Preview of USF Game

Too bizzy these days to write long previews, but I gotta post something about some things we need/don't need to see in this game.

- This game cannot be a continuation of last season: outstanding defense and inept offense. If we see the offense score less than 17 points, then . . . fuggedaboutit, folks. We can fully start to panic. We are staring at a sure 7 - 6 season, and possibly worse. We can also safely conclude that Dantonio will have to bring in an outsider for offensive coordinator next year, and he may as well start looking for someone immediately. I would recommend someone that pays attention to the little things, like making sure receivers block and making sure play-action-fakes look believable.

- The receivers have to perform, or else Dantonio may need to do what Bielema did last year when he fired his offensive line coach, after Wisconsin began the season completely unable to run the ball.

- The best O-line in the Dantonio era has to look the part, or else we can safely assume that there are coaching issues on the O-line. This line has talent, it must perform.

- As for quarterbacks, somebody has to step up, or this season is going to suck. But I just don't have much optimism. Maxwell has a really nice arm (that's just plain truth), but he is too cautious and not enough of a creator to overcome the futility of the rest of the offense. I know a lot of people want to see the younger guys take over, but I strongly suspect they will look a lot like Cook did in the WMU game. I would very much like to be wrong about this, I would happily eat my Spartan cap on this one, but I think Spartan nation may be in for more disappointment.

- Hopefully, the defense will continue to look dominant, while the special teams looks competent. I would hate to have anything new to worry about.

Final score: MSU 24  USF 10