MSU Breakdown: Be Afraid...

hawkeyegrant

hawkeyegrant

Well-Known Member
I think we as Hawk fans should be very afraid. This is the game that has worried me since last spring. Penn State was overrated, and the same would have been said for Wisconsin if they were rated. So this game looked the most worrisome. They beat Iowa last year in the same venue. They returned 17 starters. This is the last of three straight tough games, and how long can the Hawks hold together a mental edge? MSU did lose to Wisci, but that does not mean that this game does not pose a more difficult challenge for the Hawks.

Iowa typically struggles against accurate passers. Contrary to popular belief, the Iowa defense does not struggle against spread offenses; they struggle against accurate passers that know enough to take what the defense is giving them. Cousins is not all world, but he is the conference's most efficient passer. It's not the style of the offense, but the QB throwing the ball and recognizing the Hawks' cover two has weaknesses.

MSU is fantastic against the run this year. Michigan nearly put up 200 rushing yards against Iowa, but they could only manage 28 yards on 28 carries against the Spartans. Iowa has been almost stubborn at times this year to establish a running game, and the yards per carry have never been where everyone thought they would be. Running against this Spartan defense could prove to be futile and just a waste of downs.

So how do the Hawks pull this one out? The same way we have all year: create turnovers and don't give the ball back to the other team. Michigan State has been prone to turn the ball over. Their offense has also been just better than terrible on third downs this year. If Iowa can't be ball-hawks, they can still muster out a win by making third down plays and getting off the field. On offense, let Stanzi take to the air and expose the secondary much the way Notre Dame did. Stanzi may not be Jimmy Clausen, but he's got a better O-line to protect him. If he has time to make the reads and throws, he will make enough plays to outscore Sparty.

This will be an absolute nail-biter, but I just have a feeling that lady luck will show up for the Hawks once again in some form or another. The ball will bounce a crazy way, someone unexpected will make a play, or MSU will blunder when you least expect it. Maybe it won't be luck. As Ditka once said, "Before you can win, you have to believe you are worthy." This team now knows that it's worthy.

Iowa 17, Michigan State 16
 
"I'm not afraid."

"Oh...you will be....you will be...."

Honestly Iowa does not need to fear anyone. They only need to control what is put in front of them.

Remember. Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
 
This is week 3 of the final O-line product. We will run the ball vs Sparty and they will wonder how we are doing it because we didn't look that good on film.

This is Week 8 of Ricky Stanzi at QB and he will be in complete control.

This is game 4 on the road, There will be no intimidation factor.

This is Week 8 for Iowa, time to start really hitting stride.

This is for the B10 championship. there will be no letdown.

This is Iowa.. Iowa is not a fluke.

That's how I see this game going. I think Iowa wins this game in the late 3rd quarter. JMO.
 
"I'd like to tell you something once, and then I ain't gonna say it again.
Well, you got another shot - a second shot - at the, I don't know, the biggest title in the world. And you're gonna be swapping punches with one of the greatest fighters in the world. And in case you're brain ain't workin', all this happens pretty soon. So I say, for God sake, why don't you stand up and fight these guys hard, like you did before, that was beautiful.....but don't lay down in front of them like this, like I don't know, like some kind of mongrul or something. Because they're gonna kick your face in pieces. That's right. They don't just want to win you know. They want to bury you. They want to humiliate you. They want to prove to the whole world that you were nothing but some kind of a freak! And they said you were a one-time lucky bum....well now, I don't want to get mad in a place like this, but I think you're a hell of a lot more than that. A hell of a lot."
 
This sums up my thoughts entirely on tonights game....

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el5QXV-W5_g"]YouTube - Speech - Remember the Titans[/ame]
 
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or this

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT22t5eSqbo"]YouTube - Bill Stewart - "Leave No Doubt" Speech.[/ame]
 
AFRAID, HELL NO
EXCITED, HELL YES
Were going into uncharted waters and we all know what the rewards could be.No body figured we would be 7-0 right now and most of us thought if we were 5-2 or 6-1 we would be sitting good.Since were undefeated I decided that I want to go for the Gold Ring.I'll be in CR drinking Bud Lite and watching it on my 55in LCD with family.Let's kick some spartan ***.
 
