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2008 Michigan State Spartans Game Preview

Buckeyeskickbuttocks

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2008 Michigan State Spartans Game Preview
written by: BB73, BuckeyeRyn, Buckeyeskickbuttocks, Bucklion, DaddyBigBucks, JCOSU86, jwinslow, and 3yardsandacloud


Preface
The Buckeyes make another road trip this week, as they head up to East Lansing to battle the Spartans. Michigan State is currently riding a 6-game winning streak which started after they lost their opening game at Cal.

Their winning streak has allowed them to move into the top 20 of the rankings, and the winner of Saturday's game will remain atop the Big Ten standings (in a tie with Penn State, assuming they break their 9-game losing streak to TSUN). So this contest means a lot to both teams, and presumably Mark Dantonio has somebody splicing together film clips from the 1974 and 1998 MSU-tOSU games within scenes from the movie 300.

It's interesting to note that Michigan State has been voted #1 in the weekly AP football poll an impressive 29 times, a figure rather close to the total of 34 times for TSUN (by comparison, tOSU is at 93, behind only Oklahoma's 97 and Notre Dame's 95). However, the Spartans have only produced three 10-win seasons in their history (1905, '65, and '99), while the Wolverines have had double-digit victory totals 25 times. Why the discrepancy between those figures? It's all related to timing; most teams started playing an 11-game regular season in the early 1970s, before then it took a nearly unblemished record to reach 10 wins.

Under Clarence "Biggie" Munn from '47 to '53, MSU was 54-9-2 (.846), the highest percentage for any Spartan coach since World War I. He was succeeded by Duffy Daugherty, whose 109-69-5 (.609) mark includes the most wins for any MSU head man. Each won a national title for Sparty, winning Coaches Poll national titles in 1952 and 1965. It's worth noting that the #1 spot in the year-end Coaches Poll, which started in 1950, has never gone to the team from Ann Arbor.

The Spartans were an excellent team from the 1950s through 1966, winning those two major poll National Championships, plus a piece of one in the 1966 season that ended in the 10-10 tie with Notre Dame in one of the 'Games of the Century'. That 1966 team was led by Spartan legends George Webster, who passed away last year, and Bubba Smith.

But since 1966 they are only 13 games over .500 on the field (and only 3 games over if one factors in 5 forfeits from 1994). They have only had 2 seasons since then where they finished in the top 10: 1987's 8th-ranked 9-2-1 squad and 1999's 7th-ranked 10-2 team, which are also the only two campaigns since 1966 where they had less than 3 losses. Their in-state neighbor, on the other hand, has been making regular bowl appearances since the Big Ten allowed teams to go somewhere besides the Rose Bowl in the mid-1970s, although that 33-year bowl streak is in serious jeopardy this season.

There are some interesting historical facts regarding the Spartans. They actually had no football team in 1943 because of World War II; that's the only non-football season among current Big Ten members since 1907. The last time MSU had a perfect season was their National Championship year of 1952, the year before they joined the Big-10 Conference. In 55 years as a member, they've won 3 outright Big Ten titles: '65, '66, and '87 (their last Rose Bowl season), and shared three others, most recently in 1990.

Maybe in about 20 years most of us will no longer be ticked off by what happened the the #1 Buckeyes on November 7, 1998, but probably not. Having just watched that game this week, it's still a very painful memory. That game in itself is enough of a reason to want the Buckeyes to drill the Spartans every time the teams meet over the next couple of decades. Some fans may still be having nightmares about Plaxico Burress and Julian Peterson. In an interesting and irritating note, 1998 was the only one of Nick Saban's five MSU teams that didn't go to a bowl game.

But there's also another game like that for the longer-term fans - 1974. Woody took the boys up to East Lansing as a clear #1 in the polls, and finished the day with a 16-13 loss; after ending up in the end zone on the last play of the day (as well as the play before, according to Buckeye fans and the pictures in The Lantern that Monday). It took the referees and Big-10 commissioner Wayne Duke over 20 minutes to declare MSU the winner, since there was an offensive penalty and confusion by the referees on the last play.

History shows that tOSU responded well against the Spartans after that 1974 game. Eight straight wins, and 13 out of 15, until that game 8 years ago that also knocked us from the #1 ranking. Let's hope the team is stilll responding to 1998 (a loss in '99, but 6 straight wins since then).

1974 and 1998. Two reasons to be wary whenever tOSU battles the Spartans.
Date and Time
Date: Saturday, October 18th, 2008
Time: 3:30 EDT Kick-off
Location: Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, MI)
Constructed: 1923 (Last renovated in 2004-05)
Seating Capacity: 75,005 (Originally 14,000)
Playing Surface: Grass
Events:

Broadcast Information:
TV Broacast: ABC: Brad Nessler (Play-by-play), Bob Griese (Analysis), Paul Macguire (Color), and Stacey Dales (Sideline)
Radio Broadcast: Ohio State Radio Network (WBNS 1460TheFan in Columbus): Paul Keels (Play-by-play), Jim Lachey (Analysis), and Marty Bannister (Sideline)
2008 Michigan State Spartans Offensive Preview
Returning starters: 7
The Buckeyes come off of a moribund win over a weak Purdue squad, but can feel good about how their defense performed in shutting down the Purdue passing attack. It is good for Buckeye fans that they can have confidence in their team, because the quality of opponent takes a major step up this week, as Ohio State travels to East Lansing to face the nation's leading rusher in Javon Ringer. In the past, playing Michigan State at this time of year meant that they were in the middle of their typical "Sparty meltdown". No such meltdown appears to be forthcoming this season however, and coach Dantonio seems to have changes the climate in East Lansing and instilled a true sense of self confidence in the program. The Spartans find themselves locked in a tie with Ohio State and Penn State atop the conference standings, and after easily dispatching of Northwestern last weekend, they have their eyes on a much bigger prize on Saturday.

