Sparty's Inexperienced O-Line
Sparty’s starting offensive line is as follows:
RT – Luke Campbell, RS FR
RG – David Beedle, JR OR Kevin Jarvis, FR
C – Brian Allen, SR
LG – Tyler Higby, SO
LT – Cole Chewins, SO
David Beedle didn’t play last week, and true freshman Kevin Jarvis had to step in. Regardless, the right side of their line is very young and inexperienced, and only Brian Allen is the returning full time starter from last year. It is going to be really fun to see what they do to try and slow our strong front 4 and our blitzers, including the Rabid Squirrel. Campbell v Gary should be enjoyable – and you can only double team in so many places.
Really looking forward to this one – Screw Sparty, and GO BLUE!!!
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^
I foresee a similar outcome for Lewerke as last year
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^
Are for winners, Lewerke!
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:40 PM ^
lol, little lewerke will have to get sent to Motts
October 4th, 2017 at 12:51 AM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 2:28 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^
front 3 or 4? are we switching back to a 4-3 for this game?
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^
Would assume there is much more 4 man front in this one
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^
assume that. You will need to deal with zone reads and a running QB. I expect a ton of 3 - 3 - 5 sets with a spy for Lewerke.
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^
A ton of 3-3-5 and more 4 man fronts are not mutually exclusive.
October 3rd, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
Furbush/McCray might not hold up real well to a pulling lineman or FB as a standup DE. Brown isn't really married to 3-3-5, in fact he admitted it he wasn't really expecting it to be the base defense as much as it has and only is rolling with it because it's worked well. I think Mone gets a lot more snaps as a space eating nose in this game.
October 3rd, 2017 at 3:44 PM ^
I've only watched casually, but it seems like 75 percent of Sparty's yards come off QB scrambles and draws.
October 3rd, 2017 at 4:09 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 5:10 PM ^
Then maybe it can be the game that Gary beats bush by a second instead of the other way around.
October 3rd, 2017 at 6:33 PM ^
he's gotten beat by a half second to at least 4 sacks, and all the rest he either gets half a sack or nothing. Not a bad problem to have?
October 4th, 2017 at 12:19 AM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:41 PM ^
I don't think so... I think the 3-3-5 is here to stay, except if Furbush needs a break or there's an obvious run up the middle (4th & 1). Furbush is big enough to handle Scott, and is invaluable in getting the Dread Pirate into the backfield cleanly. I don't think Don Brown will change his scheme for anyone.
I'm probably wrong, but that's what I think!
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^
I didn't say it wasn't. I expect to see more 40 front than we have in any game so far this year, because State will throw out more jumbo looks. I still expect us to run the 3-3-5 as well.
My expectation is that Mone reaches his highest snap count this year.
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
Fortunately, our offensive line doesn't have to go up against their offensive line (or our defensive line, for that matter). I'll take our offensive like versus their defensive line over their offensive line versus our defensive line any day of the week. They're gonna die. We will probably struggle, but what's going to happen to Sparty's offensive line is going to be borderline criminal.
October 3rd, 2017 at 1:11 PM ^
-#93. He's a tough defender
-blitzes for days. Purdue quandrupled their season total for Sacks & TFLs. Pur-fucking-due
-cheap shots, chop blocks, late hits
There's also our little problem of Running Backs blocking like withering daisies.
October 3rd, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 5:00 PM ^
practice against our defense. They have put in harder work during practice than they will see in the game.
Good Blue -- FYS!
October 3rd, 2017 at 6:41 PM ^
thus far.
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
What makes you think that? Their 2.2 YPC against Iowa?
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
2.2 Yards Per Casualty?
October 3rd, 2017 at 2:36 PM ^
Much less than that, I'm afraid. Pickett's Charge covered about 1,290 yards (http://www.gdg.org/Gettysburg%20Magazine/measure.html) but Confederate casualties (including wounded) were 6,555. Thus, Pickett did not even manage 0.2 YPC. If "casualties" is defined as deaths only, it was a slightly more respectable 1.15 YPC.
