Discontent doesn't begin to describe my hatred of the BCS as the regular season of college football expires and the postseason preparation begins. Wisconsin, Ohio State, and MSU are dead even at the top of the Big Ten standings: 10-1 overall, 6-1 in Big Ten play. This Saturday is the last game for all 3. Wisconsin has Northwestern at home, OSU has Michigan at home, and the Spartans head to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. Here's a quick breakdown about all the tie-breaker nonsense, in case you missed it:
1. If all 3 win, Wisconsin gets the Rose Bowl, OSU goes to a different BCS game, MSU gets nothing special.
This is the most likely scenario. No team has much success in Camp Randall, very low chance that a floundering Michigan team upsets a strong OSU team in the Shoe. Wisconsin wins the Rose Bowl tiebreaker because they are highest in the BCS polls. Great system, right?
2. If one of the three teams stumble, the tie-breakers shift slightly
If OSU loses, MSU wins the new tie-breaker. If Wisconsin loses, OSU goes. No reshuffling happens if MSU loses, as they are the lowest down the totem pole currently.
3. On the off chance that all 3 are defeated this weekend, you might as well start praying to whatever god(s)/people/forces of nature you believe in.
In that case, the BCS poll would again determine the Rose Bowl representative, but depending on what team loses worst in the voters eyes, the order of the 3 teams could change. Too much crazy.
NOW THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY. Here's what to watch for in the PSU - MSU Matchup.
RUNNING WILD
Both teams had high hopes for their running games early on. PSU's Evan Royster had earned a lot of buzz before this season as one of the Big Ten's best returning RB's. However, a restructured offensive line has prevented the talented back from being a force in the PSU offense. Don't expect that to change much against an MSU front seven that has been well-prepared against the run. On the other side, MSU's running game looked spectacular in the early season, but the wear and tear of the season has shown itself constantly in the MSU OLine - less holes have opened up and freshman phenom Le'Veon Bell has all but disappeared. It'll be interesting to see if MSU can get their ground game going.
ALL BANGED UP
Kirk Cousins has been banged up for the back half of the season. He's taken quite a few hits in the last month of so and it has shown. The "throwing off the back foot" problem that has led to several bad passes and interceptions are a result of a lingering ankle injury as well as a diminished confidence in his pass protection. His effort in the Purdue game was nothing short of heroic - he put up fantastic numbers in the second half of that game, despite hardly being able to walk on one leg. He described his ankle pain as "excruciating" during the game and simply refused to stay out of the game. It'll be very clear early in the game whether Cousins injuries have subsided a bit, or if he's going to have to turn in another heroic game to get the W.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH/TIME TO MOVE ON
Is Joe Pa ever going to leave? He's 84. The guy WILL die either at practice or at a game. He announced last week that he will return for the 2011 season, provided his bionic heart/kidneys/liver/legs are still working. Can't say I blame him, I hate the idea of retirement, too. This game will mark the final installment of the "Land Grant Trophy" battle as the Big Ten moves to divisions next year - MSU and PSU are in separate groups. PSU has been a nightmare for MSU, so personally, I'm happy to see it go.
There you have it. Hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving and the time away from work. Here's the broadcast info for the two games Spartans should watch (sorry, but you're going to have to root for Michigan if you want the Rose Bowl.) Go Green!
UM at OSU: 12pm, ABC/espn3.com
MSU at PSU: 12pm, ESPN2/espn3.com
Showing posts with label Kirk Cousins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kirk Cousins. Show all posts
Friday, November 26, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Wrap Up: MSU @ Iowa
Apologies from yours truly for being absent this week. I've been battling a virus that's been going around campus recently and this fell by the wayside a bit. Didn't make it any easier with what happened on Saturday...
In case you missed the second half because you were blackout drunk, final score was 37-6. There's something about big games that plays mind games with the Spartans. After coming out flat in the first half against Illinois and Northwestern, it seemed like the team would recognize and respond knowing that the same couldn't be done against one of the best defenses in the country. The problem, it seems, is that after 9 weeks of football, the team is emotionally and physically drained. Although it may not seem like it due to the lack of players sitting out, the only logical conclusion is that there was not enough left in the tank to play the best game of the season on Saturday.
Kirk Cousins had arguably his worst game in a Spartans uniform. It happens. It's easy to see that he takes the team's performance very personally and puts a lot of pressure on himself to perform. A little factoid that many didn't know going into the game is that he grew up a die-hard Iowa fan - his grandfather and great uncle played football for the Hawkeyes and his mom was a member of the dance team. It's understandable that he'd put additional pressure on himself to play better for his family. He made some very odd mistakes - fundamental errors that he hasn't made (to that degree) before in his career. His ankle (which he broke in HS) has been taped up for the last few weeks, but it's unclear if that had any effect on his game play. In any case, he'll bounce back and be fine.
