My UM buddy and I were talking about the game and I said my hope lies in the belief that MSU has the best player in the game. His response was “who is Jayden Reed? There’s no way he’s better than Blake Corum” How do you know if you don’t even know who he is?! I can’t stand talking to people who don’t know anything about any team other than their own. This week brings out the worst in people…

They learned who Antwuan Simmons was. They learned early and often who Kenneth Walker was. Here’s hoping they get a similar lesson on Saturday!

Growing Green, a 19-part series on MSU football history. Episode 16 is the Bobby Williams/John L. Smith era.

The guests are Herb Haygood, Jeff Smoker and Drew Stanton.


Follow me on Twitter @shanny4055

I don't mean the smart better, I mean the optimistic diehard Spartan. Not if your life or bank account depended on it but but what you truly think is possible today. What can actually happen, not likely, but possibly.

Penn State self distructing on offense with 2 INTs in first 2 possessions. Meanwhile OSU has not shown it can stop the PSU rushing attack, but idiot OC won't pound it to find out.

…… anywhere this season?Or is he officiating full time?

Opened my Wall Street Journal this morning to see rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis passed away at 87. Remember going up to the Perry High School gymnasium with a group of friends and seeing Jerry Lee with his band and cousin. Small venue, everyone on floor watching, and he gave it his all. I think this was like 1963 or 64. Completely different than todays venues where you have to watch on the big screen.

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MSU vs UM - Top 50 Spartan Plays Of The Modern Era

A collection of the 50 most important and memorable plays made by the Michigan State Spartans against the Michigan Wolverines in all MSU victories in the rivalry from 1978-2021. It will never be over. It's just starting.

CBS with a list of top 100 basketball teams. Cool graphic at the top with every team's logo except I can't seem to find a certain green head with helmet.... Yet I see a big ugly yellow M right in the center. Nice one, CBS.
#Disrepect ?

Link

Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1990!!!

i got a weird positive vibe!!!

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Thank you @AndyH !

The blue media want it so much it sucks. Go green.

He didn't laugh like a b!t$& and rip sparty like he has in the past. He did say this Michigan States national championship and tried to rip coach Tucker and his contract. Also pivoted when they were discussing what another win for State would mean. I cannot stand him, it's so pathetic listening to his bias every week.

First 2 PSU possessions, 2 OSU picks 😳

I hate to admit it, but I don’t want OSU to lose from here on out, to deny UM the title. Hopefully we’ll do our part today 😙

WOODTV in Grand Rapids just had a feature on the nightly news with the AD at Calvin who said they are going to start a football program.

Pre-Snap Read: Michigan State vs Michigan​

By Jim Comparoni
Publisher
SpartanMag.com



East Lansing, Mich. - Last year, I didn’t like Michigan State’s chances at all. I thought there was a strong likelihood that Michigan State would lose by more than 10, and that drew scorn from some readers. I understand that. I began this piece with a WARNING that this document contained information that was complementary of Wolverines, read at your own discretion.

Michigan State was merely a 4-point underdog. I thought that was too low. And I looked correct for about 45 minutes, with Michigan taking a 30-14 lead. But Michigan State was the more focused, resilient team and deserved to win.

That focus and resiliency is one of the reasons a cliché came into existence that in rivalries like these, you need to throw out the record books. Michigan State had that focus and resiliency in spades last year, despite the fact that the Wolverines had lost the year before. Now, the question is whether both teams share that level of animosity, focus and resiliency after last year’s storybook comeback. Michigan has every reason to be supremely motivated. But they’ve been told for weeks how easy this game is going to be. I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. And if they have taken too much of that rat poison (as Nick Saban calls it), it could do them harm in this game.


FINAL ANALYSIS FIRST

Michigan is the better team. Their body of work is far better than MSU’s at this point. But Michigan State will be an improved version of itself on Saturday. MSU’s body of work includes terrible defense against Minnesota. That version of Michigan State doesn’t exist anymore.

Healthier, more communicative on defense with some assignment shuffling, and buoyed by a victory over Wisconsin and a week off, the Spartans will be better on Saturday than at any time to this point in the season, and much, much better than they were in the woeful loss to Gophers four weeks ago. That could all be true and Michigan still might win by three touchdowns, if Michigan is indeed as good as they looked at times in the second half against Penn State, and if they are indeed the fourth-best team in the country. They might be.

Michigan is good, not great. Not yet. They might continue to improve as this season progresses, and they need to.

They were tied with Indiana 10-10 at halftime, two games ago. It was 17-10 in the fourth quarter.

Penn State benefitted from a couple of favorable bounces and led Michigan 17-16 in the third quarter. Penn State was out-played from start to finish, but Michigan gave up a pick-six and had trouble in the red zone.

Michigan might end up being better than Ohio State by the end of the season, but the most recent games by Michigan aren’t nearly as good as the product Ohio State put on the field against Michigan State on Oct. 8.

If Michigan gives up a defensive touchdown against Michigan State (like they did against Penn State) and the Wolverines continue to attempt field goals in the red zone rather than score touchdowns (like they did for three quarters of the Indiana game), then MSU’s chances of hanging in this game will increase substantially.

Basically, I feel Michigan needs to play four full quarters in this game better than they did against Indiana and Penn State (and Maryland for that matter).

Michigan took control of the Penn State game with an outstanding run game, rushing for 418 yards. Blake Corum and Donavon Edwards are explosive. Give them daylight and they’re gone. Penn State gave them too much daylight.

Penn State was shoddy with gap responsibility, or gap irresponsibility as I’d call it. Penn State was slow to flow from the LB position, and was silly in deploying safeties for pass defense more so than run defense. Manny Diaz, the new defensive coordinator at Penn State, was terrible last year as Miami’s head coach and terrible two weeks ago against Michigan.

Last week, Penn State changed all that against Minnesota. Minnesota’s QB, Tanner Morgan, missed the game. So Penn State went with one safety deep and put the other safety in the box to stop the run. They were rarely able to do that against Michigan, in part due to respect for the Wolverines’ pass game potential. But once Michigan began gashing them with the run, Penn State was slow to adapt with safety help.

Against Minnesota, Penn State’s LBs flowed MUCH faster to their gaps in a one-gap scheme against Minnesota’s zone runs. Penn State worked on run defense after the previous week’s embarrassment, showed improvement against a QB-depleted offense.

But that doesn’t erase how unorganized and ill-prepared Penn State was against Michigan. And that DOES, in my mind, take some of the shine off of Michigan’s ground performance against the Nittany Lions.

Michigan’s running attack is good and dangerous. It CAN be stopped, if you’re physical, quick with reads, and correct in fitting your gaps. Michigan makes it difficult to do these things. A good defense will bottle up Michigan’s ground attack. Does Michigan State have a “good” defense in this category? The stats scream no. But I sense a changing in that tide.

I’m not big on playing hunches or trying to time when a mediocre team has turned the corner. I believe in going with the body of work, the mode of operation.

It’s easier to see the building process for Tom Izzo’s basketball team. We don’t yet know enough about trend spotting with this Mel Tucker’s football team. But Michigan State’s defense was completely different against Wisconsin in terms of personnel and assignments. Communication was much better. Michigan State still sprung a few leaks, due in part to true freshman Dillon Tatum being on the field, making an understandable rookie mistake in run pursuit and allowing a run to get out for 30-plus yards.

But, for the most part, Michigan State played quality defense for most of that Wisconsin game, and the Spartans figure to build off of that with even better familiarity up the middle with Jacoby Windmon set to play his second game at MLB, and his second game with Xavier Henderson behind him, helping with checks.

I’ve talked about it for more than a week and you’re probably tired of hearing me say it, but I expect MSU’s defensive tackle play to be the best Michigan has seen this year. Michigan may find 40 points of offense elsewhere, but I think it will be hard to carve it out up the middle.



PATH TO COMPETITIVENESS (3 Initial Things)

1. Containing Michigan’s running attack is the first step toward hanging in this game. I think Michigan State is capable of doing that.

What does “containing” the running attack look like from a stat standpoint? It would look a lot like last year: Hassan Haskins was held to 59 yards on 14 carries (4.2 per attampt).

Haskins had a long of 24 yards. He averaged just 2.69 yards per carry on his other 13 attempts.

Blake Corum was held to 45 yards on 13 carries (3.4 per attempt).

Corum is better this year. Wiser with his vision and setting up blocks, and his leg drive looks improved, getting yards after contact. He can move a pile. That’s why Mel Tucker said on Monday it’s so important to arrive with population and gang tackle.

Corum is better than he was a year ago. Edwards is more explosive and versatile than Haskins, but not as physical.

In some ways the Michigan running attack might be better than it was last year. But the Michigan State run defense might be better than it was a year ago, too, even if the public hasn’t seen it yet. I don’t believe on betting on the rise, or timing a turn-around, but I think ingredients are in place for Michigan State to experience that right now.

I would be very impressed if Michigan is able to rush for more than 200 yards in this game.

Michigan rushed for 146 last year, with 30 of that coming from QBs and 7 from a wide receiver and 6 from a failed fake punt.

The prized tailbacks rushed for 94.

2. Don’t give up the home run ball (on the ground). Michigan is very explosive with those RBs. Indiana played excellent run defense against Michigan for most of the day, but allowed a 50-yarder on the opening drive to Corum. Indiana had four defenders surrounding him but failed to get him on the ground. Great play by Corum, but Michigan State needs to be better than that when they get the opportunity that IU had on that play, and I think they will.

Still, it’s going to be hard to prevent Michigan from popping off the home run ground play. Michigan State MUST prevent it.

3. Limit the big plays through the air.

Last year, Michigan destroyed a terrible Michigan State pass defense through the air. Michigan State was caught in feeble attempts to play man-to-man time after time. Michigan targeted its No. 3 WR (the inner most receiver in a trips formation) against Angelo Grose. They terrorized him.

Grose remained at safety for the first four games of this season, and then moved to nickel in week five. He never developed a handle on playing the deep ball.

At nickel, especially when Michigan State is playing zone, it’s harder for Grose to be targeted and victimized. Meanwhile, he pretty good at playing the run.

Against Wisconsin, Michigan State moved Grose back to safety and put bigger Aaron Brulé in the nickel/slot linebacker spot. Wisconsin didn’t have the type of offense that could victimize Grose at safety.

So where will Michigan State put Grose in this game?

I expect Michigan State to morph between the 4-3 personnel of the Wisconsin game (with Brulé playing as third linebacker) and the 4-2-5 with Grose at nickel.

I expect Michigan State to go with the 4-3 and Brulé when Michigan is in a two-TE personnel group.

