Recruiting Snapshot: Michigan State

Hubbard (OH) Hubbard running back Larry Scott (#3)

2015 Team Ranking: #22. Michigan State signed five 4-stars and sixteen 3-stars.

Cream of 2015 Crop: Far and away, Michigan State's top signee was Hubbard (OH) Hubbard running back Larry Scott (see below). The 6'2", 228 lb. bruiser was a 4-star, the #6 running back, and #59 overall. I was also high on Detroit (MI) King offensive guard/defensive tackle Kyonta Stallworth, the #9 offensive guard and #185 overall player in the class.

2016 Team Ranking: #9. With a recent flurry of commitments, Michigan State has two 4-stars and ten 3-stars verbally pledged. This ranking may jump a little bit in early June, when two highly touted defensive ends (Indiana's Auston Robertson and Illinois' Josh King) plan to announce their decisions.

Cream of 2016 Crop: The Spartans' top two commits are both wide receivers. Cleveland (OH) Benedictine's Justin Layne is #149 overall, and Sicklerville (NJ) Timber Creek's Cameron Chambers is #183. Michigan State also earned a pledge from former Michigan verbal commit Messiah DeWeaver from Huber Heights (OH) Wayne. All five of the 2016 players mentioned here held Michigan offers.

Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Jake Ryan

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Gardner running the ball. Gardner is the best runner on the team. Better than Devin Funchess, better than Justice Hayes, better than De'Veon Smith, better than Dennis Norfleet, better than a healthy Derrick Green. Gardner sprained his ankle against Penn State, so I guess I understand if the coaches were trying to protect him against Michigan State. Regardless, this team can't pass the ball consistently, and there's very little running game. Gardner ran the ball 4 times for -18 yards (including 2 sacks). He has to be a part of the rushing attack if Michigan wants to find success.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . A.J. Williams. He's not a good blocker, he's too slow to be any kind of running threat, and he doesn't have good hands. If Michigan can't put a better tight end out there - if Keith Heitzman really can't do it, if the coaches are set on redshirting Ian Bunting - then they should just spread defenses out more and hope the running backs or Gardner can find creases. Williams is a liability.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Raymon Taylor at safety. I think the time has come to make an adjustment in the defensive secondary. I do not believe this will actually happen, but Michigan needs better safety play. Jeremy Clark is a liability, and Delano Hill isn't ready to play safety at this level. Hill got completely lost in man coverage when he allowed MSU wide receiver Tony Lippett a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and Hill got trucked by quarterback Connor Cook. The Wolverines need more consistent play at safety, and Clark/Hill aren't going to give it to them this year.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Delano Hill. I have never been a fan of Hill, and he has yet to make a play that seems to warrant his playing time. He did luck into a fumble recovery after Jarrod Wilson forced the ball out and it bounced into Hill's hands, but that's not enough.

Play of the game . . . so few options. I'll go with Chris Wormley's 8-yard sack on Connor Cook. It was Wormley's only entry on the stat sheet, but it was a somewhat impressive bull rush right through the Michigan State offensive guard, pushing him back into Cook.

MVP of the game . . . Jake Ryan. He had 12 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. That's the best I can come up with. Nobody stood out. The quarterback was bad, the offensive line was bad, the wide receivers dropped all kinds of balls, the defensive line got pushed around, and the secondary couldn't tackle.

Michigan State 35, Michigan 11

Devin Gardner (image via MLive)

Farewell, Brady Hoke. The last four games of the season can be considered Hoke's farewell tour. I had maintained that he could save his job by winning out or perhaps going 5-1 in the second half of the year, but this was the final nail in the coffin. Whatever happens from game nine onward doesn't matter. Michigan played uninspired football yet again, they looked disorganized, and they looked poorly coached. The guys on the opposite side were the opposite. Class of 2015 tight end commit Chris Clark might as well decommit now, because there's no point in pretending that Hoke has a shot at returning next year.

Coaching tip #1: Stop punting. If you're down by 25 points in the fourth quarter and you have a 4th-and-3, it doesn't really matter where you are on the field. You don't punt. Brady Hoke punts, though.

Coaching tip #2: Recover the onside kick. After scoring a touchdown to narrow the score to 28-11, Michigan elected to onside kick. Matt Wile kicked a pretty decent onside attempt, but Michigan's players barely seemed aware of where the ball was going. Their heads were down and looking at the Spartans' return team. Granted, you usually have guys designated to take out the returners and guys designated to get the ball, but everyone needs to be aware of the ball's location. Nobody was even close to challenging MSU wide receiver Tony Lippett for the ball.

Coaching tip #3: Stop calling so many timeouts. The number of timeouts Michigan wastes because of disorganization is mind-boggling. They wasted two early timeouts in the second half yesterday, which meant they only had one remaining late in the game when MSU was running down the clock. It really isn't that difficult to get the right people on the field and get them lined up properly. If you have so many problems with it, then you're either not coaching it properly or you're making personnel changes/formations/play calls too complicated.

Let your play do the talking. For some stupid reason, Michigan junior linebacker Joe Bolden stabbed a stake into the "S" in the middle of the field before the game. Much like Rich Rodriguez's homage to Josh Groban, it was a completely tone-deaf move by Bolden. Michigan is in the middle of a stretch of being dominated by the Spartans. They don't need to be incited further. When I was watching the game, it seemed like Bolden was the target of quite a bit of extra pushing, shoving, extracurricular activity, etc. in the pile. Once this news came out after the game, it didn't surprise me. And you know what? I don't blame the Spartans. Good for them. They were defending their own turf, and they were letting Bolden know that he was a moron for that move. Even going back to Mike Hart's "little brother" comments after the 2007 game, I hate it when players and coaches think their words are more important than their actions on the field.

Mark Dantonio is a pompous tool. He and Bret Bielema are the two coaches I hate most in college football. Dantonio commented going into halftime that running back Josh Langford "had to score twice" and "It doesn't get better than that" after the original touchdown run was ruled down at the half-yard line. Just play the game and don't be a smart-ass, especially when you're wrong.

Spartan fans are special. After MSU backup linebacker Chris Frey was ejected for targeting Amara Darboh on a punt return, Frey proceeded to get a standing ovation on his way to the tunnel. Only in East Lansing does one get a standing ovation for nearly decapitating an opposing player.

The wide receivers are ew. For a few years, I thought wide receivers coach Jeff Hecklinski had the best track record of player performance. He was a guy who developed Junior Hemingway into a clutch receiver, Jeremy Gallon into a record-setter, and several other guys in an upward direction. Then 2014 came along. Michigan dropped at least five catchable passes in this game, including 3 by #1 jersey wearer Devin Funchess and redshirt sophomore Amara Darboh. Funchess lacks concentration, drops too many passes, and doesn't seem to have broken a single tackle since the Appalachian State game. Meanwhile, Darboh runs crappy routes on a weekly basis and gets zero separation. No offensive position group is playing well, so I can't blame everything on the receivers, but Devin Gardner is getting no help.

Speaking of Devin Gardner, can anyone say "Notre Dame 2013"? The guy looked as clueless as he did 1.5 years ago. His mechanics are consistently screwed up, like they were on the R.J. Williamson pick-six that he floated in the middle of the field. And he consistently makes terrible decisions, like the shovel pass to no one that was intercepted by linebacker Taiwain Jones. Unfortunately, Gardner is the best quarterback on Michigan's roster. He finished the game 13/28 for 121 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He also carried the ball 4 times for -18 yards.

