Folks, why are we so blessed? I saw this coming a few years ago, and that's why I started blogging about Spartan football. And I felt that 2013 would be the year the Spartans could even compete for the national championship. Only a few bad calls in the Notre Dame game kept that prediction from coming true.
The bottom line is that I could see that Dantonio was building a special program, not something based on luck, but on substance. This is a program that does not depend on one or a few special players, and a lot of lucky breaks. This is a program with incredible depth and with excellent coaches. Indeed, next year, this team will be set to make another run. Folks, we have our Joe Paterno (but hopefully without the program-killing scandal).
Thoughts on the game:
Defense
They showed the nation their eliteness. They kept a high-scoring Stanford offense to 13 points (Stanford's D scored 7). They were burned a few times a deep passes and they tackled poorly in the first quarter. But they figured things out and completely shut down Stanford's offense after the first quarter. Elsworth and Harris obviously stepped up, and I fully expected that would be the case.
Offense
They actually dominated a tough Stanford D. If not for a few bad breaks, MSU could have put up over 30 points on an elite defense. Can you believe that? Dantonio has built a team with an elite D and a nearing eliteness O.
Cook paired greatness with 3 really bad plays. At least he recovered from the poor plays and really contributed to the victory. Man, if his judgment improves a little more, he really could contend for the Heisman next year.
Langford looked great in the second half, except for the fumble. The o-line was outstanding most of the game, against an good front-7. The receivers were excellent -- I can't believe how much progress they've made.
Special Teams
Sadler struggled with some punts, but otherwise, the special teams avoided critical mistakes and contributed significantly to the field position battle.
Coaches
Narduzzi was too much for Stanford, and really, so were Warner and Bollman. If not for some MSU mistakes, this game would have been more of a blowout. Oh, if we could only keep this staff together forever...
Upshot
What an astonishing achievement. It is not luck or an easy schedule that brought MSU its first Rose Bowl victory in 26 years. This team had to defeat two really tough teams -- Ohio State and Stanford -- and that accomplishment could only be achieved through a methodical building process. MSU's future looks so unbelievably bright.
The crazy thing is that I really think this team could be better next year. The entire offense should come back, except 3 senior o-linemen, who I think can be replaced with the talent MSU has brought in and is bringing in -- more on that later. They lose a lot on defense, but they also have phenomenal talent coming back on that side of the ball. Folks, a national championship is very possible -- more on that later.
Showing posts with label Opponents 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opponents 2013. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Preview of Rose Bowl: Looking Like a Toss-up
Finally getting a chance to think about the Rose Bowl a bit and my initial thought is that this will be MSU's toughest game of the season. OSU was clearly an outstanding opponent, but I actually felt relatively confident about that game. The game actually broke down about how I expected: the Spartans held Ohio State to the 24 points I felt they needed to hold them to, and the offense was actually able to score above the 30 points I felt they would need.
I don't get a similar sense about Stanford. The weak simulations that run through my head keep suggesting a toss-up. This game basically looks set to go either way, which means it is likely to be settled by things like turnovers and critical mistakes.
Stanford has been shutting down explosive offenses most of this season, so we could expect that the Spartans will struggle to score above 20 points. On the other hand, Stanford's defense doesn't seem so dominant against more physical offenses. Their two losses came against Utah and USC, the 2 most physical teams on their schedule. But even those offenses didn't score a lot of points. So, I expect "pound Green pound" to have some success, but I would be very surprised if MSU can score more than 27 points. And MSU won't get to 27 if Cook and the receivers have an off game. The offense will have to be firing on all cylinders.
Then it will be up to the defense to contain Stanford's very physical offense. Stanford's offense looks a lot like Wisconsin's offenses under Brett Bielema. They have a huge o-line and they are able to run the ball very effectively, and they put up a lot of points. Thankfully, they don't have Russell Wilson to make their passing game elite, so they are relatively unbalanced as an offense, running the ball 548 times versus passing it 293 times. That means MSU will be able to stack the box a little more frequently than they could against Russell Wilson. But careful, Kevin Hogan is a pretty good quarterback, with numbers eerily similar to Cook's.
MSU has the advantage that it has played against Wisconsin under Bielema, and won. But we all saw what happened in those games. Most of them turned into shootouts. And they were toss-ups.
Folks, that's what this Rose Bowl is reminding me of: the battles against Wisconsin. The good thing is that I always felt that MSU had a good chance to win those games, but the bad thing is that I could also see MSU losing those games. Well, I suppose that's what toss-ups should make you feel like.
So it will ultimately come down to critical mistakes. Who will make less of them? That means protecting the ball on offense and special teams. Stanford is a well-coached team, so don't expect them to make many mistakes. MSU will have to match them in that area, and then hope for something to break their way. And as a Spartan slappy, I expect that break to happen.
Final score: MSU 27 Stanford 24
I don't get a similar sense about Stanford. The weak simulations that run through my head keep suggesting a toss-up. This game basically looks set to go either way, which means it is likely to be settled by things like turnovers and critical mistakes.
Stanford has been shutting down explosive offenses most of this season, so we could expect that the Spartans will struggle to score above 20 points. On the other hand, Stanford's defense doesn't seem so dominant against more physical offenses. Their two losses came against Utah and USC, the 2 most physical teams on their schedule. But even those offenses didn't score a lot of points. So, I expect "pound Green pound" to have some success, but I would be very surprised if MSU can score more than 27 points. And MSU won't get to 27 if Cook and the receivers have an off game. The offense will have to be firing on all cylinders.
Then it will be up to the defense to contain Stanford's very physical offense. Stanford's offense looks a lot like Wisconsin's offenses under Brett Bielema. They have a huge o-line and they are able to run the ball very effectively, and they put up a lot of points. Thankfully, they don't have Russell Wilson to make their passing game elite, so they are relatively unbalanced as an offense, running the ball 548 times versus passing it 293 times. That means MSU will be able to stack the box a little more frequently than they could against Russell Wilson. But careful, Kevin Hogan is a pretty good quarterback, with numbers eerily similar to Cook's.
MSU has the advantage that it has played against Wisconsin under Bielema, and won. But we all saw what happened in those games. Most of them turned into shootouts. And they were toss-ups.
Folks, that's what this Rose Bowl is reminding me of: the battles against Wisconsin. The good thing is that I always felt that MSU had a good chance to win those games, but the bad thing is that I could also see MSU losing those games. Well, I suppose that's what toss-ups should make you feel like.
So it will ultimately come down to critical mistakes. Who will make less of them? That means protecting the ball on offense and special teams. Stanford is a well-coached team, so don't expect them to make many mistakes. MSU will have to match them in that area, and then hope for something to break their way. And as a Spartan slappy, I expect that break to happen.
Final score: MSU 27 Stanford 24
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Thoughts on B10 Championship Game: Eliteness Has Arrived!
Folks, why did I start blogging about MSU football a few years ago? Why do I blog even though I barely have enough time to clip my toenails these days? It's because of moments like this! I started this blog because I saw where this program was headed and I was upset that MSU did not have a network of football blogs as extensive as it deserved. Well, I decided to whatever I could to help, and today, I'm glad I stuck with it.
Folks, this is the biggest victory since the 1988 Rose Bowl win. This victory was the most impressive I've ever witnessed. MSU just beat what seemed like an unstoppable Ohio State team, with overwhelming talent. For about 2 quarters, I even started to feel like MSU just could not compete with that overwhelming talent. But then MSU's stars started to fight back and they asserted their dominance for most of the fourth quarter. Just an unbelievable performance.
Folks, we are blessed. We have an elite coaching staff, that recruits and develops amazing talent. Now, all we can hope is that the right steps are made to ensure that this program stays on top for many years to come. Of course, that will involve some luck. But more on that later. Here are some thoughts on the game itself.
Offense
Connor Cook had his best game of the season. He's going to be a Heisman candidate next year. The receivers and tight ends dropped a couple, but overall they were excellent, and made several big plays. The receivers and tight ends should be elite next year. Langford was bottled up most of the game, but I love how tough he ran in the second half and once again he broke a long one to seal the victory. The o-line had their struggles, but they seemed to take over in the fourth quarter.
Defense
I was actually a little afraid that the defense would get exposed by Ohio State's explosive offense, and for a while they did. But especially in the fourth quarter, this defense stuffed an overwhelmingly talented offense. What an astonishing achievement.
Special teams
They played an incredibly clean game. Geiger hit his field goal attempts, Sadler only had the one punt partially blocked, and Kings and Shelton made some nice returns.
Coaches
There were a few calls I disagreed with: the blitz at the end of the first half that contributed to a long pass that set up OSU's field goal, too many run plays that didn't take OSU's defensive speed into account (especially Shazier's). But folks, that's just nitpicking. This coaching staff is elite and they deserve credit for a remarkable achievement.