The Spartans are a young group on offense, which has led to some inconsistency. Their total yards per game average (373.9) is only 62nd nationally. Despite having the top yardage gainer in the country, the Spartans are only 37th in rushing yardage per game (176.6), and their passing game has virtually vanished at times after week 1, averaging only 192.3 yards a game (85th). They have put nearly 30 points a game up on the board (29.7) but that only ranks a pedestrian 44th. The Spartans also are not moving the chains especially well (19.1 1st downs per game, 67th), and have been abysmal at converting 3rd downs (36.6%, 81st). All told, the Spartans have gutted out several victories on the heart of the defense and the back of Javon Ringer, and they will need to produce more yards and more consistently if they are going to with their big games down the stretch.

Quarterbacks
QB #7 Brian Hoyer (6-3, 215, SR, St. Ignatius HS, North Olmstead, OH)

Hoyer threw for almost 2750 yards and 20 TDs in 2007 while completing almost 60% of his throws, so there were high expectations for the QB from famed Saint Ignatius High School for 2008, despite the loss of primary targets Devin Thomas and Kellen Davis. Thus far, it has been somewhat of a mixed bag. The Spartans are obviously a run-oriented team in 2008, so his opportunities have been more downfield off of play-action. Thus, his completion percentage is not particularly good (50.3%), but his yards per completion is relatively high (15.3). He has cut down on the interceptions (only 3 thus far) and especially the sacks (only 5 in 2008, compared to 29 last season), so he is making better decisions and not putting his team in bad situations. Ironically, his best game statistically was the only loss for the Spartans, as he threw for 321 yards and a TD in the opener against Berkley. He followed that performance up with a modest but effective effort against Eastern Michigan (148 yards on 8/12), and then 2 terrible games, in the driving rain against Florida Atlantic (5/15, 88 yards) and Notre Dame (143 yards, 46% completions). However, once conference play started, he has played better, throwing for 261 and 2 TDs at Indiana, 184 and a TD against Iowa, and an ultra-efficient 169 yards and 2 TDs (70% completions) in what was probably his best game last weekend against previously unbeaten Northwestern. So the bottom line appears to be that Hoyer is playing his best ball just in time to welcome the Buckeyes from his home state to East Lansing for the last time in his career. He'll be anxious to make a mark on this game, for certain.

Backing up Hoyer is freshman Kirk Cousins (#8). Cousins is 3/4 in mop-up duty, and is the heir apparent at the position. However, given his lack of meaningful game experience and his relative inexperience in the program, the Spartans are in trouble if Hoyer gets hurt, as the quality of play and extent of the gameplan available would be significantly reduced.

QB Rating: B

Head-to-Head: Michigan State versus Ohio State QBs

Hoyer (P/R): 86/171 (50.3%), 1314 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, 122.9 rating; 16/-22, 1 TD

Pryor (P/R): 52/79 (65.8%), 537 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs, 138.7 rating; 76/339, 4 TDs

Hoyer may just have the legacy of turning around a moribund program that is always fast out of the gat but seemingly endlessly limping to the finish. Last year, despite another mid-season swoon that saw the Spartans drop 5 of 6 after starting 4-0 (he threw for only 126 yards against Ohio State last year), Hoyer did play 2 of his better games in leading his team to wins over Purdue and Penn State to make a bowl game, completing over 71% of his passes and throwing for over 250 yards in each game. He continues to be a streaky player, capable of looking as good or as bad as any QB in the Big Ten, depending on the game, and even the moment. This year, the Spartans are already bowl eligible, but the meat of their schedule is just beginning. The next 4 weeks will define the season for the Spartans, and might just define Hoyer's career. If he is at his best this weekend, the Buckeyes will have their hands full in a hostile environment. On the flip side, Pryor needs to continue to develop rapidly with his decision-making. He needs to throw more and better, and commit to his reads earlier in the play. He's been good enough, but shaky at times, since taking over the offensive reigns. He will have to be better going forward, as the next 2 games will determine what kind of conference and national factor the Buckeyes will be. This game will be a key to the season. Pryor will have to play like he did at the end of the Wisconsin game, and not the middle. Depth is in the favor of the Buckeyes with an established backup, so if anything happens to Hoyer, Ringer might get 60 carries. Give the edge to the experienced Hoyer for now, though Pryor and his versatility (or his inexperience, for that matter) could prove to be a difference-maker on Saturday in what will probably be a close contest.