Why Shane Morris for one snap? Late in the game, Gardner was yanked for one play. Hoke said in the post-game press conference that the coaches were going to make a change, but then they thought better of it because Gardner is a senior. Morris threw one incomplete corner route before being pulled. That just shows once again that the coaches are clueless and indecisive. You have an MSU possession to decide who your quarterback is going to be on the next drive, you decide on the backup, and in the 25 seconds it takes for him to run a play, you change your mind.

Preview: Michigan at Michigan State

Rush Offense vs. Michigan State Rush Defense
Michigan is in the middle of the pack in rushing. They rank #66 in yards per game (164) and #46 in yards/carry (4.67). Starting running back Derrick Green is out for the season, so default starter De'Veon Smith stepped in last week and carried the ball 12 times for 24 yards against a very good Penn State front. Overall, he averages 5.2 yards/carry but will cede some time to third down back Justice Hayes (4.7 yards/carry). Michigan State is #10 in rush defense, allowing just 102 yards/game, and they are #36 in giving up 3.46 yards/carry. Fifth year senior safety Kurtis Drummond (6'1", 202 lbs.) leads the team with 33 tackles, 29 of them solo. Redshirt junior strong safety R.J. Williamson (5'10", 200 lbs.) is second with 30 tackles, but freshman Montae Nicholson (6'2", 209 lbs.) has stepped up lately and has 21 solo tackles. Senior linebacker Taiwain Jones (6'3", 232 lbs.), redshirt junior Ed Davis (6'3", 220 lbs.), and senior end Marcus Rush (6'2", 250 lbs.) are also up near the team lead in tackles. Jones, Davis, and redshirt junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun (6'4", 240 lbs.) all share the team lead with 7.5 tackles for loss each, while Rush has 6.0 himself. Average size for the starting defenders is fairly light for ends (245 lbs.), tackles (278 lbs.), linebackers (222 lbs.), and corners (178 lbs.); the safeties all hover around 200 lbs., which is pretty normal. However, they are aggressive and know how to tackle.
Advantage: Michigan State

Pass Offense vs. Michigan State Pass Defense
Michigan is #110 in passer efficiency rating and overall passing yardage with 176 yards/game. Quarterback Devin Gardner is completing 63% of his passes, but he has thrown 6 interceptions and 8 picks this year. The offensive line has been questionable (tied for #83 in sacks allowed), and his receivers have been unable to gain separation. The most accomplished target is Devin Funchess (36 catches, 461 yards, 4 touchdowns), but he has been limited by an ankle injury and double coverage. The other guys all have limitations worse than a bum ankle. On the Spartans' side, Davis (6 sacks) and Calhoun (5 sacks) are Michigan State's top pass rushers, but there are roughly five guys who pose a big threat to get to the quarterback. The defensive line gets penetration, and the linebackers make quick reads and blitz often. The Spartans are #5 in sacks with 26 altogether. As a team, they allow 192 yards/game (#19 nationally) and are #21 in passer efficiency rating defense. Drummond and redshirt junior corner Trae Waynes (6'1", 175 lbs.) lead the team with 2 interceptions apiece while the team is tied for #32 with 8 picks overall; both players were pre-season all-conference picks. This will not go well for Michigan.
Advantage: Michigan State

Rush Defense vs. Michigan State Rush Offense
The Michigan Wolverines are actually #4 nationally and give up just 94 yards/game on the ground, with a 5th-best 2.73 yards/carry allowed. Linebackers Jake Ryan (56) and Joe Bolden (51) lead the team in tackles, while Ryan (9.0) and defensive end Frank Clark (8.5) each have a respectable number of tackles for loss. The Wolverines do a good job of keeping things contained and swarming to the ball. The Spartans run for 261 yards/game (#15 overall) and average 5.45 yards/carry (#21 overall), and they're second overall in rushing touchdowns with 25 total. Senior starter Jeremy Langford (6'1", 208 lbs.) has 664 yards and 7 touchdowns on 5.3 yards/carry, and senior backup Nick Hill (5'8", 196 lbs.) has 475 and 6. Even third-stringer Delton Williams, a sophomore, has gotten into the domination act with 7.2 yards/carry and 5 touchdowns. The tackles for MSU are over 300 lbs., but the interior guys average 289 lbs. None comes with a lot of accolades, but they get the job done. When teams are on such opposite ends of the spectrum statistically, it seems like they never meet in the middle - either Michigan State will run all over Michigan, or Michigan will completely shut down MSU's run game. Due to the recent history of this series, I have to imagine that the Wolverines will be on their heels.
Advantage: Michigan State

Pass Defense vs. Michigan State Pass Offense
Michigan gives up 207 yards/game, which is good enough for #36 nationally. However, they're #70 in passer efficiency rating defense, which underscores their inability to create turnovers or make plays on the ball. Sophomore Jourdan Lewis has 2 interceptions, but he and defensive tackle Willie Henry are the only players to record picks this year. The Wolverines are tied for 111th in interceptions. They do have 18 sacks, which is tied for #33, but no one player shows a consistent ability to get to the quarterback. The most dynamic pass rusher is Clark (2.5 sacks), but Brennen Beyer leads the team with 4. Short and intermediate routes have been a problem for the defense. Michigan State is #42 nationally with 265 passing yards/game, and they are #8 in passer efficiency rating. Redshirt junior Connor Cook (6'4", 215 lbs.) completes 61% of his passes and has thrown 16 touchdowns, compared with just 5 picks. Fifth year senior Tony Lippett (6'3", 192 lbs.) leads the team by a wide margin with 39 catches for 786 yards (20.2 yards/catch) and 8 touchdowns. The next best numbers on the team are 15, 244, and 4, which all belong to redshirt sophomore tight end Josiah Price (6'4", 238 lbs.). Otherwise, the receivers have been pretty pedestrian. Cook has benefited from excellent protection, as the Spartans have allowed just 4 sacks all season, which is tied for #1 overall.
Advantage: Michigan State

Roster Notes

• Players offered by Michigan include WR Aaron Burbridge, LB Ed Davis, S Kurtis Drummond, OT Dennis Finley, LB Mylan Hicks, LB Shane Jones, WR Monty Madaris, DE Malik McDowell, S Montae Nicholson, LB Jon Reschke, DE Marcus Rush, and DT Lawrence Thomas
• TE Dylan Chmura is the son of former Green Bay Packers tight end Mark Chmura

Last Time They Played . . .

• Michigan State won by a score of 29-6 in 2013
• Michigan scored 2 field goals in the first half
• The Wolverines had -48 yards rushing, including 7 sacks of Devin Gardner
• Jeremy Langford ran 26 times for 120 yards and 1 touchdown

Predictions

• Michigan gains more than -48 yards on the ground
• Devin Gardner gets knocked out of the game due to injury
• Connor Cook gets a maddening amount of time to throw the ball
• Michigan State 32, Michigan 14

Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Drew Dileo. Dileo is/was recovering from an injury, which is why he didn't play much on Saturday, but I think he makes Michigan's offense very difficult to defend. With Jeremy Gallon and Devin Funchess on the outside, a healthy Dileo working the middle is a tough third option. Most teams have a quick and/or fast slot receiver to use, but Michigan's slot option at this point is the lumbering Jeremy Jackson. Hopefully Dileo can come back fully healthy for the remainder of the year.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Jackson. I really don't care who enters the game in his place, but Jackson needs to have his feet glued to the sideline. I sincerely have not seen a slower, less athletic wide receiver get significant playing time for Michigan in my entire life. He can't get separation and can't jump, and he's not a good enough blocker to justify putting him on the field. Whether it's Dennis Norfleet, Joe Reynolds, or Da'Mario Jones, somebody should be taking Jackson's snaps.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Blake Countess at left cornerback. I keep seeing teams pick on Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling on the outside, and I can't help but think that maybe Countess would be best used on the outside. Stribling is a good sized, fairly physical kid, and Dymonte Thomas has been practicing at nickel corner; one of those two guys might be worth a look instead of putting Stribling/Lewis out there, both of whom have been beaten regularly.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . the freshman corners. For the reasons stated above. I think they'll both be good down the road, but they're not right now.

