Why should this MSU game be any different? Stats!!!

[Landlord]

Our defense seems to be clicking and confident at this time. If we keep the offense simple, avoid turnovers we can score on MSU. On the same token with all of our injuries and a backup QB, it's going to be a huge challenge. Win or lose, I like how the team is playing right now with the adversity.

How do you suppose we will score on MSU?

Like what actual means do you think we will employ to accomplish that?

I know that anything can happen on any given Saturday, but make no mistake about facing reality here. Our offense has struggled putting up points and being effective for three straight weeks against average defenses, and this week we play the best defense in the country by quite a margin.

This is going to be an absolute battle if we're going to win. It definitely won't be pretty, and even if we come out with a victory the only hope is that we have enough of a team left to be competitive the next week against Penn State. Michigan State is tough, nasty, physical and play smart football. We got out-toughed by Minnesota.

 

[SpartanMacks]

Michigan was so beat up by MSU that when we played them they were to banged up. BS

Pretty weak excuse, I agree, but there's a bit of truth to it (although obviously in the long run it should make no difference). MSU does play very physical. And MSU's opponents are currently 1-8 the week after the MSU game. The team with the win is Youngstown State (FCS).

 

[SpartanMacks]

Our defense seems to be clicking and confident at this time. If we keep the offense simple, avoid turnovers we can score on MSU. On the same token with all of our injuries and a backup QB, it's going to be a huge challenge. Win or lose, I like how the team is playing right now with the adversity.

How do you suppose we will score on MSU?

Like what actual means do you think we will employ to accomplish that?

I know that anything can happen on any given Saturday, but make no mistake about facing reality here. Our offense has struggled putting up points and being effective for three straight weeks against average defenses, and this week we play the best defense in the country by quite a margin.

This is going to be an absolute battle if we're going to win. It definitely won't be pretty, and even if we come out with a victory the only hope is that we have enough of a team left to be competitive the next week against Penn State. Michigan State is tough, nasty, physical and play smart football. We got out-toughed by Minnesota.

Misdirection will be your friend here. Also short passes to the flats, flares from Abdullah, etc. Make him match up on the LBs. Notre Dame beat us by constantly chucking the ball deep and hoping for a tacky PI call (which they got a lot of) or a completion. With the state of your OL, that's not really a good option.

 

[VectorVictor]

Our defense seems to be clicking and confident at this time. If we keep the offense simple, avoid turnovers we can score on MSU. On the same token with all of our injuries and a backup QB, it's going to be a huge challenge. Win or lose, I like how the team is playing right now with the adversity.

How do you suppose we will score on MSU?

Like what actual means do you think we will employ to accomplish that?

I know that anything can happen on any given Saturday, but make no mistake about facing reality here. Our offense has struggled putting up points and being effective for three straight weeks against average defenses, and this week we play the best defense in the country by quite a margin.

This is going to be an absolute battle if we're going to win. It definitely won't be pretty, and even if we come out with a victory the only hope is that we have enough of a team left to be competitive the next week against Penn State. Michigan State is tough, nasty, physical and play smart football. We got out-toughed by Minnesota.

Misdirection will be your friend here. Also short passes to the flats, flares from Abdullah, etc. Make him match up on the LBs. Notre Dame beat us by constantly chucking the ball deep and hoping for a tacky PI call (which they got a lot of) or a completion. With the state of your OL, that's not really a good option.

Well, SpartanMacks, the problem is we have a Redshirt Freshman QB that is still learning how to read coverage and not look down receivers. I *would* like to see us use more misdirection and short passes/screens like you said. Problem is, we haven't seen it for two weeks now when it's been there both weeks (save for our final drive against Michigan...).

I'd like to think that Beck is holding things back for Sparty...but then again, I'd like to think my wife is a lingerie model.

BTW, welcome to the boards, and be sure to stick around, win or lose, okay?

 

[rawhide]

Your wife is a lingerie model???? Pics or it ain't true. In the Daily Skin of course.

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

I know EZ-E, myself, and some other posters have said this already. Bo Pelini's track record against Michigan State and offenses like it is stellar. His defense is built to stop this type of team. It is, as others have said, right in his wheelhouse.

I have been critical of many things this season, but his ability to stop a pro-style/spread pass attack is well documented. I have not, nor will ever, dispute that. No matter the outcome this weekend. To win this game we have to be able to run the ball between the tackles at some point. That will bring safeties up to the box. Speed option, bullet passes to Bell, and toss sweep could open them up (although their pursuit on sweeps or off tackle is impressive). Their DL and LB shed blocks so well, I think we have to use their aggressiveness against them with some nice screens and draws. Ameer's vision will be paramount for cutback lanes, as they will open up against an aggressive pursuit team like this one. This is a GREAT test of our offense and our young QB.

I also think the improvements we have seen recently will not be cemented until we see it against a better team. This is a big game, people. How will we respond to it?

