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Advanced statistical preview shows just how far Spartans have risen
How can one tell if a team has taken a step up in reputation?
Conference titles are important, and big bowl wins are nice, too. So are recruiting rankings and busy NFL draft weekends. Of course there is the national championship, but only one team wins that per year and it usually needs a few breaks to do so.
SBNation offers a good indication in its annual preview based on advanced statistics.
"I just mentioned 9-3 as a potentially disappointing result for Michigan State," writes SBNation's Bill Connelly, the advanced stats guru. "That says everything you need to know about where (head coach Mark) Dantonio has taken this program."
Indeed.
With a handful of lineup questions -- Who will start at running back? Who will become the new go-to receiver? What about the rebuilt secondary? -- and a schedule that includes both teams that played for the national title in January as well as three other top-40 opponents, the numbers don't point to this being another season the program continues its upward trajectory, at least in raw terms of wins and losses.
But that is also to be expected when there is only one more way to show improvement, and that is by going all the way.
And not only is the idea "only nine wins" could be described accurately with that qualifier a sure sign of the job Dantonio has done, so, too, is the ability to look at such a total with confidence the future should be bright regardless.
(H/T SBNation)