Play of the game . . . Devin Gardner's 58-yard pass to Jehu Chesson. There really aren't many options for play of the game, but this was a solid one, regardless. Gardner launched a deep ball down the left hash, and the youngster Chesson - who has had a hard time adjusting to balls in the air - leaped up to grab it in double coverage. Not only was it Michigan's longest play of the day, but it showed that Michigan might have another developing deep threat for other teams to respect. Michigan currently has three guys who can get vertical - Chesson, Gallon, and Funchess - and even with Gallon graduating after this year, there could be more guys to stretch the field with Da'Mario Jones, Drake Harris, Freddy Canteen, and/or Maurice Ways potentially earning time.

MVP of the game . . . Frank Clark. In what was essentially a blowout loss with very little scoring, it's tough to pick a real MVP. The most productive guy on offense was Jehu Chesson (3 catches, 82 yards), and usual stalwarts Devin Gardner (14/27 passing, 210 yards, 1 pick; 18 carries for -46 yards), Jeremy Gallon (5 catches, 67 yards), and Devin Funchess (6 catches, 65 yards) were mostly held in check. Clark, though, had a career-high 9 tackles, a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1 quarterback hurry. Michigan State had a very difficult time handling him up front.

Michigan State 29, Michigan 6

This picture could have been taken about 18 times on Saturday night (image via MLive)

This is what it used to feel like to be Michigan State. I have to admit I was not excited about this game at all. Especially once I saw the weather, I had a bad feeling that the Spartans' defense would dominate Michigan up front because, well, everyone except Indiana does these days. The fact is that Michigan hasn't scored a touchdown against MSU since 2011, and when Michigan had the ball, I was mostly hoping that it wouldn't result in a pick six or a decapitation of Devin Gardner. Michigan's best hope was to hold the Spartans to a low-scoring game and hopefully create a big play on defense or special teams. The Wolverines aren't good enough to dink and dunk their way down the field against MSU, and it showed. The most productive drive of the day was a fourth quarter drive that resulted in a failed back-shoulder fade to Jeremy Gallon that was intercepted by Darqueze Dennard.

The offensive line is terrible. In my opinion, this is the position coach on the hot seat this year. Youth or not, I have not seen improvement from Michael Schofield or the current interior guys, and last year's senior guard-center-guard combo also seemed to regress. Darrrell Funk seems to be the current staff's Jay Hopson. I've heard people talk about how much Funk knows about the offensive line, but what offensive line coach at this level doesn't? Production has been lacking, and that's what really matters. Michigan allowed 7 sacks for -49 yards, and the team had just 44 positive yards on the ground.

Devin Gardner was battered and bruised. Gardner wasn't really on his game the whole night. Michigan State's blitzes and Michigan's porous offensive line had something to do with it, but before the hits even had a chance to take a toll, Gardner was already off. I felt like Gardner wasn't loose and relaxed for this game, because he was hesitating on some of his throws and running tentatively, even at the beginning. He looked like a quarterback who let the other team's reputation get into his head, not to mention the 7 times he was sacked for -49 yards.

The offensive play calling. I've seen a lot of negative comments about Al Borges, which always happens after a loss or a close game. I'm not a Borges apologist, but I don't want to sell him down the river, either. I have yet to see any realistic suggestions for ways to improve the offensive philosophy at this point. The center can't snap, whether it's under center or from shotgun; there's been at least one botched snap every game, and this week's was an airmailed shotgun snap that cost Michigan 20 yards. The offensive line can't blow people off the ball, and they also can't pass protect. Borges called rollout passes and screens, which didn't work. The throwback screen to Jeremy Gallon got them a decent gain, and a bubble screen to Devin Funchess gained 5 yards, but throwing more bubble screens wouldn't make up the difference in a 23-point loss. Borges has tried power, iso, zone, long-developing pass routes, short routes, screens, quarterback draws, read options, etc. I will agree that a bubble screen here or there would help Michigan a little bit, but the bottom line is that bad offensive line play will submarine just about any offense.

What is it about Michigan State's defensive coaching that makes them so good? I really have half a mind to go to an MSU coaching clinic this offseason. That is, if Pat Narduzzi hasn't accepted a head coaching job by then. I see a lot of these MSU-bound kids coming out of high school with unimpressive physiques, skills, measurables, etc., yet they tackle like crazy, don't get themselves out of position, and blitz like madmen. I wonder how their practices, game planning, lifting, etc. differ from Michigan's. You can't tell me that their kids are just flat-out better athletes at every position. It's obviously a different mentality (attacking vs. conservative), but the Spartans manage to stay fundamentally sound, too. I've seen too much poor tackling by Raymon Taylor, too much poor coverage by Channing Stribling/Jourdan Lewis/Jarrod Wilson, too much lost leverage by Michigan's edge guys, etc. It's not that Michigan has a bad defense, but it's obviously lacking that little extra something that gives MSU its nasty edge.

Michigan choked. I think the Wolverines are typically a pretty resilient team. They always seemed to be a "second half team" under Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr, and they've held tough under Brady Hoke in most games. However, there's a long list of players who did not play well in this game and made unforced errors - Devin Gardner, Graham Glasgow, Taylor Lewan, Michael Schofield, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Derrick Green, Jake Ryan, Desmond Morgan, Jourdan Lewis, Cam Gordon, Raymon Taylor, Matt Wile. Hell, true freshman quarterback Shane Morris even got into the act by getting tripped up by the turf monster on Michigan's final drive.

What does this mean for the rest of this year? Well, this is the best defense Michigan will play all year, so at least that's out of the way. No other team is going to hold Michigan to single digits unless Gardner gets injured. Each of the next three games is winnable - though challenging - but I'm chalking up Ohio State as a loss already unless something happens to Braxton Miller and  Kenny Guyton in the meantime. It appears 9-3 is a best case scenario at this point.

