Spartans receiving corps to blame for poor performances

Via Lansing State Journal

By Sean Gagnier

EAST LANSING- Some blame for the Spartans loss to Notre Dame definitely should be heaped on QB Andrew Maxwell, he locked onto receivers and made some poor throws, but as the Spartans game with Eastern Michigan showed, it's the receivers who are running this team into the ground.

During the game with Notre Dame coach Mark Dantonio said he grew impatient of waiting for the run game to get going and instead went to the passing game, which due to the incredibly poor play of the receiving corps cost Michigan State the game.

Maxwell didn't look great against Notre Dame, but he certainly wasn't as bad as the numbers implied, his receivers dropped 10, yes 10, passes. Last checked, receivers were supposed to actually catch the ball. But apparently, Bennie Fowler, Tony Lippett and DeAnthony Arnett didn't get that memo.

In the game against Eastern Michigan, Spartan receivers dropped another five passes. Let's say that again. Against an 0-3 team from the M.A.C. Spartan receivers found it difficult to catch anything more than a cold. Maxwell had improved from Notre Dame, he didn't lock onto receivers and attempted to spread the ball around in the passing game. But when it became obvious that his receivers didn't feel the need to catch anything thrown near them, Maxwell went to his safety blanket in Dion Sims.

Sims racked up more than 100 yards receiving against Eastern, and due to the poor play, again, of the receivers Michigan State was forced to give the ball to LeVeon Bell 32 times, which to his credit he turned into more than 250 yards of offense.

Right now, this Spartans offense consists of Bell getting the ball and the occasional play-action pass to Sims. That's not good enough to beat any Big Ten team. Hell, it was barely enough to beat Eastern Michigan. When your offense goes into halftime against a team from the MAC, they damn well better have more than three points.

Something needs to be done about the receivers at Michigan State, whether it be submersing their gloves in super glue prior to the game or setting them in front of a pitching machine and having them catch passes for hours at a time. If the Spartans go into B1G play  with nothing more than Bell and Sims, there is no way they can win much of anything, regardless of how well their defense plays.

Notre Dame/Michigan State Preview: Game of the Century Part 2?

Will MSU win on a trick play, or runaway with an easy victory?
Courtesy of: doublecoveragefootball.com

By Blain Bradley

The stage is set for a showdown at Spartan Stadium on September 15th. The 10th ranked Spartans will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who after a close win against Purdue, earned a #20 ranking in the AP Top 25 Polls. The game has huge BCS implications. Both teams are seeking post-season bids in major bowl games, and with a game like this they'll have their chance to make some noise. 

Notre Dame returns star running back Cierre Wood. Wood was suspended for the first two games due to a violation of team rules. Wood is an elusive runner who can cause frustration for the Spartans. Wood was considered a dark-horse Heisman candidate prior to his suspension. Wood is currently on thin ice with the Fighting Irish fans. Fighting Irish Faithful were relying on wood to be a leader. They expect nothing less than a huge game from him. 

The Spartans will counter the Fighting Irish with their own Heisman hopeful, Le'Veon Bell. Last week against Central Michigan Bell carried the ball 18 times for 70 yards (3.8 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. Bell had an absolute monster game in the opener against Boise State. Bell's most eye-popping statistic of the season is his yards per carry average, which currently sits at 4.5. Bell can chip away at the Notre Dame defense. He is the rock that holds the Spartan offense. The Notre Dame rush defense is currently allowing runners to amass 3.41 yards a carry. Bell will challenge the tenacious defense and look to make big plays. 

Irish quarterback Everett Golson has looked solid in his first two outings. He was methodical against Navy, however he suffered a thumb injury in the Purdue game that forced him to leave early (before leaving the game Golson completed 21 out of 31 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown). According to insiders at CBS, Golson is "expected to start this game." This is going to be Golson's biggest test to date. He will face a stellar Spartan defense that will look to pressure him constantly. Golson was sacked five times in the Purdue game. The Spartan pass rush can finally shine against a weak pass protection.

Spartan fans will be watching quarterback Andrew Maxwell intently. Maxwell was a little shaky in his first start against Boise State. Coach Dantonio changed the game plan up against Central Michigan. He limited Le'Veon Bell's carries, and allowed Maxwell to throw the ball around. Maxwell looked poised against Central. He threw 31 passes, completing 20 of them for 275 yards and two touchdowns. At times Maxwell looked nervous, often overthrowing receivers. He definitely has the arm strength needed to contend in the Big Ten, he just needs to work on finesse. 

The game also has historical value to it. Notre Dame and Michigan State have been heated rivals since 1897. The Spartans and Fighting Irish duke it out in the Battle for the Megaphone. In 1966 the rivalry escalated to new heights in a game that was dubbed "The Game of the Century." The 9-0 Spartans were ranked #2 in the polls, while the Fighting Irish (who were 8-0) entered the game at #1. The Spartans were the defending national champions. The game ended in a 10-10 tie (the Irish elected not to make an endzone attempt) which led to both teams being crowned national champions.