Upshot
It's safe to say that MSU is now an elite football program that really should be playing for a national title. The pass interference calls against Notre Dame really ruined the prediction I made a couple of years ago that Dantonio could win the national championship this year. Oh well, at least MSU could still end up ranked number 2 in the country, if they can beat Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
As for long term implications, I expect this victory to give MSU momentum on the recruiting trail. We should see MSU start to win more recruiting battles than ever before.
Folks, this is the biggest victory since the 1988 Rose Bowl win. This victory was the most impressive I've ever witnessed. MSU just beat what seemed like an unstoppable Ohio State team, with overwhelming talent. For about 2 quarters, I even started to feel like MSU just could not compete with that overwhelming talent. But then MSU's stars started to fight back and they asserted their dominance for most of the fourth quarter. Just an unbelievable performance.
Folks, we are blessed. We have an elite coaching staff, that recruits and develops amazing talent. Now, all we can hope is that the right steps are made to ensure that this program stays on top for many years to come. Of course, that will involve some luck. But more on that later. Here are some thoughts on the game itself.
Offense
Connor Cook had his best game of the season. He's going to be a Heisman candidate next year. The receivers and tight ends dropped a couple, but overall they were excellent, and made several big plays. The receivers and tight ends should be elite next year. Langford was bottled up most of the game, but I love how tough he ran in the second half and once again he broke a long one to seal the victory. The o-line had their struggles, but they seemed to take over in the fourth quarter.
Defense
I was actually a little afraid that the defense would get exposed by Ohio State's explosive offense, and for a while they did. But especially in the fourth quarter, this defense stuffed an overwhelmingly talented offense. What an astonishing achievement.
Special teams
They played an incredibly clean game. Geiger hit his field goal attempts, Sadler only had the one punt partially blocked, and Kings and Shelton made some nice returns.
Coaches
There were a few calls I disagreed with: the blitz at the end of the first half that contributed to a long pass that set up OSU's field goal, too many run plays that didn't take OSU's defensive speed into account (especially Shazier's). But folks, that's just nitpicking. This coaching staff is elite and they deserve credit for a remarkable achievement.
Upshot
It's safe to say that MSU is now an elite football program that really should be playing for a national title. The pass interference calls against Notre Dame really ruined the prediction I made a couple of years ago that Dantonio could win the national championship this year. Oh well, at least MSU could still end up ranked number 2 in the country, if they can beat Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
As for long term implications, I expect this victory to give MSU momentum on the recruiting trail. We should see MSU start to win more recruiting battles than ever before.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Preview of B10 Championship Game: Unleash Hell
I'm going to post my preview of the B10 Championship game a little early this week -- and I'll be adding to this post as more ideas enter my mind. In short, I think the MSU defense should be aiming to hold Ohio State to about 24 points or less, while the offense needs to score around 27 or more. I think that's feasible, if MSU can do some of the following:
First, MSU needs maximum intensity. It needs to prepare with intensity and play with intensity. In short, the Spartans need to unleash hell.
Second, MSU must limit the big plays. OSU is getting a lot of points this season from long passing plays and long runs. The big passing plays are the result of the same strategy: confuse the secondary by overloading a passing zone with receivers. They keep doing it and teams don't seem to be prepared to stop that play. Nebraska used that type of passing play effectively against MSU, so if I were the coaches, I would work on defending that type of play over and over this week. You know it's coming, so the secondary needs to clearly understand their assignments. The other big plays are coming from long runs by Braxton Miller. You know Miller is going to get his yards, but the Spartans have to limit the damage. They can't allow him to break off 60 or 70 yard touchdown runs.
Third, MSU is going to have to stop the option. They won't be able to fully stop it because Miller and Hyde are so talented. But they have to limit the damage. And the best way to limit the damage is by practicing to stop the option.
Fourth, MSU must tackle well. Miller and Hyde are tough to bring down and that's a big part of why OSU gains so many yards. Considering how much MSU struggled to bring down Minnesota's David Cobb (especially the secondary had a hard time bringing him down), this has to be a concern. Tackling Miller and Hyde is going to hurt, but this is a championship game, so it's now or never.
Fifth, Connor Cook and the receivers have to play well. OSU has a dangerous front 4 on defense, but I think the MSU o-line has the talent to neutralize them, to a great extent. So MSU should be able to run the ball, but that's not going to be enough to score the 27 points they will need. Cook and the receivers are going to have exploit Ohio State's biggest weakness on defense: their secondary. A repeat of the performance against Minnesota will make victory unlikely.
Sixth, the Spartans can't take their foot off the gas. MSU cannot allow itself to relax at any point on Saturday because this OSU team can score touchdowns in a hurry. Even if MSU jumps ahead by 21, or something like that, they must keep playing with maximum intensity, or else OSU will come back on them in a hurry.
Seventh, MSU must be ready for trick plays. I'm not a fan of Urban Meyer, but he is kind of wily. So expect OSU to go for a fake punt, perhaps even a fake kickoff. The Spartans should also watch out for the punt block. OSU will likely try to block punts all night long, and if MSU is not careful, OSU could get one.
Upshot: I think MSU will be ready, but OSU is talented and tough. So this is one that could go back and forth for a while . . . before MSU locks down the game in the fourth quarter.
Final score: MSU 30 Ohio State 21
First, MSU needs maximum intensity. It needs to prepare with intensity and play with intensity. In short, the Spartans need to unleash hell.
Second, MSU must limit the big plays. OSU is getting a lot of points this season from long passing plays and long runs. The big passing plays are the result of the same strategy: confuse the secondary by overloading a passing zone with receivers. They keep doing it and teams don't seem to be prepared to stop that play. Nebraska used that type of passing play effectively against MSU, so if I were the coaches, I would work on defending that type of play over and over this week. You know it's coming, so the secondary needs to clearly understand their assignments. The other big plays are coming from long runs by Braxton Miller. You know Miller is going to get his yards, but the Spartans have to limit the damage. They can't allow him to break off 60 or 70 yard touchdown runs.
Third, MSU is going to have to stop the option. They won't be able to fully stop it because Miller and Hyde are so talented. But they have to limit the damage. And the best way to limit the damage is by practicing to stop the option.
Fourth, MSU must tackle well. Miller and Hyde are tough to bring down and that's a big part of why OSU gains so many yards. Considering how much MSU struggled to bring down Minnesota's David Cobb (especially the secondary had a hard time bringing him down), this has to be a concern. Tackling Miller and Hyde is going to hurt, but this is a championship game, so it's now or never.
Fifth, Connor Cook and the receivers have to play well. OSU has a dangerous front 4 on defense, but I think the MSU o-line has the talent to neutralize them, to a great extent. So MSU should be able to run the ball, but that's not going to be enough to score the 27 points they will need. Cook and the receivers are going to have exploit Ohio State's biggest weakness on defense: their secondary. A repeat of the performance against Minnesota will make victory unlikely.
Sixth, the Spartans can't take their foot off the gas. MSU cannot allow itself to relax at any point on Saturday because this OSU team can score touchdowns in a hurry. Even if MSU jumps ahead by 21, or something like that, they must keep playing with maximum intensity, or else OSU will come back on them in a hurry.
Seventh, MSU must be ready for trick plays. I'm not a fan of Urban Meyer, but he is kind of wily. So expect OSU to go for a fake punt, perhaps even a fake kickoff. The Spartans should also watch out for the punt block. OSU will likely try to block punts all night long, and if MSU is not careful, OSU could get one.
Upshot: I think MSU will be ready, but OSU is talented and tough. So this is one that could go back and forth for a while . . . before MSU locks down the game in the fourth quarter.
Final score: MSU 30 Ohio State 21
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Thoughts on Minnesota Game: Meh and Woohoo!
Well, that wasn't the prettiest victory, but it was a victory and MSU is now 11-1 -- quite the achievement for this coaching staff. I knew Minnesota would be tough. Thank goodness they don't have much of a passing game.
Offense
Not a great day. They put together 2 great drives, but they could not do much else against that tough Minnesota defense. Connor Cook missed some huge opportunities and the receivers made some terrible drops. They will need to be much sharper next week. Langford did his thing, but he did struggle for 3 quarters. That Minnesota run defense was tough.
Defense
They held the Gophers to 3 points, but they definitely struggled to stop Minnesota's running game. If not for some miscues, Minnesota could have put up more than 10 points and made this a much closer game. There were also several times where the defense struggled to generate a pass rush. The defense will have to step it up, if they want to stop Carlos Hyde next week.
Special Teams
Not their best performance, but no turnovers and no big mistakes.
Coaches
No complaints about the play calling. The game plan was working, but there were several bad plays that killed most of the drives.
Upshot
It was not a pretty victory, but Michigan State just won its 11th game of the season. That's special. Next week, this team has a chance to take this program to the next level, to elite status -- perhaps even into national championship discussion, if a lot of other things break their way. I am actually expecting MSU to bring it next week, I'm confident they will "unleash hell."
