Spartans better without Dantonio?
Seeing as Northwestern has just gone up 17-0 over MSU, I was wondering if MSU plays better without Dantonio on the sidelines? With him being in the Tressel coaching tree, it would seem that he would have some conservative playcalling tendencies (fake punt against ND notwithstanding) that may have been shelved by his assistants during the Wisy and Michigan games. Anyone watch enough of those games to weigh in?
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:15 PM ^
I don't think it really matters who is on the sideline - MSU just ran into one of those inspired NW performances, at least in the first half. This is what makes NW so dangerous - at home with some momentum, they have a dynamic offense and a good enough defense to make you pay. Plus, it is pretty clear that MSU is coming down a bit from the Wiscy/UM games, given they were mediocre last week against the Illini and now this week. I really could care less what happens to MSU, though.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:00 PM ^
Illinois plays pretty good defense. They have a few players that if they were on different teams, they would be getting a ton of hype. The offense is inconsistent subject to the freshman QB syndrome.
The Illinois game is definitely not a gimme game for Michigan.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:33 PM ^
Not much to do with Dantonio, but more to do with how great Pat Fitzgerald is
October 25th, 2010 at 12:33 AM ^
Granted, he didn't take over the historically awful Northwestern, but when you consider how Northwestern has to be considered a more consistent program in recent years than Indiana, Purdue, Illinois and Minnesota (and has finished better than us the past two years), and the fact that they can't get the same recruits most schools can, I'd say Fitzgerald might just be the best coach in the Big Ten.
Given Northwestern's small size, apathetic fan base, and his "success", I just don't see Fitzgerald staying his entire career at there. At some point, a top program is going to make an offer he simply cannot refuse.
October 23rd, 2010 at 6:03 PM ^
I like Don "No Eyebrows" Treadwell's play calling. A bit more conservative than what UM runs, but the trick plays seem to be working.
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^
I think Narduzzi has proven to be the better coach... several times
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:24 PM ^
I'm just gonna say it: Michigan State is the worst top 10 team in history.
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:35 PM ^
Even worse than Wisconsin? (AP)
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:36 PM ^
Is Northwestern D-1AA?
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:38 PM ^
No man, it's FCS now!
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:43 PM ^
We'll know a lot this half - if MSU comes back, then maybe it is just their year. If they lose, then maybe that yearly collapse just started a week or two later than everyone expected.
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^
Maybe Pat Fitzgerald is better on the field, today.
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^
The whole world is better without Dantonio
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:40 PM ^
If you can...
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:34 PM ^
He's such a HARD NOSED coach who plays OLD SCHOOL and has DISCIPLINE.
/ end MSM slobberfest
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:58 PM ^
I'm guessing I'm not the only one who noticed the comment that Rucker was suspended "for a DWI" rather than "a DUI which was also a violation of his probation from a recent assault conviction". I believe last week, the commentators referred to Dantonio as, "The King of Discipline". It makes me ill.
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
i've often thought that MSU is better w/o Dantonio. The o-coordinator has been around and seems pretty sharp - I bet old coach D just gets in the way.
However, he does know the way to the county jail, and so is of great help in picking up some guys before practice. </zing!>
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:25 PM ^
Looking forward to the schpartenfreude.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:56 PM ^
I saw what you did there
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:37 PM ^
Where's your balls of steel now Dantonio?!
EDIT: Oh, there they are.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:40 PM ^
Hahaha. Oh... right, there they are. Damn, this is beginning to seem like one of those "team of destiny" type teams.
Come on NU.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:41 PM ^
That's the key. NW is still playing well. If MSU loses this game even with that gift they'll be exposed for the fraud they are.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^
The whistle on the muffed punt or the fake punt they were allowed to convert on?
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:04 PM ^
Or the fumble on the .5 yard line in the first half. That's exactly my point.
