Michigan State Football: 3 way-too-early storylines for 2020 season

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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 30: cornerback Shakur Brown #29 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with safety Xavier Henderson #3 after stopping the Maryland Terrapins late in the fourth quarter at Spartan Stadium on November 30, 2019, in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State defeated Maryland 19-16. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

2. Harlon Barnett’s effect on MSU secondary

Harlon Barnett made the decision to return to Michigan State just a couple years after choosing to leave to join Willie Taggart at Florida State. It was a surprising move in the first place as he was taking the same position with the Seminoles and Michigan State was his alma mater, after all.

Some believed he did it so he could build his resume for when Mark Dantonio retired and he could take over as head coach, but his time in Tallahassee didn’t go as planned.

In fact, Taggart lasted less than two full seasons and Barnett was out looking for work this offseason when Dantonio retired. Had his time with Florida State gone better, he could have been a serious head coach candidate (many former players lobbied for him) but Mel Tucker was hired and he looked to Harlon as an assistant — and eventually named him defensive backs coach.

Back in his natural position at his alma mater, Barnett has a chance to turn around a secondary that struggled last season and one that’s losing three starters.

Can Harlon take some younger, talented guys and plug them in, returning the secondary back to its glory days (a-la the ‘No Fly Zone’ in 2013)?

The talent is there, but it’ll be interesting to see how Barnett and Mike Tressel can affect the defensive backfield in a short period of time.

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