Edge: Michigan State

Running Backs
TB #23 Javon Ringer (5-9, 202, SR, Chaminade-Julienne HS, Dayton, OH)
FB #35 Jeff McPherson (6-1, 240, SR, Lowell HS, Lowell, MI)
FB #45 Andrew Hawken (6-2, 238, JR, Grandville HS, Wyoming, MI)

Well if Ringer was the "Lightning" in "Thunder and Lightning" in previous seasons, he is the thunder, the lightning, the clouds, the rain, the puddles, the rainbow, and everything else in 2008. It certainly can not be said that Ringer came out of nowhere this year, as he has impressed the conference since he was a freshman (817 yards, 5 TDS) and he ran for 1447 yards and 6 TDs last year, adding another 295 out of the backfield in the passing game. However it is not a stretch to say no one saw a 1000 yard HALF season coming from Ringer in 2008 (he was 12 yards short of 1000 after 6 games), nor 14 TDs in 7 games after he had only 13 TOTAL TDs coming in to the season. Ringer is the nation's leading rusher, and a sleek thoroughbred of a runner if there is one in the nation. If anything there has been criticism of the coaching staff for rising him too much, as he tallied 126 carries in just 3 games in the middle of the season, and he has already surpassed (247) last season's total number of carries (245) after 7 games. It is apparently criticism that the coaching staff has taken to heart, as he has been "limited" to only 60 carries the past 2 games combined. Any way one looks at it, there is no denying the warrior he is. After a modest opener that saw only 81 yards on 27 carries (with 2 TDs), he annihilated Easter Michigan for 5 TDs, with 34 carries for 135 yards. In the torrential rain, he had a joke of a stat line (in a positive way), impaling Florida Atlantic by carrying 43 times for a ridiculous 282 yards and 2 TDs. He then torched Notre Dame for 201 and 2 TDs on 39 carries, Indiana for 198 and a TD on 44 carries, took the week off against Iowa ("only" had 25 carries for 91 hard-earned yards), and then killed the Wildcats for 124 yards and 2 TDs on 35 carries last week. He has also chipped in a catch or two a week out of the backfield for good measure. So is Ringer invincible as he seems, or will the workload catch up to him against the tougher defenses he faces going ahead (Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State)? Only time will tell. On one hand, it is obvious Ringer is an amazing talent, a tough guy, and a workhorse back. He will be the key to the game for the Spartans on Saturday.

The risk the Spartans are running is that there is virtually nothing behind Ringer. Freshman Andre Anderson (#27) appears to be the primary backup, but he has only 25 carries for 96 total yards. He's had 5 carries each of the past 2 games (for only 19 total yards) so it appears the Spartans are trying to rest Ringer for at least a series a game, but without much success. This is clearly a one man show, as no one else has more than 4 carries.

McPherson is a veteran and primarily a blocking back, which he accomplishes very well. Hawken is also a quality player who is a bit more of a factor in the passing game (6 catches, 46 yards, TD).

RB Rating: A

Head-to-Head: Michigan State versus Ohio State RBs

Ringer: 247/1112 yards, 14 TDs, 4.5 YPC; 9 rec/76 yards, 0 TDs, 8.4 YPR
Anderson: 25/96 yards, 0 TDs, 3.8 YPC; 0 rec/0 yards, 0 TDs, 0.0 YPR

C Wells: 71/479 yards, 2 TDs, 6.7 YPC; 6 rec/13 yards, 0 TDs, 2.2 YPR
Herron: 58/262 yards, 1 TD, 4.5 YPC; 5 rec/27 yards, 0 TDs, 5.4 YPR
M Wells: 23/92 yards, 1 TD, 4.0 YPC; 4 rec/39 yards, 0 TDs, 9.8 YPR

Well, what a comparison. Ringer is doing what Chris Wells has done many times in the past, which is put his entire team on his back and carry them to victories over significant stretches. How will it go this weekend? On one hand, Ringer has been a monster this year, and there is no reason to believe the veteran will be intimidated by playing the Buckeyes for the last time in his last major home game (thanks to the meltdown in Madison), with a Big Ten title still firmly in their sights. The flip side? 18 carries, 49 yards. Those are the numbers that Ringer put up last year against the Buckeyes, and stopping Ringer was one of the big keys to victory for the Buckeyes in last year's hard-fought game. The Buckeyes will need a similar effort this season to control the game in what will be a very hostile environment. Depth is where the Buckeyes have the clear edge at the position, as Maurice Wells, Herron, and Saine have all demonstrated they are capable players at some point this season. One problem with riding a single horse is that there is nothing behind him in the stable, and if anything were to happen to Ringer, the Spartans would, conceivably, be completely lost. Given the talent of Wells and the immense gap in depth, the positional edge goes to the Buckeyes, though that is no reflection of the quality of Ringer or the season he is having.

