Old timers and you youngins, the big four on offense at MSU, best ever?

Yeah I’m jumping the gun here but the big four: where would you rank them!

Groups:

1978. Eddie Smith, Gibson, Byrd, Bramer

2013/14. Cook Lippett Mumphry Langford

2021. Thorne Reed Nailor Walker

1965. Steve Juday Clinton Jones Gene Washington Bob Apisa

Thoughts.

Man this is a good question and comparison and impossible to determine. I think the threat of Walker definitely makes Reed and Nailor more of a threat and vice versa all around. I think the play calling from one era to a next also makes it difficult to compare. All of that being said, what we have seen so far, this year would be #1. Let's revisit this after we see teams with consistently better defenses and after we have seen some more adversity. Can they continue to perform like this when they NEED to perform like this.

Smoker Rogers Haygood and Duckett were pretty good, no? I barely remember that though so I can’t help you there.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:Smoker Rogers Haygood and Duckett were pretty good, no? I barely remember that though so I can’t help you there.

Great pick up. Yes. Very good.

Lorenzo White and Rison were on their own.

1995 - Tony Banks, Derrick Mason, Muhsin Muhammad, Nigea Carter, and Marc Renaud.

DWags wrote:Yeah I’m jumping the gun here but the big four: where would you rank them!

Groups:

1978. Eddie Smith, Gibson, Byrd, Bramer

2013/14. Cook Lippett Mumphry Langford

2021. Thorne Reed Nailor Walker

1965. Steve Juday Clinton Jones Gene Washington Bob Apisa

Thoughts.

This team reminds me more of 2011 team. Thorne/Reed/Nailor has a similar feel to Cousins/BJ/Keshwan. That team had stable of RBs though with Bell/Baker/Caper. But KWIII speaks for himself.

Anyway you cut it, this offense is fun to watch.

Cousins Bell Cunningham and Keyshawn

Motown Spartan wrote:Man this is a good question and comparison and impossible to determine. I think the threat of Walker definitely makes Reed and Nailor more of a threat and vice versa all around. I think the play calling from one era to a next also makes it difficult to compare. All of that being said, what we have seen so far, this year would be #1. Let's revisit this after we see teams with consistently better defenses and after we have seen some more adversity. Can they continue to perform like this when they NEED to perform like this.

Reed is bona-fide NFLer. Nailor's progression reminds me of Keshawn Martin. Speed guy that could be used on screens and runs. Then slowly transformed into downfeild threat.

1987 was like White, White, Rison and White.

* I totally forgot to add Ezor as the 5th guy.

Nordic wrote:

Motown Spartan wrote:Man this is a good question and comparison and impossible to determine. I think the threat of Walker definitely makes Reed and Nailor more of a threat and vice versa all around. I think the play calling from one era to a next also makes it difficult to compare. All of that being said, what we have seen so far, this year would be #1. Let's revisit this after we see teams with consistently better defenses and after we have seen some more adversity. Can they continue to perform like this when they NEED to perform like this.

Reed is bona-fide NFLer. Nailor's progression reminds me of Keshawn Martin. Speed guy that could be used on screens and runs. Then slowly transformed into downfeild threat.

Totally agree. And the threat of Reed and Walker make Nailor better. And Nailor makes them better too.

DWags wrote:Cousins Bell Cunningham and Keyshawn

This is at the top of my leader board… for now.
Christ, I’m too old to remember all these teams, let alone the players names.

Floyd Robertson wrote:1987 was like White, White, Rison and White.

* I totally forgot to add Ezor as the 5th guy.

My thought was 1987 as well. Both Lorenzo White and Rison were first round picks. Willie Bouyer at WR had a cup of coffee in the NFL as did RB Blake Ezor. Bobby McAllister was the QB.

Motown Spartan wrote:1995 - Tony Banks, Derrick Mason, Muhsin Muhammad, Nigea Carter, and Marc Renaud.

And then there's Scotty Greene with them, too!

And then there's Scotty Greene with them, too!

That was a fun team to watch but man did they suck on defense. They allowed fewer than 20 points only twice that season.

Nordic wrote:

DWags wrote:Yeah I’m jumping the gun here but the big four: where would you rank them!

Groups:

1978. Eddie Smith, Gibson, Byrd, Bramer

2013/14. Cook Lippett Mumphry Langford

2021. Thorne Reed Nailor Walker

1965. Steve Juday Clinton Jones Gene Washington Bob Apisa

Thoughts.

This team reminds me more of 2011 team. Thorne/Reed/Nailor has a similar feel to Cousins/BJ/Keshwan. That team had stable of RBs though with Bell/Baker/Caper. But KWIII speaks for himself.

Anyway you cut it, this offense is fun to watch.

The 2011 offense also had Keith Nichol and Brian Linthicum. That was a savvy and tough receiving corps who would block downfield. This year's team buys into "no block, no rock" too. It's pretty incredible to have this much talent and unselfishness. No one was happier than Reed and Walker to see Nailor have that breakout game.

Johnson is the best OC I’ve seen. Depending how we do vs Osu, UofM and PSU I could declare this the best offense of my life. Go Green!

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:Smoker Rogers Haygood and Duckett were pretty good, no? I barely remember that though so I can’t help you there.

The 2001 Silicon Valley Classic: Rogers 270 yards and two TDs, Duckett 184 and two TDs, Smoker 22-32-376 with three TDs and one interception. That was a high-powered group.

Should look at this from an overall production verses the rest of the B1G or football in general.

On that basis I would think the 1978 team or JLS's teams would be towards the top.