Preview: Michigan at Michigan State

Rush Offense vs. Michigan State Rush Defense
Michigan running back Fitzgerald Toussaint had a breakout game two weeks ago against Indiana, but that was Indiana. Even now, Michigan averages just 4.15 yards/carry and Toussaint himself averages just 3.71. The Wolverines installed two new offensive guard starters last game, redshirt freshman Erik Magnuson and true freshman Kyle Bosch (the latter of whom technically did not start, replacing the injured Joey Burzynski). Michigan State leads the nation in rushing defense and allows just 55 yards/game and 2.07 yards/carry. The defensive tackles are large with seniors Micajah Reynolds (6'5", 307 lbs.) and Tyler Hoover (6'7", 290 lbs.), and the defensive ends are fairly light but very aggressive in the form of junior Marcus Rush (6'2", 245 lbs.) and sophomore Shilique Calhoun (6'4", 250 lbs.). Calhoun and senior linebacker Denicos Allen (5'11", 218 lbs.) are tied for the team lead with 8 tackles for loss each, and SAM linebacker Max Bullough (6'3", 230 lbs.) has 6.5 TFL's himself. Michigan is really going to struggle. They'll have to make hay on draws, quarterback scrambles, and shotgun runs where they spread the field, because running from under center will be out of the question.
Advantage: Michigan State

Pass Offense vs. Michigan State Pass Defense
Michigan is #42 in the country with 262.6 yards/game through the air, and quarterback Devin Gardner's ball security has improved since halftime of the Penn State game. He's completed 61% of his passes for 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions so far. Wideout Jeremy Gallon is coming off a 369-yard performance against Indiana and now has 45 receptions for 831 yards and 7 touchdowns this year, good enough to be the #7 receiver throughout the country; wide receiver/tight end Devin Funchess is #73 with 70.3 yards/game. Michigan State has allowed just 160.6 yards/game through the air. Senior cornerback Darqueze Dennard (5'11", 197 lbs.) and senior free safety Isaiah Lewis (5'11", 208 lbs.)  each have 2 interceptions, and strong safety Kurtis Drummond has 1. Calhoun leads the team with 4 sacks, and three other guys in the front seven have 3 or 3.5 each. The Spartans are #36 at sacking the quarterback, and Michigan is #39 at allowing sacks. It may seem like that's a pretty fair matchup, but the youth on Michigan's interior might make the stunts and inside blitzes problematic for the Wolverines.
Advantage: Michigan State

Rush Defense vs. Michigan State Rush Offense
Michigan is #7 in the country, giving up just under 100 yards/game. Inside linebackers James Ross III and Desmond Morgan lead the team with 50 and 47 tackles, respectively. Defensive end Frank Clark leads with 6 tackles for loss and the Wolverines are tied for #101 overall with 38 TFL's. Despite not being particularly beefy on the interior, the last time Michigan lined up against a smashmouth running game, Penn State got just 85 yards on 44 carries. Michigan State is #37 in the nation at rushing with 196.5 yards/game. Junior running back Jeremy Langford (6'0", 206 lbs.) has 655 rushing yards, averages 4.7 yards/carry, and has scored 9 touchdowns. Junior backup Nick Hill (5'8", 198 lbs.) averages 5.3 yards/carry, and sturdy sophomore quarterback Connor Cook (6'4", 215 lbs.) can run a little bit, too. Michigan State's offensive line averages 6'4" and 299 lbs., and they are all fourth- or fifth-year players except redshirt freshman left tackle Jack Conklin (6'6", 326 lbs.). The Spartans will try to establish the run, but it should be tough sledding against a stout rush defense.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Defense vs. Michigan State Pass Offense
The Wolverines are #99 in the country because they give up 255.4 yards/game through the air, a somewhat abysmal number considering Michigan's opponents; Indiana put up a ton of yards through the air, and Penn State's freshman quarterback had a fair amount of success, too. Clark leads the #49 team in sacks with 5, but the pass rush has not been consistent from any other player or position. Meanwhile, the Wolverines are doing fairly well in the interceptions category (#16 overall), and Blake Countess has 4 himself. Cook has taken the starting QB job for the Spartans and has completed 60% of his passes for 12 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The receiving corps leaves a little something to be desired. The top five receivers have between 12 and 25 receptions, and none averages more than 13.9 yards/catch. Sophomore Macgarrett Kings (5'10", 196 lbs.) leads with 25 catches for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Spartans have allowed just 6 sacks this year, placing them #6 in the country in that category.
Advantage: Michigan State

Roster Notes

• Players with offers from Michigan include WR Aaron Burbridge, LB Ed Davis, S Kurtis Drummond, OT Dennis Finley, CB Mylan Hicks, DT Tyler Hoover, LB Shane Jones, WR Monty Madaris, LB Jon Reschke, DE Marcus Rush, and DT Lawrence Thomas.
• LS Taybor Pepper was once committed to Michigan as a preferred walk-on but was given a scholarship by the Spartans.
• TE Dylan Chmura is the son of former Green Bay Packers TE Mark Chmura.

Visitors

• Brian Allen - C - Hinsdale (IL) Central (Michigan State)
• Dontre Boyd - CB - Detroit (MI) King
• Miles Boykin - TE - New Lenox (IL) Providence Catholic
• Ben Bredeson - OG - Hartland (WI) Arrowhead
• Daniel Cage - DT - Cincinnati (OH) Winton Woods
• Martinez Calloway - QB - Detroit (MI) King
• Brian Cole - WR/CB - Saginaw (MI) Heritage
• Will Dawkins - S - Vero Beach (FL) Vero Beach
• Chase Gianacakos - OT - St. Charles (IL) North (Michigan State)
• Kyle Gibson - CB - Seffner (FL) Armwood (Vanderbilt)
• Kadeem Goulbourne - WR - Fort Lauderdale (FL) Cypress Bay
• T.J. Harrell - S - Tampa (FL) Catholic
• Justin Hilliard - LB - Cincinnati (OH) Xavier
• Chris James - RB - Niles (IL) Notre Dame
• Jake Johnson - QB - DeWitt (MI) DeWitt
• Jesse Johnson - S - Detroit (MI) King
• Jamil Kamara - WR - Virginia Beach (VA) Bishop Sullivan
• John Kelly - RB/S - Oak Park (MI) Oak Park
• Austin Mack - WR - Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers
• Jalen Martin - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park
• Malik McDowell - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield
• David Moorman - OT - Northville (MI) Northville
• Montae Nicholson - S - Monroeville (PA) Gateway
• Gerald Owens - FB - Westville (NJ) West Deptford
• JayJay Pinkney - WR - Sylvania (OH) Southview
• Eric Rogers - LB - Warren (MI) De La Salle
• Tyson Smith - CB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's
• Kyonta Stallworth - OG - St. Clair Shores (MI) South Lake
• Omari Stringer - S - Crete (IL) Monee
• Tyriq Thompson - LB - Detroit (MI) King
• Ethan Tucky - LB - Delaware (OH) Hayes
• Michael Weber - RB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
• Jauan Wesley - WR - Harvey (IL) Thornton (Iowa State)
• Noah Wezensky - QB - Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers
• Khari Willis - RB - Jackson (MI) Lumen Christi

Predictions

• Michigan gets destroyed consistently up front, resulting in Fitzgerald Toussaint averaging less than 1 yard per carry.
• The Wolverines toy with using Jeremy Gallon in the slot to get him the ball.
• Devin Gardner throws a pick six to an MSU linebacker.
• Michigan State 20, Michigan 17

Last Time They Played . . . 

• Michigan won by a score of 12-10
• Brendan Gibbons and Matt Wile combined to score all 12 of Michigan's points on 4/4 kicking
• Denard Robinson ran 20 times for 96 yards, and Drew Dileo caught 4 passes for 92 yards
• Jake Ryan made 10 tackles, 1 sack, and forced a fumble

USA Today college football countdown: #27 Michigan State

Paul Myerberg looks at those pesky Michigan State Spartans.

Video: The Journey - Michigan vs. Michigan State

Highlights: Michigan 12, Michigan State 10

Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Drew Dileo

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Drew Dileo.  He's not a big-play threat in the sense that he'll run a long way after the catch or break open deep, but he's a very clutch receiver who just finds ways to get open.  And when the ball gets thrown to him, he catches it.  Knock on wood.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Jackson.  Denard Robinson targeted Jackson deep a couple times, and it was uneventful.  Jackson is a slow possession receiver.  If you want to run someone deep, send Gardner, Roundtree, or Gallon.  Heck, even Amara Darboh runs better than Jackson, though the former is just a freshman.  Jackson isn't even that great of a blocker, so I'm not sure why he's seeing so much time.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Raymon Taylor.  I'm not Taylor's biggest fan, but I'm starting to get concerned about the cornerback depth once again.  With starter Blake Countess out for the season and his replacement Taylor knocked out of the game on Sunday, Michigan was nearing the bottom of the barrel.  The only scholarship corners left are sophomore Delonte Hollowell and freshman Terry Richardson, both of whom are tiny and inexperienced.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . nobody.  The defense is playing very well.

