Thoughts on BYU Game

OK, this season is over. BYU is not a great team but they dominated on both sides of the ball. MSU is now getting regularly dominated on both sides. I don't know how it came to this and I don't know how MSU recovers, even next year. What may disappoint me most about it is that I did not see this coming at all. I cannot believe how blind I was to all the holes on this team.

The biggest hole has to be the offensive play calling. It's predictable and lacking in any creativity. Why does this team have so much talent at receiver and tight end if you're not going to pass the ball? Why not let the quarterbacks run at least as often as BYU's QB runs? Why not get the ball to Shelton more often? He's the best playmaker on offense. This program needs to start cutting it loose. It just doesn't have the horses to do "pound green pound" this year. Let's make this easy. Why not just steal half of BYU's plays? Ironically, BYU is better at pound green pound than MSU. But they were also (like every other team MSU has played) able to run to the outside on MSU, while MSU did not (could not?) run to the outside on BYU. MSU has the players to do it, but the fact they don't suggests they can't think outside the "pound green pound" box. Let Shelton play running back some.

MSU's conservatism is hurting it's quarterbacks. I don't think I've seen this many timid QBs on one team at one time. These quaterbacks are so timid, they are waiting far too long for guys to get open. And that's giving defenders plenty of time to recover and make interceptions. That's what happened on Terry' interception. These guys need to start playing with more confidence and anticipate better when guys will be open. They also need to get better at throwing guys open. It's one thing to "manage" the game and protect the ball, it's another thing to scare your QBs into complete ineffectiveness.

I don't think O'Connor had a bad game, but he certainly didn't have the type of game that could help a struggling offense get going. The play calling hurt him, but I think Terry showed that his legs can help this offense a little more. I did not realize he was as fast as he is. With a few starts and some confidence, Terry's wheels could turn into something by the end of the season, and could turn into something big by next season.

On defense, teams are adjusting to McDowell's "leap to the outside." BYU ran several times up the spot he vacated. That move is effective sometimes, but it may be costing MSU some gap integrity.

Brandon Clemons needs to stay on defense. He was immediately more effective than all the other d-tackles, except McDowell.

Overall, the players are having issues with execution, but when MSU gets dominated this badly, week after week, you have to lay it on the coaching. MSU simply looks outclassed on both sides of the ball. I have never seen players look this confused or overmatched. Even Toledo put up a much better fight against BYU last week. So this is not a talent issue. Most of the blame has to lie with the coaches.