As for the rest of the team, bright spots were few and far between. The offensive line got dominated in the trenches by Iowa's D-Line. In all fairness, there are at least 2 NFL players on that line in Adrian Clayborn and Christian Ballard, but I did expect some better play from the line. The running game hardly put up any numbers, mainly because it was virtually abandoned because of the early deficit. Even Greg Jones looked mediocre, as he uncharacteristically missed a couple tackles and made a few bad reads.
As for the positives? The future looks to be in good hands. Freshman William Gholston keeps getting better - he tallied 5 tackles including a half tackle-for-loss and he's only had 8 tackles in the previous 8 games. Jerel Worthy, who has been double-teamed most of the season, did significantly better when he was one-on-one (thank you to the 360-lb Antonio Jeremiah for freeing him up). RS Freshman Bennie Fowler, who caught the "Mouse Trap" pass, played for the injured Keshawn Martin and played like an upperclassman. The defensive line as a whole is getting better at pressuring the QB, as well.
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| Anyone want to take a guess about what was said here??? |
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Wrap Up: MSU @ Northwestern
I'm kind of sad MSU and Northwestern weren't made into a "protected rivalry" in the new Big Ten divisions - they've played some amazingly great games the past few years. This last one was no exception. This was MSU's first time outside the State of Michigan (road games were in Ann Arbor and Detroit) and it appeared to show in the first half. The Spartans came out flat and went down 17-0 early. No matter who your opponent is, that's tough to break out of.
Northwestern made life tough by stopping the run. I don't think "stopping" gives them enough credit - it was more likely "bringing the running game to a screeching halt." The Spartans had close to no success in running plays in the first half and adjusted at halftime and went pass happy in the second half. The play-action pass, one of MSU's specialties, still worked against the Wildcats, but NU was able to put pressure on Cousins repeatedly, putting some hard hits on him after he threw the ball. Cousins is likely feeling it today - he already had a brace on one of his ankles and a dinged up shoulder from the Illinois game. Get some rest, Captain Kirk!
Dantonio and defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi made some great adjustments at the half. The defense was clearly struggling for the first 30 minutes of play, with veteran athletes with their hands on their hips, trying to catch their breath, at the end of the first quarter. The D got some great pressure on QB Dan Persa in the second half and racked up 8 sacks - they had 10 sacks in the previous 7 games COMBINED. Game ball on defense has to go to Defensive End Tyler Hoover, who made 9 tackles, 2 tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble at the 1-yard line, and 2 sacks.
So lets talk about the play of the game. It would've been the play of the day had Wisconsin's punter not ran for 17 yards from his own 22 yard line to keep a drive going (attention whore). Down by 6 in the 4th quarter, Dantonio decided to try a fake punt to try to get the first down. However, it was a slightly bizarre setup: it was 4th and 4 and MSU decided to let the play clock run out, take a delay of game penalty and be backed up 5 yards. This is relatively normal practice when a team is punting from MSU's location on the field - it makes it a little easier for the punter to try to get the ball deep in opponent's territory. However, if you're trying to fake it, it's a terrible move to make the first down 5 more yards away. Apparently Dantonio's crazy like a fox, because "Mouse Trap" worked to perfection.
So there you have it. Remember 2008 where there was a giant clusterfuck atop the Big Ten standings to see who goes to Pasadena? Well, it's happening again. After Saturday's action, there are 4 title contenders: Wisconsin, Iowa, OSU, and MSU. MSU is the only one without a conference loss - Iowa and Ohio State both lost to Wisconsin, and Wisconsin was beaten by MSU. Saturday's game @ Iowa effectively answers the question: does MSU win the Big Ten? or will it share it with others? This feels like a parallel bizarro universe. If I'm dreaming, don't wake me up.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Wrap Up: MSU vs. Illinois
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| Gerard Butler (a.k.a King Leonidas) was in attendance. I believe in this pic he is saying "SPARTANS! WHERE IS YOUR PERCUSSION?!?!" |
If it seemed like the team was playing terrible on offense in the first half, give credit to Illinois. I'd be amazed if Martez Wilson (LB) and Corey Liuget (DT) don't get drafted for the NFL. Those guys have now given MSU and Ohio State all they can handle. Here's the stats from the MSU RB Stable:
Caper: 7 carries, 37 yards (5.3 average)
Baker: 8 carries, 23 yards (2.9 average)
Martin: 3 carries, 18 yards (6.0 average)
Bell: 10 carries, 13 yards (1.3 average)
Illinois denied MSU any sort of running game - expect Illinois' run defense to be that good for the rest of the season. Coach Ron Zook called MSU "the best team we've played so far." That statement includes Ohio State...hmm...
