A Final Look Back at the MSU vs. CMU Game

There is no doubt that all the games on the schedule count one. After last year’s UM win, Mark Dantonio echoed those words, first made famous in the Spartan

There is no doubt that all the games on the schedule count one. After last year’s UM win, Mark Dantonio echoed those words, first made famous in the Spartan Nation by George Perles, to anyone who would listen.

 

After Saturday we can all breathe a sigh of relief that it is true. When the season started I said that this was an 8-4 or 10-2 depending on how some groups stepped up. I said that I would split the difference and go 9-3. I still stand by that. Coming into the season I saw Ill, Wiscy, and PSU as losses. If the Spartans were to pick up one of those or grab an upset of PSU, wouldn’t Saturday’s loss still hurt, but be much more palatable?

 

Sadly, my job of watching the film was much more a job since Saturday. I have seen the game multiple times, spoken to players and coaches, and here are some thoughts. After this we move on to Notre Dame; I promise. I usually point out players or certain plays, but to be frank the game was so bad, I will simply address each of the three parts of the game.

 

On Offense…

 

The Spartan offense scored 27 points. In a four-quarter game that is more than ample to win a game. You can’t fault them for that. However, there were some glaring issues that they could have corrected and should have to push that number higher.

 

Not allowing their QB to audible out of situations in which called plays are certain failures is unacceptable. It sends a message to your players, the fans, and the media that you don’t trust them to make the right one. I know, for a fact, that they do trust them so take off the brakes and let them win. 

 

Nick Saban said, after he had been at LSU for two seasons, that he had learned not to play so conservatively. This staff has had to be conservative to survive. The fans complained, but there is no doubt that they wouldn’t have had the success they did in the first two seasons by not playing that way. Teams know that now. Montana State and CMU both loaded the box expecting the Spartans to try to impose their will. They didn’t. They have to adjust their game plan.

 

Jim Tressel is well known for scouting himself, having his DC look at the play of the offense and his OC looking at his defense. He always tries to chart his tendencies. Coach Dantonio has learned from him. The MSU offense (started last year) continually has their best success on the left, but run far more to the right. Saturday was so frustrating because they continued to run right when their best runs came from the left. They have to look at this tendency and fix it.

 

The Spartans have a very large playbook. Only a minimal amount was used on Saturday. I have been asked many times if they were “saving” it for ND. Well, if they were, they just lost to a MAC team. I understand about saving the playbook. I agree with it, but when what you are running isn’t working you have to open it up. The CMU defense had no answer for the TE attack. 

I know for a fact that the Chips coming into the game were incredibly fearful that if they had to blitz and load the box the Spartans would kill them with the TEs.

CMU was SHOCKED that MSU didn’t try to attack with bubble screens and the TEs when they loaded up. So was I. The Spartan offense has been shown for two years. People know everything that they have done in those two years. You have to make adjustments.

 

One member of the CMU football family told me after the game, “I can’t believe that they didn’t use their TEs. No option, no screens?” It wasn’t Coach Jones, but the Chips walked away from Spartan Stadium thankful for the help the Spartans gave them for the win.

 

Lastly, CMU was surprised that the limited times the Spartans attacked downfield they had success and didn’t “stretch” the field more often. Not always receptions, some were dropped and some overthrown, but they were always there. The Chips’ shock was that the Spartans didn’t keep going back at it. Again, it didn’t work so they moved away from it. You can’t draw back your attack when it doesn’t work. It was there; they needed to stick to it more than they did.

 

The unit scored 27 points, had over 300 yards of offense, and no turnovers. It isn’t the players’ fault they couldn’t audible or the playbook didn’t get opened. 

 

Special Teams…

 

Aaron Bates is the best punter in the Big Ten. Not even room for debate. Sadly, when it doesn’t get downed this team has to stop them. Bates can’t kick it and make the tackle. The punt coverage team was not good.

 

Brett Swenson is the best place kicker in the Big Ten. There is nothing else to say, he makes his kicks.

 

Kickoffs are struggling. Swenson and Conroy have to figure out how to get it into the end zone or get a better hang time to keep teams pinned back. If they can’t and IF Muma can, they have to look at burning a red shirt. It is early and that is a far too important part of the game to ignore while you try to red shirt a kicker. IF Muma can, and Swenson and Conroy don’t, fix it.

 

The Special teams had a bad day to be nice. Swenson, as a place kicker, and Bates are what we said they were, the best in the Big Eleven.

 

Defense…

 

When you watch the film, on multiple occasions, you saw the right scheme called. Narduzzi can’t make plays. With that said, the Spartans backed off of the blitz and were dazed with the Chips hurry up. The Chip squad was shocked that the Spartans backed off the blitz and saw that as one of their keys to winning. This was one of the worst performances of the team and the coaches since the new staff arrived. The Chips didn’t do anything new or special against MSU. Everything they did the Spartan staff had all summer to watch and plan for. By the defensive staff being taken back, that is on them.

