Best points of pavement-grading win by Spartans over Frigging Irish

My, oh my, there are few things better in life than watching the Michigan State Spartans destroy the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  Under the arms of Touchdown Jesus.  Yes.

That's an Irish road we paved-graded
last Saturday

There was the ES at the altar, the Peanut Barrell, as he watched Madre London run straight through a gaping hole in the Irish defense, 73 yards to paydirt.  Jumping in the air with the rest of the Spartan brethren, screaming "run it down their troats."  Up 36-7, up by 29 points. In South Bend.  Jesus?  Yes. Or, for that matter, LJ Scott running 5 yards here, 6 yards there, etc..  Tyler O'Conner, as predicted, will be just fine.  An impressive, 19-for-26 with 241 yards in the air, 2 TDs, including several downfield 25+ yarders to RJ Shelton (8-80), Madaris(2-40) and incredible play by Corley (4-88).  Third down conversions?  MSU 9-of-18 (50%).  Wow.  Get the pavement grader ready this year.  We're back. 

Guinness can get you to 100, but it
won't help you beat the Spartans

Now, let's talk smack.  The Irish came into the game with their typical swagger, 80,000 under the open arms of God, expecting to revamp their failed crappy play at Texas (who lost at Cal 50-44 by the way). Well, Brian Kelly has his Irish boys consuming the Guinness instead of paying attention to the O-Line gap blocks that left wide open holes for the Big Green all day.  

Defensively, the Spartans played GREAT ALL DAY until they took the foot off the gas.  When you got a pig cornered, put a leg on the throat and stick the knife in real good - let the blood squirt all over.  Prevent defense NEVER works, surprised to see it out of Coach D. He should know better.  Still MSU amassed a huge lead on the road that was difficult to Fk-up. 

MSU's defense and offense combination was dominant enough for a 37-23 time advantage.  A 260-57 rushing advantage.  Dominant.

Although giving up 401 yards, most of those were after the Spartans were kicking ass by 29+ points.  The defensive line controlled scrimmage, and the LBs were lights out.  The secondary is rounding into shape, and the ES digs Darian Hicks and Chris Frey.  

Damn, we're fine. We've moved up to #8, and rightfully so.  MSU kicked ass! Bring on Wisky. 

Team Statistics (Final) 
2016 Michigan State Football 
#12 Michigan State vs #18 Notre Dame (Sep 17, 2016 at Notre Dame, Ind.)

Team Totals	MSU	ND
FIRST DOWNS	22	19
Rushing	9	3
Passing	12	14
Penalty	1	2
NET YARDS RUSHING	260	57
Rushing Attempts	52	25
Average Per Rush	5.0	2.3
Rushing Touchdowns	3	2
Yards Gained Rushing	277	74
Yards Lost Rushing	17	17
NET YARDS PASSING	241	344
Completions-Attempts-Int	19-26-1	20-37-1
Average Per Attempt	9.3	9.3
Average Per Completion	12.7	17.2
Passing Touchdowns	2	2
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS	501	401
Total offense plays	78	62
Average Gain Per Play	6.4	6.5
Fumbles: Number-Lost	0-0	2-2
Penalties: Number-Yards	3-45	4-51
PUNTS-YARDS	7-266	6-302
Average Yards Per Punt	38.0	50.3
Net Yards Per Punt	37.0	50.3
Inside 20	2	3
50+ Yards	0	3
Touchbacks	0	0
Fair catch	1	3
KICKOFFS-YARDS	6-383	5-276
Average Yards Per Kickoff	63.8	55.2
Net Yards Per Kickoff	45.5	36.8
Touchbacks	2	2
Punt returns: Number-Yards-TD	0-0-0	3-7-0
Average Per Return	0.0	2.3
Kickoff returns: Number-Yds-TD	3-42-0	3-60-0
Average Per Return	14.0	20.0
Interceptions: Number-Yds-TD	1-0-0	1-30-0
Fumble Returns: Number-Yds-TD	0-0-0	0-0-0
Miscellaneous Yards	0	0
Possession Time	37:57	22:03
1st Quarter	8:46	6:14
2nd Quarter	9:15	5:45
3rd Quarter	9:52	5:08
4th Quarter	10:04	4:56
Third-Down Conversions	9 of 18	4 of 11
Fourth-Down Conversions	1 of 1	1 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances	3-3	4-4
Touchdowns	3-3	4-4
Field goals	0-3	0-4
Sacks By: Number-Yards	2-11	0-0
PAT Kicks	4-4	4-4
Field Goals	0-0	0-0
Points off turnovers	15	0

Spring Game 2015: A 9-3 Shootout: Learning Lessons

OK, it was only a Spring Game.  We're playing ourselves... but, let's break down a bit what the ES witnessed at Michigan State's 2015 Spring Game:  the ES made it for the second half, then watched the first half a few times on the BTN the last few days.  No, there was NOT 48,000 as announced... maybe 38,000?  Anyhow...

