Spartans back to work for Fall: About the Offense

OK, the ES is BACK! It’s been a long, beautiful summer… ES spending some time in South Haven and in Sarasota, Florida. But, ready for football!

And the Big Green Machine is in motion, today (Aug 2) being the first day Spartans report for camp.

What’s the #1 question? Will it be Andrew Maxwell or Connor Cook.. or the blue chipper, Damion Terry (6-3, 220-lbs, Erie PA). Maxwell has experience starting every game for MSU last year, is an East-West quarterback, is a minimalist without taking risks – and lacked a good receiving corps last year. Cook was the backup in '12, takes risks, and is a play-maker, and could develop into a potential game-changer. Terry is raw at 18 years old, but comes in rated as one of the best prospects in the nation. Dantonio is standing by Maxwell and his commitment to the program… but his bland performance in the Spring game demonstrates his weaknesses – the guy just has not improved. Even though Maxwell may be a better practice player, Cook certainly demonstrates the leadership and moxie necessary to lead a Big Ten team: Exhibit A is Cook’s last minute performance in the bowl victory over TCU.
 
The ES’s boldest prediction? By time MSU faces a real opponent in Notre Dame, a halftime goose-egg on the scoreboard will lead to Cook being installed as the eventual starter for Big Ten season. 

While the offensive line play should be very very good this fall, other concerns on offense are rather obvious: can there be any significant improvement by the receivers to just catch balls? The pathetic play of this corps last year hampered Maxwell’s development and certainly cost the Spartans a few games. Big Green lacks any experienced tight-ends (like Dion Sims) to bail out Maxwell like last year – the WRs need to make plays… or just catch the damn ball. If Maxwell ever decides to go North-South, look for Aaron Burbridge, Bennie Fowler, Keith Mumphrey, and DeAnthoy Arnett to be the playmakers. Cook is a deep-throwing QB, so these will be his targets. But, at RB, MSU will have its biggest drop since Lorenzo White was replaced by… Blake Ezor.

If you look at our RB corps, there really is only one stand out….

20 Nick Hill RB 5-8 198 JR Chelsea, Mich. - Chelsea
24 Gerald Holmes RB 6-0 212 FR Flint, Mich. - Carman-Ainsworth
33 Jeremy Langford RB 6-0 206 JR Wayne, Mich. - John Glenn
12 R.J. Shelton RB 5-11 204 FR Beaver Dam, Wis. - Beaver Dam
32 Nick Tompkins RB 5-9 185 RS FR Snellville, Ga. - Brookwood
44 Corry Brown RB/DB 5-11 170 FR Three Rivers, Mich. - Three Rivers
30 Riley Bullough RB/LB 6-2 230 RS FR Traverse City, Mich. - St. Francis
22 Delton Williams RB/LB 6-1 220 FR Erie, Pa. - Cathedral Prep

That would be Riley Bullough, who bulled through the defense for an incredible Spring Game performance. And, he’s supposed to be a linebacker. Nick Hill has moves and speed, but the ES joins the Spartan Nation being concerned about the loss of Le’Veon Bell toward the Spartan running game.

For the type of game that Dantonio calls, a balanced offense give the Spartans the best chance… Over the weekend, the ES will get to the defense and the overall Spartan game plan.

Three recommendations to correct the Spartan passing game... before it's too late

Bennie Fowler just can't catch

So, the ES was saying in jest earlier this week, "shoot we only scored 3 against Notre Dame.  How can we be favored by 32 against Eastern?" 

Umm, truer words were never said.  Michigan State limped out of Spartan Stadium with yet another pathetic receiving display in a 23-7 victory over lowly Eastern Michigan.  If you want to call THAT CRAP we saw on Saturday "receiving."  This MSU team doesn't deserve to be considered top 25 at this point.

Spartans dropped another dozen passes, seven of which we counted in the first half.  Folks, this ain't the Fighting Irish we were playing.  It was the Fighting Eagles.  It got to the point where we fans were pleading not to even throw the ball anymore, because we knew it would be futile.  The boo-birds were deafening at half time.  The receivers have no confidence.  None.

Spartan receivers Tony Lippett and Bennie Fowler should be benched.  Period.  Even Nick Hill dropped a punt and was replaced by LeVeon Bell (now, that was a stupid idea, putting our best offensive weapon at risk in the return game).  So, here are three recommendations for Dantonio if the Spartans are to have a chance the rest of the year.

1. Run a goal line offense the entire game.  Get rid of the receivers, bring in a few extra lineman and tight ends for blocking, and just have Andrew Maxwell hand the ball off to LeVeon Bell.  It will be a messy, ugly rugby scrum of a game, but we'll move the ball.
2. Switch the offense to a wishbone.  Connor Cook has more mobility, and use him as an option quarterback with the Spartans pitching and running the ball on every down, with a very, very,  infrequent, occasional pass to Dion Sims (the only guy on offense who CAN catch, with 6-112 and a TD vs Eastern).   
3. OK, BACK TO REALITY.  Let's have our DBs play double-duty.  Pull Lippett and Fowler, and replace them with Isaiah Lewis, Johnny Adams, or Darquize Dennard.  Seriously, this is a viable option and at least we know our DBs can catch. 

Something has got to be done. The stark reality, and the enormity of the problem with the receivers has hit the coaches.  Dantonio said, ""You have to catch the ball. Throwing and catching. If there's nothing wrong with the route and the ball is there you have to catch it."  Offensive Coordinator Dan Roushar said, "I don't know if it was seven or eight drops in the first half, but that's not going to help us win any games around here...  There is a lack of execution and maybe a lack of confidence."  And, from the man himself, who dropped passes and fumbled, WR Bennie Fowler: "Maxwell is getting the ball out there we just have to continue finishing the play. If we finish those plays then we will get the results we want."

I don't care if you are playing pee-wee football, badminton, kayaking, or playing college football - teams are supposed to get better as the season progresses.  Said Roushar: "“I don’t think we made any progress at all."  

Yeah, umm, time to bench Fowler and Lippett.  Maybe they can watch and learn.  The Spartan offense just can't afford it otherwise.

On the positive side, the Spartan defense played fantastic once again, holding EMU to just 183 yards of total offense, and 46 on the ground.  Indeed, Eastern's best play, a beautiful 23 yard touchdown pass on an acrobatic catch, was something Spartan receivers should play on their DVR over and over again to watch how to catch a football.  Although EMU was leading 7-6 at half, that was their last gasp.

LeVeon Bell ran for 253 yards on 36 carries, and ran around, through, and over EMU all day.  At least we know what we need to do on offense the rest of the year if we are to even have a chance in the Big Ten.