Michigan State Football's Postseason Awards

As Michigan State prepares to take on Matthew Stafford and the Georgia Bulldogs in the Capital One Bowl, let’s look back at the season that was...

Offensive MVP

Without question, this award goes to Javon Ringer. Ringer amassed nearly 1,600 yards in the regular season, where no other back on the team reached even 100 yards. He led the nation for the majority of the season in yards per game, carries per game, & scoring. 

He was the epitome of the workhorse, often playing through injury and fatigue and still producing mindboggling results. In the team’s crucial game in Ann Arbor, Ringer wore down the Wolverine defenders on his way to 194 yards rushing, this after a week where Ringer was unable to even walk due to a hamstring injury he suffered in drills.

He should have some fun in the Capital One Bowl, against what has been at times, a suspect Georgia run defense.

Defensive MVP

In just his second year in Pat Narduzzi’s defense, Greg Jones has established himself as one of college football’s premier linebackers. Jones alternated between the inside and outside, but always seemed to be a bright spot, even when the team struggled.

In some of the team’s more difficult outcomes, Jones came to play, as evidenced in the loss at Penn State where Jones racked up an astounding 15 tackles, 3.5 for loss. The fact that Jones will still be patrolling the Big Ten for two more years has got to be troublesome for opposing offensive coordinators.

Best Newcomer(s)

While Glenn Winston gave the fans some thrills on special teams, and Johnny Adams provided some much needed depth in the secondary, I decided to go with some less flashy and perhaps less obvious candidates. This was a close one to be sure, so close that I have decided to give it to two players. 

Joel Foreman and Rocco Cironi. They made up the left and, probably more consistent side of the MSU offensive line this season. The best compliment you can give an offensive lineman (other than, “Hey man, you look skinny in that sweater!”) is the fact that you haven’t heard a thing about them all season long. 

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