OFFENSIVE QUESTION MARKS????  Let's get real.  The only reason the ES really wanted to come to the game was to see who the hell was going to run the ball for the Big Green this fall. 

Answer is either #28 Madre London, or #24 Gerald Holmes.  Both are hard runners, very similar style to former RB Nick Hill (read: straight ahead, bullish, can't read holes, trip over people) but a bit bigger - not at all like Jeremy Langford (total stud).  Each remind the ES of a more stoudt Javon Ringer, with much less speed than Jeremy Langford, LeVeon Bell, or Javon Ringer:  London is 6-1/220, Holmes is 6-0/218.  Holmes broke out from the middle of the line for a nice 50-yard run in the third quarter... and was caught from behind.   I see both backs servicing MSU throughout the year, and maybe even we'll find a third for committee work. 

The OL didn't necessarily perform great on either side; London's 70 yards (other than the 50 yarder) and Holmes' 48 yards were tough sledding against a rough DL (see below).

MSU's Tyler O'Connor vs. the White

Passing game =  Where was Damion Terry?  Too bad he didn't play with an undisclosed injury.  Otherwise, we saw dropped passes and some poor passes.  Tyler O'Conner (Green team) looked like Carol O'Connor, as if he was sunk in a lazy boy with a beer and a cigar.  Didn't play well.  At all.  Macgarett Kings didn't help, with a few timely drops right in his hands.  A pass to DE Shalique Calhoun was cute and didn't tell us anything.  Total yawner.

Connor Cook (White team) certainly looked like the leader and made some decent throws; he was pressured for much of the afternoon, took some sacks (which were whistled, he was not hit).  He has that cannon on his right arm.  But, RJ Shelton and DeAnthony Arnett both dropped a few Cook passes.

DEFENSE WINS THE DAY:  Gimme a break, it was a 9-3 shootout (as prolific as that 14-2 spring game in 2012), with the defensive lines really pushing back the offense for much of the game.  ES was very impressed at the dominating defensive interior, both on the Green side and the White side.  Whenever Cook (White) or O'Connor (Green) could get anything rolling... well, things just fizzled out quick.  

The Spartan defensive ends will be very, very good.  Shalique Calhoun (#89) and Demetrius Cooper (#98) were in the backfield constantly on the pass rush.   They should be.  And, Lawrence Thomas (#8) seems to be getting into the form we expect to be dominant run stopper on the inside. He bottled up the line all day long.   I really like Damon Knox (#93) who is also a load on the inside.  This defensive line is the deepest, and best in the Big Ten.

At LB... will it ever end?  Riley Bullough (#30) really hit the gaps well on run plays.  It was typical hard-nosed Bullough heritage that we saw in the Spring.  Ed Davis (#43) and Darien Harris (#45) also played very well on defense.

Actually, the DBs played well also.  Nick  Tompkins (#32) and Jermaine Edmondson (#39) blanketed wideouts much of the game.  So did anyone in the number 30s, like Arjen Colquhoun (#36).  Gotta give credit to Harlan Barnett.  He really has coached this backfield consistently into one of the best in the country.  These guys are physical, athletic, and they turn around to make plays instead of the face-guarding days of yore.  OK, we're playing ourselves... but there was little criticism with new faces.

SPECIAL TEAMS:  If you like punting (the ES does - he punted in HS), then the Spring Game was a treat.  Dantonio decided to put our new young punk to work, Jake Hartbarger (#25) out of Waterville, Ohio.   With all the defense... well, he punted for BOTH the Green and White, and must've kicked it 10 times in the second half.  Of those, one was a real treat, a beauty of a 55-yard spiral.  Still, lots of clunkers and he needs some work.

FGs were missed beyond 45.  But we hit two of three.  Mike Geiger didn't kick them, as he's already solidified that starting spot as an All-American.   I think it was #24 Kevin Cronin who was 2-3.  Whatever.

Bring on Western Michigan!  Sept 4 in Kalamazoo... see ya at Bell's Brewery on a Friday night, Sept. 4.  

Blocking for O'Connor?  Why bother - Incomplete it is!