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Just how good a year will Maxwell have?

  • People are hedging their bets on State's success this year due to the loss of KC, our 3 year captain and QB. I remember at this time last year some of the same people were saying we were in trouble due to the loss of our multi-year LB starters Jones and Gordon. I know that last year most Spartan fans who regularly followed the team were fairly confident because of the incredible depth we had at LB. But this year Maxwell is still somewhat of a mystery to me. . . not playing in the spring game. . . playing with a bunch of talented, but new receivers. . . I know that the running game and the pass blocking will help Maxwell, and I've seen glimpses of his talent, but really what kind of success are you expecting from him this year.

    whittierspartan

  • It all comes down to the running game. If Bell can have the monster year that I think he can, then that will open up play action and allow Maxwell to throw to open receivers. If he's in a position where he has to thread the needle to young receivers on 3rd and 9 on all the time, he could have a rough season. All in all, I expect an above average season from Maxwell this year. Nothing spectacular, but efficient and solid.

    "RCMB: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainry." - some dude from MgoBlog

    JEK ●

  • JEK said...

    It all comes down to the running game. If Bell can have the monster year that I think he can, then that will open up play action and allow Maxwell to throw to open receivers. If he's in a position where he has to thread the needle to young receivers on 3rd and 9 on all the time, he could have a rough season. All in all, I expect an above average season from Maxwell this year. Nothing spectacular, but efficient and solid.

    Exactly. It all depends on the running game and our ability to run play action.

    This post was edited by Jor El on 6/16/2012 at 10:18 AM

    Jor El

  • Maxwell: 1st team all B10 this year. Book it.

    UNST UNST UNST

  • UNST UNST UNST said...

    Maxwell: 1st team all B10 this year. Book it.

    Won't happen, even if he has the stats, as long as Duh-nard and Braxton Miller have even respectable seasons.

    "RCMB: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainry." - some dude from MgoBlog

    JEK ●

  • whittierspartan said...

    People are hedging their bets on State's success this year due to the loss of KC, our 3 year captain and QB. I remember at this time last year some of the same people were saying we were in trouble due to the loss of our multi-year LB starters Jones and Gordon. I know that last year most Spartan fans who regularly followed the team were fairly confident because of the incredible depth we had at LB. But this year Maxwell is still somewhat of a mystery to me. . . not playing in the spring game. . . playing with a bunch of talented, but new receivers. . . I know that the running game and the pass blocking will help Maxwell, and I've seen glimpses of his talent, but really what kind of success are you expecting from him this year.

    60% completion, 2600 yards, 19 TDs, 11 INts

    Michigan State does not and will not run the 3-4 defense.

    SpartanRocky

  • As good a year as the O-line has

    GRR Spartan

  • I'd say good...to quite good.

    CaseHallBaller

  • SpartanRocky said...

    60% completion, 2600 yards, 19 TDs, 11 INts

    Chances you didn't go back and look at Cousins' first year stats before predicting this?

    Ringer23

  • 80% completion

    4200 yards

    44 TD
    3 INT

    TPain151807 ●

  • Maxwell will be fine, but the real question is how well will our receivers perform? Skill position seniors are like gold in college football and Cunningham, Lithicum and Martin baled us out on third & long time and time again. Personally, I'm not buying into the Dion Sims hype, but I'm hopeful Arnett will be a playmaker in 2012.

    southernspartan

  • Hasn't played much. Injured against Alabama, injured prior to Spring game. I hope he can remain healthy and is not just one of those guys that always gets hurt. Like to see what he can do...

    Go Green

    bine83 ●

  • southernspartan said...

    Maxwell will be fine, but the real question is how well will our receivers perform? Skill position seniors are like gold in college football and Cunningham, Lithicum and Martin baled us out on third & long time and time again. Personally, I'm not buying into the Dion Sims hype, but I'm hopeful Arnett will be a playmaker in 2012.

    I disagree. We've had skill position athletes (and WR in particular) have phenomenal years without needing senior eligibility to attain them.

    Irvin-fr,so, jr
    Duckett-so, jr
    Ringer-Jr, sr (junior year was better IMO)
    Baker-So
    Bell-so

    Chris Baker-so, jr, sr
    Plax-so, Jr
    CRog-so, jr
    DT-Jr

    "Losing Benenoch is a mortal blow from which this program can't recover"-T-Pain

    Rogue Leader

  • Ringer23 said...

    Chances you didn't go back and look at Cousins' first year stats before predicting this?

    I actually didn't. Cousins had, I believe, 2725, 19 and 10. I think his completion % was like 60.4% or something. The team, however, threw for nearly 290 YPG; Nichol added over 700 yards. Toss in a few K-mart passes and I think the team ended up throwing for something like 3500 yards.

    This post was edited by SpartanRocky on 6/16/2012 at 11:17 AM

    Michigan State does not and will not run the 3-4 defense.

    SpartanRocky

  • SpartanRocky said...

    I actually didn't. Cousins had, I believe, 2725, 19 and 10. I think his completion % was like 60.4% or something. The team, however, threw for nearly 290 YPG; Nichol added over 700 yards. Toss in a few K-mart passes and I think the team ended up throwing for something like 3500 yards.

    Cousins in 2009:

    60.4% completion, 2680 yards, 19 TDs, 9 INTs

    Ringer23

  • southernspartan said...

    Maxwell will be fine, but the real question is how well will our receivers perform? Skill position seniors are like gold in college football and Cunningham, Lithicum and Martin baled us out on third & long time and time again. Personally, I'm not buying into the Dion Sims hype, but I'm hopeful Arnett will be a playmaker in 2012.

