Strong Recruiting Class...National Champs??

There's a good amount of other strong recruits coming to East Lansing as well.

Any thoughts?

GO STATE!!!!!

If Izzo leaves definately not... If he stays, i guarantee we finish top 3 again in the Big 10 and will have a shot to make the final four and win a national championship

Kalin Lucas has improved significantly throughout the past season and I personally think he will continue to get better and even have a chance of getting to the league.

Raymar Morgan had quite a few struggles this year but also showed that he has the ability to take over the whole game. I think Tom Izzo will get into him a little and strengthen his game so as to be a leader in the next couple of years.

Drew Naymick's main purpose was to be an enforcer on defense. I think he did just that by becoming, by far, the leader in blocked shots in Michigan State's history. It also always seemed like he provided a spark when we needed one.

All in all, it is just hard for me not to get my hopes up. My hopes are always high for the teams I like. Even the Detroit Lions lol. I just see all of the positive things and think it hard to not have my hopes high for the upcoming season...even with the possibility of them getting crushed.

GO STATE!!!!!

Those kids grow and evolve from year to year. During the off season, many of them go through a metamorphosis and surprise everyone with the quantum change (increase) in sophistication of play and raw ability. Part of it is plain old biology, part of it is heart.

Hence, one should never count out any player.

Point to keep in mind: it is not the team leader that wins the games, it is the team. The team can play great ball without a designated leader. In fact, having a single star or designated leader is detrimental to the gelling of the team. When players start leaning on one person, they stop depending on themselves.

I see State with a better season than last year, with good BigTen prospects and a Final 4 appearance. In 2010, I see those new kids ready to go for the championship.

GO STATE!

MSUSpartan76, I would have to agree with those points.

I think that last season we relied to much on Drew Neitzel. We looked for him no matter what and after thinking about it a little bit, I have come to believe that we relied too much on him and not enough on the rest of the team.

Also, I think that a BigTen tournament win nex year is a good possibility as is a regular season championship along with a Final Four appearance. I believe 2010 is our year for the championship.

GO STATE!!!!

Have we been done this road before? Kalin Lucas and Chris Allen were supposed to be the answer for this past season. They played well for freshmen, but the team didn't live up to expectations! To me, they were not TOUGH enough!

I can't believe that next year's team will be much better! TOM IZZO is a great coach-tough, single-minded, dedicated. It appears that the players that he brought in Goran Zuton,  Marquis Grey, Walton, Summers, etc., just haven't become the tough Spartans.

I am hoping that we do get the great Spartans next season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michigan State hasn't had a true "leader" since Mateen Cleeves.  In my opinion, that's the one thing missing that is preventing State from being a true national title threat.

When I refer to a leader, I'm talking about a player who will put the team on his back and absolutely refuse to lose.  Now, these guys still lose occasionally but their will to win is never questioned and more often than not, they come out on top. 

The best leaders in recent memory at Michigan State are Earvin Johnson, Scott Skiles, and Mateen Cleeves.  If MSU could get one player with a similar mental make-up to any of these three, watch out.

As is, they're a good team with a chance to be a very good team.  A lot of talent, just missing that one key ingredient. 

wtexas,

Given the roster, how would you rate each player with respect to the prospect of that player becoming the "will to win" guy?

Not wishing to make this seem like a disagreement, but I would rather have all those kids have that driving will to win, rather than depend on only one.

GO STATE!

Cleaves,

You left out Lucas and Allen. Yes, Allen. Allen might just have a break out year. Lucas is proven.

State did just about exactly how I predicted last November. I am not disappointed in what the team accomplished. Would have been great had they won a few more, know what I mean?

GO STATE!