands our offense very, very well. Scale of one to 10, probably 10.
“I think everything is in order for him. My message to him is: Be yourself, understand there's going to be criticism. If you make a mistake, go at it 100 percent and bounce back from it.
“It's tough being a quarterback at any level, especially at this level in football, because you get a lot of criticism. Much of it, from people that don't understand the nuances of what he's going through.
“So he's got to roll with it a little bit, but he'll be fine. He's a competitor and he's prepared himself for this moment and he's got a great supporting cast around him.”
DON’T SLEEP ON LONDON
At tailback, coaches hoped and expected to have one of the three top backs from a year ago emerge as the feature back in time for the 2016 season. Now, it appears that those auditions will carry into the season, with none of the three having an upper hand on the others.
L.J. Scott (699 yards last year), Madre London (500) and Gerald Holmes (540) were all listed as sharing first-string status on the official depth chart that was released to media on Tuesday.
"It is unique,” Warner said. “It's probably more unique here than many places because there's so much talent. So we'll see how it works out come Friday night, but I think all those guys obviously will get their opportunities. I expect all three to play and perform very, very well, as they have done in the past.
“It’s just a natural deal for those guys to get better as their confidence grows, and I think that’s happened.”
Madre London started the first six games of 2015 for Michigan State.
Coaches still prefer to eventually settle on one feature back, with a second back getting a smaller percentage of carries.
London started last year’s opener against Western Michigan. He lost the starting job midway through the season after sustaining a knee injury against Rutgers.
London was back in the mix by the end of the year. He started the second half of the Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa, but Scott finished it, with the title-clinching TD run in the final minute.
Scott has been regarded as the favorite to win the job this year. But London has held firm in the competition.
“He has gained a little bit more speed and quickness, to a certain extent,” Warner said of London, who is close to 12 pounds lighter than in 2015. “It’s not anything he planned to do. It just sort of happened. But he has always been a guy that has great change-of-direction and elusiveness and I think that may have enhanced that also.”
TRANSFER OF TALENT
SMU transfer Prescott Line (6-0, 253, Sr., Oxford) has impressed during August camp at fullback.
Line had 774 career rushing yards at SMU, but saw his role diminish as the Mustangs adopted a spread offense. He wanted to come back to his home state for a chance to play in an offense that utilized a conventional fullback.
The graduation of three-year starter Trevon Pendleton provided an opportunity for Line. Line has prospered as hammerhead blocking back in August.
“He is a guy that really will shock you in our blocking scheme, iso blocking and power blocking and so forth,” Warner said. “He provides probably more shock than we’ve had at that position in a few years. So he’s able to move people. And he’s got some decent running ability too.
“So he’s a guy that we’re excited to see out there because he could give us a little more power than we’ve had at that position.”
Prescott Line brings size, physicality and some versatility to the fullback position.
Former tailback Delton Williams (6-1, 228, Sr., Erie, Pa.) is competing for time at fullback as well.
Williams and Line were listed as co-starters on Tuesday’s depth chart.
Williams has 610 career rushing yards at Michigan State, and moved to fullback in the spring.
“His running ability, his pass catching ability provides something for us,” Warner said. “We’ve had good fullbacks, but I think Delton maybe raises the bar a little bit there. So he’ll be able to do that.
“We’re anxious to find out how he’s going to be as a blocker. He has shown to be pretty good. But we’ll find out come game time.”
WARNER UNPLUGGED ...
* Warner and other Spartans have been high on WR Monty Madaris this week. The fifth-year senior is likely to make his first career start on Friday.
“He's ready for a breakout year,” Warner said. “We've had high expectations for him all along. He had a very good spring, and he's had a good camp. His problem in the past has just been staying healthy.
"He's been here in the program for a few years now and really knows all of our receiver positions, which really makes him more valuable. All of a sudden now, if someone needs a break or gets hurt or whatever, he can move to a different position and get the next-best guy on the field for us.”
* Madaris’ ability to play all three WR positions in the offense sets him apart from the other Spartan receivers in that regard.
"He's probably the best at it right now,” Warner said. “I will say this, all of those receivers can to some degree play more than one position, even our freshmen to a certain degree, which is impressive. That has not been the case around here. Most of the time, a guy that had to play right away usually stuck at one spot - Keshawn Martin, guys like that, they pretty much just played one position. These freshmen, they have the ability to jump around. We're trying to keep them at one spot right now to keep them coming along and learning."
