Michigan State Football: Can 2019 defense be better than 2013’s?
By Ryan Kay
Michigan State football’s defense during the 2013 Rose Bowl season was arguably the best in school history, but can 2019’s be better?
It seems like a blasphemous statement, especially since Michigan State’s 2013 defense was arguably the best in school history, but can the 2019 version be even better?
Let’s start off by looking at Michigan State’s defensive dominance from the 2013 season.
Key Stats, facts and accomplishments from 2013 defense
- In six of their victories, they held their opponents to six points or less.
- Michigan State held Michigan to minus-48 yards rushing in a 29-6 Spartan victory.
- Statistically, they held opposing offenses on average on the season to 165.9 passing per game as well as limiting opponents to 86.3 yards rushing per game.
- The Spartan defense held Purdue to zero points and both Illinois and Minnesota to three points each in 2013. They also shut down the offenses of Michigan, Northwestern and South Florida, limiting all three to no touchdowns and only six points each.
- Defense was a big factor in helping Michigan State go undefeated in the Legends division and undefeated at home.
- The Spartan defense was instrumental in defeating previously undefeated Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.
- Great overall defensive performance in beating Stanford for their first Rose Bowl victory since 1988.
Key players who made it to the NFL
- Darqueze Dennard, CB (Round 1, No. 24, Bengals — 2014 NFL Draft)
- Max Bullough, LB (Undrafted, signed with Texans — 2014)
- Trae Waynes, CB, (Round 1, No. 11, Vikings — 2015 NFL Draft)
- Tony Lippett, CB (Round 5, No. 156, Dolphins — 2015 NFL Draft)
- Marcus Rush, DE (Undrafted, signed with 49ers — 2015)
- Shilique Calhoun, DE (Round 3, No. 75, Raiders — 2016 NFL Draft)
- Demetrious Cox, S (Undrafted, signed with Bengals — 2017)
The 2013 defense had young talent with Trae Waynes as a redshirt sophomore starting at cornerback, R.J. Williamson also a redshirt sophomore contributing at safety and Shilique Calhoun as a redshirt sophomore.
There were other talented underclassmen who played but not a lot to make significant contributions because of the senior and junior leadership on defense that season. The 2013 defense was primarily lead by upperclassmen.
The 2013 Spartan defense had two cornerbacks in Darqueze Dennard and Waynes who would go on to be drafted in the first round of the NFL draft anchoring and locking down receivers, along with an experienced and solid linebacker duo of Denicos Allen and Max Bullough, both of whom went undrafted but went on to play multiple seasons in the NFL.
The defensive line for Michigan State that season had talented ends and tackles lead by Calhoun who would be drafted by the Oakland Raiders, Tyler Hoover who was an undrafted free agent and signed with the Indianapolis Colts and Rush who signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
The most underrated unit may have been the safeties lead by Isaiah Lewis and Kurtis Drummond who went on to play over four seasons with the Houston Texans.
The names already mentioned doesn’t even include other main contributes to that amazing defense such as linebackers Taiwan Jones and Ed Davis and defensive lineman Micajah Reynolds.
Michigan State finished the season with the No. 1 total defense in the country.
Dennard was dominant and quarterbacks couldn’t throw it to either side of the field due to Waynes being at the other corner position. Lewis and Drummond were back at the safety positions and severely limited what opposing offenses could do with their passing game. No other back-four in the nation that season could compare to the ‘No Fly Zone’ Spartans and they had depth to go into nickel coverage with R.J. Williamson.
Add in a veteran linebacking corps that overcame the season injury of Jairus Jones and the suspension of Bullough for the Rose Bowl and was one of the best units in the Big Ten.
Calhoun was the playmaker and star of the defensive line he had some good help and strong depth to anchor the defensive line in Reynolds, Hoover, Rush, Damon Knox and Denzel Drone.
In summary, you couldn’t run or pass against this defense and the stats don’t lie. Pat Narduzzi famously said “stats are for losers” but as the defensive coordinator and without even looking at the stats, on film you couldn’t find a more solid and efficient defense in the country.