 

There is no shame to struggling against a good offense like the Chips, MAC or not. There is something wrong with being caught off guard and not recovering, as well as a failure to adapt and make the necessary adjustments.

 

We saw missed tackles and poor technique the entire game. This unit needs a kick in the rear. I expected this performance in year one, not three. This is a team that is still rebuilding so I don’t expect perfection. This is a team in year three of that rebuilding and I didn’t expect this. Coach Narduzzi isn’t a good coach; he is a great coach. He will fix this. I am glad he leads the Spartans D and I trust him. This was his and his unit’s worst performance in 28. He deserves the benefit of the doubt and I give it to him.

 

You saw the power of the audible when Dan Lefevour did that almost every play and even Coach D addressed that when he did. The Spartans didn’t “check out” of what they had called. The Spartan defensive performance, from the coaches on down, was a failure on Saturday.

 

I have never seen a coach, a businessman, or any human who is perfect. Although John Smoltz was my wife’s fourth grade boyfriend at St. Gerard’s and I am always reminded of how, “Johnny was such a great guy,” and I am told he was and is perfect. These coaches had a bad game. They will recover. It is unfair for the imperfect to demand it. If it becomes the rule as it did under the previous two MSU coaches, then we have a problem. It isn’t and hasn’t. Relax folks.

 

This was a bad game. I fully expect the team to be ready for Notre Dame. The Spartans can beat the Irish. I will wait until later in the week to see how the Spartans are dealing with it to make a prediction.

 

A bad game doesn’t destroy a program or ruin it. The fans have every right, as the coaches and players do, to be down. They will show the Spartan Nation a lot this weekend. Again, I am not predicting a win or not yet, I am saying that we WILL NOT see a repeat of last Saturday this Saturday. I can assure you of that.

 

The Fans…

 

I have not hid the fact that I am close to Butch Jones. I am proud to be his friend. I can tell you that he was shaken by the boos that reigned down on his team after the game on Saturday as his team went to the center of the field to gather, hold hands, and offer a prayer. The Chips do it after every game win or lose.

 

Butch approached me after the game when Mark Dantonio was still in the locker room and asked me to tell Mark that it was a prayer and that it was in no way disrespectful. I passed it on to Coach D and Butch actually talked to him about it later. I was disappointed in a student section that is among the nation’s best. 

 

There are a lot of things about this game that can be said. We could have filled pages with critique and criticism. It is best to just call this an exception and not the rule. If the Spartans don’t recover then I think the meltdowns among the fan base are germane. This team will be ready. This team will fight.

 

I personally find the meltdowns of the fans offensive. These are not the same old Spartans. Anyone who says it hasn’t been watching this team for the previous 27 games to this one. This stunk.  It was bad. 

 

A reason for hope?

 

As I stood on the field after the game, I felt the same sick feeling I had in 2003. Louisiana Tech had come to MSU and the team had performed as bad as they did Saturday. So what is the reason for hope? They then went down to South Bend and won. 

 

Divine Intervention…

 

I have always tried at Spartan Nation to tell the story behind the story. Butch Jones’ tremendous win on Saturday had a magical moment, and I want share with you a personal moment he and I shared as he hugged me on the field afterwards. I got a lot of email ripping me for my friend and I hugging on the field after the game. I don’t care, but here is why.

 

As Jones walked off the field, he came over to me and gave me a hug as tears poured down his cheeks.  He showed me something in his hand. I have shared with the members of Spartan Nation that a few weeks ago his father passed. Butch and his father were very close. Butch’s players had taken from his office his father’s final hospital wristband that he had removed after his father passed. 

 

Butch shared with me that as they lined up for the onside kick, the players held the wristband up and declared this one was for his dad. Butch’s raw emotion that he displayed with me, as a friend and not a member of the media, was more for the gratitude of his players somehow allowing him to share that moment with his deceased father.  His kids genuine act of love and respect meant more to him than the win. The next time people talk about how bad today's kids are, remind them that some are, but most are truly very special.

 

Butch Jones is a class act. He and Mark Dantonio run completely opposite schemes but are nearly identical in character and integrity that define both men. I am proud to be both of their friends. I certainly didn’t want a CMU win, but if one had to come, it couldn’t have been to a higher class of person than Butch Jones. Hats off to you Butch.

 

Hyde the women and Children…

 

In the 3rd quarter with 2:20 to go, the Chips had a 2nd and 10 and Marcus Hyde got a 15-yard penalty for a helmet-to-helmet hit on the play. I was watching the game on my binoculars and as soon as the hit came I said to those sitting next to me in the press box that it was a penalty. Mark Dantonio disagreed with me, but it was. It was helmet-to-helmet. With all that is being done to protect players and all the warnings about leading with your helmet, it was a dumb play on a player already down, but lying on top of your guy. Good call.

 

The one man more down than the Spartan Nation?

 

So you think the Spartan Nation is down? How about billionaire T. Boone Pickens? He gives hundreds of millions of dollars to Oklahoma State, and they are rated in the top five of the country and take a loss to the Houston Cougars! Ouch!