The Spartans started last season ranked 13th in the nation in both the AP and Coaches Poll, presumably based on the strength of their defense and expectations for running back Le’Veon Bell with the only question being the status of quarterback following Kirk Cousin’s departure. If in fact that was what the pollsters had in mind, they were spot on. The Spartans’ ranked fourth in the nation in total defense at season’s end and Bell finished the season with 1793 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns, while the offense was 110th nation in scoring offense (despite ranking third in the nation in time of possession per game). William Gholston was the emotional leader of the Spartans’ defense last season, but he’s left for the NFL (drafted in the fourth round by Tampa Bay). This year, it’s up to last year’s leader in tackles, Max Bullough, to take the reigns of the defense and lead it through a favorable conference schedule that dodges Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin while facing the rival Wolverines at home.
Bullough was a first-team All Big Ten selection at linebacker last season and was sixth in the conference in tackles. Bullough is a middle linebacker who is ready to take over this defense and he has the bloodlines to do so as both his father (Shane) and uncle (Chuck) were Spartans middle linebackers and his grandfather (Hank) started it all by playing guard for the Spartans in the fifties. [Note: Max’s younger brother Riley could be a two-way player (RB/LB) for the Spartans this season and even younger brother Byron is a linebacker commitment for 2014]
Spartans fans should be excited about their defense again this season and should look for Bullough to exceed his tackles total (110) from last year playing behind a solid defensive line led by Shilique Calhoun and a mostly veteran secondary led by Darqueze Dennard. Expect a Bullough-led Spartans defense to once again do its part in giving MSU a chance in every game behind the leadership and toughness of Bullough this season.
He’s not the Big Ten linebacker with the most “upsideâ€, but don’t be surprised if he’s a first-team All Big Ten selection again.
Previously on MotSaG’s Best of the B1G
#25 Andrew Norwell
#24 Chris Borland
Good article. From someone who covers MSU (I write at SpartanNation.com), I liked it a lot. Fun fact: on his mom’s side, Max’s grandpa and uncle played for Notre Dame, while his uncle Bobby actually played for MSU too.
Kudos to Tony and Jeremiah for bringing you aboard, Chris. Keep up the good work
Thanks for stopping by Joe, We too are pleased to have Christopher on board. This was a great post for sure.
Max will need to be a leader and dominant player if MSU is going to keep up their recent success. Here is to hoping he does that so those scoundrels in Ann Arbor has a horrible year 🙂
Thanks a lot, Joe! Thanks for the fun facts, too. I knew about Bobby (although, I forgot to mention it here), but the Notre Dame on his mother’s side is really interesting.
Great article. Well written and informative, even though I don’t follow the big ten that much
Thanks Allen! I appreciate you giving it a look even though it isn’t SEC-related.
Going all the way back to guys like Percy Snow, I have always liked (and was maybe a little jealous of) Michigan State Linebackers. Sure, we’ve had our share of great LBs, but they seem to churn out some great ones, too.
Good article on Max.
Tony, I agree, they’ve had some nice ones from Carl Banks to Greg Jones.
Thanks.