Play of the game . . . in a tight game like this, there were lots of key plays.  One was Thomas Gordon raking the ball out of the tight end's hands on the goal line.  Another was Robinson's late throw to Dileo to set up the field goal.  But I have to give this one to Brendan Gibbons for hitting the 38-yard, game-winning field goal.

MVP of the game . . . Drew Dileo.  Yeah, somebody had to throw the passes, but Michigan's receivers were struggling to get open and struggling to hold onto the ball.  But Dileo didn't really have those issues.  He was also the holder on all four field goals.

Michigan 12, Michigan State 10

Drew Dileo (image via AnnArbor.com)

Well, that was terrifying.  That was way too much of a heart attack game for my liking.  I mean, I still liked the end result and everything, but that game was frustrating.  Neither team could do anything consistently on offense, and I'm not convinced that it's because both defenses are great.  Both defenses are very good, but the offenses are just so-so.

That being said, yay!  Good golly, I hate Mark Dantonio.  I hate William Gholston, too, but Dantonio is the biggest tool of a coach in the Big Ten, even more so than Bret Bielema.  It would have felt great to see Dantonio lose, even if Michigan wasn't the opponent.  It just makes the win that much sweeter that seniors Denard Robinson, Elliott Mealer, Patrick Omameh, Jordan Kovacs, Craig Roh, etc. succeed in their last chance to beat the Spartans.  Congratulations to those guys.

Thank you, Drew Dileo.  Wide receiver Drew Dileo played a great game.  He's never going to be the fastest player in the field, and he certainly isn't the biggest.  But he's the type of do-it-all player and possession receiver that finds all kinds of ways to win a football game.  He came up huge in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech, and he had another standout performance on Saturday with 4 catches for 92 yards . . . and as the holder on all four of Michigan's scoring plays.

Brendan Gibbons and Matt Wile were great.  I was extremely impressed with the solid kicking from these two guys.  Gibbons was 3/3 kicking, including the 38-yard game-winner.  Wile was 1/1 in his first career chance to kick a field goal, and that one was a long attempt from 48 yards.  Obviously, each of the four kicks was huge.

Jeremy Jackson is slow.  At a couple points in the game, I couldn't help harking back to the days when wide receiver Jeremy Jackson was recruited.  I said then that he didn't have the athleticism to be an impact player at Michigan, and I still question why he's on the field so much.  Denard Robinson targeted him a couple times deep, and while the throws could have been more accurate, Jackson looked like he was running in quicksand.  If the play call is for someone to go deep, then Jackson should be replaced by someone with a little giddyup.

The defense was pretty darn good.  There wasn't much of a pass rush, and the coverage on the outside was mediocre.  But the Wolverines only allowed 68 yards to Le'Veon Bell (on 26 carries) and 86 total rushing yards to the offense (punter Mike Sadler ran 26 yards on a fake punt, which I won't pin on the defense).  Desmond Morgan (11 tackles) is playing very well, and Jake Ryan (10 tackles, 1 sack) was all over the place once again, and Bell's longest run was 8 yards.

Cornerbacks are a concern.  J.T. Floyd made a couple nice plays on short passes and supporting the run, which is an improvement for him; however, he was beaten deep a couple times by receivers who were unable to hook up with MSU quarterback Andrew Maxwell.  Meanwhile, Raymon Taylor left with an elbow injury, leaving the opposite side to slot corner Courtney Avery.  I'm hoping that Taylor can return soon, because the Wolverines are running out of healthy corners.  The only other guys left on the roster are backup slot corner Delonte Hollowell and tiny freshman Terry Richardson.

Michigan has 900 wins.  That's more wins than any other football program in the history of the whole wide universe.  By comparison, Michigan State has 643 all-time victories.  The Wolverines are now 68-32-5 against the Spartans.

Preview: Michigan vs. Michigan State

Rush Offense vs. MSU Rush Defense
Michigan is #17 in rushing offense with 233 yards/game.  As you probably could have guess, Denard Robinson leads the team in rushing; he gets 134 yards/game himself and is the nation's fourth-best rusher.  Running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (46 yards/game) is feeling a push from backup Thomas Rawls, who has gained 174 yards and score 2 touchdowns on just 25 carries, albeit mostly in mop-up duty.  Meanwhile, the Spartans are #8 in the country against the run and give up just 91 yards/game.  There's a bit of turmoil on their defense, though, because starting linebacker and captain Chris Norman was benched last week in favor of Taiwan Jones, and Kurtis Drummond was promoted to the starting role at safety, because of underperformance on their parts.  Linebacker Max Bullough leads the team with 58 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.  Defensive ends Marcus Rush and William Gholston are both somewhat disruptive forces at defensive end, but the defensive tackles are mediocre.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Offense vs. MSU Pass Defense
The Spartans have the #12 pass efficiency defense and the #17 pass defense, giving up just over 178 yards/game.  Clearly, this is not because teams are having so much success in the running game that they don't have to pass.  The Spartans are legitimately good.  In the last couple games, Michigan has really committed to its running game and essentially given up on hoping that Denard Robinson's passing can win games for them.  The Wolverines will use play action passes and get guys like Jeremy Gallon and Devin Funchess open that way.  The Spartans have a couple solid corners, and their front seven will get some pressure if Michigan is forced into obvious passing situations, so Michigan will have to stay on schedule by running the ball.  No MSU player has more than one interception, but Johnny Adams is considered by some to be the conference's best corner.
Advantage: Michigan State

Rush Defense vs. MSU Rush Offense
The Wolverines are #55 in rush defense and give up 148 yards/game, but a huge chunk of those yards were piled up by Alabama and Air Force in the first couple weeks.  In the last three games, Michigan has given up 94, 56, and 105 yards on the ground.  The linebackers are rounding into form, and nose tackle Quinton Washington has started to assert himself as a bit of a space eater up the middle.  The Spartans are surprisingly 84th in the nation running the ball as a team; they get 144 yards/game, but workhorse tailback Le'veon Bell gets 130 of those each week.  Michigan State's offensive line has been battered and wasn't great to begin with, and that's beginning to show.  Bell will gain some yards because he breaks tackles, but this likely won't be one of his better rushing days.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Defense vs. MSU Pass Offense
The Spartans have thrown for 236 yards/game so far this season, but leading receiver Dion Sims might miss the game due to injury; he averages 4 receptions and 52 yards/game.  Keith Mumphery and Aaron Burbridge have both stepped up in recent weeks, and those are a couple guys who can run after the catch.  Michigan's performance last week against Illinois jumped them all the way up to #3 nationally in passing yards allowed per game (139), but the Wolverines are #95 in sacks and don't have great cover guys on the outside; however, they put pressure on quarterbacks by slanting linemen and sending guys from the back seven.  Quarterbacks can get rid of the ball, but they're often in a hurry to do so.
Advantage: Michigan

Roster Notes

• Michigan recruited WR De'Anthony Arnett, WR Aaron Burbridge, RB Larry Caper, LB Ed Davis, S Kurtis Drummond, DE William Gholston, DT Tyler Hoover, WR Monty Madaris, LB Chris Norman, DE Marcus Rush, TE Dion Sims, and DE Lawrence Thomas.
• LS Taybor Pepper was once committed to Michigan as a preferred walk-on, but then signed with MSU after they offered a him a scholarship.

