Game 8

Previously:

Game 7

Game 6 (couldn't find a torrent)

Game 5

Game 4

Game 3

Game 2

Game 1

 

After the emotional last second win against florida, MSU had a bit of a letdown vs. UAB.  And don't go thinking that UAB was a decent team from a smaller confernce, they were 4-8 vs a bunch of also rans.  They are squarely in the bottom quarter of FBS schools. You could probably equate this to our game against Umass, sorta.

• #61 LG got beat on a rusher crossing his face
• #74 RG is a backup playing because of inuries, got a false start
• #4 safety is having a better game coming up to make the big hit on receivers after they catch short passes against the zone
• UAB plays with 3 WR most of the time, so MSU was in their 4-2-5 or the two outside guys can stand up to make it look like like a 2-4-5
• (UAB's kicker is named Josh Zahn, I wonder if he's related to Steve Zahn, really, how many Zahns could there be in the states?)
• #35 FB, not much of a ball carrier, but I like the way he blocks.  He has good timing and is an excellent lead blocker.
• #27 perkins, listed at 5'10", I doubt he's that tall, doesn't really run through tackles, his legs stop on contact.  Lots of speed, more dangerous on outside runs than inside.
• Berry is out for the season so #19 WR is playing more
• Perkins in the wildcat
• #10 OLB plays a lot as a DB lined up over the slot receiver.
• Seems like you can get outside of the DE's. They're either not very good at maintaining outside leverage or they're coached not to...?  On many passing plays, there is pressure from the outside, so the tackles can just let those guys go upfield. But on other plays, it seems like they're just not that concernerd about outside plays. Maybe they think the relative speed of their linebackers and the corners playing zone will be able to string out sweeps and such. #34 and #50 definitely have above average quicks for LBs and #10 is a bit of a tweener (OLB/SS)
• MSU's line is not looking impressive this game, maybe it's because of the subs playing
• Ballard is dinged up this game, #2 is not very impressive, Perkins is a little hesitant on inside runs. His O line isn't helping much
• RT # 62 looks like he's on rollerskates.
• In the 2 min drill, MSU played soft until UAB got to about the 30, then they started bringing the house.  UAB's kicker is god awful, just like us and Florida, probably a factor.
• Herman edwards was so busy mumbling that he didn't notice that the refs just screwed UAB out of a time out.  But UAB scored a TD on the next play anyway.  Busted coverage, looked like #25 (who has been pretty solid) was either blitzing or thinking run all the way.
• 10-10 at the half
• Relf is not real good at feeling the blitzer.  He doesn't shuffle around in the pocket.
• Mullen is pissed, nice interview, HA!
• As bad as MSU's O-line backups are looking is how good FB #35 is looking.   You could close your eyes and still hear how good his blocks are.
• With Ballard out, the WR are playing a bigger part in the run game, both 3 and 86 have taken part in sweeps, and bumphis has been in on option plays.
• A new wrinkle for this week is bringing bumphis in motion from the far side of the formation and throwing it to him in what turns into a bubble screen, except they're not lined up in trips formation to start.
• When the WR are in the triangle (middle WR is on the line) the inside slot man often runs a flat after the two outside guys clear out.
• (UAB "Blazers" hahahah, how many 420 jokes are told on that campus?)
• UAB hits the tunnel screen for about 20, #7 backup SS does a good job of keeping it out of the endzone.  haven't seen as much of #5 this week.
• MSU is very lackadaziacal on defense this week, more missed tackles than I've seen from them.  Probably just a focus issue.  We'll see how they bounce back in the next couple of weeks.
• 24-23 UAB with 10 minutes to play
• and then UAB kills themselves by popping up the kickoff short and then they get a penalty for ignoring the fair catch and MSU is 5 yards from field goal range.  Folks around here would be gathering the pitchforks if our coaches did that.
• #13 Banks did a good job of squeezing down his zone and stepping in front of a pass to bat it down on a huge 3rd down play.
• #62 just got his lunch handed to him again (hope we see him against us!)
• Perkins gets his best run of the year so far on a counter sweep to the right.for 50 yards
• Gotta love that Mullen calls the exact same play back to back for another 8 yards
• Relf looks to be over his aversion to pitching when running left. 
• And once again MSU makes more FG's in this game (5) than we did all year (4).
• UAB fumbled the Kickoff otherwise they would have had a chance to drive the field for the win. 29-24 is the final.