Offense
Not a great day. They put together 2 great drives, but they could not do much else against that tough Minnesota defense. Connor Cook missed some huge opportunities and the receivers made some terrible drops. They will need to be much sharper next week. Langford did his thing, but he did struggle for 3 quarters. That Minnesota run defense was tough.
Defense
They held the Gophers to 3 points, but they definitely struggled to stop Minnesota's running game. If not for some miscues, Minnesota could have put up more than 10 points and made this a much closer game. There were also several times where the defense struggled to generate a pass rush. The defense will have to step it up, if they want to stop Carlos Hyde next week.
Special Teams
Not their best performance, but no turnovers and no big mistakes.
Coaches
No complaints about the play calling. The game plan was working, but there were several bad plays that killed most of the drives.
Upshot
It was not a pretty victory, but Michigan State just won its 11th game of the season. That's special. Next week, this team has a chance to take this program to the next level, to elite status -- perhaps even into national championship discussion, if a lot of other things break their way. I am actually expecting MSU to bring it next week, I'm confident they will "unleash hell."
Friday, November 29, 2013
Preview of Minnesota Game: Slugfest
Only time for a short take on this week's game. Bottom line on this one, A focused MSU team should be able to replicate what Wisconsin did to Minnesota last week. But a distracted MSU team, one that may be looking ahead to Ohio State, could struggle and get stunned.
Minnesota is dangerous. This ain't your ancestors' Minnesota team. Jerry Kill and his assistants are clearly turning Minnesota into a real B10 team, one that may be farther along than Michigan. They have a physical defense and a physical running game. Thankfully, they still have a relatively weak passing game -- and that was their undoing against Wisconsin.
MSU will have a tougher time running the ball than usual, and I wouldn't be surprised if Jeremy Langford's 100-yard-game streak comes to an end this week. If he still gets over 100 on the Minnesota defense, that's a good indicator of the strength of MSU's running game.
So the Spartans will likely have to rely more heavily on their passing game. That means Connor Cook and the receivers must play well. And considering that the passing game has been consistently improving over the last several weeks, I don't expect that to be a problem.
I was impressed by Minnesota's ability to run the ball against Wisconsin. Their o-line was getting good push against the Badgers' front 7, and their running backs are relatively bruising. I am eager to see if MSU's front 7 can have more success against the Gophers' running game, especially as preparation against OSU's Carlos Hyde.
Minnesota struggled to score points against Wisconsin mostly because their passing game had so many miscues. If they fix some of those miscues, they could score some points on the MSU defense. They have potential, I just hope that potential isn't realized this week.
Upshot: MSU needs to win this one to keep their BCS hopes alive. A loss in this game would be devastating for a team that seems destined for greatness -- I'm dreaming of 13 and 1, woohoohoo!
Final Score: MSU 27 Minnesota 10
Minnesota is dangerous. This ain't your ancestors' Minnesota team. Jerry Kill and his assistants are clearly turning Minnesota into a real B10 team, one that may be farther along than Michigan. They have a physical defense and a physical running game. Thankfully, they still have a relatively weak passing game -- and that was their undoing against Wisconsin.
MSU will have a tougher time running the ball than usual, and I wouldn't be surprised if Jeremy Langford's 100-yard-game streak comes to an end this week. If he still gets over 100 on the Minnesota defense, that's a good indicator of the strength of MSU's running game.
So the Spartans will likely have to rely more heavily on their passing game. That means Connor Cook and the receivers must play well. And considering that the passing game has been consistently improving over the last several weeks, I don't expect that to be a problem.
I was impressed by Minnesota's ability to run the ball against Wisconsin. Their o-line was getting good push against the Badgers' front 7, and their running backs are relatively bruising. I am eager to see if MSU's front 7 can have more success against the Gophers' running game, especially as preparation against OSU's Carlos Hyde.
Minnesota struggled to score points against Wisconsin mostly because their passing game had so many miscues. If they fix some of those miscues, they could score some points on the MSU defense. They have potential, I just hope that potential isn't realized this week.
Upshot: MSU needs to win this one to keep their BCS hopes alive. A loss in this game would be devastating for a team that seems destined for greatness -- I'm dreaming of 13 and 1, woohoohoo!
Final Score: MSU 27 Minnesota 10
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Thoughts on Northwestern Game: A Formula Has Emerged
Alright, we're now starting to get a pretty good sense of MSU's formula for victory. It's basically something like this: slow start on offense, defense keeps it close, offense heats up in the second half, defense throttles opposing offense, oh, and Langford breaks a long one.
Offense
Cook showed significant improvement. I like when he lets it rip, makes him look like a Heisman Trophy candidate. The Spartans will need that kind of performance against Ohio State.
The receivers are now a strength of this team. The talent is outstanding and deep. MSU has to be at least top 2 in the B10, when it comes to receivers. Nice to see Price also making some catches.
Langford is outstanding, but I feel like he's faster in the second half than in the first. I'd like to see him run with more speed early on because that's part of why the offense starts slow.
The o-line was also outstanding. They opened some nice holes for the running backs and they gave Cook all kinds of time.
Defense
They were amazing overall, but it does make me a little anxious that Northwestern was able to move the ball so well in the first half, even without their top 2 offensive players.
The secondary was too much for Nothwestern. But the front seven failed to generate much pressure, even on blitzes. That's two weeks in a row.
One thing I thought about when Kain Koulter went out is that this defense is bruising. It pounds other teams into submission. Now, the hit on Koulter should have been flagged, but I don't think Lewis intentionally targeted him. Nice to see Williamson step in and excel.
Special teams
Tough day for the punting because of the wind, but still effective, while Geiger continues to take the kicking game to new heights.
Coaches
MSU won, so they did well overall. But they need to fix things like clock management, and perhaps getting the offense off to a faster start -- that may be critical against OSU.
Upshot
The Spartans are 10-1 and Legends Division champions. I predicted 12-2 and I hope they make me eat crow by going 13-1. Now on to Minnesota and Ohio State.
Offense
Cook showed significant improvement. I like when he lets it rip, makes him look like a Heisman Trophy candidate. The Spartans will need that kind of performance against Ohio State.
The receivers are now a strength of this team. The talent is outstanding and deep. MSU has to be at least top 2 in the B10, when it comes to receivers. Nice to see Price also making some catches.
Langford is outstanding, but I feel like he's faster in the second half than in the first. I'd like to see him run with more speed early on because that's part of why the offense starts slow.
The o-line was also outstanding. They opened some nice holes for the running backs and they gave Cook all kinds of time.
Defense
They were amazing overall, but it does make me a little anxious that Northwestern was able to move the ball so well in the first half, even without their top 2 offensive players.
The secondary was too much for Nothwestern. But the front seven failed to generate much pressure, even on blitzes. That's two weeks in a row.
One thing I thought about when Kain Koulter went out is that this defense is bruising. It pounds other teams into submission. Now, the hit on Koulter should have been flagged, but I don't think Lewis intentionally targeted him. Nice to see Williamson step in and excel.
Special teams
Tough day for the punting because of the wind, but still effective, while Geiger continues to take the kicking game to new heights.
Coaches
MSU won, so they did well overall. But they need to fix things like clock management, and perhaps getting the offense off to a faster start -- that may be critical against OSU.
Upshot
The Spartans are 10-1 and Legends Division champions. I predicted 12-2 and I hope they make me eat crow by going 13-1. Now on to Minnesota and Ohio State.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Preview of Northwestern Game
This is a game that makes me a little nervous. MSU is riding high, we're all confident that MSU will be playing in the B10 championship game, and so it's easy to overlook a Northwestern team that has collapsed this season. But folks, Northwestern is a wounded snake that can still kill you if you're not careful and focused. A focused MSU team wins this one, while an overconfident MSU team could suffer a devastating defeat.
Northwestern has struggled in part because of key injuries. Well, they now have several key players back, including their most dangerous offensive weapons, Kain Colter. With Colter, NU's offense is much better than their total statistics suggest (which are about middle-of-the-road in the FBS). I actually expect them to be able to do many of the same things Nebraska did against MSU's defense, particularly with their running game. Their wide receivers, however, are not as good as Nebraska's, so they may not be able to exploit some of the weaknesses in the MSU secondary that Nebraska exposed. One important thing I would like to see in this game is the defense showing that it has addressed some of the weaknesses exposed by Nebraska. I would also like to see the d-line generating a lot more pressure than they did last week -- though the lack of pressure may have been in part due to MSU's respect for Nebraska's dangerous running attack.
NU's defense is not elite, but it can be pretty pesky. So MSU will have to come in with a solid offensive game plan, while Cook and the rest of the offense will have to make some key plays. If Cook struggles, or if the receivers drop balls, or if they turn the ball over multiple times, this is the kind of defense that could shut down MSU. If MSU's offense can at least play like it did last week, they should be fine. But of course I would really like to see the offense showing significant improvement every week, especially when we consider where they will need to be if and when they play in the B10 championship game. Specifically, I'd like to see Cook getting off to faster starts and the tight ends contributing again (they seemed to disappear last week).
