REPORT: MSU Football Deemed Superior to Michigan in Most Important Position
The Michigan State Spartans are not projected to do as well as their arch-rival, Michigan. Sure, the reigning national champions lost their head coach Jim Harbaugh, quarterback JJ McCarthy, one half of a dangerous running back tandem in Blake Corum, top wide receiver Roman Wilson, and many vital pieces on defense.
However, they will return arguably the best cornerback in the country in Will Johnson, the best defensive tackle, Mason Graham, the best tight end, Colston Loveland, and one of the best running backs in Donovan Edwards. They will take a step back at quarterback, though. Alex Orji is no McCarthy. Jadyn Davis is too inexperienced.
What the Spartans can be sure of is that they have the superior head coach in Jonathan Smith. Sherrone Moore won key games when he stepped up for Jim Harbaugh amid scandal, but he is nowhere near the level of Smith.
A recent list from CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli, who ranked the Big Ten coaches, seems to agree. Smith was ranked 7th in the conference (out of 18), 27th in all of college football.
"Smith's overall record of 34-35 with Oregon State may not wow you, but the Beavers went 25-13 over the last three years and produced a lot of NFL talent in that time," Fornelli wrote. "Now, Smith will get a crack at Michigan State, a school with deeper pockets than what was available in Corvallis, Oregon. Smith has an innovative mind and is a smart play-caller. He's also an excellent developer of quarterbacks, a combination that has long proven valuable in a football coach. The Spartans haven't had a QB drafted since Connor Cook in 2016, and he's the only one taken since Kirk Cousins in 2012. I guarantee you that we'll see much better QB development under Smith than Michigan State has had for the last decade."
Moore was ranked No. 15 out 18, and No. 52 overall.
"This is a fascinating spot for Moore because, on the one hand, it will not be easy to step out of Jim Harbaugh's considerable shadow, but he's also inheriting a team that won a national title. Sure, some key players are gone, but a lot of significant pieces are back, too," Fornelli wrote.
The Spartans have a big-time coach in Smith. Michigan's is largely a question-mark at this point. The battle for Paul Bunyan, in Ann Arbor this season, will be intriguing.
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MICHAEL FRANCE