Edge: Ohio State


Wide Receivers
WR #2 Mark Dell (6-2, 188, SO, Harrison HS, Farmington Hills, MI)
WR #3 B. J. Cunningham (6-2, 205, FR, Westerville South HS, Westerville, OH)

Dell caught 20 passes for 2 TDs last season as a freshman, so he figured to be the player most involved in the passing game entering 2008. Right on key, he exploded out of the box, torching the Cal defense for 202 yards on 9 catches with a TD. His involvement has been somewhat inconsistent since that game, however, as he has mustered only 11 catches since. He had 71 yards against Eastern Michigan, 80 against Notre Dame, and caught a TD pass against Indiana. Cunningham is a big target from Westerville who appears to have considerable promise. He has 19 catches thus far, and his production has been fairly consistent. He has 8 catches for 120 yards in the past 2 games (combined), and so will probably get his share of looks on Saturday as the Buckeyes stack the box to stop Ringer. With the meat of the schedule kicking in, it will be especially important for the Spartan wideouts to run good routes, beat man coverage, and keep defenses honest. Whether these young players are up to the task remains to be seen.

Junior Blair White (#25) seems to be a viable 3rd option off the bench. He has 13 catches thus far, so he has logged about as much work as the starters. Though he hasn't had any huge games, he's caught 3 balls each of the past 2 games, and will probably be some sort of factor on Saturday. There isn't a great deal of extra depth, though freshman Keshawn Martin (#82) has caught all 5 of his passes for 79 yards in the past 3 games, so he could easily get a look or two as well.

WR Rating: C+

Head-to-Head: Michigan State versus Ohio State WRs

Dell: 20 catches, 443 yards, 2 TDs, 22.2 YPR
Cunningham: 19 catches, 322 yards, 0 TDs, 16.9 YPR
White: 13 catches, 154 yards, 0 TDs, 11.8 YPR

Robiskie: 24 catches, 232 yards, 4 TDs, 9.7 YPR
Hartline: 14 catches, 231 yards, 2 TDs, 16.5 YPR
Small: 16 catches, 112 yards, 0 TDs, 7.0 YPR

Dell and Cunningham seem to be quality young players capable of developing into fine targets. Hoyer has done a good job of distributing the ball, so a defense can not focus on one single player. The flip side of that is that it appears the Spartans do not have a "go-to" guy, at least yet. The Buckeye corps is more experienced at the top, and there are a couple of nice options developing off the bench as well. Based on big-game experience and the penchant for running more precise routes, the Buckeyes get the edge, though the Spartans are a quality group.

Edge: Ohio State

Tight Ends
TE #83 Charlie Gantt (6-4, 252, SO, Brother Rice HS, Farmington Hills, MI)

Gantt is a young player with quite a bit of upside. He has good size, and can be a considerable factor in the blocking game. He can also get downfield and make a big catch, as his eye-popping 20.0 YPR indicates. His role as a receiver seems to vary week to week, as he had little impact early, but caught 2 passes for 92 and a TD at Indiana and 2 for 37 and a TD against Iowa. Garrett Celek (#85) is also a capable performer and can make the occasional catch.

TE Rating: B

Head-to-Head: Purdue versus Ohio State TEs

Gantt: 8 catches, 160 yards, 2 TDs, 20.0 YPR
Celek: 5 catches, 42 yards, 1 TD, 8.4 YPR

Nicol: 4 catches, 32 yards, 1 TD, 8.0 YPR
Ballard: 3 catches, 42 yards, 0 TDs, 14.0 YPR

Gantt appears to be a future primary weapon in the passing game, and he is already a capable blocker. His continued development will give the Spartans more weapons on play-action passes with Ringer. As he has the capability of burning a defense for a big one, the Spartans get the edge. Michigan State also has quality two-deep at the position.

Edge: Michigan State

Offensive Line
LT #57 Rocco Cironi (6-6, 308, JR, Warren G. Harding HS, Warren, OH)
LG #67 Joel Foreman (6-3, 308, FR, Milford HS, Highland, MI)
C #65 Joel Nitchman (6-3, 297, JR, Hackett Catholic Central HS, Kalamazoo, MI)
RG #73 Roland Martin (6-5, 330, SR, Harper HS, Chicago, IL)
RT #79 Jesse Miller (6-6, 318, SR, Somerville HS, Somerville, NJ)

The Spartan line features a bit of youthful enthusiasm and quite a bit of experience. The right side is particularly well-established, led by gargantuan guard Roland Martin. Martin entered the season having started 22 games the past 2 years, and is the primary interior bulldozer for the powerful Spartan running game. Miller is also in his 3rd year as a starter, having started 25 games entering 2008. He is a large, powerful blocker who has firmly entrenched himself, and together with Martin gives the Spartans one of the better right sides of the line one can find. In the middle, Nitchman started 8 games last season (7 at center), so the Spartans have another valuable commodity who is an able blocker and can make good line reads. The left side is left experienced, with Cironi getting his first season of starting action after playing sparingly as a reserve, and Foreman injecting the line with some youthful enthusiasm after redshirting last season.

The Spartans feature a pair of juniors, Brendan Moss (#64) and Mike Schmeding (#76) to backup the tackle spots, though they have little previous game experience. Veteran Mike Bacon (#60) is a senior with good size and one career start, and is the primary backup in the interior. Freshman Jared McGaha (#75) appears to be the heir apparent at right guard.

OL Rating: B

Head-to-Head: Michigan State versus Ohio State OL

There is no denying how good the Spartan running game has been, and the line can share a great deal of credit in that success. The right side in particular is considerably strong and experienced, and the left side features some younger players who could develop into very good players. The Buckeyes have had their share of line woes this season, and have not produced at the level of the Spartans thus far. The Spartans are not especially deep, and could be in trouble if someone sustains a serious injury, but based on overall performance thus far, they get the nod.