And I expect MSU to move Grose to nickel when Michigan is in a three-WR/1-TE personnel group.

My question is whether Kendell Brooks will be back after missing the Wisconsin game, presumably due to injury.

If Brooks is available, will he start at safety with Henderson? If so, that’s a pair of 210-plus pound safeties who run well, hit hard and are knowledgeable. Other than maybe a snap or two in 2021, Henderson and Brooks have never played together at Michigan State. I think that tandem could be excellent in run defense against Michigan.

If Brooks is available, I suspect Grose will be relegated to nickel duty against 3-WR formations, and that might be all that we see of him (unless there are dings or injuries).

I would expect Michigan State to play less man-to-man than they did against Michigan last year. If Grose’s role is reduced, I think that reduces some of the pass defense slippage that the Wolverines capitalized on last year, and other opponents capitalized on this year. (Grose was beaten for a TD in man-to-man in overtime by Wisconsin, by the way).


MICHIGAN’S PASS OFFENSE

Michigan’s receivers are good, not life-threateningly great. Still, they will likely find matchup advantages against Ameer Speed when Michigan State is in man-to-man. Speed is decent in deep ball coverage due to his size and straight-line speed. On intermediate routes, he has trouble tracking and trailing shifty receivers. Michigan will be able to exploit that, and that’s okay, as long as Michigan State keeps a handle on the big chunk plays.

Michigan has not been a great team in terms of pass chunk plays this year. They have the potential to get there, but they haven’t shown it yet.

QB J.J. McCarthy overthrew open receivers on deep routes three times against Minnesota, and again against Iowa.

He is very good at throwing on his run, especially to his right. He looks next-level talented when he does that.

In the pocket, he sometimes hangs onto the ball too long and looks indecisive. That’s not a big sin for a young QB. But there seems to be a reluctance to put the offense in his hand and let him sit in the pocket and sling it.

He seems to make reads from short to long, often settling for the short choice right away. That’s worked. It sets up second-and-short or it moves the chains on second or third-and-manageable.

He’s been very accurate with passes that don’t go more than 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. He leads the nation in completion percentage in part because 85 of his 111 completions this year have been thrown no further than 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, with 19 completions being thrown behind the line of scrimmage.

He throws short. And is efficient. That’s been his game thus far.

He completes 77 percent of his passes when blitzed and 76 percent when not blitzed. No difference there, thus far. Blitzing him hasn’t made much of a difference.

Last year, in this space, I pointed out that Michigan had a similar mode of operation with QB Cade McNamara. I wrote that Michigan State needed to make McNamara prove he could throw more than 10 yards downfield. And he did.

In the six games prior to Michigan State, McNamara threw for only 136, 44, 191, 163, 197 and 129 yards.

Then he lit up Michigan State for 383.

Michigan game into that game fully ready and willing to unleash McNamara on MSU’s poor pass defense.

McCarthy has thrown for 229, 214, 220 against Maryland, 155 against Iowa, 304 against Indiana and 145 against Penn State in his six starts.

He’s been pretty good. He’ll be very good at some point. He hasn’t needed to be, yet.

When he looks at film of MSU’s game against Minnesota, he sees the worst pass defense by a Big Ten team he’s seen all year. But when he looks at the improved communications and pre-snap disguises against Wisconsin, he sees a different team. Not a great Michigan State pass defense, but better than the stats and video lowlights from earlier in the year would suggest.

If Michigan State contains the run, and Michigan State finds some magic on offense, can McCarthy carry Michigan’s offense through the air? You would think so. And based on the body of work, even if Michigan State is markedly improved in pass defense, you would think McCarthy SHOULD be able to throw for 300 plus against Michigan State if he needs to.

You would think.

From there, Michigan had better not drop many passes (Cornelius Johnson had an expensive drop against Indiana, but made up for it later with a TD reception on a crossing route against man-to-man).

If the game is tight, McCarthy had better not miss open receivers deep like he did against Maryland three times and once against Iowa.

Michigan had better not have many penalties as they did against Indiana.

And he had better not makes mistakes with the ball like he did in the red zone against Indiana (for an INT) and against Penn State (like he did on forced flutter ball which luckily fell to the ground, and the pick-six).

As for the pick-six against Penn State, yes it took a fluky bounce off the helmet of a defender. But the receiver in the flat was covered. McCarthy shouldn’t have tried to force that pass.

FOX commentator Joel Klatt on Michigan:

“There are two elements of their offense that I haven’t seen be really good yet. They can run it and they can throw it short and intermediate pretty effectively. What they don’t do yet is play action, and/or get the ball down the field.

“Throwing the ball in those one-on-one situations to the go routes and the post routes, that needs to develop so they can really threaten the safeties. What we saw was Indiana was able to put everyone down by the line of scrimmage? Why because they weren’t able to threaten them down the threat.

“They had separation against Maryland and Iowa and J.J. needs to hit them.

“They run it so effectively, I think they will and should be better with play action passing.”

**

For now, Michigan’s passing attack merely pretty good. Pair than with an excellent running attack, and a mobile QB, and it’s a lot to handle.

Mix it in with Michigan’s use of varied formations and pin-and-pull schemes and power gap schemes, and it’s even more to handle.

They’re very good at moving the chains. They need to improve in the red zone.

If Michigan doesn’t improve in the red zone for this game, and doesn’t have explosive plays on the ground, and Michigan State doesn’t blow coverages through the air, and McCarthy makes an expensive mistake or two like he did against Indiana and Penn State, then the Spartans have a chance to keep Michigan under 24 points.

From there, can Michigan State score 25?


MICHIGAN’S DEFENSE

The Wolverines are big and talented with their three d-linemen, their inside linebackers are very tough against blockers.

Their cornerbacks are good, not great.

Their pass defense was a little shaky against Indiana’s uptempo spread, and Maryland’s mobile QB. Michigan State won’t emulate much of that stuff.

Penn State QB Clifford had a miserable time without much of a running game and faced with third-and-medium/long too often.

Penn State rushed 22 times for 111 yards including 63 on a zone read keeper.

Michigan has had trouble getting set against uptempo offenses, and that was the root of the problem on the Clifford keeper.

It was third-and-short and Penn State went with a fast snap. Michigan was a little late getting set and ended up with LB Junior Colson and second-string DL Rayshaun Benny in the same gap and no one in the B gap. Clifford ran through that empty B gap. That set up PSU’s first TD and cut the lead to 13-7.

Penn State’s tailbacks carried 13 times for 41 yards (3.15 per)

Michigan leads the Big Ten in sacks with 24 (Michigan State is sixth with 17). Michigan has beefed up those numbers against the two worst pass protections in the Big Ten - Iowa (23 sacks allowed) and Indiana (22 sacks allowed). But this begs the question: Are Indiana and Iowa ranked at the bottom of the conference in sacks allowed because they are that bad or Michigan is that good? It’s a little bit of both.

Michigan had seven sacks against Indiana.


HUNCHES IN BUNCHES

* Michigan State has been conservative in its opening drives. I have a hunch that the Spartans will be more free-flowing to begin this game. I think Michigan State will script to go to the air with intermediate throws at the outset.

Michigan has been less likely to blitz on first, more likely to play softer zone coverage on second down. That makes for better throwing conditions.

Michigan’s defense becomes outstanding on third-and-long. Most defenses are good on third-and-long. But Michigan’s turns up the pass rush another notch, usually coming with five, usually aided by strong bull rushes from defensive ends Mike Morris 90 (he’s the guy who choked Kenneth Walker on the bottom of a pile last year) and Eyabi Okie (who was reportedly dismissed from the team at University of Alabama and the University of Houston due to missing class, tardiness, insubordination and clashes with teammates). We haven’t seen those type of problems from Okie thus far at Michigan. His playing time has increased as the season has progressed and he is very talented. Coming out of high school, he was a five-star recruit, ranked the No. 7 player in the nation.

Stay out of third-and-long.

There are debates as to which down is more important in football, first down or third down. In this game, if it’s third and long for Michigan State, Michigan State is already cooked. SO in this game, I think first down is more important for Michigan State than third down.

What kind of imagination can Michigan State spring on Michigan on first down? I think first down needs to be less of a run down for Michigan State in this game than it’s been in other games. It’s been a little easier to get pass protection and throwing windows against Michigan on first down.

“If they make you one-dimensional, if you can’t run it, this defensive line gets after the quarterback,” Klatt said. “Iowa, once they were one-dimensional, it was over. Same thing with Indiana.”



CAN MICHIGAN STATE RUN THE BALL?

They’ll try. But I think Michigan State will try to pass to set up the run.

MSU’s run game has been a disappointment this year. Early deficits have taken the run game out of the occasion in a few games.

Michigan State tailbacks gained 108 yards last week on 33 carries. The 3.2 yards per carry average wasn’t great. But it was a plus just to get 33 carries for a change (rather than the 10 tailback attempts Michigan State had against Minnesota). The run threat helped put Payton Thorne in rhythm to go 21-of-28 for 265 yards.

Jalen Berger averaged 3.7 yards per carry (16 carries, 59 yards).

Elijah Collins averaged 3.0 per carry (14 carries, 43 yards).

Berger was noticeably amped up to face his former teammates. You would think and hope that he would be equally amped for this rivalry game, but that remains to be seen.

Michigan’s run defense in recent weeks:

Indiana’s RBs rushed 17 times for 80 yards (4.7 per carry). Indiana bothered Michigan with tempo and spread formations. That won’t likely translate to what Michigan State will do, unless Michigan State made some sweeping changes during the bye week, which is unlikely.

Iowa’s RBs rushed 20 times for 66 yards (3.3 per).

Indiana and Iowa rank 13th and 14th in the Big Ten in rushing yards and average yards per attempt.

Maryland rushed for 128 yards, with 20 of it coming from the QB.

Maryland’s RBs rushed 25 times for 112 yards (4.4 per carry).

MSU’s ground game has had some terribly unproductive games this year. Even MSU’s “best” ground games in conference play have netted just 100 yards (on 22 carries) against Maryland and the 99 net yards against Wisconsin.

The stats and body of work would suggest that Michigan State tailbacks will have a hard time rushing for more than 75 yards in this game. If sack yardage becomes a problem and Michigan State falls behind by more than 14 points, then something similar to the Ohio State game COULD develop in terms of the Spartans being held to fewer than 33 yards rushing.

I think it’s more likely that Michigan State will be around the 75 yard mark in rushing. That won’t be enough to play the type of complementary football that is needed. If Michigan State can inch up toward 125 yards rushing, which IS possible, and if Michigan State contains the runs and prevents big plays like mentioned earlier, then Michigan State will be a 275-yard Payton Thorne day away from taking this game deep into the fourth quarter.

