How Do Buckeyes View Last Year's Loss to Spartans? How About This Year's Game? Here...

This is a great read from the "Bux" perspective as game time approaches. Thanks to C-Mann79's Columbus friend, BuckNut, for sharing it with BEATchUMps.com... (origianal site: elevenwarriors.com)

Good morning one and all and welcome to your first B1G football season Skully of the year.

Hopefully, pondering the awesomeness of the conference didn't make you click to your Better Homes and Gardens bookmark.

If you're still with me, you know there's a game tomorrow afternoon in East Lansing. If that was enough to hold your interest, then clearly you remember last year's 10-7 defeat to the Fightin' Dantonios in which your Ohio State Buckeyes played in what was without question the most lopsided three-point game in the history of organized sport.

Having successfully erased that visual skid mark from my memory bank, I had to go back and read last year's Five Things to refresh myself on just how awful a game we were forced to watch. Nine sacks against Bollman's line. A yards per rush of 0.9. Cunningham torching Howard Island. It wasn't pretty.

This year, much of the talk centers around whether or not... jump to original blog site to continue


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Video: Dantonio Pissed Off After Win. Gives One and Two Word Responses to Media...

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Remember to check Spartan Headline links, updated real time, at the bottom of the page - it's one-stop Spartan info from all of your favorite media sources and blogs.

Is Perception Reality? Who Are the Spartans?

After the non-conference portion of 2012 is in the books let's take a look how the Spartans are meeting expectations - or not...

Where it appears I could be wrong:

• The combination on O-line experience, a strong running game, a big play defense, raw talent at and quality special teams would be enough to compensate for the loss of Kirk Cousins and most all of the 2011 receiving corps.
• The receiving corps will surprise the critics and Benny Fowler will lead the way.
• The defense will create a game changing turn-overs with regularity.
• Nick Hill will be a force returning kicks.
• DeAnthony Arnett will make an immediate impact (I'm already wrong on this one no matter what else happens)

Where it appears I could be right:

• Whatever happens in 2012, 2013 is likely to bring better results. This is a junior dominated team. Just two seniors start on offense (one is out with injury and may medical red-shirt) while just tree seniors start on defense. The schedule lightens up in 2013 - the three Big Ten teams MSU misses next years are Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State.
• Dion Sims will be a mismatch nightmare and become a star.
• MSU should not burn the redshirts for receivers Burbridge and King. Since burning their red-shirts vs. CMU, they have hardly seen the field - and now the conference season and heavy weights await. 
• The chUMps are over-rated. They are benefiting from a media that was ignoring a very favorable schedule in 2011. Many people somehow translated the recruiting hype from the 2012 class (this year's true freshman) and 2013 verbal "commitments" (kids still in high school right now) into victories for this year's team from Ann Arbor.

Appearances can be deceiving:

The drops by the receivers place pressure on every other aspect of the game. Kirk Cousins and every other QB miss passes. The difference for Kirk? His receivers caught the ball and moved the chains, so when he missed passes in 2011, it generally did not hurt them. Now, we sit 1st  long, 2nd and long and 3rd and long. It screws up the use of the play book and destroys rhythm. If the team can not execute the plays they know best, how will they do if MSU tries something new by "adjusting"? What goes through Maxwell's mind after four, five, six previous passes were dropped? It has to mess with him. He has to press. Not moving the chains changes the whole energy from the sidelines to the fans to the defense - which is back on the field after too many 3 and outs. Drops are a deflating cancer. There are a lot more things wrong than drops, but if you were going to prescribe a treatment plan - that is were you would start. Catch the ball. Move the chains, get some rhythm, aid the development of your new QB, give the defense some support, open up the play book. It all starts to roll. When you see Maxwell miss or throw short on 3rd down - just remember, the impact of it may not be as big if the drops were not there or it could be a symptom of the drops. Maxwell will be better when the receivers are better, so will O-Coordinator Roshar, so will the defense, so will the o-line, so will the running game, etc...

Overheard:
chUMps fans kept pointing out that MSU will have no offense with what the Spartans lost form 2011. I heard at least one Spartan fan say he thinks maybe they were right and our fans were drinking kool-aid to think otherwise. What do you think?

Remember to check Spartan Headline links, updated real time, at the bottom of the page - it's one-stop Spartan info from all of your favorite media sources and blogs. If you are receiving this post via automated email, you need to go to the site to view headline links and embedded videos: http://spartanresource.blogspot.com/

The Golden Megaphone: Which team will play the loudest?

Can you hear that, Spartan fans? It’s the echo-ey sound of the Golden Megaphone. That’s right, the trophy given to the winner of the Notre Dame/Michigan state game dating back to 1949 sponsored by the Detroit alumni clubs of each respective school.  So before we break into this prime time showdown, let’s briefly recap last week.

Let me start by tipping my cap to the MSU athletic department. Not only did they schedule an away game with a MAC school team, but also kept it within the state of Michigan without taking a penny from the gate ticket sales. Give credit to CMU for its first-ever pregame sellout (albeit there were a lot of green shirts), as the Spartans played their first game at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. In the end, the game brought $5.2 million (to the city of Mount Pleasant according to Central Michigan Life). Lastly, if you didn’t see the uniforms by CMU last week, one word: Awesome. Not gaudy or too flashy, just sleek jersey/pant combo with a flat matte-finish, dark helmet with a tapered stripe.