Edge: Michigan State

Overall Offensive Analysis

Coach Dantonio appears to have the Spartans playing in good form, with the meat of the schedule arriving. The next 2-4 weeks will define the seasons of both clubs, and this game happens to be the beginning of that process. The key for the Spartans will be to either pound Ringer early to set up the play-action passing, or if that is not working, to take some pressure off of Ringer in the box by utilizing the passing game early. Either way, the Spartans will have to be more multi-dimensional than they have been, which is a team that reminds people of the Troy Davis era at Iowa State in stretches. Hoyer has the chance in front of what will surely be a raucous home crowd to send the Spartans directly towards a Big Ten title if they can pull off the upset win. However, their recent track record against the Buckeye defense is not particularly good, and they will have to play considerably better than they did last season. One thing is certain, and that is that someone is going to be set up for a showdown against Penn State for the Big Ten title after this weekend. Which team it is will depend on which offense can execute their game plan more effectively, and which thoroughbred in the backfield can carry the bigger load.

Overall Offensive Rating: B-
2008 Michigan State Spartans Defensive Preview
Returning Starters: 7
Defensive Coordinator Pat Narduzzi enters his second year as Michigan State's defensive coordinator. Before coming to Michigan State, Narduzzi served as Dantonio's defensive coordinator all three years at Cincinnati, where he solidified his already growing reputation of fielding strong, attacking defenses. The aggressiveness he preaches yielded immediate results with the Spartans who increased their sack total to 40, 24 more sacks than acquired in 2006, and third most in Spartan history. Likewise, under Narduzzi's tutelage, Michigan State had 3 players selected for the All Big Ten team, including outgoing End Jonal Saint-Dic who set a single season record for forced fumbles with eight.

Thus far in 2008, Michigan State's defense has been nearly identical to the 2007 version. In 2007 the Spartans afforded opposing offenses 351.3 yards per game and 26.8 points. While the 2008 version has given up 10 more yards per contest (361.9), they have improved the scoring against numbers by giving up just 16.7 points. The rush defense afforded opponents 134.1 yards per game in 2007 and is giving up almost exactly that amount again in 2008 (134.9). The passing defense is where the 10 extra yards come from, with the Spartans giving up 227 per game as opposed to the 217.3 last season. But, along with a reduction in scoring, the Spartans are also on course to record far more INTs in 2008, already having 9 to last seasons 12.

The Spartans 4-3 based defense has been almost exactly as good as Ohio State on 3rd downs, giving up 41 conversion in 104 opportunities for 39%. The Buckeyes have allowed 39 conversions in 103 chances for a 38% success rate. Likewise, Ohio State and Michigan State's sack numbers are virtually identical with MSU recording 11 for 88 yards and the Buckeyes 11 sacks for 79 yards. While MSU has given up only 2 more TDs than Ohio State (14 to 12), the red zone defenses are similar with Michigan State allowing 14 scores in 23 chances (61%) while Ohio State is slightly better only allowing 7 TDs in just 13 chances (54%). As the numbers suggest, Michigan State has not afforded opponents any long plays for a score as each TD against has been a red zone opportunity, while the Buckeyes have afforded 5 scores where the opponent was not inside the 20.

Defensive Line
LE #58 Trevor Anderson (6-2, 250, JR)
DT #97 Justin Kershaw (6-5, 273, SR)
NT #70 Oren Wilson (6-3, 288, SO)
RE #47 Brandon Long (6-4, 250, SR)

Trevor Anderson, like Narduzzi, followed Dantonio from UC to MSU. He's asked to replace the production of Jonal Saint-Dic, which is a fairly tall order. But, the Junior transfer has the potential to be even more productive and has been solid thus far with 16 Tackles, 6.5 for loss, 5 sacks and a forced fumble. On the other side is the Senior former linebacker Brandon Long. Long is a speedy option at the end, but has to establish more consistency in getting disruption in the backfield. He has made 15 stops, 2.5 for loss with 2 sacks thus far. Inside Justin Kershaw leads the way. Built more like an End, Kershaw provides some extra speed inside, but lacks the bulk to dominate the interior. Bigger linemen should be able to push him around, but he has proven able thus season with 15 tackles, 5 for loss with 2.5 sacks. Wilson had a good freshman year where he recorded 10 tackles and knocked down 2 passes playing behind Ogemdi Nwagbuo. He has 10 tackles, 1.5 for loss and a fumble recovery.

Depth comes from Ends; #49 Dwayne Holmes (6-0, 286, SR), # 57 Johnathan Strayhorn (6-0, 252, rFR), and #89 Colin Neely (6-1, 248, SO), and Tackles, #96 Kevin Pickelman (6-3, 248, rFR), #93 Antonio Jeremiah (6-5, 318, SO), and #98 Michael Jordan (6-5, 287, JR). Neely leads the way among reserves with 14 tackles, 2.5 for loss and half a sack while each of Holmes, Jordan and Pickleman have seen action in each of MSU's 7 games. Holmes has 6 tackles, 1.5 for loss while Jordan and Pickleman each of 3 tackles. Jeremiah has played in 6 games and has 2 tackles, while Strayhorn has 4 tackles in 5 games.


