The Pre-Snap Read
Michigan State vs. Rutgers
By Jim Comparoni
Publisher
SpartanMag.com
East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State fans are chalking this one up as a victory, but it’s likely to be more difficult than that.
The good news for Michigan State fans is that Mel Tucker has maintained the full attention of the full roster from start to finish this year. I thought it was interesting, and healthy, that Tucker (and team leaders Payton Thorne and Xavier Henderson) said that no one is talking about winning out or becoming bowl eligible. They are focused on each day’s practice and the next rep. That’s a healthy way to get a win streak going and continue some positive trends.
This will be a competitive college football game between two teams, each with a full allotment of scholarship players, each hunting some late-season optimism.
Michigan State is trending upward right now whereas Rutgers is staggering.
THE BOOK ON RUTGERS (4-5)
Rutgers began the season 3-0 with wins over Boston College (22-21), Wagner (66-7) and Temple (16-14).
Rutgers has since lost five of its last six:
L vs Iowa, 27-10
L at Ohio State, 49-10
L vs Nebraska, 14-13
W vs Indiana, 24-17
L at Minnesota, 31-0
L vs Michigan, 52-17
Rutgers will be starting true sophomore QB Gavin Wimsatt. They are turning the future over to the former four-star recruit. He has a live arm and quick feet. He’s exciting, but has been a bit error-prone.
This guy left high school last fall, three games into his senior season, and immediately enrolled at Rutgers as a 17-year-old and was activated onto the roster THAT WEEK. It was an unprecedented deal, with the confluence of early enrollment trends and new NIL deals causing this guy to make a jump from high school football to college football in the same week.
He played four games last year and burned his freshman year of eligibility.
Rutgers has had injuries at the QB position, and he has been improving, so head coach Greg Schiano pulled the pin and declared him the starting QB prior to the Minnesota game two weeks ago.
He was 14 of 29 for 166 yards with 1 TD and 3 INTs last week against Michigan.
He was 6 of 17 for 68 yards with 1 INT two weeks ago, in his first start, at Minnesota.
He has the capacity to improve quickly, although we haven’t seen it take hold yet. He is THE story for Rutgers.
FINAL ANALYSIS FIRST
Rutgers is weak on the offensive line. Rutgers wants to be a run-first type of pro style offense, especially after changing offensive coordinators at mid-season, but doesn’t have the blocking to do it.
Rutgers has once-in-a-row type of pass game explosiveness. They can hit you once in awhile with a pass but they have struggle stringing pass plays together for sustained drives.
Wimsatt is pretty good with slant routes, occasionally off the RPO.
Their WRs are decent, not great. Without a good run game and with an inexperienced QB, the WRs are hamstrung a bit.
Rutgers’ d-line is pretty good but not deep.
Their defense has ranked in the Top 20 in total defense all year. Aside from Michigan and Ohio State and maybe Minnesota (depending on the health of their QB), they have faced a lot of stinky offenses. So those defensive stats are a little deceptive.
They blitz more than most Michigan State opponents. Like Illinois, they will play a lot of single deep, man-to-man. Michigan State QB Payton Thorne seems to prefer to throw against man-to-man.
Rutgers is dangerous on special teams with Aron Cruikshank as a returner, and Max Melton with three blocked punts on the season.
Michigan State is trending positively in terms of team defense and the run game. Michigan State played much better last week at Illinois than its national statistical rankings would indicate.
GAME WITHIN THE GAME
Michigan State showed a pulse in the run game last week against one of the best statistical run defenses in the country. That changed everything.
Rutgers is No. 6 in the Big Ten rushing yards allowed per play at 3.6 (Michigan State is No. 12 at 4.1, but I would say a deceptive No. 12).
Rutgers is solid against the run. Their defensive tackles are active. Rutgers sends run blitzes and out-numbers you at the line of scrimmage, like Illinois.