Ok enough praise, let’s grade last week’s game in four

The Sleeping Giant is Nearly at Full Intensity... Spartans Awake

This post is simply one of the best main stream columns I have ever read on the Spartans. I must say that we can not call Wojo a chUMp even though he graduated from that place that shall not be named. He does not fit the definition (nor does my oldest son for that matter).

Here is the start, then take the jump to the actual DetNews.com post. Be sure to check out the reader comments too...
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East Lansing — It was life-changing, for sure. You can hear it in the way Mark Dantonio talks, in the perspective he says he gained.

That incredible night two years ago, when Michigan State went from seemingly beaten to suddenly audacious to stunningly victorious over Notre Dame, ended with Dantonio in the hospital, recovering from a mild heart attack. And at the risk of overdoing the symbolic impact, I'll go ahead and say it: That game changed the program as much as it changed the coach.

Before the Spartans beat the Irish, 34-31, in overtime on a fake field goal — holder Aaron Bates tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Gantt — that sent the Spartan Stadium crowd into delirium, no one was sure what Dantonio's Spartans were about. As compelling evidence has piled up, we know better.

Michigan State football has become bold and bodacious, much more adept at withstanding adversity, whether it's a fourth-and-14 trick play in overtime, or a clogged vessel leading to the coach's heart. Before that victory, the Spartans were 1-13 against ranked opponents since 2005, and had gone... Go to full post.
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Spartan Win vs Notre Dame Could Lead to Double Bonus: 3-0 Plus #1/2 DT Recruit in Country

Spartan Magazine has been a favorite for years - front covers of the publication from 20 years ago still hang in my garage.

SpartanMag.com just posted some great news. The Spartans only have a couple open slots available in their 2013 recruiting class. They will be hosting 7 2013 prospects and many others in the class of 2014. The one official visit will come from from the #1 (or #2 depending...) rated defensive tackle in the country - a player who also happens to go to Keith Mumphry's high school in Georgia. Keep radar on for Montravius Adams who also attended the Green and White game last spring.

Remember to check Spartan Headline links, updated real time, at the bottom of the page - it's one-stop Spartan info from all of your favorite media sources and blogs. If you are receiving this post via automated email, you need to go to the site to view headline links and embedded videos: http://spartanresource.blogspot.com/

Lawrence Thomas Bull Dozer at Full Back - What a Concept!

Last week it was Caper. This week it's the big body...

This use of former 5-star linebacker recruit turned defensive end is an example of one of the great attributes of Mark Dantonio - and a much under appreciated part of his skill set. He thinks about of the box. He finds the balance between the necessary conservative approach to being a head coach (staying grounded, as he puts it) and still being somewhat of a "riverboat gambler". The way he uses his players in a balance for the team's best interest and the player's best interest. He doesn't take the simple or easy way and pigeon hole them, which is easy to do with 105 guys on a team. He takes the best/most effective way even if it's more complicated or involves more moving parts or practice demands. This use of Lawrence Thomas is is awesome. I believe it will continue to help attract better and better recruits as the evidence piles up that playing for him is good for skill development and well as life skill development.

From M-Live:

Lawrence Thomas
By Diamond Leung | dleung@mlive.com 
on September 08, 2012 at 9:25 PM, updated September 08, 2012 at 10:04 PM


MOUNT PLEASANT -- Lawrence Thomas disappeared from the Michigan State depth chart at defensive end in recent weeks and quietly made his college debut last week on special teams.

But Saturday marked the redshirt freshman’s noticeable coming-out party, as he appeared at fullback and served on occasion as the lead blocker for Le’Veon Bell and even hauled in 7-yard catch. It’s all part of an experiment by coach Mark Dantonio, who resolved to get the 6-foot-3, 295-pounder on the field in some form.

"L.T.’s a guy that obviously is a great football player," Dantonio said. "I really felt like we’ve got to get the guy going somewhere. He’s too good to not play -- whether that be tight end, whether that be fullback, whether that be defensive end."

Thomas, who said he spent some time at fullback in high school, was able to spring Bell for good gains and seemed open to the position change.

"He said as the weeks go on, he’s going to keep throwing stuff at me," Thomas said of Dantonio.

Thomas was involved in an offseason auto accident and missed some time recovering from a concussion in preseason camp while battling for playing time among a stacked defensive end group that Dantonio said does not lack for depth.

Michigan State has Denzel Drone available at defensive end again after switching back from tight end. At fullback, the Spartans use sophomore Niko Palazeti and Thomas as well now.

"Even when he played on the defensive side, he had some pop to him," Bell said. "As a fullback, that’s all it is. You bring your hips, and have some pop to you ... He’ll be a playmaker for us."

Said Dantonio: "You put a 280-pound fullback in there, and he moved some people."

"What we have to do is practice him on both sides. We want him to be a dual player much like Tony Lippett was last year, so he’s not going to go entirely over there on offense. In my big scheme of things, I still think he’s a defensive player down the road, but we’ve got to get him playing football."
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Remember to check Spartan Headline links, updated real time, at the bottom of the page - it's one-stop Spartan info from all of your favorite media sources and blogs. If you are receiving this post via automated email, you need to go to the site to view headline links and embedded videos: http://spartanresource.blogspot.com/