* Warner on the offensive line: “I think we know who those six guys are and those six guys will all play.”
Those six are David Beedle, Brian Allen, Kodi Kieler, Brandon Clemons, Benny McGowan andMiguel Machado.
Clemons or McGowan are still competing at right guard. McGowan is comfortable with the idea of coming off the bench and potentially subbing in at any of the three interior positions.
Beedle, Clemons and Machado would be first-year starters. Clemons became a regular in the playing group in the last month of last season. Machado was in the playing group in the early part of the season.
“You’ve got some linemen stepping in there, obviously a new quarterback, so there are a lot of new guys that have waited their turn, paid the price and I think they’re anxious to get out there and show people what they’re capable of,” Warner said. “(On the offensive line) I think it’s a matter of finding out who the seventh guy is, who the eighth guy is to keep working guys in.”
* On Furman safety Trey Robinson (6-1, 212, Sr.), who was named preseason All-Southern Conference by the league’s coaches:
“He’s all over the field,” Warner said. “First and foremost, he is excellent against the run. He’s a big dude. He’ll come up and hit you. But he is very good in the pass game, for his size. He moves around well in the back end. So we’re going to have to know where he’s at.”
Robinson had 10 tackles in a 16-15 win over Central Florida last year.
Furman went 4-7 last year.
* On Furman’s style of play, defensively:
“They are very similar to us as far as a four-down scheme. They play a robber coverage similar to us. That’s what we’re expecting. We’ve been able to carry through with what we do against our own guys and formulate our game that way. So that’s been a benefit. But the first game, you never know for sure until you get out there and see exactly what they’re doing.”
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Jim Comparoni | Editor
EAST LANSING | Spartan fans are less than two days away from the opener of the 2016 football season, and the debut of a new-look offensive backfield.
When No. 12-ranked Michigan State plays host to Furman on Friday (7:04 p.m., BTN), the Spartans will trot out a new starting quarterback, two new options at fullback, and the expectation of new-and-improved talent at tailback.
Senior Tyler O’Connor has been a lightning rod for attention and anticipation, heading into the season. The tri-captain started last year’s monumental victory at Ohio State, but this is the first time he has handled first-string duties for the long term.
Many are expecting a blowout of Furman, and the likelihood of back-ups Damion Terry andBrian Lewerke getting some time at quarterback.
But coaches indicate that there are no plans to schedule early-game work for Terry or Lewerke.
“I think he (O’Connor) is our guy and we’re going to go with him,” co-offensive coordinatorDave Warner said on Wednesday at the Skandalaris Center. “Like every position, you’d like to give other guys the opportunity, but at the quarterback position, he’s going to be in there for the long haul until we feel like we can get somebody else in.”
“He's had a great camp,” head coach Mark Dantonio said of O’Connor on Tuesday. “Nobody's dislodged him. He's thrown the ball very effectively with knowing where to go with the ball and I think his arm strength is very, very good. He's got the ability to move and he understands our offense very, very well. Scale of one to 10, probably 10.
“I think everything is in order for him. My message to him is: Be yourself, understand there's going to be criticism. If you make a mistake, go at it 100 percent and bounce back from it.
“It's tough being a quarterback at any level, especially at this level in football, because you get a lot of criticism. Much of it, from people that don't understand the nuances of what he's going through.
“So he's got to roll with it a little bit, but he'll be fine. He's a competitor and he's prepared himself for this moment and he's got a great supporting cast around him.”
DON’T SLEEP ON LONDON
At tailback, coaches hoped and expected to have one of the three top backs from a year ago emerge as the feature back in time for the 2016 season. Now, it appears that those auditions will carry into the season, with none of the three having an upper hand on the others.
L.J. Scott (699 yards last year), Madre London (500) and Gerald Holmes (540) were all listed as sharing first-string status on the official depth chart that was released to media on Tuesday.
"It is unique,” Warner said. “It's probably more unique here than many places because there's so much talent. So we'll see how it works out come Friday night, but I think all those guys obviously will get their opportunities. I expect all three to play and perform very, very well, as they have done in the past.
“It’s just a natural deal for those guys to get better as their confidence grows, and I think that’s happened.”
Madre London started the first six games of 2015 for Michigan State.
Coaches still prefer to eventually settle on one feature back, with a second back getting a smaller percentage of carries.
London started last year’s opener against Western Michigan. He lost the starting job midway through the season after sustaining a knee injury against Rutgers.
London was back in the mix by the end of the year. He started the second half of the Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa, but Scott finished it, with the title-clinching TD run in the final minute.
