It all depends on how Coach Franklin and Coach Moorhead decide to play the game. Michigan State certainly doesn't have the personnel with its front seven on defense to create a lot of the problems Ohio State did at the point of attack at the line of scrimmage, but don't get fooled into thinking Penn State is going to have an easy time running the football against the Spartans.
Michigan State's defense is similar in approach to that of Iowa. Its # 1 mission on defense is to stop the run. That has been the focus of the Spartans' defense from the first moment Coach Dantonio became Michigan State's head football coach 11 years ago. The Spartans' approach to defense is almost identical to Coach Narduzzi's approach at Pitt. Stack the box with eight players against the run and play man-to-man defense with their secondary putting their CBs out on an island.
Michigan plays a basic 4-3 scheme. The No. 1 strength of of Michigan's front four on defense is its two So. DTs Raequan Williams [6-3, 304] and Mike Panasiuk [6-3, 312]. Former walk-on DE Kenny Willekes [6-4, 244] has been a pleasant surprise this fall leading the team in TFL [8.5 TFL for 26 yards] and sacks [4 sacks for 18 yards].
Michigan State doesn't have the positional speed on defense with its front seven compared to Penn State, but play sound fundamental football rarely many any mental errors defensing the run. The Spartans are second in the Big Ten allowing just 89.8 yards rushing per game with just seven rushing TDs in eight games this season. But the Spartan's defense has totaled just 45 TFL for 177 yards and 19 sacks for 113 yards.
What has enabled Michigan State to be so effective defensing the run in its first eight games this season has been the play of its LBers. So. MLB Joe Bachie [6-2, 237] has had a breakout season leading the team with 71 tackles and posting 7.5 TFL for 27 yards and three sacks for 15 yards. Sr. Sam OLB Chris Frey [6-2, 233] is used by Dantonio to both run and pass blitz, he's second on the team with 3.5 sacks for 23 yards. Jr. "star" OLB Andrew Dowdell [6-1, 221] leads the team with two interceptions.
For the most part Michigan State's secondary has struggled at times defensing the pass. Teams have thrown for an average of 193.6 YPG giving up just seven passing TDs. On the surface that does not appear to be that bad, but the only solid passing attack Michigan State has played this season was last Saturday against Northwestern. In that game the Spartans' defense had trouble covering Northwestern's group of receivers allowing Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson to complete 38 of 55 passes for 356 yards with two TD passes and zero interceptions.
So, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Penn State's offense has to do to be successful against Michigan State's defense. Even with an offensive line that might be without the services of its starting LT Ryan Bates, this Penn State offense needs to play to its No. 1 strength on offense the athleticism and great positional speed of its skill position players on offense. Get the ball to its skill position players on offense in space, especially on first down.
Penn State first and foremost needs to have success keeping Michigan State's defense off balance on first down, avoiding second and third and long situations. I firmly believe they need to throw the football 50-percent of the time on first down and especially isolate Saquon Barkley on Michigan State's LBers with the passing game. Use TE Mike Gesicki and the mismatch problems he creates for the Spartan's defense.
When Penn State runs the football they need to not just put Barkley in motion, but think about putting a wide receiver in motion to keep the Spartans' defense off balance. Make Michigan State's LBers make adjustments before the ball is snapped. Do some of the things Penn State did against Iowa's defense when Barkley rushed for over 200 yards and had 358 all-purpose yards against the Hawkeye's defense.
Stay away from using "read option" running plays close to 50-percent of the time, especially on first down, without an RPO element being part of the play. I must believe that Michigan State's defense will have three players, just like everyone else, fast flowing toward Barkley at the mesh point of the "read option and I would not be surprised at all if Coach Dantonio run blitzes either the CB or OLB or a safety opposite the side Barkley lines up in Penn State's backfield, just like Ohio State did, to take away his ability to reverse field.
Early in the game on first down Penn State must find a way to make Michigan State's defense pay dearly for playing eight people in the box and having three players fast flowing toward Barkley at the mesh point of the "read option".