The biggest story, in my opinion, was the play of Freshman Darqueze Dennard, who was starting in place of drinking enthusiast Chris L. Rucker. Dennard made two GREAT plays throughout the game:
1. Longest Illini pass of the day that put them in the red zone. As the WR was getting tackled, Dennard swiped at the ball, knocking it loose, then recovered the fumble. The play was reviewed - on TV, it could've gone either way. His knee hit the ground at the same time the ball popped out, it looked like. Since the call on the field was fumble, it stood.
2. Late in the game, Dennard lost a step on his assignment and the ball was thrown. He caught up without turning to look at the ball and put his hand between the receiver's hand and knocked it away. Pass Interference. On TV, there was hardly any contact and was clearly not interference. A great leadership moment happened directly after, as Greg Jones went straight to him, calmed him down and basically told him that was one great defensive play.
Lastly, three main points going into next week:
1. Spartans are 7-0 for the first time since 1966. Projected to be in the Top Ten of the BCS rankings when they are released tonight.
2. MSU defense has recorded 12 interceptions in 7 games. They had 6 all of last year. There's still 6 more games to play.
3. Greg Jones has 419 tackles in his career. With 2 more, he moves into 3rd place in all-time MSU tackles leaders.
The Spartans will leave the state of Michigan for the first time this year as they take a visit to Evanston to battle Northwestern. Noon on ESPN. Go Green!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Wrap Up: MSU vs. Wisconsin
I feel like MSU is becoming the Big Ten's feel-good story. Most importantly, here's the latest on Mark Dantonio's health:
- Dantonio had been at home all week and was planning to be in the press box for this game
- Thursday afternoon, he was re-admitted to the hospital because of a small blood clot in his leg. It's fairly common for this to happen and the action was purely precautionary.
- As stated many times by the athletics family, there is NO set time table for return
- That being said, Coach Treadwell said a few weeks ago that "it would take more than one rope" to keep Coach D away from the Michigan game.
Another musing: Dantonio was watching the game on TV. There were a couple times when the staff was actually talking to him on the phone about some crucial decisions. On the first 4th and goal from the 1, here's the announcers' dialog:
"Okay so what do you do here?"
"Tough call, you're only up by 3 and you'd like to have 7"
"7 would make it a 10 point lead...so what do you do??"
"I think they should text Mark Dantonio"
"Ok, so Coach Treadwell calls time out to allow an extra 30 seconds for that text message to go through..."
Anyways! back to football. The one, clear-cut, absolute point that should be taken away from this game: The MSU Defense can and will step up when needed. They were simply incredible against a Wisconsin team that boasts among the best in the Big Ten at the QB, RB, TE, and OL spots. Game ball on defense has to go to DB Chris L Rucker, who had his man on lock down the entire game. He tackled well, had a few deflections and helped make Wisconsin's passing game look medicore. It should be noted that Wisconsin's offensive line is gargantuan - the average weight is 323 pounds. Even against that, the DL and LB's of MSU did a great job of containing RB John Clay and limiting QB Scott Tolzien to only 11/25 passing for only 127 yards.
As for the offense, it was a different kind of game than we have seen up to this point. Although the MSU backfield of Baker, Bell, and Caper (I believe the name "The BBC" is catching on) tallied 184 yards on the ground, the biggest influence of the game came in the air. Kirk Cousins completed 20/29 of his passes for 269 yards and 3 TD's. However, he also threw 2 bad interceptions - the first was a poor decision and read by Cousins, the second was actually tipped at the line of scrimmage. After the fumble by WR Keith Nichol, it's hard to believe that the Spartans won this game by 10 after committing 3 turnovers in the first half alone.
All in all, this is fantastic news for the Spartans. Going into the season, there were 4 "benchmark" games on the MSU schedule: vs. Wisconsin, @ Michigan, @ Iowa, and @Penn State. One is in the books. The game at Iowa will be tough, as always, but the matchup against Penn State looks a little more winnable this year - Penn State has failed to impress in any game this year. As for the Michigan game, it'll pit #17 against #18 at 3:30pm on ABC next Saturday.