Scott has been regarded as the favorite to win the job this year. But London has held firm in the competition.
“He has gained a little bit more speed and quickness, to a certain extent,” Warner said of London, who is close to 12 pounds lighter than in 2015. “It’s not anything he planned to do. It just sort of happened. But he has always been a guy that has great change-of-direction and elusiveness and I think that may have enhanced that also.”
TRANSFER OF TALENT
SMU transfer Prescott Line (6-0, 253, Sr., Oxford) has impressed during August camp at fullback.
Line had 774 career rushing yards at SMU, but saw his role diminish as the Mustangs adopted a spread offense. He wanted to come back to his home state for a chance to play in an offense that utilized a conventional fullback.
The graduation of three-year starter Trevon Pendleton provided an opportunity for Line. Line has prospered as hammerhead blocking back in August.
“He is a guy that really will shock you in our blocking scheme, iso blocking and power blocking and so forth,” Warner said. “He provides probably more shock than we’ve had at that position in a few years. So he’s able to move people. And he’s got some decent running ability too.
“So he’s a guy that we’re excited to see out there because he could give us a little more power than we’ve had at that position.”
Prescott Line brings size, physicality and some versatility to the fullback position.
Former tailback Delton Williams (6-1, 228, Sr., Erie, Pa.) is competing for time at fullback as well.
Williams and Line were listed as co-starters on Tuesday’s depth chart.
Williams has 610 career rushing yards at Michigan State, and moved to fullback in the spring.
“His running ability, his pass catching ability provides something for us,” Warner said. “We’ve had good fullbacks, but I think Delton maybe raises the bar a little bit there. So he’ll be able to do that.
“We’re anxious to find out how he’s going to be as a blocker. He has shown to be pretty good. But we’ll find out come game time.”
WARNER UNPLUGGED ...
* Warner and other Spartans have been high on WR Monty Madaris this week. The fifth-year senior is likely to make his first career start on Friday.
“He's ready for a breakout year,” Warner said. “We've had high expectations for him all along. He had a very good spring, and he's had a good camp. His problem in the past has just been staying healthy.
"He's been here in the program for a few years now and really knows all of our receiver positions, which really makes him more valuable. All of a sudden now, if someone needs a break or gets hurt or whatever, he can move to a different position and get the next-best guy on the field for us.”
* Madaris’ ability to play all three WR positions in the offense sets him apart from the other Spartan receivers in that regard.
"He's probably the best at it right now,” Warner said. “I will say this, all of those receivers can to some degree play more than one position, even our freshmen to a certain degree, which is impressive. That has not been the case around here. Most of the time, a guy that had to play right away usually stuck at one spot - Keshawn Martin, guys like that, they pretty much just played one position. These freshmen, they have the ability to jump around. We're trying to keep them at one spot right now to keep them coming along and learning."
* Warner on the offensive line: “I think we know who those six guys are and those six guys will all play.”
Those six are David Beedle, Brian Allen, Kodi Kieler, Brandon Clemons, Benny McGowan andMiguel Machado.
Clemons or McGowan are still competing at right guard. McGowan is comfortable with the idea of coming off the bench and potentially subbing in at any of the three interior positions.
Beedle, Clemons and Machado would be first-year starters. Clemons became a regular in the playing group in the last month of last season. Machado was in the playing group in the early part of the season.
“You’ve got some linemen stepping in there, obviously a new quarterback, so there are a lot of new guys that have waited their turn, paid the price and I think they’re anxious to get out there and show people what they’re capable of,” Warner said. “(On the offensive line) I think it’s a matter of finding out who the seventh guy is, who the eighth guy is to keep working guys in.”
* On Furman safety Trey Robinson (6-1, 212, Sr.), who was named preseason All-Southern Conference by the league’s coaches:
“He’s all over the field,” Warner said. “First and foremost, he is excellent against the run. He’s a big dude. He’ll come up and hit you. But he is very good in the pass game, for his size. He moves around well in the back end. So we’re going to have to know where he’s at.”
Robinson had 10 tackles in a 16-15 win over Central Florida last year.
Furman went 4-7 last year.
* On Furman’s style of play, defensively:
“They are very similar to us as far as a four-down scheme. They play a robber coverage similar to us. That’s what we’re expecting. We’ve been able to carry through with what we do against our own guys and formulate our game that way. So that’s been a benefit. But the first game, you never know for sure until you get out there and see exactly what they’re doing.”
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