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The Michigan State Spartans will have a better defense in 2013 than they did in their disappointing 2012 season. With the loss of defensive end William Gholston and cornerback Johnny Adams, that may sound like an extreme statement.
Before the 2012 season, both Gholston and Adams were projected as top 20 picks in the 2013 NFL Draft. Their seasons weren’t as impressive as expected, however, but the two guys were leaders on defense and will be missed majorly.
The Spartans had the ninth best scoring defense last season, allowing just 16.3 points per game. They also had the fourth best total defense in the nation by allowing just 274.4 yards a game. These two statistics are so impressive for a team such as the Spartans who are severely undocumented for their strengths.
One reason they were so lightly talked about in 2012 was partially due to their mediocre 7-6 record and disappointing losses in conference, finishing 3-5.
A reason for their lack of success overall was the poor play on offense. The Spartans were ranked 110th in the country in scoring offense with 20 points per game and their defense was the reason they even made a bowl game.
To say that such a defense will be better the year after a top 10 overall performance would be crazy, right? Wrong.
Well, in my opinion, the offense will be better in 2013 as well, which will, in turn, give the defense more time to breathe. The less they are on the field, the more effective they will be throughout and especially in late game situation– where they have lost many games in crunch time.
With the addition of many young players as well as keeping nine starters on that side of the ball, such as talented linebackers Max Bullough, Taiwan Jones and Denicos Allen, safety Isaiah Lewis and underrated cornerback Darqueze Dennard, this team will be talented enough to be a top-three defense in 2013.
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