Problems against good Dlines

also move Denard out of the pocket and have him thinking run a little bit sooner.

We didn't seem to be a threat to complete passes. If our completion percentage was higher that would have opened things up on the ground.

Some screens would also neutralize the pressure.

Also, we really need to bench Taco Pants. It's time for him to ride the pine.

The only other line that can potentially pose similar problems is OSU's, with Simon and Hankins.  I think we gave up on the run too early today.  After a certain point, the D-line and the blitzers were just pinning their ears back and playing the pass only.  We ran very few Denard power off-tackles today, which was disappointing.  

Block better and get Denard to make quicker (and better) decisions. Borges gave it a shot today trying to get receivers into some of the voids created on plays where they blitzed (which wasn't always the case), but it's pretty tough sledding when he's having to build Denard's progression reading from scratch. Scheme's won't save you when you're getting shredded up front. Review the LSU - Oregon game if you want to see what one of the best offensive minds in the country came up to deal with LSU's talent up front against his relatively experienced QB. We need to let these recruiting classes pile up and get some depth on the line, that's when we'll be able to finally turn the page.  

How about running the ball more than 10 times?

If Borges is creative as we always hear, I didn't see it today

All the sacks came in the second half after we had proven that we were not going to hand the ball off, except on the occasional zone read to Vincent Smith.  When your backs get 6 carries in 11 possessions, the defense is able to tee off on the QB (even the few times we ran it the back was standing right next to the guy they were going after).  When that QB is also a huge rushing threat, the bull's eye gets even bigger. 

As long as it is done with variety (toss, trap, sweep, counter, iso, power, draw, etc.) and you give your best players opportunities (more than two carries for Fitz, let Shaw touch the ball, etc.) it should work out nicely.  At worst it keeps the defense honest and opens things up for Denard (at a minimum it gives him time to breathe).

As far as formations go, I guess the only thing I would do is employ less spread if you aren't going to run a spread offense and try to attack the defense on the edges and stretch them horizontally.  Without that stuff in the gameplan the QB is just a sitting duck and would  be better off having more blockers in front of him.

The gorgeous one made some bad calls, but Denard missed BADLY on a wide open Hemmingway for a TD, and Devin didn't make his progressions to see a wide open Hopkins that probably would've been a TD and instead chucked it to Hemmingway. MSU played well on D, but they weren't in Denard's grill every other play.  He just made some bad throws.

I feel like the QBs continue to miss the receivers that are between the LBs and the DBs. Sure, it would only be a 5-7 yard pickup, but its positive. They spend too much time looking downfield and then they have too much pressure to see the wide open pockets in the defense. It's not their fault. that's on the coaches.

Sam Webb called into the WTKA post game on his way back from the low plains of East Lansing. He noted that State once again was anticipating the snap count and getting slight edges and causing our line fits. Not that much different than what we saw in 08-10. He never felt like we altered our cadence to make them pay and get them to back off. Something we'll have to clean up for the future. 

I liked the motion zone-reads between Devin and Denard.  That was new.

I was suprised we didn't throw any bubbles today and I'm really disappointed that we didn't seem to have our WR prepared for hot routes to counter the blitz..  The UFR should show that Vincent Smith erred horrendously on the pick6.  Both inside linebackers blitzed, leaving a giant chasm over the middle.    Smith should have run a hot slant to the middle for what could have been a big gain.   Instead, he appeared to almost set up to block the DB.  I have no idea what he was doing or thinking.

Argh.

I tried to watch Worthy from time to time and when I did, he seemed to have been blocked effectively.  I didn't "feel" him, to borrow a phrase from Coach Hoke.  In my opinion, the Spartan's DBs add as much to their D's effectiveness against the run as the DL.  They support fast and hard and fit into the rush lanes very well.

The O-line needs to step up and give Denard few moments to make a play.. I mean those sacks were just god-awful.. by the time denard turned around he had some one on him. On multiple occassions the LB and CB got a free lane to denard/gardner while lewan was just standing there like an on-field spectator..

Just the way we are asking defense to not give up on play, and all 11 players to chase the ball, we need the o-line to keep engaged in the play and protect the pocket

yeah.. I guess I am not as sophisticated at football to tell the difference between bad play calling and bad playing. All I am saying is what I saw from the offensive front did not make me happy. that needs to change

I know Brian doesn't like it but rolling Denard out might help things a little bit

When Michigan was dominating the B1G and cmpeting for Rose Bowl berths, we had the kind of O lines you see at Wisconsin now.  The transition away from the lean, smaller, faster lineman that RR wanted here is going to take the some time.  In the mean time I think we are going to see our line get pushed around by the bigger, stronger defenses in the conceference.  OSU has a line like that and Iowa pretty good too.  I'm not sure about Nebraska, but I can see Michigan being the underdog in every game except the Purdue game the rest of season.  Unfortunately, I am nowhere near as optimistic as I was before today. 

The Illinois game will be very telling.  If we don't win that one, 7-5 is a real possibility.  I hate to admit it, but based on the way our lines were dominated today, it's a reality we might have to come to grips with.

If the opposing defensive line is going to keep bringing pressure, then I think quicker reads and quicker throws may be the best thing to work on here, or if we're going to keep our typically dangerous run game as an alternative, whoever has the ball will just have to book it through the first hole they see and get at least a few yards before the secondary finds them. If   we need to get to the end zone on a painfully long series of short passes and runs up the middle, then so be it. 

The only thing we can do sadly is wait for these offensive and defensive line recruits to come in next year. We just don't have the personal up front. It's called reality. I can sit here on my couch and bitch all day on how great I could've called the game, but come on, Borges is pretty limited on what he can do here. Hard to do anything with a defense that has a great d line and can bring all their linebackers with a corner on top of that since we can't throw and they totally don't have to respect it. Trying to find plays for a bad line to block between 6-8 players every play with no threat of a pass, well not even the annexation of Puerto Rico would work.

I'm sure it's been noted elsewhere, but I wonder whether the wind affected the game plan yesterday w/r/t dealing with their D-line.  I could see Borges et al. having a bunch of bubble screens planned but then scrapping or limiting them at the last minute after getting blown half to hell during warmups.  Last minute adjustments could also explain why we flirted with delay penalties for a lot of the day.  

You mean our offense struggles when playing a better defense?  I don't know, maybe we can schedule all cupcakes to fix the problem...move down to division 2.