So MSU should win this game if they come in focused and ready to go, and I think they will do so. This team seems to recognize the greatness of what they are accomplishing.
Final score: MSU 27 NU 14
Northwestern has struggled in part because of key injuries. Well, they now have several key players back, including their most dangerous offensive weapons, Kain Colter. With Colter, NU's offense is much better than their total statistics suggest (which are about middle-of-the-road in the FBS). I actually expect them to be able to do many of the same things Nebraska did against MSU's defense, particularly with their running game. Their wide receivers, however, are not as good as Nebraska's, so they may not be able to exploit some of the weaknesses in the MSU secondary that Nebraska exposed. One important thing I would like to see in this game is the defense showing that it has addressed some of the weaknesses exposed by Nebraska. I would also like to see the d-line generating a lot more pressure than they did last week -- though the lack of pressure may have been in part due to MSU's respect for Nebraska's dangerous running attack.
NU's defense is not elite, but it can be pretty pesky. So MSU will have to come in with a solid offensive game plan, while Cook and the rest of the offense will have to make some key plays. If Cook struggles, or if the receivers drop balls, or if they turn the ball over multiple times, this is the kind of defense that could shut down MSU. If MSU's offense can at least play like it did last week, they should be fine. But of course I would really like to see the offense showing significant improvement every week, especially when we consider where they will need to be if and when they play in the B10 championship game. Specifically, I'd like to see Cook getting off to faster starts and the tight ends contributing again (they seemed to disappear last week).
So MSU should win this game if they come in focused and ready to go, and I think they will do so. This team seems to recognize the greatness of what they are accomplishing.
Final score: MSU 27 NU 14
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Thoughts on Nebraska Game
OK, i'm ecstatic about the victory, but I'm a little unsatisfied with the coaches' performance. MSU was the more talented team overall, and Nebraska turned the ball over 5 times. Yet this game turned out to be close, late into the game.
Coaches
So I'll start with my thoughts on the coaches. I think they spent too much time the last 2 weeks working on trick plays. OK, the fake field goal worked, but most of the trick plays did not work, and they tended to kill a lot of drives. Nebraska's coaches actually seemed better prepared, and as a result, they were able to do more with less. They identified weaknesses in MSU's elite defense and effectively exploited them, especially the match-up against Drummond. They also overloaded zones with receivers in ways that confused the Spartan secondary.
The MSU coaches also went away from what I thought was working pretty well: running between the tackles. The o-line was getting pretty good push up the middle, and yet the coaches kept trying trick plays, too many runs to the outside, and too many passes.
Ultimately, MSU won the game, so the coaches deserve much credit. But I do think the Nebraska coaches were able to do more with much less.
Offense
I was most impressed with the receivers today. Lippett is the third down stud. That's multiple weeks in row he's made big catches on third down. Fowler looks like an NFL wide receiver, and is making some plays. Of course, Mumphery caught the big touchdown pass.
The running game was pretty good and I think they would have been better if the coaches ran more power plays. In any case, the o-line looked pretty good, especially in the first half. They did struggle to deal with Gregory, but that's to be expected. Langford had another great game, but I'm worried that he's getting overworked.
Cook started slowly, missing a wide open Lippett in the end zone in the first quarter. But he did get better throughout the game and he made a lot of nice throws.
Defense
They finally looked human. They struggled to contain that superhuman Ameer Abdullah, who I hope leaves early for the NFL. The Nebraska coaches also found a weakness: Drummond struggles against elite receivers. So basically, elite players give MSU's defense troubles. Thank goodness their QB was a freshman.
I was also discouraged that Nebraska's decimated o-line was able to do quite well against the MSU front seven. That could be a problem that resurfaces against top-tier teams like OSU, and maybe even Minnesota.
Special teams
Solid. No great kick returns, as usual. But no fumbles, and Geiger hit his field goal attempts, and Sadler showed off his running abilities.
Upshot
MSU is now a strong enough team that even a well-prepared Nebraska team was not able to overcome. The talent gap was clear. This suggests that MSU should be able to overpower their next two opponents. Still, I think this team should get into the habit of firing on all cylinders, including coaching preparation, because they're going to need to be doing so if and when they face OSU in the B10 championship game.
Coaches
So I'll start with my thoughts on the coaches. I think they spent too much time the last 2 weeks working on trick plays. OK, the fake field goal worked, but most of the trick plays did not work, and they tended to kill a lot of drives. Nebraska's coaches actually seemed better prepared, and as a result, they were able to do more with less. They identified weaknesses in MSU's elite defense and effectively exploited them, especially the match-up against Drummond. They also overloaded zones with receivers in ways that confused the Spartan secondary.
The MSU coaches also went away from what I thought was working pretty well: running between the tackles. The o-line was getting pretty good push up the middle, and yet the coaches kept trying trick plays, too many runs to the outside, and too many passes.
Ultimately, MSU won the game, so the coaches deserve much credit. But I do think the Nebraska coaches were able to do more with much less.
Offense
I was most impressed with the receivers today. Lippett is the third down stud. That's multiple weeks in row he's made big catches on third down. Fowler looks like an NFL wide receiver, and is making some plays. Of course, Mumphery caught the big touchdown pass.
The running game was pretty good and I think they would have been better if the coaches ran more power plays. In any case, the o-line looked pretty good, especially in the first half. They did struggle to deal with Gregory, but that's to be expected. Langford had another great game, but I'm worried that he's getting overworked.
Cook started slowly, missing a wide open Lippett in the end zone in the first quarter. But he did get better throughout the game and he made a lot of nice throws.
Defense
They finally looked human. They struggled to contain that superhuman Ameer Abdullah, who I hope leaves early for the NFL. The Nebraska coaches also found a weakness: Drummond struggles against elite receivers. So basically, elite players give MSU's defense troubles. Thank goodness their QB was a freshman.
I was also discouraged that Nebraska's decimated o-line was able to do quite well against the MSU front seven. That could be a problem that resurfaces against top-tier teams like OSU, and maybe even Minnesota.
Special teams
Solid. No great kick returns, as usual. But no fumbles, and Geiger hit his field goal attempts, and Sadler showed off his running abilities.
Upshot
MSU is now a strong enough team that even a well-prepared Nebraska team was not able to overcome. The talent gap was clear. This suggests that MSU should be able to overpower their next two opponents. Still, I think this team should get into the habit of firing on all cylinders, including coaching preparation, because they're going to need to be doing so if and when they face OSU in the B10 championship game.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Preview of Nebraska Game
Folks, when I made my preseason prediction that the Spartans would go 12-2, this is one of the games I thought they'd lose. The Spartans just don't seem to know how to beat Nebraska, even when they clearly have the better team. As the season has unfolded, however, it has become clear that MSU is one of the top 3 teams in the B10 and really has no business losing this game to a weakened Nebraska team.
Sure, Nebraska is starting to salvage what at one point looked like a season that would get Bo Pellini canned. And they put together a nice road victory against Michigan, last week. Plus, they do have some dangerous players, like Ameer Abdullah. But the bottom line is that this is MSU's game to lose, so they have to come in focused and passionate. This is the type of game that could ruin what is becoming one of the greatest seasons in MSU football history.
MSU comes in looking dominant on D and improving on O. I expect the defense to do well against a Nebraska offense that is missing Taylor Martinez and half their starting o-line. Another dominant performance looks likely, if they can avoid the big plays.
The offense should also do well, even if Connor Cook struggles -- hopefully he won't. MSU is starting to develop a solid running game and Nebraska's run defense is allowing 160 yards per game. If the o-line is gelling the way it usually does later in the season, MSU should be able to run the ball quite effectively. It would be nice if they could run it as effectively as Wisconsin ran the ball on Nebraska in last year's B10 championship game, but I'll settle for a replication of Minnesota's rushing performance (271 yards) against Nebraska.
One thing I'll never forget is how Nebraska defeated a superior Spartan team 2 years ago by engaging in a lot of pass interference. The refs basically allowed Nebraska to get away with what was clearly an underhanded strategy. Come to think of it, the refs gave Nebraska the game last year, particularly when they called Johnny Adams for a block in the back on an interception returned for a touchdown (if I recall correctly). Son of a . . ., MSU is bascially going to have to take it out of the ref's hands by dominating the way they should.
Final Score: MSU 25 Nebraska 10
Sure, Nebraska is starting to salvage what at one point looked like a season that would get Bo Pellini canned. And they put together a nice road victory against Michigan, last week. Plus, they do have some dangerous players, like Ameer Abdullah. But the bottom line is that this is MSU's game to lose, so they have to come in focused and passionate. This is the type of game that could ruin what is becoming one of the greatest seasons in MSU football history.
MSU comes in looking dominant on D and improving on O. I expect the defense to do well against a Nebraska offense that is missing Taylor Martinez and half their starting o-line. Another dominant performance looks likely, if they can avoid the big plays.
