Redshirt freshman Madre London named MSU's No. 1 RB

Redshirt freshman Madre London will wake up Tuesday as Michigan State's No. 1 running back — a trail of first-team MSU defenders scattered on the ground behind him and much more competition ahead of him.

MSU didn't provide statistics from Saturday's second scrimmage of camp, won by the offense over the defense, but coach Mark Dantonio confirmed after today's practice that London tops the depth chart at the most intriguing position battle for the No. 5 Spartans. And London said he had a 40-yard touchdown run and 70-yard run against the No.1 defense Saturday.

That probably explains why MSU ran extra tackling drills Monday, per senior safety RJ Williamson.

"We even had kickers and punters in with the (defensive backs) making tackles as well … Just putting guys in space and tackling," Williamson said. "That's the name of this game."

And in Saturday's scrimmage, Williamson said, the offense "never took their foot off the gas."

"They looked very strong. … We just need to improve on tackling," Williamson said. "I didn't feel like we tackled well in space, not well enough to be the most dominating defense in the country, which is what we plan on being. You have to attack and get guys on the ground, because it'll be trouble if you don't."

MSU's running game could be trouble for others, even with Jeremy Langford off to an apparent key role with the Chicago Bears, if the four backs competing are playing as well as their teammates are reporting.

"Our running back competition is fierce … play after play after play, it's a sight to see, even on defense," sophomore safety Montae Nicholson said. "Out there tackling, playing against those guys, every once in a while you've got to step back and say, 'That was a good play.'"

Nicholson said London is "stepping into his own, to say the least."

"Of course he is, but all those guys are," Williamson said. "Competition brings the best out of everybody. Madre is a great running back for us, but so are those other guys — Gerald Holmes and Delton Williams and even LJ Scott. I think we could put anybody in there, at any given time, and I think all those guys will get playing time this year."

And the competition may go well into the season, which starts Sept. 4 at Western Michigan.

"I thought London had a great scrimmage," Dantonio said. "Gerald is probably ahead of LJ in terms of knowing what to do, but LJ makes plays and looks very, very good out there. Then Delton Williams is getting back into the flow of it. Came in (to camp on Aug. 14), missed a lot of time, so there's timing things and little things. He's got to get himself back in shape, but he's certainly functional, so I think we have four very good running backs. Nick Tompkins rounds that out and he's a little bit light, but he plays extremely hard and he's very quick."

And how about that 70-yard run by London? Was he caught from behind, as he was on a long run during the spring game?

"I didn't really get caught from behind," London said. "I did get caught, but I didn't get caught from behind. He had an angle. It was Montae. Everybody knows he's fast."

Asked about the angle, Nicholson smiled and said: "I don't know about that."

■Tidbits:Dantonio said senior receiver DeAnthony Arnett had an "outstanding scrimmage."… Dantonio said Jon Reschke is still pushing Chris Frey for the starting spot at the outside "money" linebacker spot vacated by Ed Davis (season-ending knee injury), and he said true freshman Andrew Dowell is the clear No.2 at the outside "star" linebacker spot, behind senior Darien Harris.… Redshirt defensive tackle Enoch Smith Jr. (hernia surgery) played in full pads Monday for the first time in camp.… Asked about the competition for No.3 defensive end, Dantonio said Demetrius Cooper "has played pretty well, but I think Montez Sweat has had a great summer camp."

Contact Joe Rexrode: jrexrode@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @joerexrode. Check out his MSU blog at freep.com/heyjoe. Download our new Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!

For openers

Matchup: MSU (11-2 in 2014) at Western Michigan (8-5).

Where: Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo.

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4.

TV/radio: ESPNU; WJR-AM (760).

Series: Spartans lead, 11-2, with WMU's last victory coming in 1919.