The rivalry has grown even bigger in recent years. Two years ago, Coach Dantonio stunned the college football world when he called a "Little Giants" trick play in overtime to take down the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame got revenge by solidly defeating the Irish in their next showdown. 

Will Saturday night's game rival past MSU/Notre Dame games? Will the Spartans pull off another "Little Giants" play to take down Notre Dame? Will it be the new "Game of the Century"? Fans will have to tune in to ABC on September 15th at 8 P.M. to find out. 

FINAL PREDICTION

MSU 20

ND 10

The Spartans will prove to be the more physical team, handling Notre Dame on both sides of the ball. Andrew Maxwell will look much more composed than he did against Boise State, and Le'Veon Bell will continue to score when in the red-zone. The Fighting Irish defense has not faced an offense with raw power and talent like Michigan State's. Irish quarterback Everett Golson will cause early headaches for the Spartans, however the Spartans will tighten the screws by halftime. 

Le'Veon Bell: Heisman Hopeful?

Bell hurdles Boise defender with ease.

COurtesy of GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY IMAGES

By Blain Bradley

After his monster game against Boise State (210 yards, 2 touchdowns, 44 carries), Le'Veon Bell has been gaining national attention as a Heisman hopeful. While it was well deserved hype, it was premature as well. The Spartans season is long and only gets harder from this point. 

Realistically Bell won't carry the ball 40 times a game. It's just not possible due to the physical beating a running back takes during a season. Spartan fans should look for Bell to be a 20 to 25 carry back. He has an excellent frame and pure athleticism (this was evident when Bell hurdled a Boise defender). His 210 yards were impressive, however it's more impressive that he averaged 4.7 yards a carry. 

Bell showed breakaway capability. He had a 35 yard rush that showcased his open field speed and vision. He possesses the skills of a small framed back and the power of a big body back. It's a deadly combination. Bell showed great scoring ability as well. He scored both touchdowns for the Spartans. His receiving numbers weren't too bad either (6 receptions, 55 yards). Bell draws comparisons to Saint Louis Rams running back Stephen Jackson. He has a low center of gravity for such a big back. This helps him get through small gaps and create big plays. 

What really makes Bell special is his ability to be a pure leader. He took the team on his back and carried them to victory. He bailed out Andrew Maxwell, who struggled a little in his first start. He was able to eat up clock on crucial fourth quarter drives. If Bell gets stuck in the backfield he'll fight his way forward for an extra yard.

It's far too early to place Bell amongst top Heisman hopefuls. He certainly is in the top ten right now. Football realists know that he will have to cut his carries down and continue to utilize his big play potential. Bell had a great game against a Boise squad that only returned seven starters in total. The Spartans still have to go up against top caliber teams. Bell will be the leader this season. The Spartans are questionable at quarterback and receiver, however there is no question at running back. Bell is a special player who can lead the Spartans to a successful season.

Spartans Ranked No. 8 In Sports Illustrated

Via ESPN.com

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

The preseason rankings have been out for a while now, and according the The USA Today the Spartans are the 13th best team in the land, trailing the rival Wolverines who sit in eighth place. But a new ranking is out, this one from Sports Illustrated and things look a little different. In that listing the Spartans are a top ten team, No. 8, and the Wolverines have taken over the 13th position.

SI's reasoning in why they have Michigan State ranked No. 8 is that while the Spartans have lost Kirk Cousins, the man that will be replacing him is actually better than he was. SI explains that even though Cousins had the game experience, that his replacement, Andrew Maxwell, has a better arm and is more athletic. With the full stable of receivers the Spartans have this season, Maxwell shouldn't have trouble finding someone to throw to.

Maxwell was named the "Breakout Player" on this Spartans team, as he will take over a club that has posted back-to-back 11-win seasons for the first time in school history. Michigan State's defense is just as good, if not better than it was last season, and will keep opponents from scoring regularly, giving Maxwell and his offense many opportunities to get and maintain the lead.

SI noted four-star safety recruit Demetrious Cox as the Spartans top recruit, but with as good as the secondary was last season (18 interceptions to lead the B1G) Coach Mark Dantonio will likely follow his blueprint and red-shirt Cox for the 2012 season.

William Gholston was spotlighted by the magazine, as one of the best players on the defensive side of the ball, and with the performance the former five-star recruit turned in during the win in the Outback Bowl over Georgia he is quite impressive.

Yes, Gholston has had his bad times, after twisting Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson's helmet and punching Michigan offensive lineman Taylor Lewan in the facemask, but he served his suspension and came back to his team playing a clean game, but playing with the same ferocity that he had before the ban.

Michigan State did lose a defensive force in Jerel Worthy to the Green Bay Packers, but another former five-star recruit Lawrence Thomas has transitioned from a linebacker to a defensive end. Meaning that this Spartans team will now have a five-star defensive end on each end of the line every down while the middle of the defensive line sports names like Anthony Rashad White and Marcus Rush.

