Five new guys who stood out
Not including the quarterbacks, both of whom were outstanding (Cousins: 29 of 43, 357 yards, four touchdowns, no picks. Nichol: 20 of 28, 357 yards, four touchdowns, no picks) in a duel that made for the first memorable spring game that I can remember.
* Brian Linthicum. He had six grabs for 69 yards and a touchdown, catching everything near him. Fast, smooth, big (6-4, 235), this guy will be a weapon for MSU. Charlie Gantt (four catches, 70 yards, two touchdowns) just keeps getting better, meaning tight end has gone from a position of uncertainty a year ago to one of the strongest on the team in 2009.
* Jerel Worthy. No doubt about it, he is ready to play, probably to start. It's hard to take too much out of the trenches in a game like this, but his playmaking ability is easy to see.
* Trenton Robinson. A big-time hit separated Chris D. Rucker from the ball near the goal line early in the game. That's what MSU has been seeing all spring from Robinson. He looks fast and physical, and if he gets all the position's mental stuff down, he will be out there a lot next season.
* J'Michael Deane. All that quarterback magic made it difficult to watch anything else at times, but Deane looks the part at right tackle. He can move that 6-5, 297-pound body and I thought he used his hands well when I watched him on pass protection.
* Brynden Trawick. One of the most impressive plays of the game was when he caught track guy Myles White (two catches, 86 yards, one touchdown) from behind on a hook and ladder (which was called by Mark Hollis, by the way). Trawick looks like a linebacker at 6-3, 222, but that play explained why he's a safety. He had a few big pops later in the game. Watch out for this guy.
* Honorable mention: Myles White and Chris D. Rucker. Quality depth at receiver, at the very least.
* Not mentioned: Any running backs. With 73 combined rushing yards in the game, there wasn't much going on the ground. That's definitely a symptom of a rebuilding offensive line being split in two. But for as much as this game told us about those two quarterbacks, it didn't give much of a clue on the running backs. If I had to pick Saturday's best, it would probably be Andre Anderson.
