I have noticed for a while that MSU has been moving towards replicating Jim Tressel's complete blueprint - stout defense and adequate pro-style offense that relies on a mobile quarterback - and hiring Jim Bollman may have completed that transition. Jim Tressel always had the stout defense, but he didn't fully move to mobile quarterbacks until Troy Smith in 2004. Smith was so successful that after he left, Tressel clearly decided to go all in on very mobile quarterbacks - Terrelle Pryor and Braxton Miller.
MSU already has the stout defense. It also runs a pro-style offense. All that's left to do now is switch to the mobile quarterbacks. Well, the talent is already headed in that direction - the Spartans' last 3 quarterback recruits are all quite mobile, and the newer the recruit the faster the recruit. And now with Jim Bollman, it appears the coaching staff is headed in that direction. Bollman has worked extensively with running quarterbacks, including Smith, Pryor, and Miller.
Rumor is that Bollman was only in full control as offensive coordinator in 2011, after Tressel was fired. Still, he likely picked up a lot of knowledge about running quarterbacks and he is credited with accelerating Braxton Miller's development during his freshman year. Makes you wonder if Bollman's hiring is signaling that Dantonio is really keen on developing Damion Terry as soon as possible.
In the end, there are things to worry about, but I'm focusing on the positives. I'm going to be hoping that Bollman's experience with running quarterbacks fits what MSU is trying to do like a glove and that this leads to unbelievable offensive productivity.
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