Pounding the run with success isn’t a given for Michigan State this weekend. Rutgers will show up and slug for a little while. If Michigan State can establish a balanced offense with the run game, then Michigan State will indeed walk out of the stadium as a “7-3” level of team rather than the actual, presumptive 5-5 record. What I mean by that is that Michigan State played well enough last week to beat Illinois (and Maryland and Minnesota, if those games were played today). Michigan State deserves to be 5-5, but at that minute, last week, Michigan State looked like a 6-3 team. And if they establish the run, play with balance and continue to avoid miscommunications on defense, then I would expect a 7-3 level of proficiency from the Spartans on Saturday.
PRO TIP
It’s going to be cold and maybe wet. 39 degrees at kickoff with a 10 to 20 percent chance of rain throughout the game.
Expect to get wet.
Go to Meijer or Dick’s and buy some rain pants tonight if you don’t already have a pair. Keep them in your car while tailgating and make a gametime decision as to whether to wear them into the stadium. If you get some packable rain pants, you can fit them in your coat pocket. That can make all the difference in staying all four quarters for :06 seconds a play for all 60 minutes.
If you own ski pants, bring those. Keep them in your car. Gametime decision. It’s going to be cold and we aren’t yet used to cold, so rainy 39 is going to feel really cold. You need to be prepare, wind proof and water proof.
Keep your body temperature capped with a hat, preferably one that will stand up to the rain like the Elmer Fudd thing that I wore to the Michigan game last year when I watched from the stands with my daughter. Good times.
APPLES TO APPLES
Michigan State is better at QB, RB, WR.
Tight end looks like a push, although Maliq Carr is trending upward.
Michigan State has the better offensive line.
Michigan State has the better defensive line.
Linebacker might be a push with Cal Haladay taking it up a veteran notch last week and Ben VanSumeren playing improved at MLB. He was not good in September, against the run, between the tackles. But last week, he was solid. He is improving, and that’s a big, big reason why Michigan State was able to avoid leaks last week and get the upset.
In late September, I would have given Rutgers a big edge in the secondary. But with Xavier Henderson back and communications problems apparently having been solved, this might be a push. I might give Michigan State the edge based on the way Michigan State was able to change from coverage to coverage last week, very multiple, while not screwing themselves up.
Ameer Speed continues to have his issues.
Pass defense is better with Chester Kimbrough at nickel rather than Angelo Grose. Grose never overcame his propensity to be on the wrong page.
Rutgers doesn’t run the ball well enough to make you pay for playing Kimbrough at the nickel. Kimbrough played the vast majority of the snaps last week. There is a misconception out there that Michigan State changed to a 4-3 defense. True, the Spartans did, for one game, against Wisconsin. But Michigan State was less than 10 percent 4-3 against Michigan and less than 5 percent 4-3 against Illinois.
Rutgers is better at place kicker.
The punt game is a slight edge to Rutgers. Their punter is almost as good as Baringer. Some say their guy is the leading guy for Guy, as in the Ray Guy Award. Rutgers’ ability to block punts gives them the overall edge in overall punt game.
APPLES TO ORANGES
MSU’s enigmatic run game vs Rutgers’ decent run defense is a big part of this shooting match. Michigan State established the run against a better run defense last week.
Now Michigan State is returning home for the first time in four weeks. The fans, if dressed warm, should be jacked up, coming off of last week’s big win, and the way Spartan fans rallied together after the situation in Michigan.
Michigan State undoubtedly is building some confidence, and we have to assume had a good week of practice. There is a good element of focus on this team and I would expect that to carry over into this game against a staggering but respectable Rutgers team.
THE NUMBERS
Rutgers’ offense is No. 12 in the Big Ten in yards per play at 4.6 (Michigan State is No. 9 at 5.5).
(By the way, Michigan State has played the No. 1 and 2 statistical defenses in the country the past two weeks. And Michigan State has faced four of the top seven (including Ohio State and Minnesota) defenses in the country in its past six games.
Rutgers’ defense is No. 6 in the Big Ten in yards allowed per play at 4.8 (Michigan State is still last at 5.8)
Rutgers is No. 9 in the Big Ten in rushing yards per play at 3.8. (Michigan State is No. 11 at 3.5).