Predictions

• Michigan plays their most emotional game of the year.
• Denard Robinson reverses his trend of playing poorly against Michigan State, but still throws a pick.
• Aaron Burbridge burns Michigan once or twice for big plays.
• Le'veon Bell has a forgettable game.
• Michigan 24, Michigan State 17

A Look Back . . . 

• Here's a look at last season's awards.
• A game recap from last year's 28-14 loss.

Pre-Snap Read: #7 Michigan State

Boo.  I hate these guys.

The 2012 In-State Recruiting Battle

Mario Ojemudia is Michigan's top prospect, according to
the Detroit News

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has claimed in recent years that he cares more about in-state recruiting than Michigan, and that might have been true in the years when Rich Rodriguez was the head man at Michigan.  But the arrival of Brady Hoke might have swayed the favor in-state toward Ann Arbor.  Let's take a look at the top recruits in the state of Michigan, based on the Detroit News' blue-chip list:

1. Mario Ojemudia - DE - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'3", 225 lb. end - who also played a lot of defensive tackle - had 104 tackles and 14 sacks.  He considered Michigan State early, but committed to Michigan on May 7, 2011, and stuck with Michigan to the end.

2. Terry Richardson - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 5'9", 160 lb. cornerback made 5 interceptions during his senior season.  He was a little later in committing than his in-state friends James Ross and Royce Jenkins-Stone, but he hopped on board on May 19, 2011.  He entertained taking visits to other schools, but mostly he was considering heading to SEC country rather than East Lansing.  However, Michigan's coaches told him that if he visited elsewhere, they wouldn't necessarily reserve a spot for him in the recruiting class.  He did not visit elsewhere and signed with Michigan.

3. James Ross - LB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'0", 210 lb. linebacker made 173 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks as a senior.  He had committed to Michigan back on May 2, 2011, and remained committed throughout the process.

4. Royce Jenkins-Stone - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'2", 215 lb. middle linebacker made 115 unassisted tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 2 interceptions as a senior.  He had committed to Michigan on April 16, 2011, and remained committed until National Signing Day.

5. Aaron Burbridge - WR - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'2", 185 lb. wideout reportedly wanted to commit to Michigan along with teammates Ojemudia and Devin Funchess, but he didn't have the grades to get into Michigan(that sentiment was confirmed by Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson).  He committed to Michigan State on July 28, 2011, and signed with the Spartans on National Signing Day.

6. Matt Godin - DE - Novi (MI) Catholic Central
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'6", 270 lb. defensive end/tackle made 70 tackles and 9 sacks as a senior.  He committed to Michigan on May 12, 2011, and signed with Michigan.

7. Devin Funchess - TE - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'4", 215 lb. tight end committed to Michigan on April 22, 2011, and signed with Michigan in February.

8. Danny O'Brien - DT - Flint (MI) Powers Catholic
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'2", 293 lb. defensive tackle considered both in-state schools heavily, but committed to Tennessee on October 6, 2011, and signed with the Volunteers in February.

9. Ron Thompson - TE - Southfield (MI) Southfield
Offered by: Michigan only
The 6'4", 230 lb. tight end made 57 receptions for 729 yards and 9 touchdowns as a senior.  He was offered by Michigan early in the process but the Wolverines reportedly backed off due to some classroom issues.  He committed to Syracuse on November 7, 2011, and signed with the Orangemen in February.

10. Ben Braden - OT - Rockford (MI) Rockford
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 6'7", 320 lb. offensive tackle committed to Michigan on March 24, 2011.  He signed with the Wolverines in February.

11. Evan Winston - DE - Muskegon (MI) Muskegon
Offered by: Neither in-state school
The 6'4", 255 lb. defensive end committed to Missouri on July 23, 2011, and signed with the Tigers in February.

12. Jamal Lyles - LB - Southfield (MI) Lathrup
Offered by: Michigan State only
The 6'3", 215 lb. linebacker made 135 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 4 interceptions.  He committed to Michigan State on June 23, 2011, and signed with the Spartans in February.

13. Drake Johnson - RB - Ann Arbor (MI) Pioneer
Offered by: Michigan only
The 6'1", 215 lb. running back ran for 2,805 yards and 38 touchdowns as a senior.  He committed to Michigan on November 10, 2011, almost immediately after receiving an offer, and signed with Michigan in February.

14. Dennis Norfleet - RB - Detroit (MI) King
Offered by: Michigan and Michigan State
The 5'6", 180 lb. had 2,033 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior.  He was committed to Cincinnati for several months, but he switched his commitment to Michigan on the eve of National Signing Day.

15. Ruben Lile - LB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Offered by: Neither in-state school
Lile committed to Iowa on August 27, 2011, and signed with the Hawkeyes in February.

NOT RANKED:
Riley Bullough - LB - Traverse City (MI) St. Francis
Offered by: Michigan State only
Bullough committed to Michigan State on April 30, 2011.

Kodi Kieler - OT - Gibraltar (MI) Carlson
Offered by: Michigan State only
Kieler committed to Michigan State on August 8, 2011.

SUMMARY
Ten players were offered by both Michigan and Michigan State.  Eight of them picked Michigan, including six of the top seven.  One picked Michigan State (although, as mentioned above, it sounded like Michigan wouldn't accept his commitment so he went with Plan B).  The other picked Tennessee.

Michigan went after two players who were not offered by MSU.  One picked Michigan.  The other picked Syracuse.

Michigan State went after three players who were not offered by Michigan.  All three picked MSU.

I think it's fair to say that Michigan kicked Michigan State's tail when it comes to recruiting in the state.  Brady Hoke 8, Mark Dantonio 1.  I look forward to seeing what 2013 brings.  It's already 1-0 in Michigan's favor with Warren (MI) De La Salle quarterback Shane Morris pledging to be a Wolverine.

Mark Dantonio is a dick

I refuse to post a picture of Mark Dantonio.

By now many of you have heard about Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio's strange outburst during the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association clinic a couple days ago.  Michigan wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Jeff Hecklinski was in the middle of speaking about Michigan's recruiting method when Dantonio interrupted with "Okay, here's what we're going to do.  We're going to get other people up here.  We're going to talk about more than the University of Michigan."  Later, he said, "How many guys got a guy who's going to play in the Big Ten?  One, two - so the two guys can go back there in the corner and talk about that.  All of us right here, we're going to talk about recruiting for everybody.  Let's go."

Numerous accounts have been shared regarding how it went down and it appears there is some confusion about what Hecklinski was there to do.  Some accounts have suggested that Hecklinski was supposed to be taking part in a panel discussion and, therefore, had overstepped his allotted amount of time in talking about Michigan.  Others have suggested that Dantonio had been given 15 minutes to talk and Hecklinski, who was filling in for head coach Brady Hoke due to Hoke's attending the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award ceremony, was also supposed to have 15 minutes.  The latter scenario seems more reasonable, since I doubt the event planners would give one in-state Big Ten program 15 minutes to talk and the other in-state Big Ten program only 5 minutes.