DL Rating: B

Head-to-Head: Michigan State versus OSU DL

Considering the coaching trees as between the Spartans and Buckeyes, it's little surprise that Michigan State's D Line is quite similar to the Buckeyes front. Both units are built on speed rather than size, and each can be exploited up the gut. Both teams will have their work cut out for them as the Spartans will have to stop Beanie Wells, while the Buckeyes will look to slow down Javon Ringer. The Buckeyes give up about 1 yard less per carry, and just over 30 yards less per game while the Spartans front tends to get in to the backfield and make the stop with more frequency. Both units have great potential to be better, but that means both also have a good deal of room for improvement. Argument can be made either way as to which line gets the edge, so we'll call it even here.

Edge: Even

Linebackers
SLB #53 Greg Jones (6-1, 222, SO)
MLB #55 Adam Decker (6-2, 238, JR)
WLB #43 Eric Gordon (6-0, 224, SO)

Jones led the team with 78 tackles last season as a Freshman and looks to firmly establish himself as one of the Big Ten's top LBs this season. Jones has excellent range and a nose for the football, though he has only recorded 1 pass break-up thus far. Not surprisingly he leads the team with 52 tackles with 5.5 for loss. On the weakside is fellow Sophomore Eric Gordon. Gordon, like Jones, had an outstanding freshman campaign where he recorded 62 tackles and displayed great speed and the ability to play each of the 3 LB positions. He is second on the team in tackles in 2008 with 45 tackles, 8 for loss, 3 pass breakups and a fumble recovery. The "old man" of the bunch is Junior Adam Decker who, while not the quickest of athletes, provides good bulk and toughness. He has 38 stops thus far with 5 coming behind the LOS.

Depth is provided by #34 Brandon Denson (5-11, 222, JR), #36 Jon Misch (6-2, 205, SO), #54 David Rolf (6-3, 215, FR), and #42 Ryan Allison (6-3, 224, SR). Denson is a former walk-on and Allison came to East Lansing as a Wide Receiver. Both have become good reserves at LB, with each recording 14 tackles in the 7 games thus far. Rolf has also seen action in every game and has recorded 5 tackles and has recovered a fumble. Misch has yet to record any tackles.

LB Rating: B/B+

Head-to-Head: Michigan State versus OSU LBs

Similar schemes have led to both units producing at similar levels. While the Spartans LB corps is smaller and sees more production from the edges, the Buckeyes have a distinct advantage at MLB. The Buckeyes LBs have been more productive in the passing game both in terms of coverage and sacking the QB, while each group has made 8.5 tackles behind the line. The Buckeyes unit has more expirience and depth, but the difference isn't huge. It will be absolutely critical for both groups to play well in run support. While the Spartans might be a little faster, the Buckeyes are stronger. Oddly enough, the relative weakness of each unit plays in to the hands of the other team's running back with the 235 pound Beanie being more powerful, but with the 205 pound Ringer having great speed. While Michigan State's LBs are far from a liability, the slight edge goes to the Buckeyes.

Edge: Ohio State

Secondary
BCB #29 Chris L. Rucker (6-2, 190, SO)
FS #33 Danny Fortener (6-1, 199, JR)
SS #21 Otis Wiley (6-2, 210, SR)
FCB #37 Ross Weaver (6-1, 202, JR)

The secondary is lead by Senior Otis Wiley, who might be the best player on Michigan State's roster regardless of position. Wiley had a solid Junior campaign, but struggled some as he learned his new role, but still had 4 picks to go with 49 stops (down from 94 in 2006). He already has 4 INTs this year to go along with his 38 tackles and a fumble recovery. Leading the group statistically is Fortener who has recorded 44 tackles, one for loss to go along with 2 picks and a fumble recovery. He also has 5 pass break-ups. Rucker works the boundary corner position. Rucker started 4 games as a freshman but was sidelined with detached retinas for the second half of the season. He has returned to record 32 tackles, 4 for loss with a sack and a pick thus far. Manning the Field Corner is Ross Weaver, who brings good size and physicality to the field. He was limited in 2007 with a bad foot. He has 14 tackles, 1 for loss and a 35 yard INT return.

Depth comes from Corners; #9 Jeremy Ware (5-10, 184, JR), #39 Trenton Robinson (5-10, 180, FR), #5 Johnny Adams (5-11, 165, FR) and #31 Ashton Henderson (5-11, 182, Jr.) and Safeties; #38 Kendell Davis-Clark (5-11, 210, SR), #28 Mike Bell (5-11, 190, SR) and #11 Marcus Hyde (6-0, 199, SO). Ware is a transfer from South Carolina who was limited by a shoulder injury last season. He is listed as a possible starter in place of Rucker and will certainly see plenty of action on Saturday. He has 19 Tackles, 1 for loss with 6 break-ups. Adams has 13 tackles and a pick as he makes a name for himself during his freshman campaign. Davis-Clark has played in just two games owing to a shoulder injury suffered in the opener against Cal. But, he actually got the start last week against Northwestern in his return to action. He has 11 Tackles, .5 for loss. If he is healthy, he should get the start against this week.