HOWEVER, Rutgers is on a downward trend recently and Michigan State is scaling upward. Rutgers was held to just seven first downs in a 31-0 loss at Minnesota two weeks ago. Rutgers averaged just 2.3 yards per rush in that game and allowed 4.8 per rush to the Gophers (Minnesota out-rushed Rutgers 255-56).
Rutgers’ defense is ranked No. 18 in the country. (Wisconsin is No. 23, by the way).
* Rutgers drove to the Minnesota 38-yard line on its opening drive and punted on fourth-and-eight. Keep in mind they didn’t end up scoring all day.
They punted to the 1-yard line. And Minnesota went 99 yards in 18 plays in nine minutes to go up 7-0. I don’t think Rutgers subbed its defensive tackles out during the entire drive.
* Interim offensive coordinator Nunzio Campanile is entering his fourth game at that post.
* They try to be a run-first offense.
* He replaced Sean Gleeson, who called more RPOs and designed QB runs.
VS MICHIGAN:
* Rutgers blocked a punt for a TD and hit a deep pass to set up a field goal (6-2 WR Sean Young high-pointed a deep fade over UM CB D.J. Turner.
Then Rutgers hit a 49-yard pass on a slant vs off coverage to set up another red zone opportunity. Rutgers converted a fourth-and-three pick play from the 11-yard line to WR Cruickshank. Then Rutgers scored on a 3-yard fade for a TD and a 17-14 halftime lead despite having only four first downs in the first 30 minutes.
* UM QB McCarthy was wonky with his passing in the first quarter. Rutgers started run blitzing in the second quarter, to contain the run and challenge McCarthy to beat them through the air. McCarthy was unable to do it. On one occasion, UM settled for a zone read keeper on third-and-five in the 2Q and failed, and had to punt.
* Michigan missed two field goals in the 2Q.
* In the third quarter, Rutgers had a third down conversion negated by a holding penalty, then punted. Michigan drove and took a 21-17 lead.
Then Wimsatt threw INTs on three of his next five passes, opening the floodgates.
The first one was returned to the 10-yard line. His very next pass was thrown high and hard and went off the hands of WR Cruikshank and intercepted and returned for a TD giving UM a 35-17 lead with three TDs in the span of 1:42.
RUTGERS PERSONNEL
QB 2 GAVIN WIMSATT (6-3, 220, Soph., Owensboro, Ky.)
* 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 3 in Kentucky.
* Had offers from Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon and others.
* He left high school early, in September of 2021, to enroll at Rutgers last fall. He played three games in August of 2021 for his high school team and then, in an unprecedented move, left high school early and enrolled at Rutgers a few days after the third game of his senior year at Owensboro High. He reportedly signed a healthy NIL deal.
* He saw brief action a few weeks later, in October of 2021, for Rutgers.
* He kind of reminds me of a young Michael Penix. He might not have the overall arm strength of Pennix, or the touch. But his build is similar to the teenage version of Penix.
Wimsatt is a sophomore but he just turned 19.
* He was 6 of 17 for 68 yards with 1 INT two weeks ago, in his first start, at Minnesota.
* He threw three INTS against Michigan, all in the span of five passes in the third quarter:
INT 1: Stop route vs off coverage, he didn’t see the OLB buzzing to the sideline as an underneath defender. That INT was returned to the 10-yard line.
INT 2: Threw high and hard to a shallow crossing route, off his hands, tip-drill interception. Pass came out wobbly and hard from a three-quarter arm slot.
INT 3: Forced a sideline fade against cover-four (deep quarters) zone, misread the coverage and attempted a pass that is not applicable to cover-four.
* He has thrown 8 INTs in 90 career passes
* He had a long run against Boston College early in the year, but they have shut down the run game portion of his talents in recent weeks after his ankle injury, and injuries to No. 2 QB Noah Vedral.
* He escapes the pocket really well to his right while keeping his eyes downfield.