The offense should also do well, even if Connor Cook struggles -- hopefully he won't. MSU is starting to develop a solid running game and Nebraska's run defense is allowing 160 yards per game. If the o-line is gelling the way it usually does later in the season, MSU should be able to run the ball quite effectively. It would be nice if they could run it as effectively as Wisconsin ran the ball on Nebraska in last year's B10 championship game, but I'll settle for a replication of Minnesota's rushing performance (271 yards) against Nebraska.
One thing I'll never forget is how Nebraska defeated a superior Spartan team 2 years ago by engaging in a lot of pass interference. The refs basically allowed Nebraska to get away with what was clearly an underhanded strategy. Come to think of it, the refs gave Nebraska the game last year, particularly when they called Johnny Adams for a block in the back on an interception returned for a touchdown (if I recall correctly). Son of a . . ., MSU is bascially going to have to take it out of the ref's hands by dominating the way they should.
Final Score: MSU 25 Nebraska 10
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Thoughts on Michigan Game
A little late with my review of the game because I'm traveling, but man, what a game! This victory ranks right up there with the Outback Bowl victory over Georgia. It makes it 5 out of the last 6 over Michigan (and yesterday's victory was the most resounding), which shows that MSU is here to stay at least as an equal to UM and may be on the verge of establishing "a new world order" (in fact, if Brady Hoke loses again next year, UM could be looking for a new head coach).
Here are some other random thoughts.
Defense
This is a historic defense. They have now completely shut down several of the B10's best offenses, outright suffocating them in the second half. Just astonishing.
Offense
Considering the great field position they had to work with, it's safe to say that the offense under-performed. Connor Cook has a lot of work to do. Right now he is adequate for the talent around him, but this offense could be unstoppable if he could just play a little better. There were several huge plays that he missed, though he did also create a few big plays. He'll have to step it up, if MSU has to play Ohio State in the B10 championship game.
I was a little disappointed in the rest of the offense, as well. The o-line didn't dominate like I hoped (though they were pretty good), the receivers dropped several balls, and the Langford was just a few shoe-string tackles from having a bigger game (though he still ended up with a solid performance).
Special teams
The kickers did their job, and the returners didn't fumble and they actually made some decent returns.
Coaches
The game plan looked solid, but more importantly, this coaching staff has built a defense that has not allowed UM to score a touchdown in 2 games. They still have some work to do with the offense, but the coaches are on a roll.
Upshot
As I said, this is one of the biggest victories in MSU history, especially because it revealed a clear trend: MSU has established itself at least as UM's equal and may be on the verge of asserting it's dominance. A victory next year will establish a Jim Tressel-like dominance over UM. This game should also help MSU with some recruits.
As for this season, this victory keeps MSU on the road to the Rose Bowl and on the road to fulfilling or surpassing my preseason prediction of 12-2.
Why are we so blessed?
Friday, November 1, 2013
Preview of Michigan Game
Ahahalrighty then, we've come to it at last. Folks, I'll just come out and say it. MSU is the more complete team and can only lose due to a freak occurrence (like Devin Gardner having the game of his life) or a poor game plan.
Defense
Michigan has an explosive, but inconsistent offense. They're putting up 44 points a game, including over 700 yards of offense against Indiana's poor defense. The good thing is that MSU's defense matches up quite well against UM's offense.
To start with, UM has a weaker running game that the Spartans should be able to stop, even without stacking the box. UM's strength is it's passing game, but it is excessively dependent on 2 good receivers: Gallon and Funchess. Obviously, one of the keys to this game is how well the MSU secondary shuts down those two. Gallon's strength is his ability to keep moving. He takes advantage of Devin Gardner's ability to extend plays. The Spartan secondary is going to have keep on him for longer than they may be used to covering other receivers. Funchess' strength is obviously his height. He is not particularly explosive, but he can win a lot of jump balls.
The other danger is Devin Gardner's mobility. MSU has experience containing running quarterbacks, but Gardner is particularly dangerous because he combines excellent mobility with some decent throwing ability. Gardner has struggled with turnovers this year, but he has put it all together in a couple of games this year. He looked nearly unstoppable against Notre Dame. Obviously, MSU has to hope that Gardner doesn't put it all together for this Saturday. Even if he does, MSU should be able to slow him down quite a bit, but UM would probably get around 25 points. Then it would be up to the offense to keep up.
As we've seen, the MSU defense usually figures out opposing offenses by the second half of the game and then completely shuts them down. I'm hoping to see the same this week, but I suspect UM will have a little more success in the second half than previous teams.
Offense
The MSU offense has also been inconsistent but has more to work with than UM's offense. In particular, MSU has the best o-line I can recall and some above average running backs that are on the brink of stardom. MSU also has more depth at receiver, and emerging tight ends.
But like UM, the Spartan offense is heavily influenced by their quarterback. Connor Cook, has looked both excellent and downright shabby. If he plays like he did against Illinois, MSU will win this game regardless of what Gardner does. If Cook plays like he did against Purdue, MSU will lose regardless of how well their defense plays.
UM's defense is not statistically great this year, but they will still be one of the better defenses MSU has faced this year. Cook and the offense have done well against better defenses, like Iowa's, but they could also struggle if Cook's accuracy issues return, or if the receivers start dropping balls again.
Special teams
Last year, the special teams favored UM. They hit all their field goals, and MSU missed key opportunities. This year, I hope to at least see MSU's special teams neutralize UM's special teams. Ideally, MSU's STs will outplay the UM STs.
Coaches
MSU is the more talented team, so it's mostly up to the coaches to win this game. I will only excuse the coaches if Cook struggles mightily, or if Gardner has a freak performance. Otherwise, MSU really should win this game. I don't want to see MSU losing this game because of an inferior game plan or poor coaching decisions.
Upshot
As I said, the Spartans should win this game, barring a freak occurrence (like Cook absolutely flopping, Gardner going nuts, or multiple fumbles at inopportune times). MSU is more talented all around, has fewer holes in terms of talent, and is playing at home.
I'll say that Gardner will play well, but the defense will slow him down. Cook and the MSU offense will also play pretty well and score just enough points to win this one by a touchdown.
Final score: MSU 28 UM 21
Defense
Michigan has an explosive, but inconsistent offense. They're putting up 44 points a game, including over 700 yards of offense against Indiana's poor defense. The good thing is that MSU's defense matches up quite well against UM's offense.
To start with, UM has a weaker running game that the Spartans should be able to stop, even without stacking the box. UM's strength is it's passing game, but it is excessively dependent on 2 good receivers: Gallon and Funchess. Obviously, one of the keys to this game is how well the MSU secondary shuts down those two. Gallon's strength is his ability to keep moving. He takes advantage of Devin Gardner's ability to extend plays. The Spartan secondary is going to have keep on him for longer than they may be used to covering other receivers. Funchess' strength is obviously his height. He is not particularly explosive, but he can win a lot of jump balls.
The other danger is Devin Gardner's mobility. MSU has experience containing running quarterbacks, but Gardner is particularly dangerous because he combines excellent mobility with some decent throwing ability. Gardner has struggled with turnovers this year, but he has put it all together in a couple of games this year. He looked nearly unstoppable against Notre Dame. Obviously, MSU has to hope that Gardner doesn't put it all together for this Saturday. Even if he does, MSU should be able to slow him down quite a bit, but UM would probably get around 25 points. Then it would be up to the offense to keep up.
As we've seen, the MSU defense usually figures out opposing offenses by the second half of the game and then completely shuts them down. I'm hoping to see the same this week, but I suspect UM will have a little more success in the second half than previous teams.
Offense
The MSU offense has also been inconsistent but has more to work with than UM's offense. In particular, MSU has the best o-line I can recall and some above average running backs that are on the brink of stardom. MSU also has more depth at receiver, and emerging tight ends.
But like UM, the Spartan offense is heavily influenced by their quarterback. Connor Cook, has looked both excellent and downright shabby. If he plays like he did against Illinois, MSU will win this game regardless of what Gardner does. If Cook plays like he did against Purdue, MSU will lose regardless of how well their defense plays.
UM's defense is not statistically great this year, but they will still be one of the better defenses MSU has faced this year. Cook and the offense have done well against better defenses, like Iowa's, but they could also struggle if Cook's accuracy issues return, or if the receivers start dropping balls again.
Special teams
Last year, the special teams favored UM. They hit all their field goals, and MSU missed key opportunities. This year, I hope to at least see MSU's special teams neutralize UM's special teams. Ideally, MSU's STs will outplay the UM STs.
Coaches
MSU is the more talented team, so it's mostly up to the coaches to win this game. I will only excuse the coaches if Cook struggles mightily, or if Gardner has a freak performance. Otherwise, MSU really should win this game. I don't want to see MSU losing this game because of an inferior game plan or poor coaching decisions.