DB Rating: B

Head-to-Head: Michigan State versus OSU DBs

Michigan State has a solid secondary possessing players with next level skill and excellent depth. Despite having a line which created back-field havoc in 2007, the unit was somewhat shaky at times, but over-all good enough. As Wiley settles in to his role, the group is better still, even though they are giving up a few more yards per game this year. Ohio State has had excellent secondary play, led by Malcolm Jenkins. The Buckeyes give up less yardage overall, and about 3 yards less per completion. Both units can change the game with INTs or the big hit. While the edge goes to Ohio State, the difference is slight.

Edge: Ohio State

Overall Defensive Analysis

As Michigan State continues to implement the defensive philosophies of Narduzzi and former Ohio State DC Mark Dantonio the Spartans will only continue to get better. Already a solid group, Michigan State is soon to find its way to the top of the Big Ten standings and will be a force to be reckoned with more and more each year. While the Spartans have a little less overall talent than do the Buckeyes, they are far from incapable. Both clubs share similar styles and statistics. MSU, like Ohio State, needs to tighten up against the run more and both could benefit from better interior line play. Each team possess a deep and talented back seven with the only differences being slightly more talent and expirience on Ohio State's side. Again, however, the difference is not vast and Michigan State has the horses to give Ohio State trouble this Saturday.

Overall Defensive Rating: B

2008 Michigan State Spartans Special Teams Preview
Returning Starters: 3
2007 Stats

Punting: Aaron Bates 69 for 2742 yds, 39.75 avg, 75th in the Nation
Punt Returns: Terry Love (graduated) 22 for 105 yds, 4.77 avg, 86th in the Nation
Kicking: Brett Swenson, 53 of 54 PATs (98%), 15 of 22 FGs (68%)
Kickoff Returns: Devin Thomas 39 for 1135 yds, 29.10 avg 11th in the Nation
Punt Return Defense: 22 for 174 yds 7.91 avg 48th in the Nation
Kickoff Return Defense: 71 for 1498 yds 21.1 avg 56th in the Nation


2008 Stats (through October 11th)

Punting: Aaron Bates 37 for 1522 yds, 41.14 avg 40th in the Nation
Punt Returns: Otis Wiley 15 for 187 yds 12.47 avg 25th in the Nation
Kicking: Brett Swenson 23 of 23 PATs (100%), 15 of 16 FGs (93.8%), 18th in the Nation
Kickoff Returns: Javon Ringer, 11 for 224 yds, 20.36 avg 100th in the Nation
Punt Return Defense: 16 for 111 yds, 6.94 avg, 1 TD, 44th in the Nation
Kickoff Return Defense: 34 for 796 yds, 23.41 avg, 92nd in the Nation

The Michigan State Spartans bring a solid group of Special Teams play as they prepare to host the Buckeyes in East Lansing, MI this Saturday.
They are solid in punting, punt returns, and kicking. They are lacking in punt and kickoff return defense and kickoff returns. It could go a long way to determining who wins this game.

Special Teams
P #18 Aaron Bates (6-0, 188, So., John Glenn HS, New Concord, OH)
PK#14 Brett Swenson (5-8, 169, Jr., St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Pompano Beach, FL)
KO #15 Todd Boleski (6-6, 215, Sr., Divine Child HS, Dearborn Heights, MI)
PR #21 Otis Wiley (6-2, 210, Sr., Carman-Ainsworth HS, Flint, MI)
KR #20 A.J. Jimmerson (5-10, 208, Jr., Hazelwood Central HS, St. Louis, MO)
KR #41 Glenn Winston (6-2, 218, Fr., Denby Tch HS, Detroit, MI)

LS #56 Alex Shackleton (6-2, 242, So., Summit HS, Breckenridge, CO)
Hldr #18 Aaron Bates (6-0, 188, So., John Glenn HS, New Concord, OH)

From the Michigan State athletic web site notes:

Junior Brett Swenson has been selected Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after accounting 13 points in Michigan State?s 37-20 victory at Northwestern. Swenson made all three field-goal attempts, hitting from 26, 42 and 34 yards, and added four PATS. Since missing his first attempt of the 2008 season in the opener at California, he has converted a school-record 15 consecutive field oals, breaking the mark previously held by Paul Edinger, who made 13 in a row in 1998.

The Spartan Special Teams are solid in the punt game, with their offense being 25th in the Nation and their defense being 44th in the Nation. Their kickoff teams leave a little to be desired, with Ringer (unlikely to return any kicks) being #100 out of 100 in the return game and their defense ranking a not-so-great 92nd out of 117 teams. The Buckeyes continue to make progress in their kickoff teams and are solid in their punt teams

ST Rating: B for Punt Teams, D for Kickoff Teams

Head-to-Head: Otis Wiley/A.J. Jimmerson vs Ohio State STs

Wiley could cause some problems if the Buckeyes are not on the top of their game. He is currently averaging 12.47 yds per return, good for 25th in the Nation. In kickoff returns, only Javon Ringer is ranked in the top 100 (coming in at #100). I would be surprised if they have Ringer back on any kickoffs. Coupled with MSU's 92nd ranked kickoff defense and the clear edge goes to Ohio State (for the first time this season) in the kickoff team.

