Loaded for bear (or Buckeyes)

By Jordan Hansen
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With all of the talk surrounding Ohio State on its quest to repeat as national champions, there’s one team in the Big Ten East that will be able to match the Buckeyes pound-for-pound.

With Michigan State a season removed from a thrilling come-from-behind win over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl, head coach Mike Dantonio believes something special could happen in East Lansing this season.

“We have very high expectations this year,” he said during the Big Ten media days. “We have a lot of experience coming back this year, especially at the quarterback position — he’s a proven commodity.

“Our focus this year is to continue to reach higher.”

Senior quarterback Connor Cook will have quite a bit to do with how far the Spartans go this season. He is coming off a season in which he threw for 3,214 yards and 24 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions.

Those numbers have impressed scouts, and he is the No. 1 quarterback prospect on several major outlets’ draft boards.

It’s hard not to see why. Cook has the physical traits — he’s listed at 6-4, 220 pounds — as well as the intangible skills that make him such a tantalizing prospect.

“He knows the playbook as well as our coaches, he’s good under pressure in high-profile games and has succeeded,” Dantonio said. “He still has room to grow, because everyone’s always growing and trying to get better … he has the ability to take a bad play and make it a good one.”

Cook’s leadership skills will be put to the test early on, when Michigan State plays Oregon at home in their second game of the season.

The Oregon game, along with a date against Ohio State in the second-to-last game of the season, will go a long way toward deciding who will be in the College Football Playoffs. A Big Ten Championship and possible playoff berth is something Cook very much believes is a possibility; looking at what the Spartans have this year, not an unreasonable claim to make.

“I think the main goal for everyone, including me, is to win the Big Ten conference,” Cook said. “I want to prove that I can be a champion again, and that means getting back to Indianapolis, winning that, and being able to play in the College Football Playoff.”

Quarterback is not the only offensive position where the Spartans will be good this season. Aaron Burbridge and the rest of the wide receivers are good, though unheralded. The Spartans also bring in four-star freshman running back Madre London, who the team expects to contribute from the first day.

Michigan State will also boast one of the best offensive lines in all of college football and will run behind senior center Jack Allen, a first-team All-American pick by USA Today last year.

The defensive line will be equally as nasty, with defensive ends Shilque Calhoun and Lawrence Thomas leading the group.

While Calhoun called himself the “best” defensive linemen on the team, he also echoed his coach and quarterbacks thoughts about the coming season.

“We’re not worried with preseason polls or accolades that people have gotten; I’m more focused on Michigan State and how can we be better,” he said. “How we can we make it to the national championship, how can we build a stronger bond.

“Putting it all together, that’s the biggest thing.”

Follow @JordyHansen for news, updates, and analysis about Iowa and Big Ten football.