Upshot
As I said, the Spartans should win this game, barring a freak occurrence (like Cook absolutely flopping, Gardner going nuts, or multiple fumbles at inopportune times). MSU is more talented all around, has fewer holes in terms of talent, and is playing at home.
I'll say that Gardner will play well, but the defense will slow him down. Cook and the MSU offense will also play pretty well and score just enough points to win this one by a touchdown.
Final score: MSU 28 UM 21
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Thoughts on Illinois Game
Alrighty, then, that's the kind of formula that will take the Spartans far this season: stifling defense and some competent offense. It ain't that complicated.
Offense
The Spartans focused a lot more on the run game this week, largely to good avail. If your opponent can't stop the run, then run it until they find a way to stop you. They'll need to be more balanced against the better defenses, but it looks like the running game is as good as MSU has had in a long time. The o-line is truly the best of the Dantonio era and Langford and Williams could end up being as good a duo as we've ever seen at running back at MSU.
Cook played really well. He did fumble at the goal line and he did get lucky on the touchdown throw to end the half, but otherwise, what he did today is what MSU needs out of him.
The receivers . . . I haven't seen a drop in quite a while, and they seem to be getting open pretty regularly. The tight ends are also clearly starting to emerge.
Defense
What an astonishing performance. We are truly witnessing something historic. They almost completely shut down an offense that was scoring 35 points a game. And they are now consistently suffocating opposing offenses in the second half. Opposing teams have some success in the first half, but by the second half it's just a bunch of 3 and outs. Seriously, my only concern is that MSU could lose some guys early to the NFL.
Special teams
Good kicking, still nerve-wracking on punt returns.
Coaches
Narduzzi = elite. The offense recognized the dominance of their running game and made some good passing calls. The only concern I might raise is that the team seems to start games slowly. That hasn't hurt them against lesser competition, but it could make a difference against tougher teams.
Upshot
This is starting to look like a championship team. The talent is amazing and starting to click. I think it really depends on Cook's performances the rest of the way. If he plays the rest of the way like he did today, MSU should go to the Rose Bowl.
Offense
The Spartans focused a lot more on the run game this week, largely to good avail. If your opponent can't stop the run, then run it until they find a way to stop you. They'll need to be more balanced against the better defenses, but it looks like the running game is as good as MSU has had in a long time. The o-line is truly the best of the Dantonio era and Langford and Williams could end up being as good a duo as we've ever seen at running back at MSU.
Cook played really well. He did fumble at the goal line and he did get lucky on the touchdown throw to end the half, but otherwise, what he did today is what MSU needs out of him.
The receivers . . . I haven't seen a drop in quite a while, and they seem to be getting open pretty regularly. The tight ends are also clearly starting to emerge.
Defense
What an astonishing performance. We are truly witnessing something historic. They almost completely shut down an offense that was scoring 35 points a game. And they are now consistently suffocating opposing offenses in the second half. Opposing teams have some success in the first half, but by the second half it's just a bunch of 3 and outs. Seriously, my only concern is that MSU could lose some guys early to the NFL.
Special teams
Good kicking, still nerve-wracking on punt returns.
Coaches
Narduzzi = elite. The offense recognized the dominance of their running game and made some good passing calls. The only concern I might raise is that the team seems to start games slowly. That hasn't hurt them against lesser competition, but it could make a difference against tougher teams.
Upshot
This is starting to look like a championship team. The talent is amazing and starting to click. I think it really depends on Cook's performances the rest of the way. If he plays the rest of the way like he did today, MSU should go to the Rose Bowl.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Preview of Illinois Game
This week the Spartans face a 3-3 Illinois team that statistically looks a lot like Indiana. Illinois has a decent offense that puts up 35 points a game, but they have a pretty bad defense that allows 32 points a game. MSU should win this one comfortably, if they don't overlook Illinois and if the offense can just be average.
Illinois is getting blown out by quality teams like Nebraska and Wisconsin, and I expect the Spartans to do the same. As I said for the Indiana game, elite defenses generally tend to stop elite offenses, and so I expect MSU's defense to hold Illinois to less than 21 points, except if the Spartans turn the ball over on their own side of the field.
That leaves it up to the offense to put up at least 21 points to win this game. Can they do that? Not if Connor Cook plays like he did most of last week. I do, however, expect Cook to bounce back this week.
The thing is that Cook just needs to be average for this offense to be pretty good. The o-line is good and getting better, Jeremy Langford is on the verge of becoming a star at running back, and the receivers are flashing some serious talent. Even the tight ends seem to be emerging. Seriously, all we need is some consistent decent play from the quarterback position for MSU's offense to be among the B10's best.
As for special teams, they're looking good, except for the occasional damaging turnover. As I've said before, it would be nice to see them contribute the way they did when K-Mart was returning punts.
The coaches were on a roll until the offense sputtered again last week. But as I said last week, it's tough to evaluate the performance of the offensive coaches when Connor Cook is struggling. For this week, it's probably best to focus on how the coaches handle Cook's struggles and whether the coaches get outsmarted by the Illinois coaches at a critical point in the game.
Final score: MSU 23 Illinois 16
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Thoughts on Purdue Game
Had to DVR the game, so I'm a little late with the review of the game.
Folks, this was definitely a troubling game. The Spartans did win, but the offense looked like last year's offense -- against one of the worst defensive teams in the country.
The biggest issue was simply Connor Cook's inaccuracy. He was just flat out missing receivers, and it's even safe to say that he was outperformed by Purdue's true-freshman quaterback. I am hoping that this was an aberration and that he'll quickly be back to the form he displayed against Iowa and Indiana. Unfortunately, this kind of performance will not cut it against teams like Nebraska and Michigan.
The running game looks like it's very close to becoming elite. Jeremy Langford looks really good and would be a Heiman candidate, if not for a few shoestring tackles and perhaps a little more support from the passing game. The two freshmen, Delton Williams and RJ Shelton, look like they're making good progress every week. But freshmen usually run out of steam towards the end of the season. The o-line was pretty good, but they didn't dominate as much as I hoped against Purdue.
The receivers looked good. Kings and Lippett were solid. Even the tight ends are starting to contribute almost every week. The receivers are now consistently doing their part. It is time for the quarterbacks to be consistent.
The defense obviously pitched a shutout and scored their own touchdown, but it was a little disconcerting that they gave up so many first downs, and especially that Purdue was able to convert so many third downs with a true-freshman quarterback. The defense had a particularly difficult time with Purdue's big running back. Once he went out with an injury, Purdue's offense wasn't the same.
The special teams was solid. They punted well, they didn't turn the ball over. However, we eventually need to see the special teams MSU had 2 years ago, when K. Mart was returning punts for significant yardage.
The coaches seemed to perform OK, today. Unfortunately, this was a day where Connor Cook's struggles made the coaches' performance difficult to evaluate. They at least seem to have made progress on reducing penalties. I guess I also can't think of too many problems with the play calling, though I do feel that they could have tried to run the ball more.
Upshot: this is the kind of performance that brings you back down to earth. A performance like this will not produce victories against Nebraska and Michigan. It also helps you realize that the Spartans' chances of winning the B10 hinge on the play of Connor Cook. Today, he was outplayed by a true freshman, so it's safe to say that he was pretty bad. He needs to rebound next week, if the Spartans are to have any hope of getting back to the Rose Bowl.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Preview of Purdue Game
I'll keep this preview short and sweet (primarily because I'm working 80 hours a week.)
Folks, here's the deal. Purdue is clearly going through what Illinois went through last year: thoroughly collapsing under a new coaching regime. In the long run I think Darrell Hazell will turn Purdue into a dangerous program, but in the short term he is bringing to East Lansing one of the weaker teams MSU will face this season. A focused MSU team should dominate this game, but an unfocused MSU team could give Hazell a signature victory.
Purdue's offensive and defensive stats are among the worst in the FBS. That means MSU's defense has a great chance to achieve a shutout, while the Spartan offense has a chance to at least match their performance against Indiana. I do expect many 3-and-outs in this game for Purdue, but don't be surprised if they find some way to score 10 or 13 points -- especially if the Spartans turn the ball over on their side of the field.
The offense should put up great numbers -- unless we see the re-emergence of past issues, like dropped balls and inaccurate passes. I'm expecting/hoping to see the o-line continue to improve. They are already pretty good, but if this o-line keeps making progress from week to week, I really think this could be an o-line that could hold it's own against the top teams in the country, including Ohio State in the B10 championship game.
The running backs are benefiting from this good o-line, but they themselves have a ton of talent. We're seeing Langford and Williams take it to the next level, but I think Langford in particular has a chance to get some national attention. I'm hoping he can reach All-American levels in a game like this.
I'm also expecting/hoping Cook and the receivers continue to look like a strength of this team. They have done it 2 weeks in a row, they just gotta keep it up. Perhaps the only thing I could ask from the receivers is that at least one of them emerges as a dominant go-to receiver. Several of them are pretty solid right now, but we need our own Jared Abbrederis. The good thing is that I think we have some guys that could get close to that level by the end of the year.