* He ran the ball frequently, earlier in the season. In 91 snaps, he rushed 10 times for 117 yards. But he rushed the ball just three times in the last two games.
* Sustained an ankle injury on a designed run against Temple.
* He completed just 43 percent of his passes in the past two games, but was hurt by dropped passes.
* He was 14 of 29 for 166 yards and three interceptions last week, all career highs.
* Started against Wagner early in the year. Hurt his ankle in week three against Temple and then sat out four games and has started the last two.
Wimsatt’s third down situations in the first half against Minnesota:
+ Third-and-long, flushed out, threw on the run to WR Sean Ryan on a comeback along the sideline for 18 yards.
+ Third-and-five, set his feet and threw to TE Langan for a gain of 13.
= Third-and-11, scramble keep gain of 4 as Minnesota rushed three, covered with eight.
- Third-and-nine, missed high to TE Langan over the middle.
* Third-and-nine: threw short of the sticks to WR Chris Long on a shallow crosser for six yards.
- Third-and-five: Sacked
Vs Michigan
* Nice ball on a deep fade to Sean Ryan for 36 yards.
* Slant to Chris Long on third-and-eight vs off coverage, broke a tackle, gain of 48, vs a 6-man rush.
* Third-and-10 in the red zone against Michigan: Completed a stop route to WR Sean Ryan at 8 yards vs press coverage.
* Third-and-7: Shallow crossing route to WR 7 Jones for 12 yards (negated by holding).
* Third-and-7: Good touch on a deep jumpball to 1 WR Cruikshank vs UM DB Sanristil for 28 yards.
* Nice passes on RPO slants.
* Nice ball on 20 yard post to TE, but TE Alaimo dropped it. Real nice throw.
* Not bad on a RPO slant which was a little high and through the hands of WR Chris Long.
* He often throws inaccurately behind receivers.
(ATH 18 Rashad Rochelle, 5-11, 170, Fr., Springfield, Ill.)
* Took a snap and ran the ball as a wildcat QB last week. He had 11 carries against Wagner.
QB 0 Noah Vedral (6-1, 200, 6th, Wahoo, Neb.)
* Transferred from Nebraska in 2020.
* Started in 2020 and 2021 for Rutgers, but struggled. Wimsatt is the future.
* Vedral has had injury problems this year which caused him to miss parts of August and September.
* Has seen action in three games this year:
6 of 15 for 133 yards against Nebraska
12 of 24 for 113 yards with 1 TD against Indiana
3 of 7 for 18 yards with 1 INT against Minnesota
QB 3 Evan Simon (6-3, 205, Soph., Mount Joy, Pa.)
* Was a 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 6 in Pennsylvania.
* With Vedral and Wimsatt out, Simon was 9 of 15 for 52 yards against Temple.
RUNNING BACKS
* Rutgers has averaged jus 1.5 yards per carry over the course of its last two games against Michigan and Minnesota.
* Outstanding freshman Samuel Brown was lost for the season during the 24-17 victory over Indiana on Oct. 22. Rushed for 374 yards prior to the injury.
RB 23 KYLE MONANGAI (5-9, 205, Soph., Roseland, NJ)
* 5.5 three-star recruit, ranked No. 26 in New Jersey.
* Averages 3.5 yards per carry and 25 rushing yards per game.
* 46 yards on 11 carries over the last two games.
+ Gained 8 yards on a trap in the third quarter against Michigan. They trapped the upfield defensive end. Michigan State’s replacement d-ends have been pretty disciplined in squeezing down and not getting upfield too far too fast (and teams have played to that with the pop sweep at the goal line).
RB 26 Al-Shadee Salaam (5-10, 190, East Orange, NJ)
* 5.5 three-star recruit, ranked No. 24 in New Jersey.
* Averaging 4.1 yards on 43 carries this year.
* Decent athlete in space. Not strong as an inside runner.
* 1 net yard on seven carries over the last two games.
RB 4 Aaron Young (5-10, 200, Jr., Coatesville, Pa.)
* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 12 in Pennsylvania.
* Was committed to Michigan State for awhile, but decommitted and signed with Rutgers, where his brother was already playing.
* Coming back from an injury in the Gator Bowl last year. Has been back for only three games.
* 8 yards on five carries over the last three games.
* Started one game last year. Rushed 56 times for 205 yards and led the team with six touchdowns.
* Had 12 receptions for 85 yards last year .
* As a freshman in 2019, he led Rutgers in all purpose yards with 823. Had 43 rushes for 153 yards.
WR 1 ARON CRUICKSHANK (5-10, 170, Sr., Brooklyn, NY)
* Was a 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 5 in New York.
* Transfer from Wisconsin.
* Leads team with 34 catches, averaging 35 receiving yards per game.
* Has nine rushing attempts this year for 93 yards includig a 42-yarder.
* They will use him on the jet sweep. Good speed and cutting ability.
* Seven catches for 62 yards against Michigan.
+ 28-yard reception on a deep jumpball against Michigan DB Mike Sanristil.
WR 5 SEAN RYAN (6-2, 200, Sr., Brooklyn, NY)
* Was a 5.5 three-star recruit, ranked No. 12 in New York.
* Signed with Temple, went to West Virginia, transferred to Rutgers.
* Plays taller than 6-2.
* Has 20 catches and a team-high 323 yards receiving. He averages 16.1 yards per catch, with a long of just 37, so he is getting a lot of intermediate chunks.
* Beat DJ Turner on a deep fade in the 1Q, high-pointing the ball for 37 yards.
+ 3-yard TD on a fade route, caught the ball despite being held and drawing pass interference by MIchigan C D.J. Turner.
+ RPO slants for 10 and 12 yards early in the 2H against Minnesota on back-to-back plays. Good zip and accuracy by Wimsatt.
* Had four catches for 54 yards against Michigan, including a 33-yarder.
* Had four catches against Minnesota, including an 18-yarder.
WR 9 Chris Long (6-0, 175, Soph, Willingboro, NJ)
* Was a 5.5 three-star recruit, ranked No. 36 in New Jersey.
* Has 11 catches on the year.
* 48-yard slant from Wimsatt against Michigan.
* Despite that big play against Michigan, this guy is a little bit awkward.
WR 7 SHAMEEN JONES (6-2, 185, 6th., Bronx, NY)
* Was a 5.6 three-star, ranked No. 6 in New York.
* 11 catches on the year.
TE 21 JOHNNY LANGAN (6-3, 235, Sr., Wayne, NJ)
* Signed with Boston College as a dual threat QB, a 5.6 three star recruit, ranked No. 22 in New Jersey.
* Transferred to Rutgers in 2019.
* Productive tight end with 21 catches, averaging 19 receiving yards per game, with 1 TD.
* Moved to TE in 2021.
* Played QB in 2020 and led the team in rushing with 201 yards, but struggled as a passer.
* In 2019, He was 80 for 159 through the air for 840 yards, with eight starts at QB.
* He is available to play QB in case of injury.
OFFENSIVE LINE
* A lot of height and size and experience on this o-line, but mediocre talent. Or maybe there’s a coaching problem.
LT 77 WILLIE TYLER (6-6, 320, Sr., Racine, Wis.)
* Was a 5.5 three-star recruit who signed with Texas but went to Iowa Western CC for a year.
* Did not see action for two years at Texas. Transferred to Louisiana Monroe and started nine games in 2021.
* Transferred to Rutgers this year.
- Allowed a sack to Michigan’s Mike Morris on third and long in the 2Q last week. The TE chipped him but kind of chipped Morris past Tyler, kind of helped Morris accidentally. It was weird.
- Holding in the 3Q against Michigan negated a big third-down conversion.
LG 55 JD DIRENZO (6-6, 315, 6th., Hammonton, NJ)
* No-star recruit, signed with Sacred Heart.
* Played five years at Sacred Heart, was a four-year starter, including the spring FCS COVID season of 2021 and the fall season of 2021.
