Michigan State vs. Notre Dame: Scouting Report and Prediction

Michigan State vs. Notre Dame: Scouting Report and Prediction   A look at this week’s opponent… The Irish come into this game with a 1-1 record.Â

Michigan State vs. Notre Dame: Scouting Report and Prediction

 

 

A look at this week’s opponent…

The Irish come into this game with a 1-1 record. Their staff is under immense pressure to get to a BCS bowl game or find new employment. A loss to the Spartans would almost guarantee a regime change at the end of the year at one of college football’s most storied program

 

Charlie Weis came into the job brash and out to prove to the world how good he was. He won the first two years, and got a contract that made touchdown Jesus himself blush. He hasn’t done much since getting it.

 

The heat is on. The Irish have a QB with a great arm, but when pressured, that great arm does not equal a great QB. They are traditional gunslingers. They will throw the ball in every situation and they will attack the Spartan defensive backfield with fire.

 

 

When MSU has the ball…

There is no secret and very little surprise with the MSU offense. Everyone at South Bend and watching on national TV will know what is coming on Saturday. The Spartans run a power running attack. They will attack the A gap (immediate right and left of center) with passion and fury.

 

The Spartans believe that they can beat the Irish if they establish that running game. In watching their film from both Nevada and UM, the Irish do not come off of the ball well. The Spartan OL will have a new look on Saturday and they will try to take their readjusted line and attack the Irish.

 

The Spartans will have WR Mark Dell back and if they win on Saturday it will be because they have stopped dropping passes. When the Spartans do throw, it will be critical that they catch the ball. The Irish have one of the nation’s best DCs in Jon Tenuta and he has a blitz all day philosophy.

 

I realize that people want a lot of chess behind the scenes, but these two teams won’t change. MSU will try to run and ND will attack. The Spartans feel that if they keep attacking, the Irish will break. That is fine if it works. ND will sell out like CMU to stop it and then it is up to the Spartan aerial attack to force them out of their game plan.

 

The Spartans failed to make adjustments last week and it shocked the CMU coaches that they had to make “very little if any” changes as the game went along. If ND stays in their attack mode the entire game, it could get dicey.

 

When MSU is on defense…

The Spartans have no choice, but to almost mirror the ND plan and attack Clausen. He has perhaps the best pure arm in college football. What hinders him is that he isn’t a great improviser and doesn’t run. If Clausen is put on his can and is forced to make quick decisions, the Spartan win easily. A lot is being made of his not having been sacked this season, too much in my opinion as he hadn’t been sacked last year either heading into East Lansing.

 

The Spartans can’t win this game if Clausen is allowed to play pitch and catch. If he has to think and worry about getting a whippin’, they Katie bar the door.

 

The Spartan DBs had a horrendous game as a unit against CMU. This week the QB has a better arm, but isn’t a better all around QB and certainly not as quick on his feet. If they play like last week the Spartans will struggle. The Irish will go deep and go deep often. The Spartans have to play well. The Irish will make catches. They are talented. What will kill the Spartans are the YAC, yards after the catch. This unit has shown a tendency to go for the Sportscenter hit rather than just wrapping up and making the tackle. If you see ND raking up YAC, again, it will be a long day for the Spartan Nation.

 

Chris Norman will get significantly more reps this week and his youth will bring some concern, but his talent will be very evident. He is a technique textbook clone of Greg Jones and even with his youth, MSU is better with him on the field.

 

Intangibles…

The Irish have an embattled coach that has rubbed a lot of people (including some players) the wrong way. It is difficult to fight for someone that you don’t like or even respect.

 

With that said, ND is loaded with talent top to bottom that could rival Florida and USC. The difference with them is coaching. Coach Weis clamors about a punch at UM, but claimed in ‘06 to the refs that he had been punched by a Spartan (the video showed no one touched him) and his act is growing thin to the Domers.

 

Despite their coach, they are talented and those young men still have pride.

 

The intangibles for MSU are much more different. They were embarrassed. They have an edge. Mark Dantonio this week was all business. He was mad. He would have played this game ten minutes after the CMU contest.

 

The Spartans were physical this week. They had it out. No stone was left unturned and no one (staff or players) was out of the glare of Coach D. It is one thing to lose. It is another to be embarrassed. Mark Dantonio is a good man and a man of pride. He has made this game personal. In the previous 28 games as a head coach at MSU I have never seen him (and many within the program agree) like he was this week.

 

Unlike Weis who throws out excuses, he doesn’t. He took it personal the way his team played. NO ONE, I assure you NO ONE, is harder on himself than Mark Dantonio. He takes pride in this program and the job he and this staff have done. He certainly can’t guarantee a victory, but he can make sure they at least fight and play with toughness.

Excuses are for losers. There were some bad calls against the Spartans last week, but there were a lot against the Chips. It will happen every game, and the losers in character will cite it. There are no excuses for the Spartans. They are ready for a fight. This team has the look of a heavyweight. Last night the usually jovial and humorous Narduzzi was ready for a street fight. They aren’t looking to go to South Bend to lick their wounds; they are going down there to inflict some.

 

Prediction…

The Spartans will have some new guys getting more and significant reps. They have worked hard this week. They feel even worse than the fans and they are on a mission.

 

Notre Dame whined about UM, and they know (like the Spartan Nation did in ‘06) they are playing for an embattled coach. The Spartans, very well, could lose this game. I was unsure how I would pick this game until late last night. I, however, stick with my pre-season pick and I say the Spartans win a game that will be remembered for a long time. 

 

I just love how the Spartans have responded. They haven’t pouted or pointed fingers at anyone, but themselves.

 

Make it MSU 20 Notre Dame 17!