Edge: Punts - Michigan State, Kickoffs - Ohio State

Overall Special Teams Analysis

In a hostile environment like East Lansing, every team must play their best to pull out a win. This year is no different. The Buckeyes have the advantage in kickoffs, but the Spartans counter with an advantage in punts. Who wins the battle of field position may very well win the game.

Overall Special Teams Rating: C+

Predictions
BB73's prediction: 27-17, Ohio State
BuckeyeRyn's prediction: ??-??, Ohio State
Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 24-17, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 24-16, Ohio State
DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 22-20, Ohio State
jwinslow's prediction: 24-21, Ohio State
JCOSU's Prediction: 24-14, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 24-17, Ohio State
Previous Game's Results (OSU 16 - Purdue 3)
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual score versus predicted score. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
(95) Bucklion's prediction: 37-13, Ohio State (31 + 64 last week = 95)
(122) DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 42-10, Ohio State (33 + 89 last week = 122)
(125) jwinslow's prediction: 34-13, Ohio State (28 + 97 last week = 125)
(137) JCOSU86's prediction: 31-7, Ohio State (19 + 118 last week = 137)
(138) BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 21-10, Ohio State (12 + 126 last week = 138)
(144) BB73's prediction: 34-13, Ohio State (28 + 116 last week = 144)
(151) Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 38-7, Ohio State (26 + 125 last week = 151)
(157) 3yardsandacloud's prediction: 36-14, Ohio State (31 + 126 last week = 157)

Adjusted scores for weeks missed. Participant must take the highest score from the week they missed.

 
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Errors so far.

1. Not field turf, the best grass on EARTH.
2. Keith Nichol (sitting out after transferring in from Oklahoma) is the heir apparent at QB.
3.
On one hand, it is obvious Ringer is an amazing talent, a tough guy, and a workhorse back. He will be the key to the game for the Spartans on Saturday.
nothing wrong with that, except another hand usually follows it.
4. MSU gave up 50+ yard TD's vs CAL and 2 vs IU so I don't believe the comment about them not allowing any long TD's is accurate.
5. Glenn Winston is now handling KR duties along with Jimmerson. Winston has been excellent in that role nearly breaking a TD vs Iowa and averaging over 30 yards per return vs Northwestern. Ringer was suprisingly bad at that role, he has REALLY lost his top end speed.



Just wanted to say thanks for the (best) game preview and I wanted do what I could to help make sure it stays that way.

Good luck :osu: on all dates and times other than Oct 18th between 3:30 and 7:30 pm

Sorry if I ruffled any feathers, shook things up, or otherwise got all "Mavericky"
 
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st8ofmind;1292982; said:
1. Not field turf, the best grass on EARTH.
2. Keith Nichol (sitting out after transferring in from Oklahoma) is the heir apparent at QB.
3. nothing wrong with that, except another hand usually follows it.
4.

1 - thanks, we failed to change the type of surface, and that was my mistake.
2 - 3 Feel free to write your own preview

4.

Nothing wrong with listing a 4, but usually some kind of text follows it.

Edit: I see you were working on 4.... As I said in 2 and 3.. feel free to write your own preview. I'll be sure to post "errors so far" for you
 
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Haven't finished reading the whole preview yet, but as a 2nd time visitor to the site and an MSU grad, what I've read is very well written and informative. I hope that some of the MSU boards that I visit emulate this type of preview for our games. Well done guys and Go Green this weekend.
 
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st8ofmind;1292982; said:
5. Glenn Winston is now handling KR duties along with Jimmerson. Winston has been excellent in that role nearly breaking a TD vs Iowa and averaging over 30 yards per return vs Northwestern. Ringer was suprisingly bad at that role, he has REALLY lost his top end speed.
Duly noted. Thank you for the addition. I included Winston in the writeup above.
 
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st8ofmind;1292982; said:
5. Glenn Winston is now handling KR duties along with Jimmerson. Winston has been excellent in that role nearly breaking a TD vs Iowa and averaging over 30 yards per return vs Northwestern. Ringer was suprisingly bad at that role, he has REALLY lost his top end speed.
Duly noted. Thank you for the addition. I included Winston in the writeup above. He was not included in the statistics I use to due to the fact he hasn't had enough returns to qualify.
 
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JCOSU86;1293062; said:
Duly noted. Thank you for the addition. I included Winston in the writeup above. He was not included in the statistics I use to due to the fact he hasn't had enough returns to qualify.

Phew! For a second there I thought that maybe his grades are what disqualified him from admission to the preview...

:biggrin:
 
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Daddy Big Bucks predicts 22 points? Is that a touchdown, two field goals and a safety or touchdown and five field goals? I guess being a stats guy he just extraoplated the red zone performance over the last two games and came up with a 5/1 field goal to touchdown ratio.
 
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smithlabs;1293182; said:
Daddy Big Bucks predicts 22 points? Is that a touchdown, two field goals and a safety or touchdown and five field goals? I guess being a stats guy he just extraoplated the red zone performance over the last two games and came up with a 5/1 field goal to touchdown ratio.

Look at the Behind the Numbers section in "Additional Information" (there's a link at the bottom of the preview). That will tell you what I think of the td/fg ratio.
 
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