- Belted back two yards while trying to zone block on the opening play of the game against Minnesota. Not a good look.
- Mediocre pop when finding his man as a pulling guard on power.
C 57 IRELAND BROWN (6-3, 300, Jr., Jamaica, NY)
* Was a 5.4 two-star recruit, ranked No. 40 in New York.
* In his second year at Rutgers after transferring from Boston College.
* Started six games last year.
* Played defensive line at Rutgers in 2020, and d-line at Boston College as a true freshman in 2019.
RG 51 CURTIS DUNLAP (6-5, 335, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.)
* Transfer from Minnesota.
* Started the Quick Lane Bowl for Minnesota against Georgia Tech in 2018 as a true freshman.
* Started 12 games for the Gophers in 2029. Did not play in 2020. Then started three games in 2021 and transferred to Rutgers.
- Not good in wide zone blocking, gets moved back and it spills the play.
RT 72 HOLLIN PIERCE (6-7, 300, Soph., Trenton, NJ)
* Second-year starter.
* Was a no-star recruit coming out of high school and prep school, and played a graduate season at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.
DEFENSE
* Rutgers blitzes more frequently than most Michigan State opponents. On third-and-mediums or -long, they like to threaten 6 or 7 rushers at the line of scrimmage with off man-to-man in the back.
Throwing screens and swing passes and wheels to the Michigan State RBs could be in play again this week.
* On Blake Corum’s 33-yard TD run on Michigan’s opening drive, Rutgers blitzed OLB 22 Powell off the edge but Rutgers (with seven defenders for seven gaps) ended up with two players (including the blitzer) in the weak C-gap and two players closed off in the A-gap. That poor gap integrity. They play good football at times, but they have gap issues more often than Michigan State and more often than any Big Ten team Michigan State has played thus far.
The play was called back due to an illegal formation penalty, but the gap error was still a gap error.
* They allowed Minnesota to convert on third down 13 out of 19 times.
* The TD percentage Rutgers allowed in the red zone is one of the worst in the country, up near 85 percent. I suspect that’s due in part to a lack of subs at defensive tackle.
But Rutgers was very tough inside the 2-yard line with two goal line stands last week against Michigan. Michigan scored, barely, on a pair of fourth down inside runs.
* D-tackles struggled vs double teams against Minnesota, thus the Gophers had repeated success with inside zone plays. I think their DTs are pretty good for a few plays, but they didn’t sub their DTs out enough against the Gophers.
* Rutgers is a little bit like Illinois in the defensive front in that they will run-blitz and out-number you in the box and play single-safety/man-to-man in the back. UM tried to hit them with an end around in the red zone but Rutgers happened to be playing two-deep zone on that play and stayed home for a loss of 2.
DEFENSIVE LINE
* Defensive tackle is my big question with this group. They had a couple of back-ups missing against Minnesota, and the Gophers mauled them with inside zone. That made me think they were thin and limited.
But they had better depth in other games and have had good defensive stats as a team against mediocre offenses.
LDE 71 AARON LEWIS (6-5, 250, 3rd., Williamston, NJ)
* Committed to West Virginia, signed with Michigan and enrolled early, transferred to Rutgers that summer to be with his mother who was in poor health.
* Third-year player, first-year starter.
* 6.5 TFLs, 1 sack.
* He played all but 10 of Rutgers’ 77 defensive snaps in a 31-0 loss at Minnesota. Decent player, but that’s too many snaps in a blowout loss.
DT 88 IFEANYI MAIJEH (6-2, 290, Sr., Far Rockaway, NY)
* Transferred from Temple in 2021.
* Started four games for Rutgers last year and started seven games at Temple in 2020. Was a two-year starter at Temple.
* Pretty good player who is occasionally quite good, but I think he paces himself because they play him too many snaps. They seem to have some depth problems at DT.
* Is a little bit awkward, but when he sets his feet and springs as a two-gapper, he is strong.
+ Good core strength on this guy. Beat UM LG Keegan for a sack on a bull rush in the 2Q.
