Michigan State: Five Players Crucial to the Spartans' Success

Michigan State Spartan fans would easily call last season a huge disappointment. Before the 2009 season, the Spartans were picked as the "dark horse" to win the Big Ten, because of their talented skill players and experienced offensive line. After some heartbreaking, last-second losses, the Spartans finished the regular season 6-6, and lost to Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl.

What really put a dark cloud over the season was the residence hall brawl that took place on November 22nd, one day after the loss against Penn State, that led to 11 suspensions, two dismissals, and numerous of conspiracy to commit assault and battery charges.

But after another miraculous recruiting class by Mark Dantonio, the Spartans are looking to change the public's perspective of the school and change their place in the Big Ten standings. Dantonio convinced five of the top nine Michigan recruits to come to East Lansing, including the state's only five star recruit.

Here are the five players that are most important to the success of the Michigan State Spartans in the 2010 season.

William Gholston

The Golden Boy of Mark Dantonio's 2010 recruiting class, William Gholston is a physical specimen. Coming into school at 6'7" and 237 lbs., Gholston has All-Big Ten, if not All-American, written all over him. He can line up for Defensive Coordinator Pat Narduzzi at Defensive End or Outside Linebacker, and be a force off the edge.

Over the past few seasons, the Spartans have not had a dominant pass rusher to force the quarterback out of his comfort zone. All-American middle linebacker Greg Jones had nine sacks last season, but Gholston would take attention off of Jones, allowing the defense to plug the holes up front and attack from the outside.

D.J. Young

D.J. Young is certainly neither the best nor most notable player on the team, but is the position he plays that makes his just as important as anyone on the field. Young, a senior and transfer from Bowling Green, will almost certainly start at left tackle, protecting quarterback Kirk Cousins' blind side.

Young will have some big shoes to fill, taking over for graduated Rocco Cironi. Cironi started every game at left tackle during his junior and senior years. Young, like Cironi, was a two-way player on both the offensive and defensive lines. Cironi was rated among the nation's top 25 defensive tackles as a high school recruit, while Young started at defensive tackle at Bowling Green.

If Kirk Cousins is going to be successful in his second year as the starting quarterback, he will have to rely heavily on the pass protection of D.J. Young.

Johnny Adams

The Spartan's secondary was abysmal last season, to say the least. The pass defense allowed 267 yards per game through the air, ranked 112th in the country, and only picked off six passes.

Redshirt Sophomore Johnny Adams showed up big time in the Spring Game, recording four tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery. After sitting out ten games last season with a shoulder injury, Adams needs to build on a solid starting season as a freshman and a nice spring.

Adams will certainly be the rock the secondary will lean on. His blazing speed (4.37 40 yard dash) and big play ability will be crucial for the success of the Spartans.

Keshawn Martin

Junior wide receiver Keshawn Martin is the biggest deep threat for Kirk Cousins in the passing game, and may be the most explosive player in the Big Ten. He led the team with 1,451 all-purpose yards last season as a receiver, kick returner, and Wildcat quarterback.

Mark Dantonio would often run end-arounds to Martin to get him in space. And just when you thought he ran into a wall of defenders, Martin would reverse field and make a big play. Just the threat of his speed will stretch the defense and create running holes for Caper and Co.

Martin is quickly becoming a more integral part of the Spartan arial assault due to the lackluster performances of high-profile recruits, such as Mark Dell, Carl Crimes, and Deon Curry.

Larry Caper

After splitting carries with Edwin Baker during their freshman seasons, running back Larry Caper seems to have secured the starting job for the Spartans. In the Spring Game Draft, Caper showed how he has separated himself from his peers by being the first running back selected, followed by LeVeon Bell, Edwin Baker, and Nick Hill.

Caper, the big bruising back, will be key to the Spartans' offense if he can be a workhorse like Javon Ringer. He has a nose for the end-zone, scoring six touchdowns last season, and came up big in crucial situations. In overtime against Michigan, he barreled through defenders for a 23 yard touchdown run, ending the Wolverines' four game win streak.

If Caper can consistently pound the rock and keep pressure off of Kirk Cousins, this could be a very big year for the Spartans, and possibly lead to a surprise trip to Pasadena.