Michigan State hasn’t rushed for 125 yards against a Power Five team all year. What makes me think it’s possible in this game?

Not much.

Michigan State doesn’t have offensive linemen or running backs coming off the injury report. There are no magic wands.

However, MSU’s run blocking schemes were much better last year after a bye week, heading into the Michigan game. And it wasn’t just the Kenneth Walker factor. Michigan State had some new, well-worked wrinkles and came forward with efficient physicality.

Is it possible that MSU’s ground blocking and ground game could go from substandard to solid after the bye week? I would say possible. I’m not going to say probable. If I said probable, that would mean I’m betting on a hunch, trying to time a rise. There just isn’t enough evidence or material to expect a run game renaissance against this Michigan run defense, which is good (not great). It could happen, but I wouldn’t expect it.


THAT LEAVES IT UP TO THORNE

Many times, for this game, I’ve said Michigan State needs players to play like we don’t know they can. And a few times, it’s happened (Tony Banks in 1995, Bill Burke in 1999, Rocky Lombardi in 2020). Jeff Smoker was excellent in 2001 while getting sacked something like 10 times. Even Kenneth Walker, as good as he was, took it up a notch to superstar level for this game.

Thorne is an experienced player who has the ability to take film room plans to the field. His accuracy was inconsistent earlier in the season. He was steady and poised in the face of a steep deficit at Washington.

With a serviceable run game and a healthy Jayden Reed, Thorne was 21 of 28 for 265 yards with 2 TDs and no INTs in his last time out, against Wisconsin.

He’s a battler. He’s an athlete. He has won in the past. He is expecting to win this game.

Michigan likes to play press coverage on the boundary WR. If can force press coverage on Jayden Reed (something Reed likes to play against and Thorne likes to throw against) by placing Reed as a lone receiver on the short side.

Michigan is handsy and physical in press coverage to the boundary. That could be an interesting matchup if Michigan State welcomes the chance to try to beat that jam and get on top.

If Reed can’t do it, Keon Coleman will give it a try. I could see each of them having a moment or two against press coverage on the boundary side.

Why the boundary side? Because that’s where they press. And the ball doesn’t have to hang in the air as long when it’s to the boundary side because it’s a shorter pass, which makes it a little harder for a safety to get over there and help.

I’ve seen Michigan called for pass interference a few more times than usual this year. Michigan State could tempt those flags by challenging Michigan’s press coverage along the boundary.

I don’t see many weaknesses in Michigan’s CB play. And I didn’t see weaknesses in 2020. But Michigan State did, and Michigan State attacked those CB’s press coverage with Lombardi (and Ricky White) throughout that 2020 upset, with great results.

If there is a weakness, it’s No. 5 DJ Turner. I’ve charted him getting beat a few times and getting flagged for pass interference. Get him in press to the short side and attack No. 5 with a deep go or a fade, see what happens. Turner could have trouble with Keon Coleman. Coleman needs to power through the handsy stuff.

Michigan State hasn’t had a lot of success with deep shots to the middle of the field this year, but it might be time to roll some dice along the boundary in this game.

Meanwhile, in rewatching last year’s UM-Michigan State game, Thorne’s quickness in the pocket, his footwork and mobility, were noticeably better last year. He revealed prior to the Wisconsin game that he has been slowed by undisclosed injuries. Might he be quicker and healthier for this game? I have no idea. But the bye can’t hurt.

Thorne is good at short reads over the middle, and used those throws against Michigan with success at times last year. Michigan State needs to take those short completions when available, especially on first and second down. Even a short third down pass over the middle can be a good thing in the face of Michigan’s excellent pass rush. Last year, Reed muscled his way to a huge first down conversion on a third-and-long situation in the fourth quarter, catching it at 5 yards and willing his way through a tackler for first down yardage.


THORNE LAST YEAR

* Last year, Thorne was 19 of 30 for 196 with 2 INTs against Michigan. He had more mobility in the pocket. Is his mobility better after a bye week? You have to hope so.

Last year, on the opening drive, Michigan State came out with play action passes, working the sideline, with Thorne throwing on the move. That looked good.

Then Michigan State went deep on a slant-and-go. But Thorne threw into coverage on a deep shot to the goal line and the safety came over the top for the INT.

I would expect to see Michigan State go to the air on the opening drive this year. The problem is, the play-fake (without Walker) doesn’t suck in linebackers like it did last year.

* Thorne was intercepted later in the 1Q on a third-and-five pass attempt to Harold Joiner in the flat. The pass was batted by a blitzing OLB and intercepted by Mike Morris, who had dropped into coverage.

But Thorne settled in and delivered key passes to fuel drives when Michigan State badly needed them, down by 16 points. Michigan State answered when it had to, and it wasn’t just Walker. Thorne was solid.

Now he’ll have to do it in a rabid environment. Having played at loud Huskie Stadium in Seattle will help. But in this game, it’s loud AND there’s the anxiety factor. Michigan State needs Thorne at his best.

“There are times when you go into a game when you have an idea of what you can be good at and other times when you adjust to what’s happening,” Thorne said. “Last year, it was more of an adjustment game (against Michigan). Two years ago, it was the plan going in (to throw deep). Coach Johnson can do both. I trust him and his play calls. It will be the same scenario this week. It won’t be anything magical that we’ve never done before.”


APPLES TO APPLES

* JJ McCarthy has more talent than Payton Thorne. But Drew Henson and Tom Brady had more talent than Bill Burke in 1999. Burke had Plaxico Burress, that helped. Thorne has more experience than McCarthy, and might be less likely to make mistakes. But Thorne will be facing a stiffer pass rush than McCarthy. Now I’m mixing apples and oranges.

Last game, I stated that Thorne had been the better QB between himself and Graham Mertz going back for two years, but Mertz was coming off one of the best games of his career. I think I gave Burke the slight edge but almost talked myself out of it, the more I typed.

In this game, at this position, McCarthy is the guy with the higher ceiling. His quick legs, compared to Thorne’s hobbled gait, gives McCarthy an edge in moving the chains through improvised runs. That’s enough to give UM the edge at this position. But be careful when you face an experienced Michigan State QB in this series.

* Michigan has a big edge at RB.

* Michigan gets more out of its tight ends than Michigan State. Schoonmaker is a favored target. He’s a possession guy, a chain-mover. But I was kind of surprised to see how often Michigan’s tight ends miss blocks. They miss Erick All.

Schoonmaker is productive, but every time that McCarthy is throwing to the big TE on a short out route as his first read, maybe that’s better for Michigan State than McCarthy looking further downfield to one of their WRs.

MSU’s tight ends have ability, in Daniel Barker and Maliq Carr. But they’ve been inconsistent.

Michigan State has the capacity to out-produce Michigan’s tight ends. MSU’s tight ends are more explosive. But Michigan’s have been more consistent. Edge to Michigan, but not by as much as you might think, considering how mediocre MSU’s tight ends have been at times.

* Michigan’s offensive line is better. The Michigan center is quite good. The rest of them are good, not great.

* I would give a slight edge to Michigan State at wide receiver. Reed is a difference-maker. He will be getting full attention from Michigan. The Spartans will need Keon Coleman and Tre Mosley to deliver.

* Michigan’s Mazi Smith (6-3, 337, Sr.) and Mason Graham (6-6, 317, Fr.) are good. Smith has set some weight room records. He’s strong and explosive. But his conditioning seems a little suspect. They probably play him too many snaps. He’ll get drafted on his measureables. But he is not as good, down-in and down-out as Simeon Barrow. Jacob Slade is better than Barrow when Slade is healthy. He’s getting there. MSU’s back-up DTs are better than Michigans, which allows Slade and Barrow to get some rest.

* Michigan’s defensive ends are much better than MSU’s, and this area has the chance to be a major difference-maker in the game. Mike Morris is a powerful bull rusher, and can throw a shoulder dip into it too. His choking of Kenneth Walker at the bottom of the pile in the fourth quarter last year was despicable.

* With Jacoby Windmon at MLB the inside linebackers for each team are close to a wash at this point. Michigan State might have the edge. I’ll be interested to see if Windmon continues to be a plus in pass defense, he’ll need to be, as often as Michigan throws to the tight ends.

The inside linebackers’ ability to read their guard/RB triangles and react to pulls and gap schemes is essential in containing Michigan’s pin-and-pull plays. Windmon is quick and physical. He and Haladay will be much better than Penn State’s linebackers in this area.

* I haven’t seen Michigan’s safeties have to do much this year. Their front seven has been good and their corners are good. Maybe the safeties are good too, but they just haven’t jumped out to me.

I’ll be interested to see if Kendell Brooks plays with Henderson. We have no idea what that will look like.

If Grose starts at safety and plays more than 40 snaps at that position, I have to give the edge to Michigan.

If it’s Henderson and Brooks, then that’s a key variable for this game. They might be excellent together. They’re going to be smart and physical.

Between Windmon and Brooks and their penchant for creating turnovers, those two guys could become boogiemen for the Wolverines.

* Michigan’s cornerbacks are good, not great. Michigan State has been inconsistent with Ameer Speed at cornerback. Charles Brantley has been good in a lot of ways, but he’ll get tested at the point of attack in run defense in this game. Edge to Michigan.

* Punter: Edge Michigan State. Place kicker: big edge Michigan. Return game: Both are good in punt return, but give Reed an edge. Give Michigan the edge in kickoff return. Michigan State still questionable at long snapper.


APPLES TO ORANGES

* Michigan’s strength at d-end (with 90 Mike Morris and 18 Okie, on passing downs) matches up with MSU’s questionable pass protection.

MSU’s pass pro has been pretty good most of the year but I have my doubts when they move up in weight class.

Maryland ranks No. 5 in the Big Ten in sacks but had only one against Michigan State.

Ohio State had four sacks against Michigan State, with Thorne growing gimpy in that game.

Michigan State has tried to get chip help from tight ends here and there, but execution hasn’t been sound. Michigan State needs to shore that up.

* If there is any area in which Michigan State might surprise the Michigan players, it might be at defensive tackles. Some of those DTs could move out and play d-end. If Michigan gets seduced into a ground-and-pound game, Michigan State will take that challenge (over an air raid).

Michigan might be good enough to rush for 225 or 250 or more, I don’t know. But Michigan State is willing to play that dice game. That’s MSU’s best hope. Let Michigan run the ball, prevent big plays in the run game. Every time Michigan runs it, the clock will move, which can help shorten the game. Michigan State is willing to take this game into the deep end, in that fashion.