Smash Right Through that Line of Blue!!!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Football 101 - Offensive Playcalling
Welcome to this week's Football 101, students. I hope you enjoyed your Saturday Night – I know I did! Some other teachers and I celebrated the victory by doing hard drugs with strippers at Omar's. The Teachers' Lounge smells like bad decisions now. After a brief absence to recover from his hospital stint, Coach Dantonio will be back coaching the team this Saturday at Wisconsin. Since Offensive Coordinator Don Treadwell has been running the show recently, I thought we’d go with that theme and examine the offense.
As you can imagine, there are approximately 4.5 billion different combinations of plays that can be used to keep a defense off-balance, give or take a few. Throw in some balance of running plays and passing plays and you've got yourself an offense. You run the play that will give you a good chance to gain yardage, based on what you think the defense will do, right? Well....for the most part. Here's a few select (popular) plays and when they're best utilized.
Quick Definitions: LT = Left Tackle, LG = Left Guard, C = Center, RG = Right Guard, RT = Right Tackle
1. Up-the-middle/Off-tackle
Okay, so, here's our team. ROOOOOOUNNNDDD. I know there's only 10 guys on the field, but we don't need the 11th right now. Being able to run up the middle and off-tackle is the bread and butter of pro-style offenses, like MSU's. Generally, a run up the middle is any play where Baker runs between his linemen (left path). Off-tackle means he runs outside the Left or Right Tackle - on the right path, Baker runs between Charlie Gantt and the RT.
2. Sweep
Baker takes the ball around his offensive line to the outside. When heavy pressure is present on the inside, going to the outside gives you more room to work. Usually the RB can beat the bigger defensive guys to the sideline, so he ends up in open space. Danger of this is he might get tackled for a loss if even one defensive player gets by his blocker. MSU doesn't run this play often, but it's in the playbook.
3. Play-action Pass
Captain Kirk will fake a hand-off to Baker. Defensive players see a run play developing, so they chase the running back. However, now there are less people to defend against the pass, so Cousins throws to BJ/Dell/Gantt for a completion. Even if the defense takes one step towards the RB before realizing it's a pass, that may be enough for the play to succeed.
4. Screen Pass
Captain Kirk will take the snap and immediately throw it to a player in the backfield - in this case, BJ Cunningham. Charlie Gantt will then block for BJ as he tries to run up the sideline. MSU uses this play mostly with Keshawn Martin catching the ball, but I didn't want to put another head in there. A Screen also works better if you have two WR's and a TE on one side.
5. Slant
A WR will start by running straight ahead, then turn slightly to the inside to catch a pass. In order to defend this, an opposing DB has to anticipate it and move in front of the WR, or just make an NFL-level play to break up the pass. In the picture below, Mark Dell is running this route.
6. Hook
A WR goes out, then “hooks” back to face QB. Like the slant, this route is hard to defend if the timing is right. Timing meaning that the ball has to hit the receiver's hands within about a half-second of him turning around. It follows that Cousins has to actually throw the ball before his WR (In this case Cunningham) turns around. If he doesn't turn or Kirk doesn't throw at the right time, pass will be intercepted.
Right now, you're probably asking yourself “Self, that doesn't seem THAT complicated, why do coordinators get paid more than doctors?” The answer is 2 parts: 1. Because you're stupid enough to pay 70 bucks to go to a football game and 2. Because there's more than X's and O's in the strategy.
The number one goal of an offense is to put points on the board – some coaches like to make this a long-term goal as well as an immediate one. This is very evident in the “Treadwell Ball” that many in East Lansing have become accustomed too (also known as Tressel Ball to the national media). It gets frustrating to watch the offense do the same thing....a ton. 1st down: run up the middle, 2nd down: Run off-tackle, 3rd down: short slant to Mark Dell, 4th down: time to punt.
One side-effect of this boring offense that often runs up the gut is that it requires the defensive line and linebackers to work and work hard for an extended period of time. If the defense isn't conditioned as well as your team, by the time the second half comes, they're going to be tired and unable to keep up with having to go into the trenches over and over on every down. The RB's will start gaining an extra yard when they carry the ball, the tackles are a little less precise, and the overall discipline of the defense takes a hit. Second side-effect is that this scheme lulls the defense to sleep - well, not just the defense, but the opposing coaches as well. The defense is going to see this repetition so often that the idea of the opposing offense running a ridiculous trick play doesn't even pop into their heads (like, maybe....a fake FG).