I don't agree with everything you said but you make a very good point regarding Iowa struggling against accurate QBs.

Our pass defence is predicated on playing sound team defense, usually cover 2. Doing this requires opposing QB's to make the correct decision with where to go with the ball and to get it there accurately. The upside to our concept is when the QB fails to do either 1 or 2 it frequently ends in a pick (see all the picks our safetys have on overthrown balls this year), the downside is if the QB can do 1 and 2 effectively we can get picked apart over the course of a game.

It's a great scheme IMO as playing mistake free is a very difficult thing for most college QB's to do. The other thing to consider is we have been mixing it up more this year than I can ever recall. We have been blitzing more frequently and playing more man coverage (those two are usually mutually inclusive with this team). A big part of it is I think there is a lot of trust in the athletes we have in the backfield this year, and part if it is Norm adapting to what teams do to beat us. We have also consistently pressured the QB with our front four which helps as well.
 
We SHOULD be scared, every week. That just means we are aware. This is Michigan State, not a no name, untested team. However, what team DOESN'T struggle against an accurate quarterback? That is the goal, have an accurate quarterback that can control the game, that is what we want from Stanzi and when he is, we are in control.

We are finally healthy (knock on something now) and the team is playing together for the third week on offense.... watch out Sparty. You've done it to us far too many times, that roll will END today.

BELIEVE! Let's will this team on to victory today in East Lansing!
 
I am afraid I will get to the store, and they will be out of beer. Afraid of MSU - nope. Afraid Stanzi might throw a pic or two - Maybe. We having nothing to fear from them. We have faced worth opponents of = or lesser quality and come out ahead. We are hitting our stride and will continue on. No one will bring us down!
 
I think all of us on these boards are afraid...some more than others but even if you are completely confident in a win you still have to be a little afraid just because the stakes are so high
 
Cousins is accurate and White, Dell and Cunningham are pretty good recievers, but I don't think they can attack downfield. Cousins hasn't faced a secondary as talented as Iowa's yet this season and he doesn't have great arm strength. If he floats some of the passes he got away with against Northwestern Spievey or Sash's way they will be Interceptions. He better only throw the ball 20 yards downfield if someone is wide open and that only happens rarely against Iowa's scheme. I agree with the OP about Iowa's running game early. But I think we could run eventually if we passed to open up the run and would run to the strong side of our formations.
 
Not to get into semantics, but it's good to have "fear", but you never want to be "afraid". Every player, coach and fan in the state knows what is on the line. They'll be pumped. As will I be!
 
Grant -

Great insight. I absolutely agree. Be prepared for MSU to sustain long drives. The key here is not only turnovers, but keeping the red zone appearances for MSU to field goals and not Touchdowns.

Iowa's offense can help out greatly by sustaining thier own long drives and letting the defense stay rested. If our offense isn't getting first downs, this could be a very long day.

An early pick or two from Sash could go a long way towards getting into Cousins' head and rattling him for the rest of the game.
 
tubahawk said:
Grant -

Great insight. I absolutely agree. Be prepared for MSU to sustain long drives. The key here is not only turnovers, but keeping the red zone appearances for MSU to field goals and not Touchdowns.

Iowa's offense can help out greatly by sustaining thier own long drives and letting the defense stay rested. If our offense isn't getting first downs, this could be a very long day.

An early pick or two from Sash could go a long way towards getting into Cousins' head and rattling him for the rest of the game.
Click to expand...

I agree with you on this one! Iowa needs to take care of the ball and just get 3 or 4yds a pop! Long sustained drives and keep the MSU offense off the field. Iowa's defense needs to just keep the ball in front and eventually Iowa's D-Line will come up with the pressure and force cousins into a bad throw. The MAIN thing is Iowa TAKING CARE of the ball! If we don't turn it over, then we will win by 7 or 10. Trust me, we are not flashy and we will not blow any team out. We will keep squeaking by every team.

Iowa 24
MSU 20
 
You guys need to sack up. Afraid of what? Its a football game and teams get what they deserve. If we play good enough to win, we will, if not we lose and therefore don't deserve to play in the NC game. I for one think Iowa will win this game.
 
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