Shout out to these guys...

So I'll leave it to the rest of the media and blogosphere to praise guys like Connor Cook and Shilique Calhoun. Here I want to praise some guys that haven't received much attention but that seem set to make critical contributions the rest of the way.

I'll start with the guy who impressed me most in the Indiana game, and that would be Arjen Colquhoun. This guy started the season giving opposing receivers 10-yard cushions and now he is starting to flash some Trae Waynes type of abilities. He's fast and has developed some stickiness. He still has work to do, and maybe the Indiana game was just a flash in the pan, but if he continues to progress, don't be surprised if he gets noticed by NFL scouts by the end of the season.

I've praised Gerald Holmes before ... and I'll bring him up again. He is getting close to looking like the go-to back. He still has work to do, but I still see him as the most decisive of the backs, and he seems to also have the best vision. If the O-line can start to more consistently open some holes, I think Holmes could take off in the remainder of the season.

Jermaine Edmondson is making some contributions, particularly as a guy who's being asked to blitz and play zone coverage. It would be a great stroke of luck for MSU, if Edmondson could begin to make Colquhoun-like contributions at corner or safety -- he's been looking like a safety to me.

When Benny McGowan moved to center, the O-line seemed to function a little better. He deserves credit for his versatility.

I saw Joel Heath making some plays, and if he can continue to do so the remainder of the season, this D-line could indeed become one of the best in MSU history.

Moving guys around

I believe I saw Montae Nicholson make another critical mistake and I'm starting to wonder if the Spartan coaches shouldn't start thinking about moving him to wide receiver. Perhaps not this season, since depth is such a concern, but certainly for next year. I don't know that he has the aggressiveness to be a safety, but he definitely has the tools to be an elite receiver. The Spartans will be very thin at receiver next year, so a switch of this kind could be beneficial to all.

I'd like to see Demetrious Cox playing safety. In my mind, he's one of the top safeties in the conference, but he doesn't quite have the stickiness to be a top cornerback, at this point. At the same time, while I love what the freshmen safeties are doing, having 2 of them back there is a concern. Hopefully, Hicks will return soon, and that will allow Cox to stay at safety.