* Michigan’s pass defense has been terrible. We all know that. With Henderson back there, it might be more respectable now. Michigan State had a communication gaffe inside the 5-yard line. Michigan State had shown progress in same-page communication throughout that game and maybe it will continue now that Henderson is back. It needs to.

All of that being said, there is a chance that Michigan might not get free access to 300-plus yards passing like everyone is expecting.


TRENDS & SCHEMES

* Indiana had success with its quick tempo offense. Michigan’s response to quick tempo was not great in that game. It wasn’t good against Michigan State last year, getting caught with 12 on the field a couple of times including the play after the fourth-and-one deep pass to Nailor (Michigan State followed up with a quick-snap handoff to Walker for a TD while Michigan had 13 on the field, trying to make a change).

Penn State tried to go quick tempo a few times, especially after big plays, but was sloppy in its attempts.

Michigan State has tried to go uptempo this year after big chunk plays on offense, with almost zero success, usually giving away first down with a no-gain run.

Quick-tempo offense is not a bad thing for Michigan State to have it in its quiver for this game, but productivity needs to be far better if and when Michigan State gets those opportunities.

* If Michigan State gets into a fourth-and-medium situation (maybe outside the red zone), I would expect to get a Jayden Reed vs Sanristil matchup on a slot fade. It’s a one-read thing for Thorne against what’s likely to be a blitz and not a lot of safety help. The slot fade sends Reed away from any safety help. It’s not necessarily a high-percentage throw, but Thorne and Reed have made it work in key situations, and it’s probably better than sitting in the pocket and trying to find someone open (not likely) against a heavy rush.


GAME WITHIN THE GAME: RED ZONE DEFENSE

Michigan’s red zone offense has not been good. But it might not stay that way. Agains PSU, Michigan got hung up with some three-TE jumbo formations that didn’t work. In the red zone against Indiana through the first three quarters, Michigan had to settle for two field goal attempts and threw an INT.

You can bet Michigan has emphasized finding improvement in the red zone.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Michigan go with more three-WR personnel groups in the red zone this weekend, as a change-up, especially inside the 10-yard line. If I’m Michigan State, I would prefer that Michigan stick with jumbo macho stuff in the red zone, but I think they’ll go to the air, and I suspect it will work out better for them.

But if Harbaugh is hung up on proving his manliness, maybe they’ll stick with the jumbo formations. If I’m Michigan State, I’m hoping they do because their TEs aren’t great blockers. And when they have tried to go with six offensive linemen that hasn’t worked, either.


GAME WITHIN THE GAME: COIN TOSS

I can’t remember a season in which the analysis of the coin toss has been such a hot topic for Michigan State. MSU’s penchant for giving up early-game TD drives, and put the Spartan offense into a corner, has caused many Spartan fans to opine that the Spartans should take the ball first if they win the toss.

Meh. Michigan State will probably lose the toss.

I’m not big on analyzing coin tosses. I’m of the belief that if you feel you’re good enough to win, then play it straight and defer to the second half.

That being said, MSU’s penchant for giving up opening-drive TDs, and Michigan’s penchant for scoring on the opening drive, gives this game a bit of a Mike Tyson feel to it. In order to win, Michigan State first needs to get out of the first round.

I don’t have a good answer to the question. But it’s definitely a question.


PROBLEMATIC FORMATIONS





* Five to 10 times a game, Michigan will go into what I call “conflict trips.” That’s with three WRs to the field and a TE attached to the short side. If it becomes a problem, they'll use it more.

This puts a good WR against your inside pass defender, who usually isn't your best.

This creates a six-man OL for zone blocking, so you must honor the run with at least six defenders IF one of your guys can two-gap well.

If you honor the run, they can pull and throw an RPO bubble to the trips side (although they don’t do that very often).

They can keep the TE in for pass blocking and max pro and go deep to their No. 3 receiver against a weaker inside pass defender. And if the defense is in man-to-man, that could mean speedy Roman Wilson vs Angelo Grose.

If you’re in two-deep zone, they seem to like to run little out cuts for small gains out of this, but they have a lot at their disposal.

How do you defend it? With 11 talented players on the same page playing with physicality, for starters.

Scheme-wise, you have to match their three WRs with three and a half players. And you must honor the run with seven players hosting those seven gaps. That leaves you with a half player at free safety, which is kind of impossible.

So if you can win up front with at least two guys two-gapping, you can gain a defensive player in the back.

How else can you gain a player in the box? If you leave your boundary corner to the TE side, as most teams do, then that cornerback MUST be physical in the run game if it comes in his direction. Charles Brantley plays hard but is small. Ameer Speed is big and fast but has played soft most of the season. The latter needs to take it up a notch.


LAST YEAR DEFENSE

* The 93-yarder to Andrel Anthony came on UM’s first possession. What went wrong? Michigan State had three over three in man to man. Grose on Anthony. We didn’t know much about Anthony at the time but UM knew plenty about Grose, and wanted that matchup.

Michigan State threatened a blitz, with Xavier Henderson up past the LB level, threatening blitz. Then he dropped into deep centerfield. Michigan State would have been better off with Henderson in deep centerfield from the beginning. He would have had a much better chance of supporting Grose and getting that play on the ground after a gain of 10 or so.

But Henderson was up threatening a blitz and then backpedaling to deep center field at the snap. That scheme made it very difficult for Henderson to change direction and be up to speed for the Anthony over route.

Exotics on third down have not worked out for Michigan State over the last three seasons. I would expect Michigan State to stay square and allow first downs rather than making themselves susceptible to big plays. Michigan State was more buttoned-down on defense in its last game, but was that because Wisconsin is so vanilla? It’s hard to say. We’ll learn more this weekend.


WHAT WORKED AGAINST MICHIGAN?

Indiana held Michigan’s running backs to 139 yards on 32 carries. Fifty-one of those yards came on one burst by Corum on the opening drive. Indiana had four defenders around Corum on that play, but one linebacker over-pursued and the rest whiffed. Corum’s excellent vision and cutting ability got him out of that mess and into the open for a long run to the 1-yard line.

Michigan State needs to avoid those type of home run bursts, and get the guy on the ground with gang tackling whenever possible.

Take that 51-yarder out of the equation, and Michigan’s running backs were held to 89 yards on 31 carries against the Hoosiers (2.8 per carry).

Indiana trailed just 17-10 with 10 minutes to go in the game. Did Michigan become a little lethargic due to Mike Hart’s health scare on the sideline? That’s possible.

Penn State tried to emulate some of Indiana’s successes in run defense, but didn’t have the gap discipline and on-the-fly knowhow to deliver.

What did Indiana do? They had success with a slanting, one-gapping scheme. As part of the one-gapping scheme, Indiana often slanting and crossed face to the inside, pinching the edges. In order to one-gap, you have to commit a defensive back to the box and leave yourself a susceptible to the pass. Indiana took that bet and played winning football most of the day.

That was Michigan’s worst rushing day of the year, and their offense (and tight ends) allowed gains of 2 yards or less repeatedly.

Indiana’s run defense failed in the fourth quarter. Corum had carries for 6, 6, 6, 9 and 5 yards on the key drive in the fourth quarter which put Michigan up 24-10 with 9 minutes to play.

On that drive, Indiana went away from the one-gapping, plus-one approach that had been successful most of the day. When they one-gapped on this drive, they had two safeties back and didn’t have enough players for all of the gaps. And when they two-gapped, well, they weren’t very good at it. I reject the idea that this was a case of Michigan wearing anyone down. Indiana went away from what was working.

Michigan State is not a one-gapping defense by trade. They will mix it in here and there, and when they do, it’s an effective change-up. But Michigan State isn’t likely to emulate what Indiana did. Michigan State isn’t going to want to leave one safety deep, I don’t think. And that’s what it takes if you want to one-gap. OR, you need both safeties to play very shallow like they did in the Dantonio era. That’s do-able, if you have good corners and same-page safeties. Michigan State isn’t there yet.

But Michigan State is building on defense. They will do some one-gapping with an extra man in the box, especially if they feel they are getting good pre-snap tells.

*

Against Iowa, Corum’s longest run was 20 yards, Edwards’ longest run was 12 yards.

Michigan rushed for 172 against Iowa, with 26 from WR Ronnie Bell (on an end around, and an overhand bubble lateral). Corum averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 29 attempts.

The Hawkeyes’ offense was, of course, terrible in the first half and most of the third quarter. So Iowa’s defense didn’t receive complementary football help from its offensive teammates.

Michigan stayed on the ground most of the game and had little chunks but nothing explosive. The score was 13-0 at halftime and 20-0 early in the second half, again with Michigan settling for field goals on a couple of occasions, leaving the door open.

Iowa started getting tangible push in the run game in the second half and QB Petras hit a couple Iowa staple pass plays. Iowa cut it to 20-7 and then drove inside the 10-yard line with 5:45 left but threw a dreadful incompletion on fourth-and-two on a terrible play design or execution or something. A TD there and it’s 20-14 and Michigan would have been in a little bit of trouble.

When things started to get a little tight for Michigan, they didn’t seem to trust McCarthy to put the ball in the air. But that was on the road. Maybe that mindset will change at home.


THIRD DOWN DNA

* Michigan receivers find the sticks on third down, and so does the scrambling QB. They don’t try anything too far downfield on third downs; it’s ball control passing

Examples:

3-4: vs PSU 2Q: Return route (whip route) right at 4 yards. Catch and run gain of 14. Ronnie Bell made it look easy.

3-6 vs PSU: QB keep gain of 10. Looked like a new play. Jet motion. QB ran counter read option off of him, quick feet. Hard to defend. That looked like a third down special.

3-4 vs PSU opening drive of 2H: PSU played cover four zone and rushed four. Michigan ran a pair of shallow crossers on a follow concept, with a criss-crosser coming from the other side. (A follow concept is when one receiver follows the other on a crossing route. Michigan does it a lot. One guy runs a square-in, the guy to his outside runs a square-in right behind him. Against zone, one of those two guys is going to come open in a window.

On this play, they were looking for sit-down holes. McCarthy tucked and ran for 8. The zone coverage LB had a decision to come off the TE and get McCarthy, or stay with the TE. (He chose the TE and was wrong. He had safety help behind him. Needed to come off and get the QB. Meanwhile PSU’s edge rusher got too wide and was swept BEHIND the QB.

