On Saturday, November 5th at 11:00am CST the Michigan State Spartans will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini. Both teams are looking to salvage their season and try to keep their ever so slimming bowl prospects alive. For Michigan State, an ailing Illini team might be just what the doctor ordered. However, this game is more about what Michigan State can do for themselves win or lose, than it is about their opponent. As they currently stand they are a 2-6 team that is 0-5 in Big Ten play. Their worst start to conference play since the 80’s. Michigan State appears to have lost its brand of football. The Spartans have a defense that continues to struggle in communication, maintaining leverage on the football and tackling. They have an offense that struggles to maintain any type of rhythm. Their special teams, is virtually a non-factor which is unheard of for a Mark Dantonio coached team, who has made a living on gutsy special teams play calls.
Down to four games left in a very disappointing season, it is time for the Spartans to worry about themselves and getting back to their brand of football.
Offensive Woes
On offense, the Spartans just lost redshirt freshman quarterback Brian Lewerke to a broken leg. This ended any chance of further evaluating him before spring ball. Tyler O’Connor’s career at Michigan State is coming near completion and unfortunately for him and the Spartan football program, it did not go as anyone had planned. O’Connor should still remain the starter but it might be a good opportunity to give some extended series to Damion Terry to see what all he can bring to the quarterback battle that is sure to ensue in the spring between Terry, Lewerke and current redshirting freshman Mesiah deWeaver, a standout high school recruit, who enrolled early last spring. In this current day of college football, a team has to have elite quarterback play to win big. Sparty has had their string of elite quarterbacks; they need to find their next.
The Spartan brand of football consists of a power running game. They have the pieces, but have not been able to put it all together. The Spartans have had their highest levels of success, when they have a true work horse running back, and not by committee. They like to let one player impose his will on a defense and over the course of a game, those three to four yard runs become five to six yard runs. Michigan State has had a great string of running backs from Le’Veon Bell to Jeremy Langford. LJ Scott appears to be the next in line, but he and Gerald Holmes have been splitting carries for the large part of the season. This weekend against the Illini might be the perfect opportunity to see if Scott can handle taking the lion’s share of carries.
Defensive Mindset
Michigan State’s brand of defense has always been that of an attacking mindset. They love to have big physical corners that can play press man coverage and allow the Spartans to stack the box, to stop the run and force teams to beat them through the air. For whatever reason, the Spartans have not been able to develop that defensive chemistry that they have had in years past. A few cracks showed themselves last year, particularly against Nebraska and Purdue where they struggled to defend the deep ball. This year the cracks have opened up. Michigan State needs to get back to their brand of attacking defense, and use these next four games as an opportunity to finish their season on a high note defensively. This process starts by better communication, leverage on the football and better tackling. These three bad habits that the Spartan defense has picked up this year were on display against Michigan, and Heisman Trophy candidate Jabrill Peppers took full advantage.
There is not a defense out there, that allows this easy of access to the sideline. Yes, Spartan defenders were getting blocked or cut, but that happens in every game, on every play. Michigan State has to force the ball back inside to where the rest of the defense is. In the final four games of the seasons, the Spartans should look to getting their defense back on track, to end on a high note headed towards the winter and spring.
Special Teams Need To Be Special
Special teams have not been an advantage for Michigan State, which is fine. Most teams do not take full advantage of special teams. However, Michigan State has built their program and success of making timely and impactful special teams plays. In their run to the Rose Bowl, the Spartans used a fake point to extend a drive at Iowa. A play that not only had a strategical advantage but swung momentum in the Spartans favor.
This year those special plays have been lacking. As the season winds down, it might not be a bad idea to use a trick play or two to spark a game in the Spartans favor. It also doesn’t hurt to have them out there on tape, to give opposing special teams coordinators something extra to worry about.
Finish Strong
It doesn’t matter if the Spartans win out and qualify for a bowl or win 3 of their next 4 and finish 5-7 and qualify for a bowl because they aren’t enough bowl eligible teams. It doesn’t matter if they win any more games at all this year, what matters is that they get back to playing their brand of football. It is imperative that the Spartans end the season playing their best brand of football regardless of the outcome, to give them a psychological boost headed into the off season.