 

[Landlord]

I know EZ-E, myself, and some other posters have said this already. Bo Pelini's track record against Michigan State and offenses like it is stellar. His defense is built to stop this type of team. It is, as others have said, right in his wheelhouse.

I have been critical of many things this season, but his ability to stop a pro-style/spread pass attack is well documented. I have not, nor will ever, dispute that. No matter the outcome this weekend. To win this game we have to be able to run the ball between the tackles at some point. That will bring safeties up to the box. Speed option, bullet passes to Bell, and toss sweep could open them up (although their pursuit on sweeps or off tackle is impressive). Their DL and LB shed blocks so well, I think we have to use their aggressiveness against them with some nice screens and draws. Ameer's vision will be paramount for cutback lanes, as they will open up against an aggressive pursuit team like this one. This is a GREAT test of our offense and our young QB.

I also think the improvements we have seen recently will not be cemented until we see it against a better team. This is a big game, people. How will we respond to it?

I agree with absolutely every word of this post.

 

[Danny Bateman]

I know EZ-E, myself, and some other posters have said this already. Bo Pelini's track record against Michigan State and offenses like it is stellar. His defense is built to stop this type of team. It is, as others have said, right in his wheelhouse.

I have been critical of many things this season, but his ability to stop a pro-style/spread pass attack is well documented. I have not, nor will ever, dispute that. No matter the outcome this weekend. To win this game we have to be able to run the ball between the tackles at some point. That will bring safeties up to the box. Speed option, bullet passes to Bell, and toss sweep could open them up (although their pursuit on sweeps or off tackle is impressive). Their DL and LB shed blocks so well, I think we have to use their aggressiveness against them with some nice screens and draws. Ameer's vision will be paramount for cutback lanes, as they will open up against an aggressive pursuit team like this one. This is a GREAT test of our offense and our young QB.

I also think the improvements we have seen recently will not be cemented until we see it against a better team. This is a big game, people. How will we respond to it?

The entire resume certainly indicates exactly what you said in the bold...

Which is what makes the outlier in that Minny game even more mind-boggling. I'm still grasping at straws... how the F#$* did that happen again!!??

 

[Shockley03]

Big Red Iowan....I recall the 2011 matchup. Michigan State had its best quarterback since I can recall in Kirk Cousins. I credit the Cornhusker coaching staff for having a very good game plan to stop Cousins in that game. Cousins threaded the needle all season long that year for MSU as a passer, and yet Nebraska's secondary played lights out to stop him dead cold in his tracks. I remember that game.

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

I know EZ-E, myself, and some other posters have said this already. Bo Pelini's track record against Michigan State and offenses like it is stellar. His defense is built to stop this type of team. It is, as others have said, right in his wheelhouse.

I have been critical of many things this season, but his ability to stop a pro-style/spread pass attack is well documented. I have not, nor will ever, dispute that. No matter the outcome this weekend. To win this game we have to be able to run the ball between the tackles at some point. That will bring safeties up to the box. Speed option, bullet passes to Bell, and toss sweep could open them up (although their pursuit on sweeps or off tackle is impressive). Their DL and LB shed blocks so well, I think we have to use their aggressiveness against them with some nice screens and draws. Ameer's vision will be paramount for cutback lanes, as they will open up against an aggressive pursuit team like this one. This is a GREAT test of our offense and our young QB.

I also think the improvements we have seen recently will not be cemented until we see it against a better team. This is a big game, people. How will we respond to it?

The entire resume certainly indicates exactly what you said in the bold...

Which is what makes the outlier in that Minny game even more mind-boggling. I'm still grasping at straws... how the F#$* did that happen again!!??

I think watching the game, it was a team wide lack of effort and whatever the hell Vincent Valentine did to piss off the staff killed us. They ran directly at Thad Randle on nearly every power play and knocked him either back 5 yards or on his a$$. That decision alone is what pissed me off the most and made me take a running leap off the bandwagon. Made me step back and look at things objectively. I was a Bo homer for some time, as a lot of you know. I fought on this board on his side up to that Minnesota game (minus a drunk tirade after UCLA).

Now, Thad played his balls off Saturday. Maybe that is the guy they see in practice. Loyalty or stubbornness has caused Bo to not make changes in game when a player is under performing. Sometimes taking a guy out for a few plays helps him see things differently, or "calm him down" as announcers like to say. I do it with my PG all the time. It usually works.

 

[HUSKER FREAK]

Armstrong is far from a finished product and will never be Tommie Frazier. Although I hope he will develop into a Better QB than Frazier. I think this will be a grind if we can hang with Mich St. personally just because of the depth we don't have on the oline right now. I think Tommy will be fine and if not (and I hope the coaches wait until we see if he struggles to pull him out) we have Ronny to give them a change of pace, but Ronny is not a good option against their D IMO. Oh yeah and I saw earlier in the thread someone was saying that Tommy gets rattled easy and will struggle with a changing D (Although it has been true to an extent). Have people not paid attention to TMart and how bad he got rattled very year he has played. I would pick Tommy over TMart any day even if he was healthy. He will be and probably already is an all around better QB

 

[MSUFAN4320]

You are only focusing on their defense vs. our offense. That's half of the entire picture. We beat them in 2011 with our defense vs. their offense.