(DT/DE 90 Rene Konga (6-4, 285, Soph., Ottawa, Ont. | Colonel By Secondary School)
* 5.6, three-star recruit. Also had offers from Syracuse, UConn, Boise State, UMass, Toledo.
* He played 18 snaps against Minnesota. He was the only back-up DT who played.
* He played 33 of 78 snaps against Michigan and once again he was the only back-up DT who played.
* And some of his snaps were at DE.
DT 92 Mayan Ahanotu (6-4, 290, Sr., Tampa, Fla.)
* 5.5 three-star recruit.
* Played 30 snaps against Michigan but I didn’t see him against Minnesota.
* Started nine games last year, voted a team captain this year.
* Whether or not Rutgers has a little bit of DT depth probably depends on this guy’s availability and No. 51 Rainey
(DT 51 Troy Rainey, 6-4, 285, Soph. Bridgeport, Conn.)
* Was a 5.4, two-star recruit, ranked No. 13 in Connecticut.
* Played offensive guard last year and started seven games.
+ One-gapped through Michigan’s center and left guard to stop Corum for a loss on third-and-four last week.
* Played 32 snaps against Michigan. Did not play against Minnesota.
* He did not play against Nebraska or Minnesota.
DL 48 KYONTE HAMILTON (6-4, 270, Soph., District Heights, Md.)
* No opinion
DE 23 WESLEY BAILEY (6-5, 250, R-Soph., Ottawa, Ont./Clearwater, Fla Academy International)
*Stand-up RDE, first-year starter.
* Strong game against Indiana on Oct. 22 with a sack, plus a QB hurry which led to a pick six.
* 1.5 sacks against Boston College.
LB 22 TYREEM POWELL (6-5, 235, R-Soph, Vineland, NJ)
* 5.5 three-star recruit, ranked No. 28 in New Jersey.
* Good pass defender when covering the deep middle seam in cover-two. Broke up a pass at the goal line intended for TE Schoonmaker last week.
* Solid between the tackles as a run defender. I didn’t realize he was THAT big until I just typed it in. Didn’t notice him being that big.
LB 17 DEION JENNINGS (6-1, 230, Sr., Sicklerville NJ)
* 5.3 two-star recruit.
* Was a spot starter in his first three seasons.
* 13 tackles against Minnesota, 9 against Michigan.
* Solid player, not a difference-maker.
0 NICKEL CHRISTIAN IZIEN (5-10, 200, Sr., Far Rockaway, NY)
* 5.4, two-star recruit. Had offers from FAU, Fordham, Sacred Heart.
* HM All-Big Ten in 2020 and 2021.
* Is the vocal leader and the guy who makes the calls on defense.
* Plays in the nickel-slot area.
= Shot the gap on Minnesota’s first play of the game and should have had Ibrahim in the end zone for a safety, but he squirted away.
* 15 tackles against Iowa. 8 tackles and 1 TFL against Indiana.
+ Graded out well in pass defense by PFF last week (74.8).
* He is quick and active against the run or as a blitzer and is solid in pass defense. Started 13 games at safety last year. He’s basically the type of player Michigan State needed Angelo Grose to become.
(25 Shaquan Loyal, 6-0, 200, Soph., Newark, NJ)
* Played safety on the opening series against Michigan. Subbed in for Izien a few times. Was Izien banged up? Not sure.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
* Cornerbacks are not a weakness.
* They played quite a bit of press man vs Minnesota but not as much against Michigan. Keon Coleman is hoping play press against him.
* Their safeties, 2 (Young) and 4 (Igbinosun), will crack you. They make their contact count. Not as heavy of hitters as Kendell Brooks, but they will pop you.
* Safety 2 (Avery Young) had a miscommunication with the other safety or the drop linebacker and they let UM WR Andrel Anthony become wide open on a post against two-deep zone in the 1Q. QB McCarthy overthrew him.
