Michigan State Football: 5 burning questions heading into 2017 fall camp

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans leads his team onto the field before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

1. Who answers the call on the defensive line?

Man, oh man. The defensive line is looking sketchy heading into fall camp. No, that doesn’t mean it will have an even worse performance that was the embarrassing 2016 campaign up front, but it does mean that there’s a lot of work to do.

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Gone are Malik McDowell, Kevin Williams, Gabe Sherrod, Josh King and Auston Robertson. The team is looking thin up front and it’s coming off a season in which Michigan State finished with just 13 total sacks — the program’s worst total since 1994.

Between the incoming freshmen — Lashawn Paulino-Bell, Jacub Panasiuk and DeAri Todd — as well as the returning guys, who will step up and answer the call? It could be one of those three freshmen, but I’d also expect big fall camps out of Raequan Williams, Mike Panasiuk, Robert Bowers, Demetrius Cooper (who is still working his way back on the team) and Kenny Willekes.

Next: MSU Recruiting: 7 priority football targets for 2019

Don’t sleep on recently-converted linebacker Brandon Randle, either. The former Army All-American moved to defensive end after spring ball and the staff has high hopes for him.

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