EDIT: Or the partially blocked pass being tipped directly to the guy.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:43 PM ^
I guess this will do. Anybody watching the game? It's been pretty good so far; nice call the Sparties had with the fake punt. let's see if the 'Cats can get some points back...
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:45 PM ^
Is nothing special.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^
Kovacs had more tackles than he did, coming into today.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:52 PM ^
When you're the only one in the secondary who want to tackle anyone, you better have more tackles, or else your team wont be winning many games. Greg Jones isn't even the best linebacker on his team. Gordon (save his off day today) does more for them.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:54 PM ^
If he was special, they'd put more effort into finding a helmet that fits him.
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:51 PM ^
Sparty better get on his high horse and take control of this game, the Wildcats are looking tough...
October 23rd, 2010 at 2:56 PM ^
after another botched 3rd down...7:18 left...
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:16 PM ^
Persa has another chance to be a hero after that last terrible drive. Down 8 just over 1:00 to go. EXCITING STUFF!!
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:17 PM ^
The good news: Maybe we can see MSU get torched by Oregon for 1500 yards in a bowl game.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:34 PM ^
Then we can photoshop Michigan helmets on Oregon, eat a tub of vanilla ice cream, and cry and pretend it was us.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:32 PM ^
I've grown to hate them, but you got to respect what they've done. What i want to know is have the Sparties built a program or are they just loaded with jr/sr talent and will take a hit next year...
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:49 PM ^
15 of their 22 starters are in their fourth or fifth year in the program. That's a great luxury to have. That, and Cousins is the best QB they've had in ages (and he was a John L. Smith recruit). The stars have aligned for them. Still, there are only so many times you can escape with special teams trick plays.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:55 PM ^
Not to mention that they have to finally play a big boy schedule next year with OSU and Nebraska...
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:03 PM ^
Tell us who UM drops next year. Go ahead, I'll wait...............
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
Welcome to MGoBlog. The exit is right over there.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
You mean the same PSU team that State drops? C'mon now. State would've been 5-7 last year if they played a varsity schedule, so don't go down that path.
October 23rd, 2010 at 7:13 PM ^
They probably would have been 6-6 still. They dropped OSU (sure loss) and Indiana (near guarentee win), and gained Minnesota (who they lost to) and Illinois (who they beat).
October 23rd, 2010 at 5:14 PM ^
Cousins was actually a Dantonio recruit. Nichol decommitted for Oklahoma before Dantonio was hired, and Dantonio actually ended up taking Cousins along with Nick Foles, who's doing pretty well for himself at Arizona.
October 24th, 2010 at 1:44 PM ^
MSU loses four players on offense and 4 players on defense next year and have experienced players taking all but two of those spots. MSU lost more players last year and look at them now. They are deep and talented and will be challenging for B10 titles for years to come. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Oh, and Cousins was a Dantonio recruit...
October 24th, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^
I count five senior starters for MSU on each side of the ball, and one at punter as well. It's true that you will also be fairly experienced next year, but that's still a lot of guys to replace.
And Cousins was recruited by JLS (though he did sign with Dantonio, because the coaching change occurred during his senior year of HS).
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:47 PM ^
So Sparty is this year's irritating Big Ten Cinderella. Ugh. Usually this kind of team's luck finally runs out late in the season. I think it happens next week at Iowa. But the annoying thing is, today's escape might have been enough to grab a share of the conference title.
October 24th, 2010 at 4:51 AM ^
I kept waiting on them to fall flat on their face and it never happened. My guess is they'll lose the Iowa and PSU games. If JoePa is going for 400, then forget about it. That's senior day. Maybe his last senior day. Almost a guaranteed L. And if they lose 2 games, then it may be a cluster@%$* at the top of the standings. No one seems to remember they shared the title in 1990 with four other teams, including Michigan. So I could deal with them tying for first with Wisky, Iowa and OSU...hell maybe even us.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^
I live in Lansing. The worst part is hearing from the bandwagon Sparties who couldn't even name their starting QB if you asked them. Need the Hawks to win out...