MSU-Ohio State Links and Discussion Thread
Posted by kj on Friday, October 17th, 2008
There’s still time left to take a shot at winning a free copy of College Basketball Prospectus 2008-09 by sharing your best Spartan memories.
Links from enemy territory:
- Eleven Warriors game preview. Says Dantonio is “a 24th level defensive wizard.” Buckeyes have a problem turning red zone trips into TDs. Defensive line is depleted.
- Men of the Scarlet and Gray on the Pryor-Boeckman situation.
- Around the Oval on the OSU offense. 94th in the nation in total yards per game. Thinks Pryor need to be given the chances to make plays more quickly after the snap.
- Buckeye Commentary thinks the problem is serious enough to be contemplating potential offensive coordinator replacements.
- Could we see Todd Boeckman in this game? Is it me, or is this piece of reporting contradictory? “But Tressel clearly is committed to Pryor going it alone, though he said Tuesday he wants to play Boeckman.”
- Did the OSU president block Javon Ringer from becoming a Buckeye?
- OSU stat sheet. Defense only allowing 4.9 yards/pass attempt. Have picked off 10 passes.
The computers like MSU in this one. The FEI forecast says MSU 28 OSU 18. The Sagarin ratings say MSU by half a point. But the guys with money on the line say OSU by 3.5.
Game time is 3:30 on the American Broadcasting Company network.
I’ll be in Detroit over the weekend to run the half-marathon Sunday morning, so I don’t expect I’ll have a game recap up until some time late on Sunday. Anyone know a good bar/restaurant to watch the game at in D-town?
I have no gut feeling on this game. So let’s hear your thoughts. Who are the key players on each side of the ball who need to step up if MSU is to pull this one out?
And Go Green!
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Filed in football discussion, links11 responses so far
11 Responses to “MSU-Ohio State Links and Discussion Thread”
witless chumon 17 Oct 2008 at 6:22 pm 1MSU’s d-line has got to do their job and take up blockers, close holes and disrupt the Buckeye o-line to free up the linebackers to tackle Wells.
Hoyer has got to play at least as well as he did against Northwestern because OSU’s defense is not going to be vulnerable to Ringer smashing into the line 40x vs. eight-man fronts.
Aaron Bates, Todd Boleski, Otis Wiley and Glenn Winston need to give MSU field position edges.
If we’re going to beat Tressel at Tresselball, the Spartans really have to play their best game. Despite who moribund OSU’s offense has looked at time, they’ve still got more talent.
I’m not super optimistic that MSU can pull it off, but I’m hoping.
Rewertson 18 Oct 2008 at 1:45 am 2I think all of the keys witless pointed out are dead on. With the struggles OSU’s O-line has been having, MSU’s D-line needs to start disrupting the backfield early and often to be sure OSU’s hog mollies don’t gain any confidence.
The play-action pass will be there all day because OSU will not be afraid to leave their corners on an island. There is a good reason OSU is not afraid to do this, its a small secret (OSU’s corners, especially Malcolm Jenkins, are very good). Ok, so that wasnt much of a secret, but it is true. Hoyer needs to make smart decisions without putting the ball in places where OSU’s DBs can make a play on it.
As in any “Tresselball” game, special teams will be key. This is the first season in a long time that I am actually excited about special teams. However, the coverage units could do a better job, primarily on kick-offs, as they are averaging close to 30 yards per return.
Earlier in the week I posted a comment about something that worries me in this game. I am still irked by thought Tressel is going to unleash Pryor this week. The frosh has not even thrown the ball 20 times in a game yet. I think that changes this week. Coach D will have MSU’s rejuvenated D ready for anything that comes its way and MSU will win.
With around 5 minutes left in the 4th, score 21-14 MSU, MSU’s D will force a punt. Ringer leads a 55 yard drive, sparked by a 30+ gainer, down to OSU’s 30. Swenson kicks the game clincher for his only field goal of the game with 2 minutes remaining.
MSU 24 – 14. Go Green!
Rewertson 18 Oct 2008 at 1:46 am 3“primarily kick-offs, as they are ALLOWING close to 30 yards per return.”
Eleven Warriors » Michigan State Open Threadon 18 Oct 2008 at 7:01 am 4[...] SW, ES, [...]
Moothekowon 18 Oct 2008 at 6:05 pm 5Ouch.
witless chumon 18 Oct 2008 at 10:02 pm 6[expletive deleted]
Note from KJ: Let’s keep it clean, fellas.
DP99on 19 Oct 2008 at 3:03 am 7[BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
witless chumon 19 Oct 2008 at 2:06 pm 8I didn’t necessarily expect MSU to win, but I didn’t think it’d be like that.
Focusing on Beanie Wells didn’t turn out to be the answer, either. At least we won’t face a QB who’s that big of a threat to run until the PSU game. It seemed like we often had guys in position, but Pryor was just so fast and tough to bring down, he could get past them. So I don’t know as it was a system failure.
Cousins looked sharper throwing the ball than I thought, but the blitz and fumble play showed why he hasn’t moved ahead of Hoyer. Even if Cousins is as good of a passer as he looked yesterday, the more situational awareness parts of QBing look like they aren’t quite there yet. He’ll certainly be a good QB to have around going forward.
DP99on 19 Oct 2008 at 2:35 pm 9Agree on all counts.
Stuff happens. Sometimes you play your worst game for no reason. Just ask OSU vs USC earlier in the year. I actually became a little hopeful after seeing MSU’s last two opponents destroy their opponents this week. But MSU has to keep games close to have a chance against a defense like OSU’s, and once that 1st quarter happened, it was going to be very difficult to come back. Relying solely on run and play action for big pass plays was not going to work against an experienced defense like OSU’s.
Nothing really changes. MSU is still on the inside track for a 9-3 finish, they are just going to have to keep playing hard to get it. Last year this team showed it could get itself together to finish the season after multiple tough losses, so there you go. If they survive the next three weeks, and PSU does a job on OSU, who knows, we’ll light the candle of hope one more time.
Spartans Weblog » Game recap of the short and not-so-sweet varietyon 19 Oct 2008 at 7:56 pm 10[...] comment intelligently on Kirk Cousins’ play in relief of Brian Hoyer. I’ll take Witless Chum’s word for it: Cousins looked sharper throwing the ball than I thought, but the blitz and fumble play [...]
witless chumon 20 Oct 2008 at 7:01 am 11“[expletive deleted]
Note from KJ: Let’s keep it clean, fellas.”
Sorry. It actually reads a lot funnier now that you did this. I could have said anything!