Michigan State 2018 Season Thread

[ELA]

3rd down defense needs to get cleaned up. Looking at the conference stats, MSU is last in the conference, allowing opponents to convert 44.8% of their 3rd downs. Only Nebraska (who has played 1 game) is surrendering more 1st downs per game than MSU, meaning a lot of extended drives, which may play a part in the 4th quarter. Not only have they allowed 49 first downs through two games, a staggering 36 of those are through the air (8 on the ground, 5 via penalty). Only 5 other Big Ten teams have allowed even half of that (18) through the air, and none have allowed more than 24.

[DevilFroggy]

I'm not.
*

Damn Big Ten refs, not calling a penalty on a player who was pushed into the punter.

[ELA]

Damn Big Ten refs, not calling a penalty on a player who was pushed into the punter.

Yes, Big Ten refs, it wasn't some screw job.  But it also wasn't a pushed player who ran into him, it was the outside guy.

[Anonymous Coward]

It could have been the right call, though, right? Not for "football justice" and how the rules *should* be written but in terms of how the rule book is written. I feel like it couldn't have been a liveball foul. Which dead ball foul would apply? Not unnecessary roughness. And I think think the convention for late hits after early whistles is that there's a judgment call, and in this case, the hit came quickly enough after the whistle that it's in that gray area. 
I will say this, though. If Hartbarger hadn't punted it away (had he just hugged the ball and stood tall), it might have reinforced the sound of the whistle and he'd likely have gone unhit ... and if he had been hit anyway, *that* almost certainly would have been whistled. 

[ELA]

Seems like more people are figuring out what seemingly only Pat Fitzgerald and MSU fans had.  You can dink and dunk us to death.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2018/09/15/michigan-state-football-pass-defense/1306989002/

[iahawk15]

Seems like more people are figuring out what seemingly only Pat Fitzgerald and MSU fans had.  You can dink and dunk us to death.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2018/09/15/michigan-state-football-pass-defense/1306989002/

Ha, welcome to the last 20 years of my life!

[ELA]

All three MSU opponents are averaging over 200 yards rushing per game, with Arizona State running for only 165 last night at Washington.

MSU has surrendered 98 rushing yards to those teams...TOTAL 

[Anonymous Coward]

Run D is definitely the strength of the team.

[Anonymous Coward]

This probably seems cheeky as a follow-up, but I'm curious and you're probably the best go-to source out there for non-spreadsheet MSU details:

The OL injury situation, what's it at?

[ELA]

No word on the two who went out last night.  I missed it but Chewins came in for a play and went right back out.  Second straight game he's tried one play and couldn't go.  Sounds like it's a back injury, which can be tricky.  I wonder if they just shut him down for the season soon.

[PortlandSpartan]

Team has lacked juice so far.  Defense looks pretty good - very happy with front 7.  Offensive line and running game has been bad.

I'm not sure we've have any truly great OLs under MD, but the ones that have been good to very good have taken awhile.  So we'll see.

Disappointed a bit with Lewerke so far; don't see clear progression in accuracy and we've been hesitant to use his athleticism.

[PortlandSpartan]

Cody White broke his hand today. 

We are in very rough shape. 

[ELA]

We exclusively have very good or very bad injury luck.

[ELA]

Sounds like Josiah Scott MIGHT be good for the Michigan game.  But that's iffy.  If not there, you have 5 games, plus potentially the CCG and a bowl game.  You have Nebraska and Rutgers mixed in those 3.  If he can't go for Michigan, do you sit him for Nebraska and Rutgers, and just play him for Purdue, Maryland, Ohio State and the bowl game, and allow him to preserve his redshirt?  Interesting change with that rule, that Scott could play in those games, and come back next year as a redshirt sophomore.