Michigan State @ Minnesota – What we learned

Another Gopher victory. It feels good, even if it didn’t look pretty at times. All the penalties, miscues, and big plays aside, conference win number 3 is in the books, friends. And for that we should all be happy. Michigan State was not an opponent to take lightly, and the coaching staff made sure the team didn’t. To me, the game we saw last Saturday night was the kind that a Mason-era led team lost in the 4th quarter. It just had that feel, when MSU took the lead in the 3rd quarter.

But this is Coach Brew’s team, and things seem to be a bit different now. Those nightmarish 4th quarter meltdowns seem to be mercifully fading from my memory. And this game was the one where his recruits and JUCOs helped put their signature on the game. Brandon Green, Da’Jon McKnight, Troy Stoudemire, Keanon Cooper, Simoni Lawrence all chipped in big ways. Which is not to say that the holdovers and recruits from the Mason era were not integral – Weber, Tow-Arnett, Bennett, Campbell, Brown, et al all came up huge, but it felt good to catch more glimpses of the future than just MarQueis.

‘Good Web’ finally showed up again! It’s good to see you bud – stick around for awhile if you would. We were all certainly fearful that ‘Bad Web’ would get worse without Decker to bail him out on 3rd and longs, but about halfway through the game Saturday, I remembered that Weber’s performance without Decker was not unlike the one he had in 2007 on the road at Wisconsin (he threw for 3 TDs and hit 5 different receivers on multiple occasions). So really, we’ve seen him play well without Deck before, but his track-record this year had us all forgetting. Weber couldn’t have put up bigger numbers than he did (well, maybe he could have had Stoudemire hauled in that gimme) on a night we needed it most. And even Weber’s lone gaff, an interception over the middle was also a bit of bad luck, as an official inadvertently set a screen on Da’Jon McKnight. But even then Weber correctly threw to the spot where McKnight would have been. Thanks Adam, you’ve got us believing in you again. Oh, and did anybody notice Weber’s accuracy while wearing a glove on his throwing hand? Strangely impressive.

MarQueis got plenty of snaps this game too, particularly on 2nd downs, where the defense guessing pass or run generally becomes most difficult. I really liked this decision by Fisch. I also appreciated the fact that they almost exclusively run the ball every time he was in (generally a shotgun handoff to Whaley or a QB run), as it seemed to keep Michigan State on their toes. Sadly, Gray’s one really sweet scamper up the sideline was called back on a Kunzia hold. And even though Weber looked really good, I hope we keep utilizing Gray frequently, as it really forces other teams to prepare for two QBs.

The O-line played its best game all year in terms of pass blocking, and gave Weber some massive spans of time to find an open Gopher. Hats off to that unit, and to Tim Davis for having them well prepared.

And in spite of the points yielded by the defense, it was a treat to watch them close the game out, and really limit the Spartan rushing attack (with the exception of that end around to Keyshawn Martin). Blair White was held down all game, and that was huge.

So what did we learn this week? Lots of stuff as always. We learned that Weber can still throw the ball like a top-tier Big Ten QB. We learned that setting a conference record of 17 penalties for 157 yards does not mean you will lose. We learned that our corps of receivers can make plays, and can stuff the stat sheet. We learned that Garrett Brown hustles like no other down D-lineman I’ve seen in recent memory (watch him in the 4th quarter going to the sidelines). And finally, we learned that D’uane Bennet has absolutely exceptional balance (opening TD) and timing (Immaculate Reception Part Deux). Good stuff.

Illinois coming to the Bank this weekend, and I don’t think there is any chance that the coaching staff will allow the team to overlook them, particularly following their dominating win over Michigan. Go Gophers!

Saturday Night's Alright (for fighting)-Spartans @ Gophers Preview

Its been awhile since we've played Michigan State, with our last meeting coming in 2006 at Spartan Stadium. The Round Table Road Crew had the good fortune to be at that game, as it was a very enjoyable road win (31-18, Gophers). That Gopher team we watched that cold November day was very different than the one we watch now. Grinnin' Glen Mason was the Head Coach, our offense was a fine-tuned machine lead by the competent Bryan Cupito, and defensive meltdowns were our speciality (vs. Texas Tech in the Insight.com Bowl, anyone?). And under Mason, we've had the recent edge against the Spartans, winning 5 of the last 7 meetings.

Things have changed since then. Our new head coach doesn't squint at the scoreboard constantly to see how Ohio State is faring. The defense is more athletic, and tends to keep us in games now. But our offense is currently, well, terrible for lack of a better word. So can Brewster's Gophs continue our recent success over MSU?

Despite coming off back-to-back beatdowns from ranked Big Ten opponents, I think the answer is a resounding 'yes'. We're coming back home after a brutal 2-week road trip. We've got the prime time Big Ten Network game on Halloween, and the fans should be fired up. State is coming of an emotionally draining last-minute loss to the hated Hawkeyes. And we've got a week to scheme and figure out how to deal with life in the A.D. of the Gopher football timeline (After Decker).