That's my analysis of what Penn State's offense must do against Michigan State's defense to put 30 or more points on the scoreboard against the Spartans.
Do you guys agree or disagree? Go to it.
Michigan State's defense is similar in approach to that of Iowa. Its # 1 mission on defense is to stop the run. That has been the focus of the Spartans' defense from the first moment Coach Dantonio became Michigan State's head football coach 11 years ago. The Spartans' approach to defense is almost identical to Coach Narduzzi's approach at Pitt. Stack the box with eight players against the run and play man-to-man defense with their secondary putting their CBs out on an island.
Michigan plays a basic 4-3 scheme. The No. 1 strength of of Michigan's front four on defense is its two So. DTs Raequan Williams [6-3, 304] and Mike Panasiuk [6-3, 312]. Former walk-on DE Kenny Willekes [6-4, 244] has been a pleasant surprise this fall leading the team in TFL [8.5 TFL for 26 yards] and sacks [4 sacks for 18 yards].
Michigan State doesn't have the positional speed on defense with its front seven compared to Penn State, but play sound fundamental football rarely many any mental errors defensing the run. The Spartans are second in the Big Ten allowing just 89.8 yards rushing per game with just seven rushing TDs in eight games this season. But the Spartan's defense has totaled just 45 TFL for 177 yards and 19 sacks for 113 yards.
What has enabled Michigan State to be so effective defensing the run in its first eight games this season has been the play of its LBers. So. MLB Joe Bachie [6-2, 237] has had a breakout season leading the team with 71 tackles and posting 7.5 TFL for 27 yards and three sacks for 15 yards. Sr. Sam OLB Chris Frey [6-2, 233] is used by Dantonio to both run and pass blitz, he's second on the team with 3.5 sacks for 23 yards. Jr. "star" OLB Andrew Dowdell [6-1, 221] leads the team with two interceptions.
For the most part Michigan State's secondary has struggled at times defensing the pass. Teams have thrown for an average of 193.6 YPG giving up just seven passing TDs. On the surface that does not appear to be that bad, but the only solid passing attack Michigan State has played this season was last Saturday against Northwestern. In that game the Spartans' defense had trouble covering Northwestern's group of receivers allowing Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson to complete 38 of 55 passes for 356 yards with two TD passes and zero interceptions.
So, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Penn State's offense has to do to be successful against Michigan State's defense. Even with an offensive line that might be without the services of its starting LT Ryan Bates, this Penn State offense needs to play to its No. 1 strength on offense the athleticism and great positional speed of its skill position players on offense. Get the ball to its skill position players on offense in space, especially on first down.
Penn State first and foremost needs to have success keeping Michigan State's defense off balance on first down, avoiding second and third and long situations. I firmly believe they need to throw the football 50-percent of the time on first down and especially isolate Saquon Barkley on Michigan State's LBers with the passing game. Use TE Mike Gesicki and the mismatch problems he creates for the Spartan's defense.
When Penn State runs the football they need to not just put Barkley in motion, but think about putting a wide receiver in motion to keep the Spartans' defense off balance. Make Michigan State's LBers make adjustments before the ball is snapped. Do some of the things Penn State did against Iowa's defense when Barkley rushed for over 200 yards and had 358 all-purpose yards against the Hawkeye's defense.
Stay away from using "read option" running plays close to 50-percent of the time, especially on first down, without an RPO element being part of the play. I must believe that Michigan State's defense will have three players, just like everyone else, fast flowing toward Barkley at the mesh point of the "read option and I would not be surprised at all if Coach Dantonio run blitzes either the CB or OLB or a safety opposite the side Barkley lines up in Penn State's backfield, just like Ohio State did, to take away his ability to reverse field.
Early in the game on first down Penn State must find a way to make Michigan State's defense pay dearly for playing eight people in the box and having three players fast flowing toward Barkley at the mesh point of the "read option".
That's my analysis of what Penn State's offense must do against Michigan State's defense to put 30 or more points on the scoreboard against the Spartans.
Do you guys agree or disagree? Go to it.
