Spartans' defensive strength rests with its linebackers

EAST LANSING – Mark Dantonio expects Ed Davis to be granted a sixth year of eligibility and return to the field for Michigan State this fall.

Jon Reschke became a reliable strong-side play-maker while flanking middle linebacker Riley Bullough. Andrew Dowell saw action as a true freshman, but rising junior Chris Frey has leapfrogged him on the depth chart this spring and is getting first-team reps at the weak side spot in the battle to replace the graduation loss of Darien Harris. He’ll return to a crowded group of linebackers that have become the Spartans’ deepest position group.

That doesn’t even cover Davis and a host of others competing for time, including veteran Shane Jones and youngsters T.J. Harrell, Byron Bullough and Tyriq Thompson.

Junior Reschke was the only defensive player Dantonio singled out after leading his unit to a second straight scrimmage victory Saturday.

“I think our linebackers can really run and tackle …,” Dantonio said last week. “I think the perimeter part of our defensive football team looks very good. If you got that and you can run down plays, good things start to happen.”

“One thing you notice about Chris when he plays, he’s a fiery guy,” senior Riley Bullough said. “A lot of people relate me and Chris together all the time. He’s someone who’s always constantly competing and trying to get better, and the coaches see that.”

Frey is a player who contributed as a true freshman on special teams and became a situational reserve on defense last season. The 6-foot-2, 222-pound Frey had been Reschke’s backup on the strong side before moving past Dowell on the weak side in recent weeks.

Bullough enters his second season starting in the middle, one of the reasons Dantonio considers his linebackers to be “very athletic.”

“Plays square, plays downhill. He’s a very, very good football player,” Dantonio said of Bullough. “He’s one of the guys that I think you can count on being there. He’s a foxhole-type guy. You want him with you, and he’s gonna give you everything he’s got.

That leaves Davis competing for time as he shakes off rust after suffering a torn knee ligament during preseason camp in August. The 6-3, 225-pounder from Detroit was a preseason All-Big Ten pick by a number of outlets before the injury. He entered spring drills listed fourth on the depth chart at SAM linebacker, behind Reschke, and must graduate this spring in order to qualify for the sixth year, which Dantonio believes he will.

Davis had seven sacks and 12 tackles for a loss as a junior, which earned him an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2014.

“I think he’s a tremendous football player, and he’s on track to be back with us,”  Dantonio said of Davis. “I don’t think there’s any question that he’ll be involved with us.”