Defensively, I think we can keep the Spartans from rolling up more than 3 TDs on us - provided our offense can get them the rest they need in the second half. Michigan State likes to run the ball, and freshmen Larry Caper and Edwin Baker appear to be decent and improving backs. However, our front 7 seems to handle backs like these two fairly well when not forced to play 40+ minutes of a game. More than the run game though, I'm concerned with the big play potential of senior receiver Blair White. White is now one of the premier wideouts in the Big Ten, and with Decker done for the season, and Arrelious Benn all but disappearing this season, he sits statistically at the top of the heap with Purdue's Keith Smith and IU's Tandon Doss. The two bad blown coverages that led to DeVeir Posey's two long TDs last week against OSU make me nervous. I'll be satisfied if we can limit White to only one big catch all evening. Really though, for the defense to keep things in check, it really comes down to the offense producing more than one first down all game.

Can the offense produce some sustained drives and score some points this week? That's the big question. Adam Weber has looked absolutely dreadful most of this season, and freshman phenom MarQueis Gray is now looking more and more viable as a starting QB with each passing week. Coach Brew announced at his press conference this week that Weber would be the starter, but that they would again use MarQueis again in a similar capacity as they did last week. Well played by Brewster, as this could mean anything, beyond the fact that Weber will at least trot out for the first snap. The key here is that MSU will have to prepare for both QBs who play very differently. Now I do think that Weber will still take the majority of the snaps in this game, but I'm expecting to see Gray running the offense for a series or two during meaningful parts of the game, particularly if 'Bad Web' continues to sling the ball.

Without Decker, if would seem that Weber will be hamstrung when looking for that bailout throw as the pocket is collapsing. It remains to be seen who will step up and start making plays in the receiving corps. Last week during the final offensive drive, MarQueis seemed to find a comfort zone with Troy Stoudemire, so perhaps we'll see that connection continue to develop.

Ideally, O-coordinator Jed Fisch will again attempt to establish the run early and often, and get Kevin Whaley his touches, and build the offensive line's confidence as the game progesses (like we did vs. Purdue). The Spartan front 4 is not as talented as PSU or OSU's, so we shouldn't be quite as mismatched there. Junior linebacker Greg Jones is another story though. Sparty Tom mentioned that he believes that Jones is a legit All-American, and I can't argue. I'm looking forward to see Jones play, as I've only caught glimpses of him this year (vs. Wisconsin and Iowa). He'll absolutely need to be accounted for by the offense every play. And here's an interesting tidbit, Jones was recruited by Glen Mason and was set to become a Gopher (via Mason's Cincinnati pipeline), before the Insight.com Bowl debacle that cost Mason his job. Current Spartan coach Mark Dantonio swooped in during our transition period and nabbed him from us.

So, all that said, I think this game will shake out as a close win for the Gophers. The Gophers absolutely need to win to salvage the season and potentially get to a bowl game, and being at home gives them just enough of an advantage.

Prediction: Minnesota 24, Michigan State 23

Spartan Player of the Game: Greg Jones - 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 FF

Gopher Player of the Game: MarQueis Gray - 140 yards passing, 1 TD; 95 yards rushing, 1 TD

Michigan State at Minnesota Game Preview (the Spartan angle)

Once again, in trying to gain some perspective on our upcoming opponent, I've asked a friend from the wrong side of the tracks to give us their perspective. This week its my friend and MSU alum, 'Sparty Tom' who lends his writing talents to our blog, giving us his take on how he thinks the game will shake out. Here's his take:

It’s been an all too common occurrence this year to be writing for an upcoming game after a very close loss from the previous week. I’m a big believer in the three strike rule…meaning three heartbreaking last-second losses in one season, and I don’t think your kids can get off the mat. Yes, Michigan State rescued their season earlier this year with consecutive victories over Michigan, Illinois, and Northwestern. However, after a stunning last second loss to Iowa, a last minute loss to Notre Dame, and loss to Central Michigan on a last second field goal, this season has essentially turned into a salvage operation for the Sparties. It’s warm weather bowl, or bust.
Now to the game at hand. Minnesota looked impressive earlier in the season by winning the games they were supposed to win, taking Cal down to the wire, and making Wisconsin a very close game. However, with two blowout losses to Penn State and Ohio State (granted they were both on the road), they appear to be on the ropes. The situation got worse as reports have surfaced that Gopher star receiver Eric Decker will miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury. From a Spartan standpoint the greatest concern is that it’s a night game, the fans will be jacked, and there could be a big hangover from the Iowa heartbreak. For Michigan State on offense, Kirk Cousins has entrenched himself as the full time starting quarterback with the highest passer efficiency rating in the Big Ten conference. Freshman running backs Larry Caper and Edwin Baker continue to improve each week, and are due for a breakout performance. On defense, Spartan linebacker Greg Jones is a legitimate All-American; in my opinion, the surest tackler in the Big Ten. If the defense can duplicate the effort from the previous game, Minnesota could be in for a long night. If not, the Gophers can definitely win this one.
Combine the fact that this is a big game for both teams (in terms of eventual bowl eligibility) and it’s a Halloween night game in which the home fans will be nuts, this one is tough to call. The Spartans may have the edge in talent, and at the beginning of the year this game was circled as a win, but I believe the environment and the effects from last week’s stunner will be too much to overcome. Michigan State is wounded, and Minnesota is playing them at just the right time…

Prediction: Minnesota – 24 MSU – 17

Thanks for that take Sparty Tom, good stuff. I have heard about the excellence of LB Greg Jones, but have yet to watch him much this season. I'll be keeping a close eye on him all game, along with Blair White.