Might need to put a fence around McCarthy. MSU’s pass rush has dried up in recent weeks. Michigan State seemed to opt out of trying to rush Maryland’s mobile QB Tagovailoa, and instead tried to put a fence around him and make him throw from the pocket rather than chasing him into a play. Dantonio’s defenses used to do this against some QBs. It looked like Harlon Barnett had a hand in trying that ploy again against Maryland and I thought it worked okay. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Michigan State try to put a fence around McCarthy. He has really hurt teams on third downs with scramble keepers.

* Second possession vs Indiana: 3WRs, conflict trips. Third-and-11. McCarthy completed a shallow crosser to TE 86 Schoonmacker. Short read first. Complete. Gain of 7. Punt.

+ 3-7 at Indiana in 3Q. McCarthy pulled it down and scramble for a gain of nine. UM ran a follow concept with TE Loveland over the middle first and WR A.J. Henning right behind him in a zone beater concept. IU had a LB and nickel picking them up in man to man. They were covered. But man-to-man creates openings for the QB to tuck and run. IU had a spy on McCarthy at the MLB area, but McCarthy out-ran him to the edge.


INSIDE MICHIGAN’S PERSONNEL

QB 9 JJ McCARTHY (6-3, 196, Soph., La Grange Park, Ill)

* Was a 6.0 four star, ranked No. 45 in the nation.
* Missed three deep shots against Maryland. Said he was a little too amped up.

* Missed Roman Wilson deep on a post vs two-deep zone on a first-and-10 between the 40s in the 1H against Iowa.

+ First downfield pass completion against Iowa came with 1:20 left in the first half. Real nice pass, laser, from right hash to the cover-two hole to the far side of the field to Andrel Anthony for a gain of 29 yards, caught at 27 yards.

* Seems to read short first, makes quick decisions to throw short first.

* 7 rushes for 57 yards against Penn State.

* Very good at throwing while on the run to the right. He can do it in scramble-mode, or on a delayed roll, running parallel with out-cutting wide receivers. That’s hard to stop.

* Went deep for Ronnie Bell on 2-7 from IU 40-yard line on opening drive of 2H. UM tried to lull the defense to sleep with a pause and a look to the sideline, then came the sudden clap from the QB to snap the ball. Snap came and they tried to go deep. IU’s CB Tai Mullen was in off coverage, he was taken by surprise, but the cushion gave him time to get set for Bell’s deep go route. Mullen matched Bell’s speed with no problem. I think they’re both pretty fast.

- INT vs Indiana: 2-8 at 18 yard line:

Empty formation (with TE and RB out as wide outs) vs cover two zone.

LB (Bradley Jennings 6-1, 222, Sr., a transfer from Miami) picked up WR Ronnie Bell and ran with him to the middle, tipped it, and an Indiana safety intercepted it.

Consider it a forced pass and a red zone error.

Good speed by that IU linebacker. Does Michigan State have a LB who can run like that? Windmon is sneaky fast in a short area but I haven’t seen him turn and sprint to the seam. Haladay is average at it. Darius Snow would have been very good at it. Ben VanSumeren was good at it last week against Wisconsin in a third-down situation, but this was second down.

- INT pick six vs Penn State: Deflected and off the helmet of a player. It was a fluke that it was caught and returned for a TD, but it wasn’t a fluke that McCarthy made a bad decision. It was a third-and-2 sprint out. He didn’t have a lot of openings and tried to force it to the RB in the right flat, but there was too much traffic between himself and the RB in the flat. Forced decision. The Michigan play caller probably wasn’t happy with this play design. On this occasion, Michigan’s thirst for merely finding the sticks on third down worked against the Wolverines as the QB forced a short pass into short pass traffic with no other reads available to him.

RB 2 BLAKE CORUM (5-8, 210, Jr., Marshall, Va.)
* Was a 5.9 four-star, ranked No. 105 in the nation.

* 5 TDs against UConn.

* 243 yards rushing against Maryland.

* Seems to have more pile-moving power than last year.

* Tough, quick, fast direct downhill runner who also has vision to jump cut to daylight and then burst.

* 50-yard run against Indiana: 2 WRs, 2 TEs. Outside zone. Play wasn’t blocked that great. Indiana overpursued, misesd a couple of tackles then he evaded two as he got loose. TD on opening drive vs Indiana.

* 67-yard TD run vs Penn State was the turning point of the game. PSU led 17-16 at the time with 11:20 left in the third quarter. Michigan had just converted a third-and-four with a QB scramble.

On the 67-yarder, Penn State’s LBs were slow to flow. UM did a pin-and-pull with the C and RG pulling to the short side. LBs were slow identifying the moving gaps and getting there. Penn State had a safety stupidly skewed toward the WRs at the other side of the formation rather than in the middle of the field.

* Had a 50 yard run vs Indiana then had only 12 yards on his next eight carries. Consequently, the game was 10-10 late in he 1H and could have been worse for Michigan if Indiana hadn’t blown a TD by completing a pick play over the line of scrimmage instead of behind it.

* Stopped on fourth-and-2 in 2Q vs Indiana. Ronnie Bell was brought in motion to block the edge but didn’t get it done, allowed guy to knife inside him for the TFL.

* vs Penn State: 28 rushes, 166 yards

* vs Iowa: 29 rushes, 133 (4.6 per).

* vs Maryland: 30 rushes, 243 yards.



RB 7 DONOVAN EDWARDS (6-1, 204, Soph., West Bloomfield)

* 6.0 four-star recruit ranked No. 59 in the nation.

* Terrific receiving ability. UM coaches say he could be a very good WR if he wanted to play that position.

* Very fast at getting out into the flat for little ball control flare passes on first-and-10.

+ 12-yard TD catch against Iowa. Five-man rush, QB eludes unblocked edge LB. Edwards freelances to an open area in the end zone and QB finds him. + Threw a pass to Roman Wilson on a double pass deep in the Big Ten Championship Game last year.

+ Lined up at WR and ran a good slant route on third-and-two to gain 10 yards.

vs Penn State: 16 carries, 173 yards

vs Iowa: 5 rushes for 29 yards



WR 14 ROMAN WILSON (6-0, 185, Honolulu, Hawaii)

* 5.7 three star recruit.

* Very good speed. Got open deep three times vs Maryland and Iowa but McCarthy overthrew him.

* 4 catches for 29 yards against Penn State.

* Missed the Indiana game; AJ Henning replaced him in the starting lineup.


WR 8 RONNIE BELL (6-0, 190, Gr., Kansas City)
* Injured for most of last year.

* Team-high 35 catches, averaging 61.3 receiving yards per game.

* Was honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2019 with 48 catches.

* Five catches for 39 yards against Penn State.

* 11 catches for 121 yards against Indiana.

* Very good blocker.

+ 16-yard TD on a reverse vs Iowa. Quick-hitting play. Bell was lined up tight to the formation, making this reverse quick-hitting. Not a jet sweep. UM pulled the LG and the TE to the right and countered the other way with the reverse. Cornelius Johnson and TE Schoonmaker with good blocks on the edge.


WR 6 CORNELIUS JOHNSON (6-3, 208, Sr., Greenwhich, Conn.)

* 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 171 in the nation,

* Led Michigan with 39 catches last year.

* Fourth on the team in catches this year with 15.

* Three catches for 43 yards against Penn State.

* Four catches, 58 yards, two TDs against Indiana.

- Dropped pass on a 15-yard out early in 2H at Indiana with score tied 10-10 and Michigan pinned deep in own territory. Ronnie Bell bailed him out with a 13-yard catch on a shallow crossing route for 13 yards on the next play. From there, Michigan drove, took the lead and dominated the second half. But that might have been an expensive drop if UM had had to punt from its own end zone two plays later.

+ 29-yard TD catch vs Indiana on shallow crossing route, natural rub, vs man to man. Michigan RG Zinter allowed pressure to a DT on a miscommunication. Gave UM a 17-10 lead.


WR 3 A.J. Henning (5-10, 185, Jr., Frankfort, Ill.)
* 5.9 four star recruit, ranked No. 112 in the nation.

* Six catches on the year with a long of 16 yards against Indiana.

* Had a 61-yard punt return against UConn.

* Third-team All-Big Ten as a punt returner last year.

* Three career starts at WR.

* 10 receptions last year.


WR 1 Andrel Anthony (6-2, 190, Soph., Lansing, Mich./East Lansing High)

* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 16 in the state.

* He has six catches on the year.

* He had six catches for 155 yards with two TDs last year against Michigan State, and hasn’t done much since. He has had only one game since then with more than one catch, and that was a two-catch game against Indiana. He was targeted once against Penn State.

* 1 catch for 29 yards against Iowa in the cover-two hole to the field side. Very good throw by McCarthy.

* 1 catch for -1 yard against Penn State.

+ Caught a square-in on a follow concept (following Bell on the same route) for a gain of 17 on first drive of the 2H at Indiana.

+ 14-yard hook in front of a cover-three zone deep in Michigan territory with the Wolverines nursing a 17-10 lead in the final minute of the third quarter against Indiana.



WR 0 Darrius Clemons (6-3, 214, Fr. Portland, Ore.)
* Four-star Top 100, ranked No. 93 in the nation in 2022.
* Had 1 catch against UConn.


TE 86 LUKE SCHOONMAKER (6-6, 250, Sr., Hamden, Conn.)

* 5.6 three-star, ranked No. 3 in Connecticut. No. 39 TE.

* HM All-Big Ten last year.

* 15 career starts.

* 17 catches last year.

* Good feet on short square outs, deceptively quick.

* Four catches for 45 yards against Iowa.

* Five catches for 108 yards against Indiana last year.

+ Had a good 15-yard, sliding catch an over route against Indiana in the fourth quarter.

* McCarthy seems to read big No. 86 first on many route combinations. Schoonmaker is a reliable chain-moving possession guy.

* Inconsistent blocker for a big guy.

- Missed a block on an outside zone to his side on first-and-10 in the red zone against Indiana.

- Missed a block on Indiana OLB Dasan McCullough on the last play of the third quarter, with UM leading 17-10, stopping Curum for a loss of 1.

+ 9-yard TD catch and run on a swing pass at Indiana to put Michigan up 24-10 with 9:47 to play.



TE 82 Max Bredeson (6-2, 232, Soph., Hartland, Wisc.)

* No-star, walk-on.

* 4 catches on the year.

* Played 30-plus snaps against Penn State. Doesn’t have great size. They miss Erick All.


TE 84 Joel Honigford (6-6, 260, Gr., Sugar Creek, Ohio)

* Doesn’t play much.


TE 18 Colston Loveland (6-5, 237, Fr., Gooding, Idaho)

- Probably ran the wrong route, ended up too close to Ronnie Bell on a third-and-long in the red zone late in the 1Q vs Indiana.



OFFENSIVE LINE

* Didn’t allow a sack vs PSU.

