In honor of Mark Dantonio becoming Michigan State’s winningest coach, let’s take a second to shoutout the players that got him there.
Offense
QB: Kirk Cousins
Honorable mention: Connor Cook
This was a tough call. Cousins was the better QB, Cook led MSU to the highest of highs.
RB: Javon Ringer
Honorable mention: Jeremy Langford, Le’Veon Bell
Javon Ringer was the last legit Heisman candidate for the Spartans. Jeremy Langford was spectacular. Le’Veon Bell was a freak athlete who dragged the offense kicking and screaming to a bowl in 2012.
FB: Trevon Pendleton
The biggest touchdown of his career came in 2015 against Ohio State.
WR: Aaron Burbridge
WR: Keyshawn Martin
Honorable mentions: Tony Lippett, RJ Shelton, Felton Davis III.
Tons of pretty good receivers throughout his tenure. Burb was the best of the bunch. Keyshawn Martin is one of the most exciting players in MSU history. Tony Lippett was a monster. FD3 went hogwild on 50/50 balls, “catch radius of one mile” -Zach Beavers, MSU & Kenny Goins super fan. He’s also a terrific golfer!
TE: Charlie Gantt
Honorable mentions: Brian Linthicum, Josiah Price
Gantt will always be a legend for his game-winning touchdown against Notre Dame in 2010.
LT: Jack Conklin
LG: Travis Jackson
C: Jack Allen
RG: Dan France
RT: Fou Fonoti
Honorable mention: Blake Treadwell
The unit that paved the way for Jeremy Langford to lead the Big Ten in rushing in 2013. Followed it up with a pretty great 2014.
Defense
CB: Darqueze Dennard
CB: Chris L. Rucker
Honorable mentions: Trae Waynes, Justin Layne
Very difficult to separate these four. Dennard is the best tackling corner I’ve seen at the collegiate level. Chris L. Rucker gets lost in conversation, but I can’t understate just how good he was.
S: Kurtis Drummond
S: Andrew Dowell
Honorable mention: Isaiah Lewis
In a few years Xavier Henderson could be remembered as the best safety to ever play for Mark Dantonio. But as it stands, Drummond & Lewis were a nightmare for opposing offenses. Usually you don’t want a safety staring down a running back screaming through the scrum, but with Lewis it was the other way around. That guy could bring it.
OLB: Denicos Allen
MLB: Greg Jones
OLB: Taiwan Jones
Honorable mentions: Max Bullough, Joe Bachie, Riley Bullough, Eric Gordon, Ed Davis
It feels like millions of great linebackers have played for MSU. I’ll always wonder what could have been for Ed Davis. Like Henderson at safety, Bachie could end up being Dantonio’s finest linebacker, if he isn’t already.
DE: William Gholston
DE: Marcus Rush
Honorable mentions: Kenny Willikes, Shilique Calhoun
Shilique Calhoun had a magical start to 2013 that saw him shove his way into the September Heisman conversation. William “Too Tall” Gholston was a monster. I legitimately thought he killed Aaron Murray at the 2012 Outback Bowl. Marcus Rush is the most under-appreciated Spartan of all time.
DT: Jerel Worthy
DT: Tyler Hoover
Honorable mentions: Big Lawrence Thomas, Micajah Reynolds, Raequan Williams
That 2013 interior of Big LT, Tyler Hoover & Reynolds paved the way for Max Bullough to make a million tackles. Jerel Worthy looked like the best DT in college football at times.
Specialists
K: Michael Geiger
P: Mike Sadler
Returner: Keyshawn Martin
Honorable mentions: K Dan Conroy, P Rocky Lombardi, WR Brandon Sowards
Michael Geiger windmilled his way across the turf at Ohio Stadium and into our hearts forever.
Mike Sadler was someone that everyone could aspire to be. He won over the hearts of not only Spartans, but college football fans everywhere. His passing is something I think about a lot. He meant so much to this community. He was really, really good at punting footballs too. I always forget this but he punted lefty. That’s so crazy to me.
Recap
There’s tons of players from the 2013-2015 seasons, and for good reason. Those are three of the best teams in Michigan State history. While he isn’t the most talented back of the Dantonio era, Jeremy Langford was the perfect running back for every situation. For a three-year period, there weren’t many issues on the offensive line. The 2013 defense was Mark Dantonio’s best.
The recent defensive dominance has given us a new generation of players to enjoy. The Panasiuk Brothers, the Dowell Brothers, Joe Bachie, Josiah Scott, Justin Layne, Raequan Williams… the list goes on and on.
Even on offense there are some studs. Darrell Stewart and Cody White are a ton of fun to watch when the offense is rolling. Felton Davis III was amazing before his injury.
Who did I miss? Comment your favorite player from the Mark Dantonio era and your favorite Bell’s brew!!!