MSU had 34 yards of offense in the second half

Submitted by Maizen on

2nd half drive chart:

3 plays 5 yards

3 plays 0 yards

3 plays 8 yards

3 plays -12 yards

4 plays 5 yards

3 plays -6 yards

3 plays 8 yards

8 plays 26 yards

8 punts and no first downs until the very last drive of the game. 

MindlessChaos

October 8th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^

It was 80% MSU's conservative play-calling.  They  play uber cautious with the lead  especially given the circumstances... MSU's OL was starting a true freshman and a RS Freshman. MSU's OL struggled with MAC DLs at times... You are going to be very disappointed if you use MSU One-deminsional running attack with that OL as a gauge of defensive prowess... 

Gameboy

October 8th, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^

We lost because MSU defense outplayed our defense. A great defense does not allow 14 points in first half. They could have easily piled up more if it wasn't for the storm.

It is kinda sad that we are crowing about results aided by weather and MSU's (correct) decision to just play conservatively.

btn

October 8th, 2017 at 8:53 AM ^

0 Turnovers



How many times did they throw during the bad rain? They had a lead and were very conservative. Yes the D did great, but Michigan State just had to not turn the ball over in the 2nd half and that was enough

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^

It's really easy to create turnovers when a quarterback is throwing wildly in the rain. The first MSU touchdown shouldn't have happened, that fumble was really bad and a massive avoidable mistake. Without that mistake we win the game, it's really that simple. It's an absolute shame that our offense wasted an incredible performance by our D.

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^

Counterfactuals are stupid, but the point is that EVERY team would prefer to bunker down in the second half under those circumstances and we couldn't because the early turnover led directly to points. Give us a lead instead of early turnovers and the game likely reverses course. 

MSU did not dominate us in anywhere near the fashion this hand wringing would suggest. Turnovers are the entire story of this game. 

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^

It's really easy to create turnovers when a quarterback is throwing wildly in the rain. The first MSU touchdown shouldn't have happened, that fumble was really bad and a massive avoidable mistake. Without that mistake we win the game, it's really that simple. It's an absolute shame that our offense wasted an incredible performance by our D.

991GT3

October 8th, 2017 at 12:00 PM ^

MSU had 200 yards in the first half and scored 14 points. It would have been more but for a dropped pass near the Michigan 20 with two minutes remaining in the first half. 

MSU wisely protected the lead in the second half with all the rain. They probably could have score more points.

Maizen

October 8th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^

Lets not forget Purdue had 189 yards of offense and 10 points two weeks ago in the first half then had 10 total yards in the second half. Don Brown makes adjustments, that's what he does. MSU was calling the exact same game in the second half as they were the first half. Chalking the success up to weather on defense is a lazy tired narrative that should be reserved for talk radio not this board. 

MindlessChaos

October 8th, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^

 Frankly, just because you are using more mental gymnastics to try to give credit to Brown does not mean that it wasn't actually the weather.  I mean, if you actually watched the game you would see MSU literally was just running the ball up the middle. It does not take a defensive genius to  stop that...  It was MSU's own play-calling takking advantage of having the lead.

MindlessChaos

October 8th, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^

 Frankly, just because you are using more mental gymnastics to try to give credit to Brown does not mean that it wasn't actually the weather.  I mean, if you actually watched the game you would see MSU literally was just running the ball up the middle. It does not take a defensive genius to  stop that...  It was MSU's own play-calling takking advantage of having the lead.

lhglrkwg

October 8th, 2017 at 9:40 AM ^

Mork unfortunately is not dumb and is a good coach. He saw what you and I saw: as long as MSU didn't hand us the game, we were almost no threat to score. They probably had more shenanigans up their sleeves, but it was obvious they were just running the ball and burning clock the entire second half

JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

October 8th, 2017 at 9:01 AM ^

Unfortunately we needed a turnover created. We are never near the ball on fumbles and tipped passes.

Somehow our opponent always was.

robo

October 8th, 2017 at 8:58 AM ^

Yes , in General , Harbaugh was outcouched for the first time at Michigan , and that includes all his assistants , what a shame , by the way , my first post

1blueeye

October 8th, 2017 at 8:59 AM ^

Dantonio learned well under tressel. Live to punt and let your opponent self destruct. This would have been a wise game plan for Michigan to try.

Coldwater

October 8th, 2017 at 9:06 AM ^

State was 3-9 last year and had an embarrassing off season...YET they walk right into an electric BIg House an embarrass The Wolverines. How can you explain that. 2 WEEKS to prepare! This was a shameful performance that the players and coaches will never forget.

Maizen

October 8th, 2017 at 9:18 AM ^

I really hate the fire everybody posts people are prone to after losses but when it comes to the offense I don't see how JH can't replace a number of these guys and start over. Get a coordinator in here who knows what he's doing and go from there. The fundamentals (blocking, ctaching, protecting the ball, etc) of these guys on the O are just terrible.

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 12:27 PM ^

People are idiots, losses to rivals bring out the worst in already stupid people.

Plenty of people were predicting three or four losses before the season. There are no surprises on this team, this is the same team that struggled with Air Force and Cincinnati. I would not count us out of winning all of our remaining easy games and possibly netting an upset somewhere to finish 9-3.

Maizen

October 8th, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^

"There are no surprised on this team."

Uh, the offense being a complete and utter shit show is definitely a surprise. 

Michigan just lost to the most average of all average teams at home off a bye week because they couldn't score more than 14 fucking points.

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^

We returned one offensive lineman and one skill player, who is now out for the season.

If you expected us to be amazing on offense, I think the issue was your expectations more than anything else. Again, people picked us t go 8-4 or 7-5 all offseason. We just convinced ourselves that we'd do better after Florida, them's the breaks. 

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^

"Keep telling yourself that" is the last refuge of someone who has just lost an argument on the internet.

We should definitely fire Jim Harbaugh and go back in time to make sure Mike Hart never calls MSU little brother, because a coach who has won at every place he's ever been definitely suddenly turned to garbage and MSU suddenly started winning because of running back made an ill-advised comment over a decade ago. Those are far more rational reasons for our loss then pointing out that we returned two offense of starters

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^

"Keep telling yourself that" is the last refuge of someone who has just lost an argument on the internet.

We should definitely fire Jim Harbaugh and go back in time to make sure Mike Hart never calls MSU little brother, because a coach who has won at every place he's ever been definitely suddenly turned to garbage and MSU suddenly started winning because of running back made an ill-advised comment over a decade ago. Those are far more rational reasons for our loss then pointing out that we returned two offense of starters

Brodie

October 8th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^

"Keep telling yourself that" is the last refuge of someone who has just lost an argument on the internet.

We should definitely fire Jim Harbaugh and go back in time to make sure Mike Hart never calls MSU little brother, because a coach who has won at every place he's ever been definitely suddenly turned to garbage and MSU suddenly started winning because of running back made an ill-advised comment over a decade ago. Those are far more rational reasons for our loss then pointing out that we returned two offense of starters