* They’re mobile and big. You don’t see crushing blocks from these guys, but they don’t need to do it that way. They move their feet, get in the way, seal you off on quick-hitting plays.


LT RYAN HAYES (6-7, 305, Gr., Traverse City)

* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 17 in Michigan.

* Solid player. I haven’t seen him as a weakness or a standout. If you don’t notice him, he’s probably doing a good job.

- Allowed QB pressure and contact on a bull rush to Iowa DE Lucas Van Ness (6-5, 275, Soph.) late in the 1H.


LG 77 TREVOR KEEGAN (6-6, 305, Sr., Crystal Lake, Ill.)

* 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 208 in the nation.

- Beaten by 99 of Penn State for a sack, straight bull rush, got pushed back into the QB like a blocking sled.

+ Moved Iowa’s 85 Logan Lee backward easily on third-and-one on the opening drive. Lee is 6-5, 275 and not strong enough. Lee tried to two-gap but failed.

- Allowed 85 Lee of Iowa to cross his face and bounce the play on an inside zone vs Iowa early in the 3Q.

- Allowed penetration to a two-gapping DT of Indiana, partially responsible for Don Edwards losing 5 yards, early 1Q.



C 55 OLU OLUWATIMI (6-3, 307, Gr., Upper Marlboro, Md.)

* Committed to Air Force in 2017. Ended up at Virginia. Transferred to Michigan this off-season

* Was second-team All-America at Virginia last year and Rimington Award finalist.

* Is good with double-team inside. Good mobility with the snap and pull. He’s been a big addition to the team.

* C/LG double team moved Iowa’s Logan Lee back for a Corum gain of 7 on the opening drive.

+ Key block on the edge as a puller on sweep for Don Edwards’ long TD run vs PSU.

- Indiana DL Sio Nofoagatoto’a (6-3, 315, Sr.) knocked Oluwatimi back, keying a loss of 1 in the red zone v Indiana on an inside zone to the right.

- Was knocked back by Indiana DT Patrick Lucas while trying to zone block to his right on an outside zone on the last play of the 3Q vs Indiana.


RG 65 ZAK ZINTER (6-6, 315, Jr., North Andover, Mass.)

* Was a 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 146 in the nation.

+ Good job vs 99 of Iowa on third-and-one on the opening series. 99 tried to two-gap him but Zinter withstood it, got low, received double-team help from Jones and pushed forward for gain of 2.

- Got away with a hold on an outside zone with 12:35 left in the 1H against Iowa, gain of 7 for Corum.

+ Good mobility and pop as a pull guard on D-gap power.

- Allowed some pressure to DT on a shoulder swipe on 3-8 in the 1Q against Indiana. Pass incomplete, Zinter flagged for holding.


RT 52 KARSEN BARNHART (6-5, 308, Soph., Paw Paw, Mich.)
* 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 10 in Michigan.

* Started vs PSU with Trente Jones out.

- Got beat by a push-and-pull move for TFL late in 2Q on a tackle over play.


RT 53 TRENTE JONES (6-4, 311, Sr., Grayson, Ga.)

*5.9 four-star recruit ranked No. 90 in the nation.

* Likely out with a leg injury

* Started two games last year, beat out Barnhart for starting job this year.

- Mediocre lateral movement in pass pro.

- Allowed a little bit of pressure on third-and-7 with 4:12 left in the game against Iowa, throwing from their own end zone, with Michigan up 20-7. Looked like DE got a piece of the QB’s arm on the pressure.

* Two times, Iowa had an unblocked player coming off the edge vs RT 53 as part of a five-man rush, zone blitz, cover three. McCarthy kind of froze, attempted to pass resulting in a fumble and loss of 17.


MICHIGAN DEFENSE

* I’m expecting a base 3-3-5 from Michigan. Three rotund d-linemen who work well together when stunting (56 Smith, 94 Jenkins and 55 Graham). Sometimes 90 Morris is down in a three-point stance,

They are strong when two-gapping, although 56 and 94 sometimes seem to try to pace themselves maybe because they are asked to play too many snaps. Their level of effort seems to ebb and flow. When they give 100 percent effort, they are good.

The three linebackers, including the two ILBs, are sturdy. They handle blocks well.

Saristil, the former WR, has become a good nickel slot.

* Indiana’s offensive line was not good, especially LT and RG.


MORE OF WHAT HAS WORKED (AGAINST MICHIGAN)

* Indiana air raid tempo, with some empty formations. IU quarterback Connor Bazelak was 18 of 31 for 163 yards in the first half against Michigan.

* Deep route vs 5 DJ Turner by Indiana.

* 11-yard TD to Indiana RB vs man to man. Trips left, TE and RB ran a follow concept, RB to the flat, TD. 7-7 tie.

* Indiana gain of 13, zone read play action roll drag to bunch WR in the 2Q.

* second scoring drive by Indiana: ball control passing. Sit down curl vs zone. Moving pocket drag. Gain of 15 on another moving pocket over route to WR vs cover three. Rhythem in uptempo.

* Indiana drove to the red zone on a pair of out and ups to the short side. Pass interference by 20 Kalel Mullings of Michigan.

* Indiana thought it took a 14-10 lead early in 2Q, on pass interference crack pick, was designed to catch it behind the line of scrimmage but caught it past LOS, erased a 10-yard TD pass.

* Indiana 37 yard ground gain on the first play of a drive late in 1H:

Indiana went with 3 by 1 receivers. With one of the 3 waaay out to the sideline. UM had to put three over there and one on the 1, with 1 deep. That left 6 in the box vs 5 offensive linemen.

Indiana C and LG double-teamed Mazi Smith. Smith allowed a yard and a half of movement. Morris was two-gapping, didn’t disengage. Mazi and Morris are big and talented but they looked like they took a nap on this play.

The double-team controlled Mazi, allowing the LG to combo out to the single LB. Blocked him. Free safety RJ Moten missed a tackle. RB got loose. Score was tied 10-10 in 2q at that time.

* Indiana went empty, put a RB at wide out and drew LB 23 Michael Barrett out into wide coverage. Barrett looked a little clueless on a switch release curl. Barrett jumped the wrong guy and the RB was open for a 13 yard curl.

* Indiana went empty in kind of air raid tempo. Put 4 WRs to one side. UM put only three defenders to that side and erroneously had six in the box against no RBs. Quick bubble with 4 vs 3 on the edge. Three blockers against 2. Gain of 11 to the 5 yard line.

* PSU ran tempo on third-and-short and Clifford gained 63 yards on a zone read keeper. UM was a little late getting set and ended up with 26 and 25 in the same gap and no one in the B gap.

OTHER ITEMS

* Indiana tried to go max pro deep on 2-9 late in the 1Q. Michigan happened to go with a bailing cover-three zone. Indiana moved the pocket, QB had to hold it too long but 32 Harrell beat LT with a push and pull for a sack.

* Penn State’s Sean Clifford was 7 of 19 for 120 yards against Michigan. His back-up, Drew Allar, was 5 of 10 for 37.

* Iowa’s dreadful QB Spencer Petras was 21 of 31 for 246 with 1 TD, but 75 yards and the 1 TD were in the final :90 seconds of garbage time.

* Don’t boo if you see Michigan State run the ball on third-and-seven. Iowa likes to run the ball on third and long if they get you in nickel press. They did it to Michigan once in the fourth quarter on the edge of the red zone, trailing 20-7. Michigan pressed all three WRs. The Michigan d-line was thinking pass rush. Iowa slipped a little split zone run up the middle and past Mazi Smith for a gain of 9.

Not a bad play, if you are on the edge of the red zone and figure you’re in four-down territory anyway.


DEFENSIVE LINE

* These guys flash talent. I think Michigan plays some of them too many snaps and it looks to me like they pace themselves and conserve a little bit. On third down, they crank it up.


DE 94 KRIS JENKINS (6-3, 285, Jr., Olney, Md.)

* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 16 in Maryland.

* I remember thinking he was a good, underrated player last year. Hasn’t been as impressive this year, but he has talent.

- Got muscled backward when trying to two-gap LT 74 of Penn State, Gain of 5 on a counter on second-and-two in the third quarter.

* Strong vs double team down blocks.

* Not as sturdy vs double teams inside this year.

+ Good job on first play of a drive at Indiana, late 1Q. Took on center, disengaged made the tackle for gain of 1.

+ Beat Indiana RG with simple outside speed rush for QB hit on 1st and goal from the 25. There’s the talent.


NT 58 MAZI SMITH (6-3, 337, Sr., Grand Rapids East Kentwood)

* 5.9 four-star recruit, ranked No. 142 in the nation.

= Is inconsistent against double-team blocking on inside runs. Is often moved back a yard and a half or more when playing vs double-teams.

+ Good QB pressure and hit on third-and-10 vs Iowa late in the 1Q. Beat the LG with a heavy shoulder swipe.

+ QB pressure vis Iowa vs C on a left-handed shoulder swipe.

* Was good vs double team third-and-one during Indiana’s opening drive of the game.

+ Good job vs LG, two-gapping, got off, made tackle for no gain on 2-10 early in IU game.

+ Good job vs LG, two-gapping, got off, made tackle for gain of 2 on second play of 2H against Indiana.

- 2Q 7:56 left vs Iowa: Driven 3 yards downfield by a double team.

- 4Q 8:17 left vs Iowa: Driven 4 yards downfield by the center, gain of 5.

- 4Q: 6:20 left vs Iowa: Driven 3 yards downfield by a LT/LG double team.


16 Rayshaun Benny (6-4, 292, Soph., Detroit/Oak Park High)

* 5.9 four-star recruit, ranked No. 98 in the nation.
* Was committed to Michigan State once upon a time, but flipped on signing day.

+ Pretty good two-gapping on 3-1 vs Indiana, gain of 1.

* Averaging about 15 snaps per game, most coming in blowout situations. Five tackles on the year.


DT 55 MASON GRAHAM (6-3, 317, Fr., Anaheim, Calif.)

* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 162 in the nation and No. 9 in California.

* Jacob Slade type. Big square-bodied guy who is pretty nimble.

* First career start was at Iowa. Started vs PSU.

+ Coverage sack on the first play of the 2H vs Iowa. Used a push-pull move to get free.

+ Good job two gapping LG and executing a push-pull move to get off him and make TFL on RB vs Indiana in 1Q in the red zone.

DT 91 Taylor Upshaw (6-4, 255, Gr., Bradenton, Fla.)

* Was a 5.7 three-star, ranked No. 75 in Florida.

* Two career starts.

+ Loss of 3 reading a screen for a TFL vs Iowa in the 2Q.