Well, there's an intro on what goes into the offense, from a design standpoint. Feel free to comment if you have questions or suggestions on future Football 101 articles. Big Ten play starts on October 2nd so I'll be doing a Big Ten conference preview on Thursday. Next week's class will be a little shorter and will cover strength and conditioning – be sure to bring plenty of chocolate milk. Go Green!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Wrap Up: MSU vs. Northern Colorado
It was business as usual on Saturday as MSU easily dispatched Northern Colorado 45-7. The Bears of the FCS were thoroughly dominated on both sides of the ball, as expected. Here's a few quick hits/observations from the game:
1. He finally got one....TWO, actually!
Greg Jones, the Spartans MVP, who has routinely topped the stat sheet for the last 3.5 years, recorded his first (and second) career interceptions on Saturday. No idea how it hasn't happened until now, but Jones now has 33 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles on the year. He is now 5th on the All-Time MSU tackles records, and will most likely end up #2 on that list at the end of the season. Just wow.
2. Interceptions??? What are those???
The Spartan pass defense, the biggest ?????? coming into this season, now has 6 interceptions on the year. They intercepted 6 ALL of last season. Safe to say they've improved slightly. The Cornerbacks, Chris L Rucker and Johnny Adams, have more than pulled their weight.
3. Captain Kirk in Rhythm
Cousins was nearly flawless on Saturday: 16/20, 290 yards, 2 TDs. He is now #17 in the country for passing efficiency. One of those incompletions hit Mark Dell in the hands, I believe, so he's looking good going into Big Ten play. Freshman Andrew Maxwell also got some playing time - did decent throwing 3/5 for 41 yards.
4. So...what was the downside???
Pass rush. The one thing holding this defense back is its inability to get to the opposing QB. The Spartans did not tally one sack during the game - a bad stat considering Northern Colorado has a smaller and slower line. Individual play has been better, but it seems the team shouldn't expect pressure without blitzing.
Sorry I've been bad about updating the blog this past week. I'll be punctual this week :) Football 101 will be on MSU's offensive play-calling (in honor of Offensive Coordinator Don Treadwell running the show while Dantonio's gone), Thursday I'll do a Big Ten preview since Big Ten games start Saturday, and Friday I'll break down the Wisconsin Badgers, who come to town on the 2nd. Go Green!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Wrap Up: MSU @ Florida Atlantic
Well, it wasn't too pretty, but it definitely got the job done. MSU improved to 2-0 on the year with a 30-17 victory against the Owls of Florida Atlantic University. Some quick hits:
Positives:
- The impressive rushing onslaught continued. Larry Caper was still out, but Edwin Baker racked up 183 yards on the ground. Le'Veon Bell tacked on another 50. The rushing game is head and shoulders better than it was last year at this point
- Dan Conroy has won the kicking job over Kevin Muma. Kicked field goals of 41, 44, and 50 yards. That's quite an accomplishment for your 2nd game as a starter. Don't hold him to the same standards as Swenson, but I'm officially not worried about special teams anymore.
- Great game for Defensive Linemen Colin Neely. He was in the FAU backfield all game. If you read the Football 101 post last Tuesday, you know how important it is to get pressure on the QB. If Neely can keep up the production, it will help the defense a ton.
Negatives:
- Kirk Cousins hasn't been able to find his groove yet. He's been relatively quiet, throwing 9/17 for 142 yards yesterday. The interception was bizarre - didn't seem like he was rushed into a throw. However, Cousins was at his best last year when he needed to be. The play calling hasn't been conducive to him developing a rhythm, but expect him to wake up a bit against Notre Dame this week.
- Pass defense is improved, but is still a bit of an issue. The defense could not get off the field on Saturday - FAU converted almost 50% of their third downs. Individually, there was some shining spots in the secondary - a few textbook pass break-ups which were absent last year and quick tackling and wrapping up. However, the unit needs to improve consistently until the end of the season to have success.
What to take away from the game?
MSU looks sloppy, but all teams do this early in the season. The defense was stingy against the run, as they were in Week 1, and had 2 sacks and 8 tackles for loss. Again, most stats must be taken with a grain of salt, as we aren't in the meat of the schedule yet. However, the team looks to be on track for another bowl game. Which one seems to depend on how much the pass defense improves. Finally, one thing to keep in mind is that Dantonio and his staff have usually kept the playbook relatively simple for the first couple games of the season. That includes offense and defense. Reason for this is later opponents don't know what is up your sleeve, or what to expect. Against ND and Big Ten opponents, expect a more exciting offense and some interesting blitzing packages.
Notre Dame comes to town on Saturday for an 8 o clock game under the lights. Kirk Cousins said last year that he wants to make amends for the crucial interception that effectively ended the Notre Dame game last year, so expect to see guns a'blazin. If anyone was in the stadium for the 2006 ND game, bring it as strong as you did for that game, and MSU will pull out a W. Go Green!
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