Defense against State after rewatching
I was originally, like most of us, highly discouraged from the play of the defense against State on Saturday. However, after rewatching and reviewing the game and watching plays multiple times, I was actually proud of our defense.
The offense put the defense in terrible positions consistently. The defense was often left in poor field position and with little rest at all.
The defense played hard and fast, swarming to the ball, generally stuffing the run, and limiting big plays (although there were a few, obviously) and forcing multiple turnovers. I can't imagine how exhausted they were by overtime.
In my opinion, this was their best performance of the season so far, numbers be damned.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:53 AM ^
I said Saturday the Defense took major steps by playing the way they did, in a very hostile environment, and the Offensive bus still in Ann Arbor with a blown tire. I was only negged a few times, but the majority of people did not agree.
October 6th, 2009 at 5:25 AM ^
The reason people will not agree or neg-bang you is because Rodriguez is still a sacred cow--to criticize the offense in any way is to question the almighty Godriguez.
If you'd have told ANYONE in the WORLD that UM would hold MSU to 20 points in regulation (the first drive included)--they ALL would have flown to Vegas and bet everything they had on UM to win straight up.
The offense laid an egg Saturday. The coaching staff had no answer for MSU's defense for 55 minutes.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:31 AM ^
they only had three possessions in the first half and got two FGs. Yes, one was after a TO and if they would have converted it into six who knows? I'm sure Rodriguez didn't call for all the dropped passes which helped stop drives. I'm also sure that they didn't intend for the O line to do their best impression of a sieve.
Despite all that the team fought back and sent the game into OT. Not bad for an extremely young team with a true freshmen QB in his first road game against a team that puts a major bulls eye on our back every year.
Quite frankly Belch your outlook is rather simplistic since there have been plenty of post questioning the offensive game plan after this game.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:53 AM ^
to that picture!
October 6th, 2009 at 5:28 AM ^
"Watch what you say" ? WTF, is MGoBlog hosted in communist China?
I understand the points thing is to keep trolls out but as long as you post something reasonable people shouldn't neg you to death. I suppose posting something against the mainstream opinion after a painful loss is asking for it, but still, as long as you're not being intentionally antagonistic you shouldn't worry about the points thing.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:34 AM ^
Please read my signature.
October 6th, 2009 at 5:22 AM ^
But still difficult to get over the many third and longs that did not result favorably. And it is hard to get over that first drive by the D - letting MSU stay on the field for over 10 minutes.
October 6th, 2009 at 5:31 AM ^
That left 50 other minutes of football to be played. And let's not forget that we forced a TO on their third play of the game on their 15 yard line--and went backwards four yards to settle for a field goal.
October 6th, 2009 at 7:17 AM ^
other than the first mile long drive. the disturbing part is the play of ezeh and mouton. IMO, those long QB scrambles are on them. on a couple, ezeh was either out run by cousins or was jogging after him. the dline did a good job getting pressure, but someone has to be there to clean up after they flush the qb from the pocket.
kovacs played great. sure, he's not very fast and can't cover well, but he was in the backfield often and significantly improved from the indiana game. steve brown has been very good all year. the ILB's have got to step up.
October 6th, 2009 at 7:48 AM ^
Agree, Ezeh and Mouton were terrible when Cousins left the pocket. Ezeh looked so slow chasing him. The D will not improve much unless these guys can make more of an impact. Kovacs has a nose for the ball.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:52 AM ^
I too agree the D did very well, except the linebackers on contain in long downs.
October 6th, 2009 at 10:03 AM ^
How was the rest of the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
October 6th, 2009 at 9:02 AM ^
I really cant understand why we don't have better pursuit angles from these two by this time of the season. Definately a area to work on.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:16 AM ^
I'm still wondering why after the first time or two GERG didn't leave someone in QB Spy mode on obvious passing downs. I know we didn't prep for a mobile QB but I've got to imagine in practice they put someone in QB Spy mode against The Forcier and DRob. I think that was the most frustrating part - if it happens once or twice, I suppose that's one thing but to have it happen multiple times when it should be something you're used to defending it's frustrating. Outside of that I thought the defense played fairly well and, as most have said, if you would have told me MSU would score 20 in regulation I would have liked my chances.
October 6th, 2009 at 10:10 AM ^
I couldn't agree more with that statement. How many 3rd downs did Cousins convert by running for 10-15 yards? At least 4? He's not Vince Young. I just want to know if GERG made adjustments for it and our ILB's just suck or if he didn't make the adjustments at all. The latter seems highly doubtful, IMO. But who knows, I don't think we ever adjusted to our DB's being 10 yards off their receivers and State just throwing a swing pass out to them for an easy 6 or 7 yard gain. Lots of areas to improve in.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:11 AM ^
when he stoned the MSU run on consecutive snaps. I hope he moves up to LB next year.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:18 AM ^
I don't feel any better about our D. My feeling is that Sparty could have scored more if it needed to (or, more accurately, thought it needed to).
Let the negs begin...
October 8th, 2009 at 2:53 PM ^
for what it's worth, Brian agreed with me after his Defensive UFR