Scope of the Spartans: August 2018 The Goal…is Elevation Part 1

Here we go again, Spartan Nation. To being my tenth season talking Spartan Football with you all let’s take a close look at this team and program to begin 2018. Almost a complete outlook, if you will. Here is part one:

Offense

The biggest on-field development of Mark Dantonio’s tenure at Michigan Statewas the apparent end of the “Run-First Stubborn” philosophy during the 2017 season. Beginning at Northwestern the Spartan Offense finally began to get out of their own way. They began to consistently identify what a defense was presenting them, and started going after it like they have not before. No longer did the Offense look like it was trying to force a square peg into a round hole. The end of “Run-First Stubborn” led to big production bursts during the latter half of 2017, highlighted by the last three-quarters of MSU’s Holiday Bowl blowout. You cannot understate how monumental a shift this is for Mark Dantonio’s #5 Spartans. If they return to the College Football Playoff, win another Big Ten Championship, or do even more in the coming seasons, this tectonic-strategic shift will go down as the biggest reason why.

Having discussed the self-inflicted pain of a “Run-First Stubborn” approach at length in the past, let’s assume those troubles are now in the rear view mirror for good. With those frustrating and sluggish days behind MSU, prepare for the most explosive and nimble looking Spartan Offense that we’ve seen since 2014. Yet, it was concerning to heard Brian Lewerke say their goal was only to score 28-points per game during Big Ten Media Days. That is not a big enough goal in modern day college football.

Twenty-eight points sound like a classic NFL number,or a college number from the Lloyd Carr era. The sport moves faster now and scores have gotten higher. Thus, what was a safe looking four-score lead (aka 24-points or more) during Carr’s era has since been replaced by the safety of a five-score lead (aka 33-points or more) in the last decade or so. Need a more local reminder? Look back at the ending of the Notre Dame game in 2016 or at Minnesota last year. While it was nice to hear Lewerke recognize that this offense is primed to take off and score more points, they should reset their goals a little bit higher. Go ahead and shoot for the mid to upper 30’s in each game. That’s the level of production needed to compete with the best in college football.

Thirty points or more will not happen without solid play up front and good Quarterback play. MSU looks in equipped in both places, returning a lot of experience up front and a potential superstar under center. The best Spartan lines have gone seven or more players deep. 2018 should be no different. Brian Lewerke looks like he need only stay healthy in order to continue progressing as a big time playmaker. Take note of his added bulk relative to his playing weight when he first started a game for MSU. His second year as a starter could look a lot better than the first full go-round because he will not only have another offseason under his belt, he has that significant game experience to apply forward. All signs point to that happening and to Lewerke playing for special things in these next two years. Behind him there's the return of L.J. Scott.

Scott's decision to return to the Spartans for his final year was no surprise. There were too many other backs ranked safely ahead of him on potential NFL Draft boards to take such a risk. A recent Pro Football Hall of Fame Running Back inductee explained to me this spring that Scott's fumbling issues last year took the NFL decision right out of his hands. As much as Scott would like to put his fumbling issues behind him for good, the only way to do so is with outstanding ball security in 2018. The NFL and opposing teams are watching his every carry this fall. For an elite recruit in his fourth season, solid ball security is the reasonable expectation.

Scott should have a big year in the new look MSU Offense. In fact, removing the “Run-First Stubborn” obstacle should open up more lanes and running space for the big back from the Buckeye state. Scott was not the Spartans most effective runner in 2017, Brian Lewerke was. That should change in 2018. If for some reason Scott has issues holding onto the ball again MSU has other options at Running Back that, though unproven, should be able to step in. Those extra backs may eventually open up additional options for the ground game.

There's a long way from running some traditional option plays to turning into Air Force or Georgia Tech. In 2017 the Spartans seemed to grasp that reality more than they had in past seasons. Ideally, the Spartan Offense moves the ball well enough and converts for touchdowns enough that they don't need to run many option plays. But to think they do not need to run any of them would be to limit the explosive play potential this offense now has. We have also seen traditional option plays unlock and open up a Spartan Offense that was either stuck in neutral or unable to effectively get an opposing Defense out of sync.

Connor Heyward, La'Darius Jefferson, Elijah Collins, and Weston Bridges are among the names of competent backs looking to make their way into the MSU lineup. They may have opportunities to do so through option plays, 3rd Down packages, and of course through Special Teams. Do not sleep on this group of young talent. Though L.J. Scott could have an All-Big Ten season, some of those players are going to make plays this fall that make you rethink the value of High School Football recruiting rankings and appreciate the value of actual-professional collegiate recruiting.

When you look at the pass catchers in Green and White this fall you see a very deep and talented group likely to be led by a budding superstar. The wide outs go about a half dozen deep, again, and the Spartans have a couple Tight Ends on roster that could turn that playing group into a scoring group once again. Yet, everything hinges on sticking with the new look Spartan Offense. The potential of the Offense truly lies in the overall strategy and philosophy Mark Dantonio commits to in 2018. Make no mistake, this is as much Mark Dantonio's Offense as it is his Defense, and his program. Assuming the days of “Run-First Stubborn” are gone for good, and that we will see the kind of Offense we enjoyed beginning at Northwestern last year, this unit is poised to make a big jump in production this fall and should be the best we have seen in East Lansing since 2014.

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