* Five tackles on the year, 118 snaps.


EDGE MIKE MORRIS (6-6, 292, Sr., Belle Glade, Fla.)

* 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 42 in Florida.

* Very good athlete for 6-6, 292.

* 5 sacks, 8 TFLs.

* Usually plays as a stand-up DE.

* Big power rush. You have to set for the bull rush but he also has a good shoulder dip. Pretty good motor. It’s just hard to keep this guy blocked all day. He isn’t on the field a lot with 18 Okie, but when they are, that’s a good pair of bookend pass rushers.

+ Speed rush by Morris beat Maryland’s OT and hit Tagovailoa on the play and put him out for the game with a hip injury.

+ Really good job running down Tagovailoa for a shoe-string tackle before he could escape to the outside. Michigan State has no one who can run like Morris at that size.

* Penn State had success chipping him with the TE on the TE’s way out, then leaving Morris for the LT. Michigan State looked like they tried to do this vs Nick Herbig of Wisconsin on one occasion, but DJ Barker just bluffed a block and went out into his route. Not enough. Horst looked like he expected to get more contact help from Barker, looked a half step slow in reacting, crossed his legs in trying to get to Herbig and gave up a sack.

Michigan State needs to get that crap ironed out.

+ Sack vs Iowa on third and long, knifes inside to set a pick for Mazi Smith but came free himself for the sack.

+ Sack late in the Iowa game vs Iowa RT. Shoulder dip, powered through half of the RT.

+ QB hit on very next play, this time with a quick inside move.

* Had 3 sacks and 10 pressures in three games prior to Indiana.

* Not the type of d-end that you want to hunt and run right at him because he sets the edge well. Did that vs PSU tight end and stopped RB for a loss of 1 on third-and-1 vs Penn State in the first quarter.


EDGE 18 Eyabi Okie (6-5, 244, Gr., Baltimore, Md.)

* Was a five-star recruit, ranked the No. 7 player in the nation.

* He made the Freshman All-SEC team at Alabama. Then dismissed from the team. Transferred to Houston, sat out a year, and was dismissed from that team as well. He transferred to Tennessee-Martin, had decent production there, graduated and transferred to Michigan.

+ Sack late in the Iowa game. Wide nine, shoulder dip and some core strength to power through.

+ Stunt inside for QB hit on fourth down late in Iowa game.

* Decent pop when taking on TE in run game.

* Near INT vs Indiana on a zone blitz drop.

+ Pretty impressive sack vs Indiana early in the 4Q with a bull rush through the right guard.



EDGE 8 Derrick Moore (6-3, 279, Fr., Baltimore, Md.)

* 6.0 four-star recruit, ranked No. 52 in the nation.

* 2 sacks on the year.

* Pretty good pass rush threat.

+ Good bull rush for a QB knockdown against Indiana in the fourth quarter.

+ Then bull rush vs the Indiana LT for a sack on the next play.

- Looked a little stiff vs a tunnel screen against Penn State. But in general, Michigan defends inside screens pretty well.



EDGE 17 Braiden McGregor (6-6, 261, Jr., Port Huron, Mich.)

* 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 11 in Michigan.

* Plays a stand-up DE.

* 9 tackles on the year in a bit role. 1 sack.


MLB 23 MICHAEL BARRETT (6-0, 233, Gr., Valdosta, Ga.)

* Second on team with 31 tackles, 2.5 TFLs.

* 1 start last year, six starts in 2020.

* This guy wins collisions

+ Good job of defeating RB block on a bull rush in the fourth quarter on his way to the QB for half a sack. Got low, exploded through his hips to win the collision.

* Solid job taking on C for Maryland and dumping him to the ground with a hard hit and shed vs a dart power. Didn’t get in on the tackle but showed some shock.

+ Sack on 3-10 to end Indiana’a opening drive. Five man rush, cover three zone.

- Beaten to the flat and missed a tackle for an 11-yard TD pass to the Indiana RB to tie the game at 7-7.



WLB 25 JUNIOR COLSON (6-3, 235, Soph., Brentwood, Tenn.)

* 5.9 four-star recruit, ranked No. 84 in the nation.

* Leads team with 49 tackles, 2 TFLs.

* Very good speed to the outside to defend swing passes.

- Allowed 35 yard seam route to Iowa TE in the 4Q. Good coverage but good ball.

+ Sack early in the 2H against Indiana. He came off the edge right behind big Morris. Morris engulfed the LT, and then made an inside move. The LT had no chance to counter back out to Colson. Colson came in untouched, working off of Morris as if Morris was his blocking back. Good ploy by Michigan here using Morris to free-up Colson.



LB 20 Kalel Mullings (6-2, 232, Jr., West Roxbury, Mass.)

* Four-star recruit, No. 92 in nation.

- Holding flag on out-and-up vs Indiana in the red zone.



EDGE 32 JAYLEN HARRELL (6-4, 246, Jr., Tampa, Fla.)

* Three-star recruit, ranked No. 71 in Florida.

* Started four games last year as an outside linebacker.

* Firm in taking on blocks.

* Solid job as an ILB taking on a pulling TE as a lead blocker, standing him up, not giving an inch and assisting on a tackle on a counter play vs PSU in the 3Q.

* Firm when taking on TE on wide zone run plays to his side.

+ Indiana tried to go max pro deep on 2-9 late in the 1Q. Michigan happened to go with a bailing cover-three zone. Indiana moved the pocket, QB had to hold it too long but 32 Harrell beat LT with a push and pull for a sack.


PASS DEFENSE


* UM played a lot of man to man vs Indiana’s uptempo offense in the 1Q.

* UM likes to press the short-side receiver. Michigan State has done a better job in the last couple of games of taking the short hitch the free release receiver, if there is one. In these cases, slant routes to the field receiver could be open on first downs for 5-yard gains, or more. If you do it too often, the defense will start squatting on it for shorter gains and bigger hits. But that could open up a slant-and-go, or a crosser-and-go.

Be careful of their stand-up edge players (32 and 25) of threatening to rush but dropping in to short zone coverage to try to defend those slants.

They play more zone and off-man than I remember from Michigan in past years.


NB 0 MIKE SAINRISTIL (5-10, 182, Sr., Everett, Mass.)

* 5.6 three-star recruit ranked No. 2 in Massachusetts.

* Former WR.

* Team-oriented player, energy guy.

- Allowed 28-yard slot out while playing underneath as part of a cover-three zone, to the 1-yard line, vs Iowa in the 3Q.

- Allowed 11 yard slot out in zone in the 4Q vs Iowa. Counter boot. Iowa cleared out the sideline with go route and threw wide of Sainristil.

* I’m not saying he did anything wrong on those plays, but teams have tried to clear the area and throw wide of him a few times in zone.

+ Does a good job with handsy press coverage in the slot the occasion when they ask him to play press.


LCB 22 GEMON GREEN (6-2, 186, Gr., DeSoto, Texas)

* 5.8 four-star recruit, ranked No. 48 in Texas.

* Was bothered by a shoulder injury in the Penn State game.

- Was flagged for pass interference in the 4Q against Penn State. He was in off man-to-man, and was too physical in holding up the WR while the ball was in the air. It’s a call Michigan could be flagged for far more often but they’re getting flagged for it more this than in the past, it seems.

+ Good coverage on double move deep route on first and goal from the 25 vs Indiana. Stayed on him, handsy, INC.


CB 2 Will Johnson (6-2, 194, Fr., Detroit/Grosse Pointe South High)

* 6.1 five-star, ranked No. 5 in the nation.

* Second-stringer has played 159 snaps this year.

+ Indiana tried to test him deep on first play of a drive in the 2Q. He was in press coverage. Johnson with good two-handed jam, turned and ran pretty well. Deep shot INC. Coverage was pretty good. A perfect pass was needed.

* Replaced Gemon Green when Green was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Green looks like he will be find this weekend.


RCB 5 DJ TURNER (6-0, 180, Sr., Suwanee, Ga.)

* Was a 5.7 three-star recruit.

* Quick with break on the ball out of zone coverage.

- Beaten on a skinny post in cover-four in the red zone for what should have been a 20-yard TD but Iowa QB Petras threw inaccurately.

* Very handsy in press to the boundary on 2-1 backshoulder fade vs Indiana in the 1Q. Got away with pass interference.

- Good speed in zone on an out-and-up vs Indiana, good make up speed but called for pass interference on a deep shot as a make-up call from the previous play.

- Beaten deep for 32 yards on stutter-and-go on Indiana’s second possession by Cam Camper, Indiana’s best WR.

- Pass interference in 3Q vs Indiana. 20-yard fade. Turner was pressing to the short side. It was 3 by 1. Three to the field. They pressed the one to the boundary, the shorter throw. Too handsy while the ball was in the air and a flag came.

Turner grabbed him and just flat shoved him with two hands out of bands. Turner threw up his hands like he didn’t know why they would call it a penalty, which makes me wonder if Turner knows the rules.

- Allowed deep 51-yard pass to PSU in the 3Q as the second DB in a stack vs stack. Front guy was pressing. Turner picked up Harrison Wallace, Wallace had a half step on him, perfect throw.


FS 19 ROD MOORE (6-0, 185, Soph., Clayton, Ohio)

* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 25 in Ohio.

+ INT against Indiana as an underneath defender in cover-three zone, Indiana miscommunication between WR and QB.

* No other opinions.



SS 6 RJ MOTEN (6-0, 223, Jr., Delran, NJ)

* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 15 in New Jersey.

* I didn’t realize he was that big until I typed in his weight.

* Had an INT on a deep ball vs Michigan State on the opening drive last year.

* No strong opinions.

- Michigan dropped him very deep on a pair of plays late in the 1Q against Iowa. I think they were cover-six, but had him deep toward the middle. The open space between this deep safety and the linebacker level allowed a deep 26-yarder to the TE over the middle, and they had another one open for 20-plus but terrible QB Petras of Iowa overthrew the target.


DB 7 Makari Paige (6-4, 200, Jr., West Bloomfield)

* 5.8 four star recruit, No. 8 in Michigan.

+ Fit the run with decent physicality vs Iowa in the 2Q.

* Started vs Indiana.


SPECIAL TEAMS

* Jake Moody very good kicker, a big advantage to Michigan in the PK area, on paper.

* AJ Henning, good punt returner. Was third-team All-Big Ten last year as a punt returner, had a 61-yarder against UConn. 28 yard punt return at Indiana

* Punter Brad Robbins, solid

* Mike Morris blocked a field goal against Indiana.