With an impressive defense returning, and improving from last season, and a quarterback in Maxwell that is thought to be even better than Cousins, the Spartans simply need to get their receiving corps in order and they will be the favorites for the Legends Division crown for another season.

The Michigan State preseason depth chart has Bennie Fowler and Keith Mumphery listed as the starting receivers, but former four-star recruit to Tennessee DeAnthony Arnett is making a push for a job of his own. Redshirt-freshman recruit Juwan Caesar is also pushing for his own starting job. With the Spartan receiving corps bristling with this much talent, Dan Roushar's pass happy offense should continue to cruise.

Coach Dantonio has said that he wants to get back to running the ball and no one should be happier to hear that than Le'Veon Bell who is listed as the starting running back. Bell is a physical back who almost seeks out contact, a la Adrian Peterson, when he gets through the line and is in the secondary. He will be pushed however, as senior Larry Caper hopes to regain his starting job.

With the defense as solid as ever and the offense reloading, it appears as though the No. 8 seed placed on the Spartans by SI is well deserved.

  

2012 Outback Bowl: Michigan State's LeVeon Bell, Georgia's Isaiah Crowell headline rushing duel

This article was originally published on Yahoo! Sports 
By Adam Biggers

While I'm more apt to think that the 2012 Outback Bowl between the 17th-ranked Michigan State Spartans and 16th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs will be won in the air, the similarities between each team's ground game intrigues me.

LeVeon Bell proved to be a bruising back who could carry the load for the Spartans in the regular season, dodging tackles and racking up 900 yards on the ground in the process. He possesses a great combination of power and speed, and at 6-foot-2, 237 pounds, Bell will surely be a hard take-down for the Bulldogs defense.

AdChoices

Throw in Larry Caper, who is typically a sure-handed running back with a knack for making grabs in the flat; Edwin Baker, another powerful back with speed to burn, and the Spartans will present a monumental task Jan. 2 for Georgia to handle.

However, the Bulldogs defense, one of the best in the country, ranked 19th against defending the run this season, allowing a stingy 1,344 yards on the year.

And to top it off, the Bulldogs have an athletic, play-making back of its own: Freshman Isaiah Crowell, a load at 5-11 and 217 pounds, who galloped for 847 yards and 12 touchdowns this season—and he did that against a slate of Southeastern Conference opponents. While the Spartans did a sufficient job against Big Ten defenses, Georgia had to do it against SEC foes.

Defend the Big Ten if you must, but its defenses aren't the SEC's defenses. Statistically, Michigan State and Georgia's defenses are similar and match-up well, but that's on paper, and for a later article to address and discuss.

But, don't give Georgia the advantage just yet, as the Spartans were efficient in stuffing running backs this year, too—allowing 1,356 yards on the ground and coming in one spot nationally behind Georgia in terms of run defense.

Here are some numbers to digest: Rushing offense, rushing defense.

Quick hits

Bell rushed for 100 or more yards twice this season: 112 in the Spartans' 37-21 road win over Iowa and 106 in their 42-39 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. What does that mean? Well, if Bell's stats don't wow you, they should suggest he comes to play when his team needs him most.

Bell carried the ball a season-high 20 times in the Spartans' win at Iowa, pitching in a touchdown and two catches for 49 yards (long of 45). The win over the Hawkeyes helped Michigan State prove it could win a crucial game away from Spartan Stadium.

Crowell topped Bell in the 100-yard plus category, going for the century mark four times this season. He was out two games (Georgia Tech and New Mexico State) against opponents he would have likely ravaged for 100 or more.

One of Crowell's best performances was a 30-carry, 147-yard display in a 27-13 win over Ole Miss (Mississippi).

Stats don't tell the whole story

If not for balanced backfields, both Bell and Crowell would have likely rushed for over 1,000 yards this year. Both backs were reliable, showing they could handle the ball and produce.

The pure rushing numbers shade toward Bell having the advantage, but I would have to disagree based on one fact: Crowell got his against the SEC. But, consider Bell's other skills: He has great hands and catch. Crowell didn't rack up the receiving yards like Bell did this season (30 receptions for 228 yards).

There will be other backs that factor in the game, of course, but I wanted to highlight the two headliners. Two even defenses, not to mention two similar offenses, should make for a BCS-like match-up Jan. 2. The Outback Bowl is easily the best non-BCS game out there—a must-watch, not only for Spartans and Bulldogs followers, but for college football purists.

If one back has the potential to be a game-changer, it's Bell. He's shown in three years at Michigan State that he has the ability to do as much. Experience in big games comes in handy, and while Crowell is a fantastic athlete in his own right, I give the edge to Bell as the Outback Bowl's "game buster."

Adam Biggers has followed college football for over 20 years, specifically the Michigan State Spartans. He can be reached by e-mail at Adam.Biggers@Yahoo.com, or, by Twitter @AdamBiggers81.

He will continue to highlight other aspects of the 2012 Outback Bowl in later articles, so check back often.