Preview: Notre Dame @ Michigan State - September 20, 2008
By Totals 4 U
Notre Dame (2-0) turned 28 points off 6 forced turnovers in a South Bend driving rainstorm into a decisive 35-17 victory over Michigan last week, their 4 consecutive win dating back to last season. Charlie Weis’s crew that was so raw to begin 2007 is gaining experience and confidence with each contest – especially along the offensive line. Senior LT Mike Turkovich, senior LG Eric Olsen, and junior RT Sam Young are vastly improved returning starters from a squad that was flat abused for 58 sacks (including 8 by Michigan) and generated only 75.2 yards rushing per game. This season the Irish have averaged 109.0 rush yards per tilt and have yet to surrender a single sack. QB Jimmy Claussen (31 of 55 for 384 yards, 5 TD, 4 INT) has his entire receiving corps back for his second season at the trigger including starters 6’5” sophomore WR Duval Kamara (2 for 38 yards and TD) and 5’10” 177 senior WR David Grimes (6 for 38 yards and TD) but it has been the 5’1” 195 sophomore WR Golden Tate (10 for 220 yards and 2 TD) lighting up the opposition with blazing speed and great ball skills while adding 21.5 yards per punt return. No replacement has been found for John Carlson with tight ends Rudolph and Yeatman only combining for 2 catches. Big backs 5’11” 237 Robert Hughes (36 for 133 yards and 2 TD) and 6’0” 225 James Aldridge (9 for 31 yards vs. Michigan) have been getting a ton of carries with victory in hand but we expect to see much more of 5’10” 195 sophomore RB Armando Allen’s (18 for 63 yards rushing) moves this week that have been on display with 14.7 yards per punt return. This isn’t a great offense (301.0 yards per game and 34 first downs) but they are getting better.
The Irish defense has also made strides (115.0 rush yards and 251.5 pass yards allowed per game), especially against the run where they were pushed all over the field last season and creating turnovers where they already have 3 picks and 5 fumble recoveries to their credit. Alumni/Coach Weis brought the 3-4 alignment (and 4 Super Bowl rings) from his time in the NFL, continually sending linebackers, led by 6’0” 235 senior Maurice Crum Jr. (11 T, S, makes 40th start Saturday), on the blitz while rotating the safeties behind. 6’1” 203 senior SS Kyle McCarthy (24 T) and 6’2” 212 senior FS David Bruton (20 T, 1 ½ TFL, 2 FF, FR, INT) have thrived in this role, combining for 25 tackles against the Wolverines, for a unit that finished 2nd in the nation in 2007 pass defense. Departed DE Trevor Laws (112 tackle in ’07) was impossible to replace but 6’3” 283 RDE senior Pat Kuntz is a ball-batting machine and 6’3” 277 senior LDE Justin Brown (2 TFL) has been effective entering in passing situations. On special teams, sophomore K Brandon Walker (6 for 13 career field goals) can’t really be counted on but special teams coverage has been stellar (0.6 yards per punt return, 11.9 yards per kick return) with gunners Bruton and Anello unstoppable so far.
Michigan State (2-1) hasn’t allowed opponents a score since their 31-38 loss at California on August 30th, since blanking Eastern Michigan 42-0 and Florida Atlantic 17-0 last Saturday. The Spartan backer group of 6’0” 224 sophomore WLB Eric Gordon (19 T, 2 ½ TFL), 6’2” 238 junior MLB Adam Decker (17 T, 1 ½ TFL), and 6’1” 222 sophomore SLB Greg Jones (17 T, 3 ½ TFL) are extremely athletic and versatile, often negating the need to be replaced in what would be normally be nickel and dime package situations, plus 5’11” 222 junior LB Brandon Denson (12 T, TFL) has been superb off the bench. The front four of LDE Long (6 T), LDT Kershaw (8 T, 2 ½ TFL, 1 ½ S), RDT Wilson (7 T), and RDE Anderson (4 T, S) are not huge guys at 265 pounds per man and it has shown against the run with 137.3 rush yards allowed per game at a 4.5 yards per clip but they pursue pretty well and rush specialist 6’1” 248 sophomore DE Colin Neeley (10 T, 2 TFL) has produced very well in relief. A team total of 18 tackles for loss and the resulting down and distance situations has been key in allowing opponents to convert just 12 of 45 third and fourth down attempts plus it has also freed up the defensive backfield to seek the ball. Safeties 6’2” senior Otis Wiley (15 T, 2 INT, 14.5 yards per punt return) and 6’1” 199 junior Danny Fortner (16 T, FR) have combined for 3 turnovers so far and as FS Kendall Davis Clark (6 T), who possesses fine ball skills, gets healthy this number will improve. Corners 6’1” 202 junior Ross Weaver (8 T, TFL) and 6’2” 190 sophomore Chris Rucker (12 T, TFL) have the size to take on physical Big 10 receivers and aren’t afraid to throw their hats into the action. By the numbers, Michigan State’s offense is as balanced as they come with 192.7 rush yards per game and 27 first downs via the ground for the season versus 196.3 pass yards per game and 28 first downs through the air but if you have seen the Spartans in action, you know the game plan is all about back-to-back Big 10 Offensive Player of the Week 5’9” 202 senior RB Javon Ringer. Ringer (104 for 498 yards and 9 TD) carried the ball 43 times against Florida Atlantic for 282 yards and a pair of scores in addition to returning kicks at a 22.2 yard clip for the year. The power right side of the offensive line is manned by returning starters 6’3” 297 C Nitchman, 6’5” 330 RG Martin, and 6’6” 318 RT Miller who have out-manned the opposition so far and along with 6’6” 308 LT Cironi and 6’3” 308 LG Foreman have been beat for only a single sack. Keep your eye out for 5’9” 186 freshman change of pace back Andre Anderson (14 for 91 yards). Coach Mark Dantonio (9-7 in 2nd season) has a couple of dynamite young receivers in 6’2” 205 B.J. Cunningham (8 for 139) and 6’2” 188 Mark Dell (13 for 320 yards and TD) but both got banged up last week and senior QB Brian Hoyer (33 of 75 for 557 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) just isn’t very good unless he’s handing the ball off to Ringer. Junior K Brett Swenson has connected on 32 of 44 career field goal attempts and 98 of 99 extra points.
FREE SELECTION: The road team has won the last 7 consecutive battles for “The Megaphone Trophy” and Charlie Weis – even with torn medial and anterior knee ligaments – is one heck of a game planner. Michigan State is no longer a laughing stock in the Big 10 but we’re not eager to lay better than a touchdown in a rivalry (72nd meeting) situation. Take Notre Dame + 8 ½.