As for the special teams, I expect to see the kickers keep up the good work, and I'm hoping to see the returners avoiding the costly fumbles.
Finally, I expect the coaches to have another good performance. I think their biggest task is keeping the team focused on a weaker opponent, but this team seems to be pretty motivated, perhaps because of the way they struggled at the beginning of the season.
Final score: MSU 33 Purdue 7
Folks, here's the deal. Purdue is clearly going through what Illinois went through last year: thoroughly collapsing under a new coaching regime. In the long run I think Darrell Hazell will turn Purdue into a dangerous program, but in the short term he is bringing to East Lansing one of the weaker teams MSU will face this season. A focused MSU team should dominate this game, but an unfocused MSU team could give Hazell a signature victory.
Purdue's offensive and defensive stats are among the worst in the FBS. That means MSU's defense has a great chance to achieve a shutout, while the Spartan offense has a chance to at least match their performance against Indiana. I do expect many 3-and-outs in this game for Purdue, but don't be surprised if they find some way to score 10 or 13 points -- especially if the Spartans turn the ball over on their side of the field.
The offense should put up great numbers -- unless we see the re-emergence of past issues, like dropped balls and inaccurate passes. I'm expecting/hoping to see the o-line continue to improve. They are already pretty good, but if this o-line keeps making progress from week to week, I really think this could be an o-line that could hold it's own against the top teams in the country, including Ohio State in the B10 championship game.
The running backs are benefiting from this good o-line, but they themselves have a ton of talent. We're seeing Langford and Williams take it to the next level, but I think Langford in particular has a chance to get some national attention. I'm hoping he can reach All-American levels in a game like this.
I'm also expecting/hoping Cook and the receivers continue to look like a strength of this team. They have done it 2 weeks in a row, they just gotta keep it up. Perhaps the only thing I could ask from the receivers is that at least one of them emerges as a dominant go-to receiver. Several of them are pretty solid right now, but we need our own Jared Abbrederis. The good thing is that I think we have some guys that could get close to that level by the end of the year.
As for the special teams, I expect to see the kickers keep up the good work, and I'm hoping to see the returners avoiding the costly fumbles.
Finally, I expect the coaches to have another good performance. I think their biggest task is keeping the team focused on a weaker opponent, but this team seems to be pretty motivated, perhaps because of the way they struggled at the beginning of the season.
Final score: MSU 33 Purdue 7
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Thoughts on Indiana Game
OK, this game went down about how I expected, except that the offense looked more explosive than I anticipated, and while MSU dominated, they made just enough mistakes to keep this one too interesting for too long.
Defense
Another impressive performance against a really good offense. They would have dominated even more if not for some key mistakes: the long TD run by Coleman, the muffed punt by Kings, the personal foul on Waynes. We're lucky that Indiana's explosive offense didn't capitalize more on those mistakes, but the fact that Indiana's offense could not score more points even with all those mistakes is good evidence that this defense is outstanding, nay, historic.
As I said in my preview, elite defenses generally are able to shut down elite offenses. So I like where MSU's program is right now, relative to most other (perhaps all) Big 10 programs.
Offense
It's hard to say that we saw progress today because Indiana's defense is much worse than Iowa's. But for the first time in a long time it felt like MSU's offense is actually really good. The passing game is turning into a real strength, and the running game achieved exactly what I hoped they would.
The crazy thing is that the offense has not nearly approached their ceiling. Connor Cook just needs to improve his accuracy a little more, the receivers just need to catch the ball a little better, the o-line just needs to gel a little more, and the running backs need to have a little better vision. If they can continue to make even incremental progress, we could be talking about MSU's offense as the most explosive in the Big 10. I don't want to get ahead of myself here, because by next week we could easily be wondering if the offense peaked in this game. Nevertheless, there is good reason for us to be excited about the offense.
Special teams
Not the strength they were last week, but good overall. Kings' muffed punt led to 7 points for Indiana, but Sadler had a great day.
Coaches
They prepared the defense well for Indiana's fast-paced offense and they made good adjustments when it seemed Indiana had some momentum. I didn't see too many times where I disagreed with their calls -- perhaps only in the first quarter where they passed on 3 straight downs instead of running the ball. I suppose I could also complain a little about all the penalties this team is getting, especially for personal fouls. Otherwise, the coaches are now clearly on a roll.
Upshot
This team has now played very well two weeks in a row. If they can maintain this level of play, this team could easily fulfill my preseason prediction of 12-2, and maybe even better. Why are we so blessed?
Defense
Another impressive performance against a really good offense. They would have dominated even more if not for some key mistakes: the long TD run by Coleman, the muffed punt by Kings, the personal foul on Waynes. We're lucky that Indiana's explosive offense didn't capitalize more on those mistakes, but the fact that Indiana's offense could not score more points even with all those mistakes is good evidence that this defense is outstanding, nay, historic.
As I said in my preview, elite defenses generally are able to shut down elite offenses. So I like where MSU's program is right now, relative to most other (perhaps all) Big 10 programs.
Offense
It's hard to say that we saw progress today because Indiana's defense is much worse than Iowa's. But for the first time in a long time it felt like MSU's offense is actually really good. The passing game is turning into a real strength, and the running game achieved exactly what I hoped they would.
The crazy thing is that the offense has not nearly approached their ceiling. Connor Cook just needs to improve his accuracy a little more, the receivers just need to catch the ball a little better, the o-line just needs to gel a little more, and the running backs need to have a little better vision. If they can continue to make even incremental progress, we could be talking about MSU's offense as the most explosive in the Big 10. I don't want to get ahead of myself here, because by next week we could easily be wondering if the offense peaked in this game. Nevertheless, there is good reason for us to be excited about the offense.
Special teams
Not the strength they were last week, but good overall. Kings' muffed punt led to 7 points for Indiana, but Sadler had a great day.
Coaches
They prepared the defense well for Indiana's fast-paced offense and they made good adjustments when it seemed Indiana had some momentum. I didn't see too many times where I disagreed with their calls -- perhaps only in the first quarter where they passed on 3 straight downs instead of running the ball. I suppose I could also complain a little about all the penalties this team is getting, especially for personal fouls. Otherwise, the coaches are now clearly on a roll.
Upshot
This team has now played very well two weeks in a row. If they can maintain this level of play, this team could easily fulfill my preseason prediction of 12-2, and maybe even better. Why are we so blessed?
Friday, October 11, 2013
Preview of Indiana Game
Folks, we're all excited now that MSU's offense seems to be on track. Some of us, like me, won't learn our lessons and will allow ourselves to dream of national championships. We may even make the mistake of thinking of the Indiana game as a gimme. But folks, this is not typical Indiana team. This is an Indiana team that's currently 3-2 and is ranked 11th in the nation in total offense, scoring 44 points a game. They just blew out Penn State 44-24. So if the Spartans take them lightly, we could be in for a similar shock.
So here's the thing, MSU is more talented and more developed as a program, so the Spartans have no business losing this game. If they come in focused, they will win. If they overlook Indiana, there could be trouble.
If MSU is focused, I look for the Spartan defense to slow down Indiana's offense in much the same way that Auburn slowed down Oregon's high-powered offense in the championship game a few years ago. In general, elite defenses seem to have a lot of success against elite offenses, and as long as MSU is focused, this pattern should hold for this game.
I also look for Connor Cook and the offense to at least replicate what they did against Iowa. Indiana's defense is much worse than Iowa's, allowing nearly twice as many points per game, so you would be justified in thinking that MSU's offense should actually score over 30 points in this game. But I'm not quite ready to believe that yet. I need to see the consistency from week to week before I start assuming that this offense has become that explosive. Nonetheless, if they can at least do what they did against Iowa, MSU should win this game.
In this game, I'll also be looking for some other key things that will tell us a lot about how good this team could actually be by the end of the season. For starters, we need to see consistency and progress from Connor Cook and the wide receivers. They can't play well one game and then slide back the next. If they at least play as well as they did against Iowa, then I'm going to start dreaming big. The running game also needs to take that next step. The talent is there on the offensive line and among the running backs, and they've done OK so far. But MSU could and should have a dominant running game. Iowa's tough run defense may have muffled some of that dominance, so I'm hoping we really get to see it emerge against Indiana's softer run defense.
I also need to see the special teams continuing to be a strength, rather than a liability. And finally, I need to see that the coaches are well-prepared and not getting outsmarted by the Indiana coaches. Like I've said, this MSU team is more talented than any other team MSU will face the rest of the way, so any losses the rest of the way will fall mostly on the coaches. It's a lot of pressure to place on coaches, but they have to do their part, just like the players do.
Final score: MSU 27 Indiana 20
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Thoughts on Iowa Game
Little late on this cuz I just finished watching it on DVR, but now I'm eating the most delicious crow I've ever tasted.