October 3rd, 2017 at 3:20 PM ^
for the quick research and maths
October 3rd, 2017 at 3:43 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 3:43 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:49 PM ^
Damnit
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
Ours hasn't been good but don't say that like theirs has been anythig but terrible. Lewerke is in trouble.
October 3rd, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 1:11 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 1:46 PM ^
The average S&P rank of the defenses they have faced is 55.25, average rank of defenses we have faced is 67. So yes. Air Force is dragging down that average, or Florida is holding it up, depending on your POV. State has faced 2 top 20 defenses in Notre Dame (18) and Iowa (19), scoring 18 and 17 in those games, respectively. We will be the best defense they face by 16 spots in S&P rankings, and our D is giving up a TD less per game than their O is averaging against top 20 D's. If we get to 20 points we win.
October 3rd, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
per S+P+ defensive ranks in parenthesis with yards gained by the offenses:
UM MSU
Florida (14th) - 433 yards ND (18th) - 496 yards
Cinci (66th) - 414 yards Iowa (19th) - 300 yds
Purdue (74th) - 423 yards WMU (63rd) - 457 yds
AFA (114th) - 359 yards BGSU (121st) - 469 yds
This actually looks pretty close at first glance, especially if you account for all the yardage Sparty accumulated in mop up time against ND and that the AFA game had a low number of drives. MSU has played tougher defenses, overall, basically to the extent that Iowa is better than Purdue, but they struggled against Iowa, especially in the second half and we dominated Purdue in the second half (as we should have).
Overall S+P+ ranks our offense 39th and Sparty 76th (!!). Interestingly, I don't think the 2016 ranks are pulling those down and up respectively, since we were 41st last year in Offense and they were 66th, meaning the formula likes our offense slightly better this year and it likes their offense even worse than last year.
Couple things we can say:
1) Our offense with Speight wasn't great but was still comparable to or better than MSUs. JOK could be a lot better than that or worse. Very wide range of possibilities.
2) Our defense will be a lot better than theirs at the Big House.
October 3rd, 2017 at 4:44 PM ^
Can you divide by the number of offense plays? That would be interesting.
October 3rd, 2017 at 7:12 PM ^
UM MSU
Florida (14th) - 5.8 ypp ND (18th) - 5.8 ypp
Cinci (66th) - 6.3 ypp Iowa (19th) - 4.4 ypp
Purdue (74th) - 5.6 ypp WMU (63rd) - 6.5 ypp
AFA (114th) - 5.5 ypp BGSU (121st) - 5.7 ypp
Story remains the same. Nearly identical per play production against the comparable teams on the schedule with them doing worse against Iowa than we did against Purdue by probably about as much as one would expect if the offenses were of similar quality.
And I'm not sure how much that ND number was inflated by garbage time plays, but obviously, our Florida number wasn't at all inflated by garbage time (which didn't exist in that game).
October 4th, 2017 at 10:06 AM ^
Thanks!
I think Iowa holding them to 4.4 ypp is a good sign for us. That number is not inflated by big plays however (longest rush 15 yards, longest pass 31 yards). Interesting that MSU did not score a TD through the last 3 quarters of the game.
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
If LJ is getting 100 yards its going to be because of screens.
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 1:29 PM ^
FWIW, I agree with all of that. I think our fanbase is way too confident this year. Our offense has been a hot mess the past three games, and wasn't too impressive vs Florida either. I'm concerned.
October 3rd, 2017 at 3:18 PM ^
If the offense plays anywhere close to what it did in the second half against Purdue, UM should win comfortably. However, until I see the offense execute like that on a more consistent basis I have a lot of hesitation thinking UM is going to easily beat too many teams left on their schedule.
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:45 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
Based on what?
October 3rd, 2017 at 12:51 PM ^
October 3rd, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^