Consistently Inconsistent
Michigan State and Mark Dantonio are known for their trademark tough defense. They play a traditional Big Ten Conference style of defense. The key to the Spartans success has been in their defense, solid kicking game, and a lack of mistakes to beat themselves. However, seven games into the 2016 season, Michigan State has proven to be the opposite of what they normally pride themselves in. They are struggling mightily on defense, their kicking game is average, and they are making mistakes that are costing them wins. Any coach will tell you that it’s a lot harder to win a game than it is to lose the game. Michigan State has lost the consistency in their style of play that allowed them to make winning plays when they presented themselves in seasons past.
Watching the Spartan’s play is like riding a roller coaster, extreme highs and extreme lows. It seems like a slow build to the highs, and then before you realize it, you are witnessing a low. The Paul Bunyan trophy is on the line this week as the Spartans get ready to take on the Michigan Wolverines. If they want to have any chance at knocking off the team ranked second in the country, they need to fix their consistent inconsistencies.
Three Problems to Solve
One of the most glaring problems for the Michigan State defense is far too many big plays. There are three things that a defense can do that will almost certainly lead to a big play. The first is lose leverage. The second is miss tackles. And the third and final thing is poor or no pre-snap communication. If one of these things occur, you can salvage the play. If two or more of these things occur, there is a better than not chance the play will result in an offensive touchdown. In their loss last weekend against Maryland, we saw all three of these mistakes occur multiple times.
This first clip is an example of poor or no pre-snap communication and lost leverage. As the Maryland receiver DJ Moore is left wide open, Demetrious Cox, the primary defender on Moore, stems pre-snap from inside leverage to outside leverage, indicating that he believes he will have a middle of the field player to help him on inside routes like posts or the seam route, like Moore just ran.
Missed Tackles
Missed tackles continue to plague Michigan State, and they do so at the most inopportune times. Michigan State has normally been a sound tackling team. This year has been a different story. The defenders have often found themselves with bad leverage that has left them reaching or out of position to make the tackle on initial contact. Instead the ball carrier is able to slip the tackle or bull their way forward to turn the three to four yard gains into five and six yard gains. In the second clip here, we see a Spartan Linebacker Chris Frey miss the initial tackle to Maryland Running Back Lorenzo Harrison, who then runs through three defenders for the touchdown.
Confusion
The second play in the clip is the two-point conversation following the touchdown. Maryland aligned in a gadget formation (a trick play formation) and Michigan State was initially confused, which led many to feel that maybe taking a timeout would have been beneficial. This would have allowed the Spartans an opportunity to discuss how to get properly aligned and maybe talk Maryland out of running the play.
On this play, once the Spartans get aligned, they do initially have proper leverage. However, on the snap, the primary defender to set the edge was caught between taking the quarterback or the running back on the option. He chooses the quarterback, to force the pitch and create a more indirect route to the goal line for the ball carrier. However, the inside linebacker gets pinned inside.
Corrections
Going forward if the Spartans want any chance of salvaging their season, they will need to drastically cut down on those three areas that lead to big plays. Michigan State has shown the ability in years past to be a consistent, tough, physical defense. Now the only question is if they can return to that style with so few games remaining?
Only time will tell, and their first test will be a tough one. Jim Harbaugh and Michigan would love nothing more than to avenge their last second loss from last season, and begin to reclaim the state of Michigan. The Spartan’s will need to get back to their roots to keep that from opening, and give this dismal season a much needed boost.
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