Their offense is better this year. Ours is worse.

Their defense is better this year than the prior two years, and we have a freshman quarterback (who has shown in his limited time, the ability to be completely overwhelmed and lost by exotic defensive packages) instead of Taylor Martinez, a patchjob of random second string linemen and three straight weeks of poor offensive performance against defenses not even remotely as close to MSU's level.

I dont believe their offense is better this year. Last year it was carried by LeVeon Bell, year before by Andrew Maxwell. Who is carying it this year? Nobody really. They went what 3 weeks with their D scoring more than their offense could. They hung a bunch on who Iowa and Michigan. Nothing to sneeze at but hardly imposing. We are built to control their offense.

Our offense is definitely better this year. Whether you want to go by stats or eye test, or both, it's definitely improved. The fact Bell carried us was the REASON we were so bad. He was all we had, and as a result, our play-calling was extremely predictable. This year, we're spreading the ball around more to various receivers and getting more backs into the mix. Our o-line is finally healthy and gelling. Perhaps more significantly than anything else, our WRs are finally catching the ball and making plays. Cook is a big upgrade over Maxwell. Believe me, we're better. Not saying we're anything to be feared, but we're much better than last season.

Carry on.

 

[RedDenver]

Our offense is definitely better this year. Whether you want to go by stats or eye test, or both, it's definitely improved. The fact Bell carried us was the REASON we were so bad. He was all we had, and as a result, our play-calling was extremely predictable. This year, we're spreading the ball around more to various receivers and getting more backs into the mix. Our o-line is finally healthy and gelling. Perhaps more significantly than anything else, our WRs are finally catching the ball and making plays. Cook is a big upgrade over Maxwell. Believe me, we're better. Not saying we're anything to be feared, but we're much better than last season.

Carry on.

MSU is only slightly better in offensive yardage this year than last: 360 yards/game in 2012 and 380 yards/game in 2013 so far. Scoring is up more than a TD per game: 20 ppg vs 29 ppg this year (that includes defensive scores which I believe MSU has more of this season than last but not sure if that is significant or not).

Not sure if that makes MSU all that much better offensively. I've watched MSU very little, but my impression is that the offense plays much better at home than away. What's the Spartan fans' views on MSU playing on the road and their offense in general?

 

[MSUFAN4320]

I think MSU has performed better on the road than at home, for the most part. It seems they tend to play looser. 9 more ppg is a significant improvement. Also, most of our defensive scores came in the non-conference. We're averaging 29 ppg in conference play on offensive scoring alone. The o-line also gets a much better push than it did last year. Bell led the nation in yards after contact. Opponents were living in our backfield. If you haven't seen them much, as you admitted, I would hesitate to form such conclusions. Again, nobody is going to confuse us with Baylor or Oregon, but we're quite a bit better than last year. I think the two biggest factors being o-line and WR play.

That said, I'm not taking this game lightly. It is going to be very difficult to win in Lincoln.

 

[SpartanMacks]

Our offense is definitely better this year. Whether you want to go by stats or eye test, or both, it's definitely improved. The fact Bell carried us was the REASON we were so bad. He was all we had, and as a result, our play-calling was extremely predictable. This year, we're spreading the ball around more to various receivers and getting more backs into the mix. Our o-line is finally healthy and gelling. Perhaps more significantly than anything else, our WRs are finally catching the ball and making plays. Cook is a big upgrade over Maxwell. Believe me, we're better. Not saying we're anything to be feared, but we're much better than last season.

Carry on.

MSU is only slightly better in offensive yardage this year than last: 360 yards/game in 2012 and 380 yards/game in 2013 so far. Scoring is up more than a TD per game: 20 ppg vs 29 ppg this year (that includes defensive scores which I believe MSU has more of this season than last but not sure if that is significant or not).

Not sure if that makes MSU all that much better offensively. I've watched MSU very little, but my impression is that the offense plays much better at home than away. What's the Spartan fans' views on MSU playing on the road and their offense in general?

Not a big difference. Cook was great against Iowa and Illinois, but struggled vs. ND (albeit his first ever road start). The defense is spectacular either way. Weather seems to affect our offense more than home/away.

This year's offense has been able to churn out some long drives and score to win out games, something that last year we couldn't do. However, in conference play, we are averaging more rushing YPG than last year (193 vs. 139) with similar passing YPG (216 vs. 213). We're also not really turning the ball over (3 INTs by Cook, 6 total lost fumbles - only 2 in conference play). And our scoring O has improved by nearly 10 points/game from last year.