ADD IT ALL UP

Michigan is going to drive. They move the chains. You have to be very good for 60 minutes to prevent or limit the big plays. It’s easy to say big play prevention is a key; it’s hard to go out there and do it. Iowa did it, and was able to play good red zone defense and hang in the game for awhile

Indiana was able to contain the run against Michigan. Michigan might have lacked some fight that day. The fight level will be high for both teams in this game. Michigan has done a lot of talking about how they were the better team last year and they badly want revenge this year. Michigan State, as usual, feels disrespected.

If Michigan has flat moments in this game like they did against Iowa, Indiana and Penn State, this could get tight.

Michigan will drive. From there, Michigan State needs to play quality red zone defense, like last year. Michigan needs to improve its red zone offense and stop settling for field goals.

In order to win this game, Michigan State has a long list of desperate things that need to come through. I think Michigan State is solid in run defense. I think Michigan State is going to stack up reasonably well in run defense in this game, but not if MSU’s offense doesn’t possess the ball and put up some points of its own. That’s how complementary football works.

And even if MSU’s run defense is indeed pretty good, this Michigan team might be able to put up 175-plus rushing yards on any “pretty good” rush defensive.

Statistically, Penn State had a good rush defense prior to the Michigan game. But that was fool’s gold. PSU put up those rush defense numbers against Central Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio U, Purdue and Auburn. Purdue isn’t a rush-oriented team. Auburn gained 171 yards rushing (not counting the 52 yards lost on sacks).

IF Michigan State is indeed good enough to old Michigan under 150 yards rushing like last year, can Michigan State stay in the hunt in pass defense? Well, Michigan State will be better in pass defense in this game than last year (not hard to do), and better than Michigan State was in the other games when Henderson was sidelined. Is that enough to keep Michigan under 275 yards passing?

If so, “holding” Michigan to 425 yards of offense could keep Michigan State in the game, if Michigan State wins the turnover battle, gets some breaks, gets a big play on special teams, Michigan State finds a way to rush for at least 115 yards, which would be its best rushing performance of the season against one of the best rush defenses it has faced, and Payton Thorne does what Michigan State QBs often do when Michigan State wins these games. He’ll have to do it against a strong pass rush. His pass protection will need to be excellent.

That’s a long list. But it’s possible, especially if Michigan lets its guard down a little bit. Just a little bit.

In past years under Dantonio, we always used to see our opponents play a little bit crippled going into the following week’s games. Michigan often did not do well in the following weeks after playing State. This needs to happen today. Michigan plays a tough Illinois squad and of course Ohio State later. In a professional and good sportsmanship like way, they should feel the pain after today, (win or lose). This should be a game to affect the rest of their season.

If you break down three or four plays, it's amazing how quickly the minutes add up.

Rewatching this, I think I talked too fast and didn't take enough time on a few key points.

But basically, I wanted to point out the importance of a defensive lineman standing firm vs a Michigan double-team block compared to what happens when a defensive tackle doesn't stay firm.

I should have mentioned that a good way to gauge how a defensive lineman is doing against a double team is looking to see how close he remains to the blue line of scrimmage line.

We go over four or five plays from the PSU and Indiana games that I found interesting in relation to what Michigan State is going to be facing:

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I always wondered what the difference was between HD and HD with 4K.
Made sure the smart tv (Bravia) had the HDMI ports were enhanced for 4K.
I made sure the HDMI ports were connected by HDMI cables from devices in question (APPL BOX and FIOS BOX).
Made sure the APPL BOX and FIOS BOX were on the latest software levels.
Also, tested internet speed which is excellemt.

In testing 4K programming such as the WS , I am not seeing a differential between HD and HD with 4K
Havent tried with football on Saturday yet, but curious re the experience of others.

BTW is there a way to tell for sure , the program being viewed is using 4K i.e. in real time?
Thanks

This is a good listen with Todd J Duckett and Bill Burke as guests.

This is Sparta

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I AM expecting that we show the F up. No, Tucker's record last year was not a "mirage". No, his upset wins over NW and UM his first year were not flukes. But also, there have been games this year where we didn't look like we knew what we were doing at all. I get it with the injuries and that is legitimate. But also we are coming off a bye and have had several weeks to teach and get healthy. All I want out of tomorrow is for us to SHOW THE F UP and let what happens happen. I want to see SPARTAN DAWGS!

EAST LANSING, Mich. — His words go viral each October, in a clip that’s shared and shared again until it forces its way onto your social media timeline. There is a clear and distinct cadence in his voice — one that makes it easy for those on the winning side to repeat, treasure and rally behind. Others fight like hell to forget, only to be reminded that it did, in fact, happen.

No matter where you stand, Sean McDonough, ESPN broadcaster and the voice behind the “Trouble with the Snap” call, is aware his words have staying power. Even five years later.

“I’ve had people send me pictures of somebody wearing a T-shirt that has the call inscribed on it,” McDonough told The Athletic. “People have sent pictures of something written on the wall of a bar. I’ve run into a couple of Michigan State people who can basically repeat it verbatim. It’s, uh, different. That doesn’t happen all the time, obviously.”

Most remember the 2015 Michigan-Michigan State game as one of the wildest finishes we’ve ever seen in college football. McDonough was in the booth for that game, one that he’d called three or four times prior to that installment. But no other meeting would compare to what he would soon witness.

In terms of preparation and buzz leading up to the broadcast, it was a typical work week for McDonough and his crew. He remembers sitting down with then-Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio a few days before to discuss the matchup, trying to get him to discuss his distaste for Michigan with little success. He knows it was the first meeting between Dantonio and Jim Harbaugh, and that both teams — Michigan (5-1) and Michigan State (6-0) — were well-positioned in the Big Ten standings.

There’s always anticipation, always emotion for this matchup. But it wasn’t his first time calling this rivalry. Nothing was out of the ordinary, even as the first 59 minutes and 50 seconds of the game played out. That is, until those final 10 seconds.

“I remembered that it was a good game up until that point, but I don’t remember a lot about it,” McDonough admitted. “I don’t think that it would’ve been viewed as a classic game. I think it was interesting and competitive, but I think without the ending, it’s not a game that would’ve really been remembered.”

On the final possession of the game, Michigan State, down 23-21 with 10 seconds left, was set to get the ball back. Michigan punter Blake O’Neill took the field with the punt unit. Dantonio didn’t have anyone back to return the punt, instead opting to send the house at O’Neill.

McDonough noticed this. In one of the more underrated moments from the broadcast, McDonough cautioned those listening, just before the unthinkable happened. He noted the stellar night O’Neill had been having prior to that moment, but made sure to warn about the dangers of a miscue. He’s been calling games long enough to know that anything can happen. Even in a situation like that.

“You can never take for granted anything, even something as simple as just catching the snap,” McDonough said. “It could’ve been a bad snap, you know? They could’ve snapped it over his head. They could block it. You always need to be careful in our job not to assume that the likely ending is necessarily going to happen.”

McDonough didn’t assume anything, and it’s a good thing, too. As some fans headed for the exits, the ball was snapped. A clean punt in the moment all but guarantees a victory for Michigan, and a loss for Michigan State. It would have conference implications, and would give Harbaugh a win in his first rivalry game as Michigan’s head coach.

What came next, however, was an absolute stunner.

Whoa, he has trouble with the snap, and the ball is free! It’s picked up by Michigan State’s Jalen Watts-Jackson…and he scores! On the last play of the game! Unbelievable!

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Thirty-two words. A couple of voice cracks along the way. And a lifelong memory created.

In a matter of seconds, Jalen Watts-Jackson, a backup defensive back who saw most of his action on special teams, went from unknown entity to a household name. His touchdown gave Michigan State a 27-23 victory, during a season in which the Spartans would go on to win the Big Ten title and advance to the College Football Playoff. If it weren’t for his efforts, everything accomplished during that season would’ve been off the table, making the game — and the moment — that much more important.


After Watts-Jackson scored, the broadcast crew went silent for more than 30 seconds. Cameras panned over to Chris Baldwin, a Michigan fan who was in the crowd with his jaw dropped in utter disbelief. Next was Harbaugh, hands on his hips, looking up at the scoreboard to get a glimpse of the replay. And finally, shots of the end zone and the dogpile of Michigan State jerseys forming nearby.

The ambient sound of the stadium was more than enough to capture the moment without McDonough needing to say anything else. Not that there was anything else to say. McDonough nailed the call in the moment, which is something you can only hope to do as a broadcaster.

When he thinks about the call, McDonough remains humble. He says it’s not about him. He credits his spotters for recognizing Watts-Jackson and relaying the name to him in real-time. He mentions how the camera crew perfectly captured the moments that followed, and how proud he was to see it all come together.

That’s the thing about being a broadcaster. It’s a team effort, much like the sports they cover. Unlike writers and other media covering the game, McDonough wasn’t able to simply hit backspace on a laptop. He didn’t have time to collect his thoughts during Watts-Jackson’s sprint to glory. He and his team had one shot to create a lasting image, and they did.

“The emotion of the call, the words, everything about it should reflect the moment,” McDonough said. “I’ve done a zillion games in all these different sports and that was still the most startling ending I’ve ever seen, a game like that. So, I’m proud of it. I don’t mind if my voice cracks. Some people like to have fun with it. Personally, I can’t control it, and if I could, I wouldn’t try to. I think that part of it kind of is part of the reason why people remember it. So you know, if we had to do over again, I wouldn’t. It’s one of the things I love most about the job — the spontaneity of it.”


Ultimately, McDonough knows what to expect each October. “Trouble with the snap” will go down as one of the most memorable calls of his career — if not the most memorable. It’s one of the moments where — whether you watched live in the stadium, at home or at a bar, whether you’re a Michigan State fan or just a fan of the sport — you remember where you were when you watched it.

McDonough’s had those own moments in his life. He recognizes it will continue to live on five, 10, 15, 25 years into the future and beyond.

And he’s just happy to have played a small part in it.

“I’m glad that people remember it because it was a great moment,” McDonough said. “I don’t think any of us do this so that you’ll be remembered. (It’s not like) ‘Oh, gosh, I hope there’s a good moment and people replay this and remember me.’ I just feel fortunate to have been there when it happened. That’s what I feel good about.”

There used to be videos that you could use to trick people into watching a trouble with the snap replay a la Rickroll style of trolling.
Id like to send one to my UM grad brother but I can no longer find any. Anyone have a good link?

I wish msu staff held onto William Peagler. I see we offered Florida gators RB commit but seems he is a pretty strong verbal commit to Florida. I thought Peagler was a great recruiter and had a eye for talent as I believe he is the guy that pushed for Kenneth walker to come to msu