Michigan State Football: 5 biggest questions facing defense in 2019

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 31: Dillon Mitchell #13 of the Oregon Ducks catches a touchdown pass over Josiah Scott #22 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half of the Redbox Bowl at Levi's Stadium on December 31, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 18: Lorenzo Harrison III #2 of the Maryland Terrapins is tackled by Antjuan Simmons #34 of the Michigan State Spartans during a first half run at Spartan Stadium on November 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

5. Is Antjuan Simmons ready to replace Andrew Dowell?

He’s waited two years for this opportunity, but is Antjuan Simmons truly ready for the spotlight? The junior linebacker from Ann Arbor, Mich., has shown flashes throughout the first two years of his Michigan State career, but he’s had to sit behind Andrew Dowell.

Now that Dowell, the second-leading tackler from last year, has graduated, it’s up to Simmons to carry the torch as an athletic sideline-to-sideline linebacker on the outside.

It won’t be easy to match Dowell’s production because he had a huge senior year and started games in each of his four seasons in East Lansing, but Simmons has the potential to be a breakout star for the Spartans in 2019. Mark Dantonio actually praised him at Michigan State media day on Monday, stating that he made strides in the spring and picked up where he left off this summer.

If that’s the case, we could be looking at yet another rising linebacker star and Simmons has that athleticism that the position calls for to fit right in and make an impact.

But he’s never been a starter at this level so there’ll always be that concern.

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