    FWIW, Martin really didn't start playing well till the UM game. He had the fumble vs. YSU (and one vs. UM as well). Martin didn't become a true receiver until the second half of a year; I was bemoaning the loss of Fowler because it left Cunningham as the only real downfield guy. I called Martin a glorified return man (think Hester with the Bears) and Nichol an athletic former QB. Not exactly the stuff elite WR units are made of.

    The big question about the WRs are their hands and route-running. From what I saw in the spring game, speed is not going to be an issue. All the guys except Kerrick and Caesar can fly, and Kerrick is not slow. Caesar I just didn't see a ton of, so I don't know what his speed's like. The staff has 9 options or so to choose from, so you'd figure 2-3 of them are going to end up being viable players. Which ones? That remains to be seen, and is the reason there's so many questions.

    The other point that you brought up is 3rd and long. That's a concern, but what if the running game improves to the point where MSU is in 3rd and 2 more than 3rd and 7? MSU was among the worst 3rd down conversion teams in the conference last year, mostly, IMHO, because of the inability to run the ball. Heck, on 3rd and 3 the formation was usually 5-wide. With an improved OL, hopefully that isn't the situation, so the pressure is off of Maxwell a bit more.

    Can the season start?

    Michigan State does not and will not run the 3-4 defense.

    SpartanRocky

  • Ringer23 said...

    Cousins in 2009:

    60.4% completion, 2680 yards, 19 TDs, 9 INTs

    damn, I got the competion % right. 2725 is probably Hoyer in 2007 then. I did look these up a couple of weeks ago.

    Michigan State does not and will not run the 3-4 defense.

    SpartanRocky

  • Passes 248-327, 3744 yards, 27 touchdowns, 8 interceptions.

    Rushes 92 times for 561 yards and 6 touchdowns.

    Wins Heisman Trophy. MSU goes 13-0.

    Big Ten Referee

  • whittierspartan said...

    People are hedging their bets on State's success this year due to the loss of KC, our 3 year captain and QB. I remember at this time last year some of the same people were saying we were in trouble due to the loss of our multi-year LB starters Jones and Gordon. I know that last year most Spartan fans who regularly followed the team were fairly confident because of the incredible depth we had at LB. But this year Maxwell is still somewhat of a mystery to me. . . not playing in the spring game. . . playing with a bunch of talented, but new receivers. . . I know that the running game and the pass blocking will help Maxwell, and I've seen glimpses of his talent, but really what kind of success are you expecting from him this year.

    The physical part and talent is not the issue. Its more a maturation process that must take place. Cousins came a long way in the mental part of the game over his career. But there were lots of bumps in the road and lessons learned along the way. He also was able to grow and learn with the same corp of skill guys around him for the most part. You learn from mistakes and then improve and do better the next time you are in that situation. 2009 Notre Dame game late, we are driving for game tying or winning score. ND blitzes, Cousins panics, underthrown hurried throw to right side. Game over. How fast Maxwell and his recievers can mature will determine what kind of season he will have.

    82msuspartan

  • SpartanRocky said...

    60% completion, 2600 yards, 19 TDs, 11 INts

    I would take that, if those are consistent numbers. Meaning, no 300 yards 3 tds against bsu and 90 yard 3ints against OSU. If he is consistent, and the run game is as good as they should be, they will probably win the division. If he is better? As in 3000+, 24+ tds, keeps the TO's under control, and gives us some scrambling, then I don't know who on this schedule would be favored against us.

    aroz13

  • All Maxwell has do for us to be successful is have a '08 Brian Hoyer like year. We will pound the ball a lot which will make it a lot easier on him but Maxwell will have a great defense to lean on unlike Hoyer.

    signature image signature image signature image

    SpartanPride24 ●

  • SpartanPride24 said...

    All Maxwell has do for us to be successful is have a '08 Brian Hoyer like year. We will pound the ball a lot which will make it a lot easier on him but Maxwell will have a great defense to lean on unlike Hoyer.

    I think the running game will be much better than in 08. More than one back to shoulder the load this year.

    "Losing Benenoch is a mortal blow from which this program can't recover"-T-Pain

    Rogue Leader

  • SpartanRocky said...

    damn, I got the competion % right. 2725 is probably Hoyer in 2007 then. I did look these up a couple of weeks ago.

    Yeah, nice work on the 60.4%. If you take away 2 interceptions from your Maxwell prediction, you basically have the exact year Cousins had in 2009.

    Ringer23

  • Schematically, d-coordinators will put 8-9 in the box and To stop the run and make Maxwell beat them with his arm. This will create defensive holes for the passing game, but Maxwell will have to read the hot receiver quickly. He's had three years in the system learning at the knee of MSU's most successful and cerebral QBs.

    Maxwell's a smart kid - if he exploits the holes the opponents' defense gives him early in games - we'll run the table.

    Ted Fox
    Bitter Rivals

    TheCaptain

  • Maxwell has as good or better skills than KC. Stronger arm and a bit quicker of foot. He lacks the game experience and we just don't know about his judgement in the clutch. I'm confident but we will see. It took KC a season or so to make the right decisions and not force things. Maxwell will benefit as mentioned already from a solid OL and very good running game which will help in his development especially early in the season. At the end of the day he is still a first year starter and will have the growing pains that come with his expanded role.

    The moment is eternal

    Desert Green ●

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