The Spartans definitely got off to a slow start: Kings dropped an easy pass, they turned the ball over on 4rth down, missed a field goal, bad penalties, and the defense gave up some huge plays in the first half. But the Spartans still did some good things in the first half, and they dominated in the second half. The defense was dominant, the offense looked good, and the special teams was a strength.
Defense
Dominant as usual. They did break down late in the first half, perhaps in part because of the collision between Dennard and Lewis and because they struggled to adjust to Iowa's hurry-up offense. Whatever their issues were, they figured them out in the second half. Iowa's offense could do almost nothing in the second half. The only concerns I have on offense this year are that some juniors might leave early for the NFL at the end of the season.
Offense
This is not Oregon's offense, but it looks like MSU may finally have an offense competent enough to let the defense win games. If the MSU offense can play at least like this the rest of the year, then the Spartans will win their division. All they need are 2 touchdowns and 2 field goals per game.
Connor Cook did not look like a Heisman candidate, but he was plenty good enough. If he could continue to make good progress on his accuracy and consistency, he could be become a Heisman candidate by his senior year. He has so many of the tools in place. But let's not get ahead ourselves. For now, I'm delighted that he's more than adequate.
The running backs struggled a bit, as expected, against a tough Iowa defense. But Langford still looks solid and I liked what I saw from Delton Williams.
The receivers are slowly looking like a strength, rather than a liability. Kings is looking like K-Mart, but actually better at the same year in the program. Burbridge showed some progress and Fowler is looking more consistent. The tight ends still have to emerge.
Apart from some penalties, the offensive line looked good against a solid Iowa defensive line. This really is the best o-line in the Dantonio era. These guys should dominate the rest of the season.
Special Teams
This unit was a strength this week, with Geiger hitting 4 filed goals and Kings making some decent returns. Sadler also had a great fake punt and they didn't let Iowa break any big returns.
What a difference a competent special teams unit makes.
Coaching
I've been critical of the coaching staff this year because I now believe MSU has a more talented team than any team MSU has faced so far. So when MSU struggles, my instinct is to blame the coaches. Well, this week, I do think they were able to get the necessary production out of their talented team. I didn't really see any play calls I disagreed with and they generally put their players in good situations. I hope things stay this way the rest of the season.
I also should give the coaches credit for recruiting and developing such talented players. Seriously, MSU's team looked more talented to me than Notre Dame.
Upshot
This was one of the biggest victories in the last few years. MSU just beat (dominated, really) a team that many people saw as on the rise. And MSU beat them at home. This game also revealed that MSU has what it takes to win the Legends division. They certainly have the talent, now they need the coaches to properly utilize that talent. If MSU can play like this the rest of the season, they could even play in a BCS bowl. Suddenly, my prediction of 12 - 2 is starting to look reasonable.
The Spartans definitely got off to a slow start: Kings dropped an easy pass, they turned the ball over on 4rth down, missed a field goal, bad penalties, and the defense gave up some huge plays in the first half. But the Spartans still did some good things in the first half, and they dominated in the second half. The defense was dominant, the offense looked good, and the special teams was a strength.
Defense
Dominant as usual. They did break down late in the first half, perhaps in part because of the collision between Dennard and Lewis and because they struggled to adjust to Iowa's hurry-up offense. Whatever their issues were, they figured them out in the second half. Iowa's offense could do almost nothing in the second half. The only concerns I have on offense this year are that some juniors might leave early for the NFL at the end of the season.
Offense
This is not Oregon's offense, but it looks like MSU may finally have an offense competent enough to let the defense win games. If the MSU offense can play at least like this the rest of the year, then the Spartans will win their division. All they need are 2 touchdowns and 2 field goals per game.
Connor Cook did not look like a Heisman candidate, but he was plenty good enough. If he could continue to make good progress on his accuracy and consistency, he could be become a Heisman candidate by his senior year. He has so many of the tools in place. But let's not get ahead ourselves. For now, I'm delighted that he's more than adequate.
The running backs struggled a bit, as expected, against a tough Iowa defense. But Langford still looks solid and I liked what I saw from Delton Williams.
The receivers are slowly looking like a strength, rather than a liability. Kings is looking like K-Mart, but actually better at the same year in the program. Burbridge showed some progress and Fowler is looking more consistent. The tight ends still have to emerge.
Apart from some penalties, the offensive line looked good against a solid Iowa defensive line. This really is the best o-line in the Dantonio era. These guys should dominate the rest of the season.
Special Teams
This unit was a strength this week, with Geiger hitting 4 filed goals and Kings making some decent returns. Sadler also had a great fake punt and they didn't let Iowa break any big returns.
What a difference a competent special teams unit makes.
Coaching
I've been critical of the coaching staff this year because I now believe MSU has a more talented team than any team MSU has faced so far. So when MSU struggles, my instinct is to blame the coaches. Well, this week, I do think they were able to get the necessary production out of their talented team. I didn't really see any play calls I disagreed with and they generally put their players in good situations. I hope things stay this way the rest of the season.
I also should give the coaches credit for recruiting and developing such talented players. Seriously, MSU's team looked more talented to me than Notre Dame.
Upshot
This was one of the biggest victories in the last few years. MSU just beat (dominated, really) a team that many people saw as on the rise. And MSU beat them at home. This game also revealed that MSU has what it takes to win the Legends division. They certainly have the talent, now they need the coaches to properly utilize that talent. If MSU can play like this the rest of the season, they could even play in a BCS bowl. Suddenly, my prediction of 12 - 2 is starting to look reasonable.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Thoughts on the Notre Dame Game
This was a tough loss. Pretty painful to watch. Here's a few thoughts.
- This loss was made more painful by the fact that MSU looked more talented than Notre Dame. Well, they at least looked more athletic -- talent also involves being more accurate throwing the ball and catching the ball and hitting your field goal attempts. But Notre Dame clearly needed the help of the refs in this one.
- The offense just broke down too often. Too many inaccurate throws, too many inopportune drops, too many penalties.This offense is not good enough to overcome mistakes, or perhaps it's not good because it makes too many mistakes.
- Parts of the offense look good at times, but they can't put it all together. The receivers looked excellent at times, but then had key drops. The offensive line was pretty solid, but had a couple of key penalties and poor blocks. The running backs ran pretty well, but they did lose yards on several key plays. The quarterbacks may be the only ones that actually looked worse more often than they looked good.
- The defense is clearly elite, considering that even Notre Dame had to resort to a crazy strategy like just throwing deep every time. Too bad the refs rewarded ND for their offensive incompetence. Just a disgusting performance by the refs.
- The special teams is still a liability. What a problem to have alongside a struggling offense.
- The coaching was good on defense, OK on offense. But when I see teams like Iowa and Minnesota racking up points on offense, it makes me wonder about MSU's offensive coaches. At the very least, I can say that the coaches don't seem to learn much from one year to the next. How can you end up with the same outcome against Notre Dame for 3 straight years?
- Finally, I am stung by this loss, but I did see that MSU has what it takes to win their division and play in the B10 championship game. But the offense must get better every week. Last year, I saw signs MSU had what it took, only to watch the offense actually regress over the course of the season. So there is reason to be hopeful, and reason to worry. So next week I'll be watching for the offense to make progress. If it doesn't, then we are looking at a repeat of 2012.
- This loss was made more painful by the fact that MSU looked more talented than Notre Dame. Well, they at least looked more athletic -- talent also involves being more accurate throwing the ball and catching the ball and hitting your field goal attempts. But Notre Dame clearly needed the help of the refs in this one.
- The offense just broke down too often. Too many inaccurate throws, too many inopportune drops, too many penalties.This offense is not good enough to overcome mistakes, or perhaps it's not good because it makes too many mistakes.
- Parts of the offense look good at times, but they can't put it all together. The receivers looked excellent at times, but then had key drops. The offensive line was pretty solid, but had a couple of key penalties and poor blocks. The running backs ran pretty well, but they did lose yards on several key plays. The quarterbacks may be the only ones that actually looked worse more often than they looked good.
- The defense is clearly elite, considering that even Notre Dame had to resort to a crazy strategy like just throwing deep every time. Too bad the refs rewarded ND for their offensive incompetence. Just a disgusting performance by the refs.
- The special teams is still a liability. What a problem to have alongside a struggling offense.
- The coaching was good on defense, OK on offense. But when I see teams like Iowa and Minnesota racking up points on offense, it makes me wonder about MSU's offensive coaches. At the very least, I can say that the coaches don't seem to learn much from one year to the next. How can you end up with the same outcome against Notre Dame for 3 straight years?
- Finally, I am stung by this loss, but I did see that MSU has what it takes to win their division and play in the B10 championship game. But the offense must get better every week. Last year, I saw signs MSU had what it took, only to watch the offense actually regress over the course of the season. So there is reason to be hopeful, and reason to worry. So next week I'll be watching for the offense to make progress. If it doesn't, then we are looking at a repeat of 2012.
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