Michigan State Football: 5 bold predictions for the month of August

Oct 4, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) celebrates a defensive stop against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the 1st half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

4. Darian Hicks overcomes mono to start

After one of the more disappointing performances in the 2014 season, Darian Hicks has worked hard this summer to make sure people will forget his struggled. It might take a while, but Hicks has battled all offseason to make an impression on the coaching staff and potentially take the starting job back.

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Hicks was burned deep more often than not last year and the Oregon, Baylor and Ohio State games all made sure to expose Hicks for what he really was: an unproven, inexperienced young cornerback.

I can bet you that he’s been watching film for months now and making sure that he will be the starting cornerback, over Arjen Colquhoun, when MSU makes its 2015 debut against the Western Michigan Broncos.

However, he was diagnosed with mono just a few short days ago and head coach Mark Dantonio stated that he could be out anywhere from 3-5 weeks. It will likely be the shorter end of that and Hicks had been dubbed ‘out of the race’ by many, but that’s not the case.

Denton named him the co-starter at corner with Colquhoun for a reason and the junior has shown enough during spring ball to earn at least a share of his job back.

I will give it two games into the year before he is officially named the full-time starter, but for now, I’m just going to say it will be obvious the job is his after a couple quarters.

Next: 3. MSU makes strong push for Sammons