What does not seem to be in question is the fact that Dantonio was out of line by interrupting Hecklinski.  Having attended several coaching clinics in several states, I have never  seen a presenter get interrupted by another presenter.  It's the event coordinator's job to make sure that the presenters are keeping on topic and finishing their presentations in a timely manner.  It's not uncommon to hear "Two minutes, coach!" coming from the back or the side of the room or to see the event coordinator hold up five fingers or two fingers.

I also sincerely doubt Dantonio would have interrupted another head coach.  As a young-ish assistant coach (Hecklinski graduated college in 1997, meaning he's probably about 37), the 55-year-old Dantonio probably thought he could bully Hecklinski.  And he did.  The news is already a fairly big deal (Google "Mark Dantonio" and the first hit is "Mark Dantonio cuts off Michigan assistant"), but imagine if he had interrupted Brady Hoke or Bret Bielema or Joe Paterno.  It's tough to imagine, because it wouldn't have happened.  Of course, Dantonio is no stranger to attempting to bully people who are younger than him.  How can any Michigan fan forget him making short jokes about Mike Hart?

Multiple accounts have confirmed that the exchange between Dantonio and Hecklinski was very awkward and that you could hear a pin drop in the room for several uncomfortable seconds.  Dantonio, who already seems to be falling behind Hoke in relationships with high school coaches, did not help himself and his program by putting on such a display.  Michigan fans generally seem to be offended by Dantonio's comments, and Michigan State fans are likely saying "That's awesome!"  Many high school coaches in Michigan probably lean one way or the other toward U of M or MSU, and some of those present might not have been swayed by the incident.  But anyone without a strong allegiance would likely be put off by Dantonio's behavior.

Let's not ignore the fact that football coaches live in a testosterone-filled, male dominated world.  These coaches did not get to these points in their careers by being followers and pushovers.  Behind closed doors many coaches are different than their public personas suggest.  What's disconcerting about Dantonio's behavior is that he doesn't seem to know when he's in public and when he's not.  In my experience, people aren't rude in public and nice behind closed doors; it's the other way around.  So if Dantonio is willing to be a jerk in front of several hundred high school coaches, those high school coaches ought to be able to figure out what he'll be like if they send their players to Michigan State.

Overall, this event seems like a black eye for MSU and Dantonio and likely has little to no effect on Michigan and Hecklinski.  Nobody is going to look down on Hecklinski for the way he acted, even if he did go over his allotted time.  The only significant windfall that could come from this event is a bump in respect for Michigan's coaches over MSU's, as if that weren't already the case.  Brady Hoke and his staff have earned rave reviews for their relationships with local coaches.  Rich Rodriguez was maligned for his failure to connect with local coaches, and Dantonio benefited from that, earning in-state respect almost by default.  But in comparison to Hoke and his staff, Dantonio was already falling behind . . . and this incident won't help him.  In the 2012 recruiting class, Michigan already has the top four and six of the top seven prospects in the state, according to the Detroit News.

The last tidbit comes from a respected poster on a Rivals message board:

Wanna know why MD was so upset? He was upset before it ever started, because for the SECOND year in a row, the moment you walk in the building there is a huge table spread out with all of UM's camp and clinic info, brochours, practice visit info, etc. A grand spread. And for the SECOND year in a row, MSU's table is small and stuck off to the side in a corner. Buddy said the entire MSU staff was PISSSSSSED the moment they arrived yesterday, and they bolted out of there as soon as they were done today. The UM staff, meanwhile, is still there mingling with the HS coaches and putting on a very nice representation of the U of M. In fact my buddy got to sit with Funk all alone and shoot the shit about OL coaching for a half hour last night. 

After losing the Big Ten championship game, getting passed over by the Sugar Bowl for Michigan, and getting left behind while Brady Hoke gets invited to national coaching award ceremonies . . . it seems like Dantonio might be feeling a little bit inferior.

MGoBlog: I Beg to Differ

Yesterday, Brian at MGoBlog made a "Picture Pages" post where he questioned the diagnosing skills by Michigan's linebackers, based on a play from last week's game against Michigan State.  I disagree with at least part of Brian's conclusions.

First, here's the play:



Michigan is in a standard 4-3 Under alignment, where the responsibilities are as follows:

Jake Ryan = outside contain
Ryan Van Bergen = C gap
Kenny Demens = B gap
Mike Martin = A gap
Brandin Hawthorne = A gap / flow to the ball
Will Heininger = B gap
Craig Roh = C gap / outside contain

Brian's conclusion is this:

The DL cannot do much more than this. They got a two-for-one on the double that leaves a free hitter. On the frontside they drive into the backfield such that the tailback has one realistic option. Short of throwing offensive linemen into the RB, they have done all they can.

I completely disagree.  The defensive line can do much more.  First and foremost, Mike Martin can make the tackle.  The star defensive tackle that people seem afraid to criticize is the first person who makes a mistake here.  He's responsible for the playside A gap but refuses to get off the center's block.  If Martin gets off the block quicker and wraps up Edwin Baker, the play gets made for a loss or a minimal gain.

It's true that middle linebacker Kenny Demens doesn't do a great job on the play.  In my opinion, he should be attacking the offensive guard's outside shoulder, thus maintaining B gap responsibility.  Instead, he takes the guard on head up and then gets stalemated.  If he takes on that guard with his inside shoulder, the WILL (Brandin Hawthorne) is screaming downhill and will tackle Baker for about a 1-yard gain.  (With the way Hawthorne reacts, it looks to me that he's just flowing to the ball and that the free safety is responsible for supporting the weakside A gap.)

I also take issue with Brian's assertion that MSU's linebackers are better at reading plays just because they're coming downhill as soon as Denard Robinson turns to hand off to Vincent Smith.  Well, of course  they are.  Denard Robinson doesn't throw the ball very well, and their entire game plan revolved around stopping Denard Robinson and the running game.  Run the ball?  They're going to sell out to stop it.  Play action?  They're stopping the run and taking their chances with Denard dumping the ball over their heads.  That's been the Spartans' game plan for the past two years, and it worked both times.

Meanwhile, Kenny Demens and Brandin Hawthorne have to be concerned about the play action pass because MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins is someone who can actually complete a few throws downfield.  In fact, just before Demens impacts the releasing guard, you can see his head scan to the right.  I'm not certain that Demens is looking at Cousins, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that he was checking to see whether Cousins had kept the ball and was rolling out for a pass.

Michigan at Michigan State Awards

Devin Gardner (#7) scrambles, but to no avail.
(image via MGoBlue.com)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Gardner.  I'm not saying more as in he should be the starter, but I do like what Al Borges is doing with Gardner.  I don't typically like two-quarterback platoons, but Gardner is a more skilled passer than Denard Robinson.  He made some gaffes on Saturday (getting sacked on fourth down, making an illegal forward pass, etc.), but he also threw some nice balls and made some plays with his legs.  People keep saying that Robinson is a threat to go all the way on every play, but if opponents put eight or nine decently talented guys in the box, Robinson won't have any running room.  And until he proves that he can beat a team with his arm, Michigan needs to work in a passing threat.  Personally, I'm enjoying the plays when Gardner is at quarterback and Robinson lines up in the backfield or at wide receiver.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . the second tight end, whether it's Steve Watson or Brandon Moore.  If the offensive line isn't going to get a push and if Michigan can't run it out of the I-formation, then I think the Wolverines need to get their best eleven on the field.  Junior Hemingway, Roy Roundtree, and Jeremy Gallon are all playmakers, and Kevin Koger is valuable in a lot of ways with his speed, athleticism, blocking, and leadership.  Those four players plus some combination of Denard Robinson, Devin Gardner, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Vincent Smith, and Michael Shaw need to be on the field the vast majority of the time.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Cam Gordon.  Gordon returned to action this week after a nagging back injury caused him to miss the first six games of the season.  In his stead Jake Ryan has made a name for himself as a playmaker at SAM linebacker, but Ryan does have his flaws; he's prone to both making and allowing big plays.  Ryan has to get quicker at reading offensive plays, maintaining the edge, and using his hands to disengage from blockers.  Gordon might not be an immediate upgrade, but perhaps he can help.  It was clear against MSU that Ryan's other backups aren't legitimate options in big-time games.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Brandin Hawthorne and J.T. Floyd (tie).  On one Keshawn Martin touchdown, Hawthorne made a half-assed attempt to tackle him at the pylon and tried to shoulder Martin out of bounds rather than wrap him up.  A good, fundamental tackle would almost certainly have stopped Martin at the 1-yard line, although a touchdown almost certainly would have been delayed rather than prevented altogether.  On the other Martin touchdown, J.T. Floyd made a half-assed attempt to stick with him and jogged behind the play, even though he clearly had Martin in man coverage.  Those weren't cases of being beaten physically - they were examples of players not playing hard and giving 100% effort.

