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Michigan State Football: New-look secondary a much-needed change

By Connor Muldowney

Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines fullback Sione Houma (39) is tackled by Michigan State Spartans safety Grayson Miller (44) in the first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines fullback Sione Houma (39) is tackled by Michigan State Spartans safety Grayson Miller (44) in the first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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With a completely revamped secondary in 2017, what will Michigan State football’s new “No Fly Zone” look like?

After a rough couple of years, Michigan State football’s secondary is due for a major overhaul. Although the changes are not exactly by choice, they’re certainly much-needed.

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Safeties Montae Nicholson and Demetrious Cox are headed to the NFL ranks to attempt a career at the next level. The former left a year early, but his junior year was his strongest season, and Cox went out on a rough note — he was suspended for the final game of the year at Penn State.

Moreover, cornerbacks Vayante Copeland and Darian Hicks are also gone. Copeland left the program this offseason, prior to his junior year, and Hicks graduated. Both had up-and-down careers in the green and white, but it’s time the Spartans get back to the basics and start over.

Four short years ago, Michigan State had what was dubbed the “No Fly Zone” in East Lansing. Guys like Trae Waynes, Darqueze Dennard, Isaiah Lewis and Kurtis Drummond roamed the defensive backfield and put together one of the best seasons (2013) in Michigan State football history, passing defense-wise.

The following season (2014) would be defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi’s last as he took the head coaching job at Pitt and the secondary hasn’t been the same since.

Now that there are four new starters set to take over the defensive backfield, Michigan State can finally start over. It’s been a downward spiral for the past couple of seasons as the secondary ranked 75th in 2015 and decently improved to 36th in 2016. Still, nothing near where it should be with the talent in place.

Is the “No Fly Zone” on its way back? The answer won’t be clear until midway through the 2017 season, but the youth movement is much-needed. Justin Layne looked like a potential future All-Big Ten cornerback last season as a true freshman and early enrollee Josiah Scott looked leaps and bounds better than everyone else in the spring game as a corner.

David Dowell, Matt Morrissey, Khari Willis and Grayson Miller all have the potential to be solid Big Ten safeties. The talent is there and the fresh start is imminent. Michigan State is right where it needs to be.

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Sure, growing pains will happen in 2017 with four new starters, but it’s all part of the process. We could finally see the resurrection of the “No Fly Zone” in the coming months, years.

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