* Michigan found a comfort level in the 3Q by motioning a receiver and Rutgers would declare/telegraph zone coverage. Michigan would then hit WRs in the cover-two hole for intermediate gains to the sideline.
CB 16 MAX MELTON (6-0, 190, 3rd., Mays Landing NJ)
* 5.6 three star recruit, ranked No. 22 in New Jersey. Also officially visited Purdue.
* Third-year starter.
* Three INTs last year.
* Has blocked three punts this year.
CB 6 CHRISTIAN BRASWELL (5-11, 185, 6th., Washington DC)
*Was a 5.4 two star recruit, signed with Temple.
* Played four seasons at Temple but did not start and transferred in 2021.
* Had a pick-six against Indiana.
(RCB 7 Robert Longerbeam, 5-11, 170, Soph., Alexandria, Va.)
* 5.4, two-star recxruit, ranked No. 35 in Virginia.
* Michigan tested him deep with WR Walker in the 1Q but Walker covered it well, INC).
S 4 DESMOND IGBINOSUN (6-3, 205, Union, NJ)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 14 in New Jersey.
* First-year starter, has a bright future.
* Became matched up with RB Donovan Edwards on the outside and Michigan fed him on a go route for a 14-yard TD.
+ Hard hitter, makes good use of his size.
S 2 AVERY YOUNG (6-1, 205, R-Sr., Coatesville, Pa.)
* Was a 5.5 three-star recruit, ranked No. 31 in Pennsylvania.
* Has 51 career starts as a fifth-year starter.
* Was HM All-Big Ten by media in 2020.
* Is a willing hitter, gets very low and pops you low.
* Way back in 2018, he got in a little scrap with Michigan State WR Darrell Stewart while his brother was in the stands at Spartan Stadium watching as an Michigan State commitment. Not surprised that his brother was already on his way toward decommitting. How could he watch that game and not root for his brother?
SPECIAL TEAMS
* Safety 16 Max Melton blocked a punt through the middle and Rutgers scooped it and scored for a TD in the first quarter. He has blocked three punts this season. Melton lined up as an edge on that play but stunted across three bodies inside.
* Punter Adam Korsak was second-team All-America last year and is getting a lot of pub for the Ray Guy Award. He had a 74-yarder against Minnesota, rugby style. He averages 44 yards per punt (MSU’s Bryce Baringer averages 50.0).
* He is a rugby style punter who will take extra steps into the defense and take chances on the run with the running punt.
* Rutgers attempted on-side kicks against Michigan and Ohio State, after scoring a first quarter TD against each team. Rutgers did not recover either kick.
ADD IT ALL UP
The season-long stats indicate that Rutgers should be right in this game, but Michigan State is out to prove that it is better than its season-long stats. The trends indicate that Michigan State is focused and ready to play stiff defense against the run. Will Michigan State continue to be assignment-sound against an inconsistent, error-pone but occasionally explosive Rutgers offense? I would think yes. I think the defense has shown some character, is hungry, proud, has grown up and wants to continue on its positive streak.
Rutgers, meanwhile, is still trying to find itself on offense.
I would expect MSU’s defense to have a good day.
Now, the same question I raised in each of the last two games, can the Michigan State offense do anything to complement an improving defense? Last week they did, against a quality Illinois defense.
The run game showed life last week. That’s a huge step. With Keon Coleman, Jayden Reed and Tre Mosley, Michigan State SHOULD be able to scheme open some receivers. They found Reed last week, and Mosley for a 1-yard TD, and hit RBs on screen passes, and found the TE for a key third-and-five conversion in the red zone. Thorne hit a long list of different receivers.
Are we confident in saying that Michigan State will have an edge in the run game? Sure, I’m willing to take that leap of faith. And Michigan State will have a big edge in experience at QB. Combine that with a zesty, cold, hearty home-field atmosphere and you have to expect Michigan State to win and get to 5-5 as long as they don't revert to too many past problems in pass defense and don't give up game-breaking plays on special teams. From the line of scrimmage, down-in and down-out, Michigan State should be able to prove it is the better team.