MVP of the game . . . Will Hagerup.  Nobody had a great game offensively or defensively for Michigan, but Hagerup did a solid job of punting on a very windy day.  He only averaged 31.9 yards on seven punts, but four of those pinned the Spartans inside their 20-yard line, and three of them put the green and white bronze at or inside their own 10.  Despite being unable to get any kind of offensive flow or defensive momentum, the Wolverines hung with MSU in the first half largely due to the field position battle.

Play of the game . . . Denard Robinson's touchdown run.  After dropping back to pass, Robinson was almost sacked.  But he yanked himself away, tucked the ball, and scrambled to the left, picking up a nice block by Kevin Koger before squeezing inside the pylon.

Michigan State 28, Michigan 14

Here's a picture of Marisa Miller to ease the pain.

I have no problem with the way Michigan used the Denard/Devin duo.  Against teams with winning records this season, Denard Robinson has gone 44-for-96 (45.8%) with 7 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.  There's really no doubt in my mind that Devin Gardner will be a better passer than Robinson whenever Gardner becomes the starting quarterback.  As Urban Meyer said on the broadcast, it's about getting your best eleven players on the field.  The issue with Gardner right now is that he's lacking game experience and he's not getting starter's reps in practice.  Chris Spielman (more on him later) showed his lack of Michigan knowledge when he griped that Denard Robinson would have seen Stephen Hopkins running open down the middle of the field on the Fullback Pop Pass but that Gardner threw an incomplete pass to Junior Hemingway instead.  Even if Robinson would have seen it - and I'm not convinced he would - his arm is so erratic that there's less than a 50/50 chance he would have hit Hopkins.

Al Borges blergh.  I think Borges has done a good job of playcalling for the most part this year, but that 4th-and-inches play action pass that got Denard sacked in the fourth quarter was an atrocious call.  Tell your offensive line to man up, run a dive play or a QB sneak, and see what happens.  Taking the ball away from the line of scrimmage and expecting your inaccurate quarterback to gain six inches through the air is near lunacy.

Michigan's front seven got manhandled by a patchwork offensive line.  That was perhaps the most demoralizing part of the game.  Michigan State running back Edwin Baker had previously been averaging 4.1 yards per carry.  He finished the game with 26 carries for 167 yards (6.4 yards per attempt).  It reminded me of the 2010 Penn State game, when Michigan took a struggling Evan Royster and turned him into a star again.


Surprise, surprise, that was a refereeing failure in East Lansing.  The referees for this game were atrocious.  Let me count the ways:

• The lateral to Keshawn Martin was indeed a backwards pass and when it was picked up by Brandin Hawthorne, it should have been Michigan's ball.
• Edwin Baker stepped out of bounds at the 22-yard line.  Viewers could plainly see his cleat hit the sideline.  Somehow he was allowed to get the ball all the way down to the 7-yard line.
• William Gholston flat-out punched Taylor Lewan in the face and should have been ejected.
• On his way to the endzone, Isaiah Lewis clearly taunted Denard Robinson at about the 1- or 2-yard line; under college rules, the touchdown should have been disallowed.

Surprise, surprise, that was a broadcasting failure . . .  From the very beginning, it was apparent that Michigan was going to get no love from the broadcasting crew, especially Chris Spielman.  Spielman had nothing positive to say about Michigan at all.  Why would he?  Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio was a graduate assistant at Ohio State when Spielman played there in the mid-1980s, and Dantonio was also the defensive coordinator for the Buckeyes in the early 2000s.  I guffawed when Spielman said about Dantonio, "That man right there stands for hard nosed, clean football" or something to that effect.  Right, Spielman.  

. . . because Mark Dantonio is a despicably coach.  That's why he allowed Glen Winston to rejoin the Spartans on the day Winston was released from jail.  That's why he clearly allowed his team members to repeatedly hit Michigan players out of bounds (once), punch Taylor Lewan (once), jump on Denard Robinson after he was down and then grab his facemask and twist (once), and repeatedly throw Robinson to the ground after he threw the ball (three times).  The dirty play reminded me of the time when Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi was choked by Ohio State linebacker Robert Reynolds.  Who was Reynolds' defensive coordinator that year?  That's right . . . Mark Dantonio.  Eff that guy.

What happened to Michigan's offensive line?  I thought one of Rich Rodriguez's best coaches was offensive line coach Greg Frey, who turned a redshirt freshman Taylor Lewan, lightly recruited Patrick Omameh, lightly recruited Mark Huyge, and a couple upperclassmen into a very solid offensive line.  It's clear that Lewan was hobbled somewhat by an injury or two yesterday, and I doubt the spin move by Marcus Rush would have turned into a sack if Lewan were healthy (when has Lewan ever looked that inept?), but Michigan allowed seven sacks overall and couldn't get the running game going.  Obviously, the offensive line's regression didn't truly hurt the team until yesterday, but the only change from last year is the Ricky Barnum/Michael Schofield combo at left guard . . . and the hiring of Darrell Funk to replace Frey.

Can we please change up the snap count?  I have grown tired of Denard Robinson punching toward the ground, David Molk looking up, and the ball being snapped on rhythm.  The coaches need to find a way to change up the snap count, put on a dummy count, etc.  There's a reason Michigan State has been jumping the snap and timing blitzes perfectly for the past couple years - it's because Michigan's coaches have been painfully vanilla with snap counts.

Prediction recap: I said in Friday's preview that MSU would have the advantage in all categories except Michigan Rush Offense vs. MSU Rush Defense.  I was wrong.  The Spartans had the advantage in all phases except sportsmanship and class.  Michigan couldn't run (2.3 yards per carry), Michigan couldn't pass (12/31 for 161 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception), Michigan couldn't stop the run (5.5 yards per attempt), and Michigan didn't do great against the pass (Kirk Cousins was 13/24 for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns).  I did guess correctly that MSU would score 28 points, although I thought Michigan would score a little more.

Ultimately, this has been better than expected.  I don't think many people expected that Michigan would be 6-0 heading to East Lansing, and I don't think anyone expected the Wolverines to climb all the way to #11 in the polls.  Michigan is 6-1 heading into a bye week, and while I don't plan for Michigan to go undefeated the rest of the way, the remaining schedule shows five winnable games.  In the first year of the Brady Hoke era, I'm pretty satisfied with how things have gone.

Video: Michigan State Week