Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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On Paper By Dan Murphy MSU Running Game Vs. Notre Dame Run Defense Junior running back Le’Veon Bell propelled himself to the forefront of the Heisman Trophy watch list in a season-opening statement game on Aug. 31. Bell, behind the most experienced offensive line Mark Dantonio has coached at Michigan State, ran for 210 yards and two scores on 44 carries in a win over Boise State. Between highlight reel hurdles and head-tucking blasts through the middle of the line, Bell managed to carry the Spartans offense singlehandedly to a 17-13 victory. He’ll face his toughest challenge of the young season against Notre Dame’s front seven. The Irish looked particularly athletic while holding Navy to 149 rushing yards in their season opener — that’s less than half of their 312.2 yards per game average from a year ago. Notre Dame beat the Spartans in 2011 by holding Bell and his fellow backs to 29 rushing yards. A repeat performance in East Lansing is the Irish recipe for an upset, but that might not be in the cards if Bell can continue to carry the same weight. Advantage: Notre Dame MSU Passing Game Vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense Michigan State quarterback Andrew Maxwell left as many question marks in his debut as Notre Dame’s cornerbacks did in theirs. Maxwell threw for 248 yards in his first college game, but also had three interceptions, one of which led to seven points for the Boise State defense. The Spartans receivers didn’t do him any favors. Michigan State lost its top three pass catchers from a year ago, including the program’s all-time leading receiver B.J. Cunningham. Junior tight end Dion Simms (6-5, 285 pounds) appears to be Maxwell’s favorite target early this year. He had seven catches for 65 yards against the Broncos. Navy surprised Irish freshman KeiVarae Russell and junior Bennett Jackson in Ireland by spreading out and throwing deep. Both first-time starters got burned by some below average receivers for the Midshipmen for a total of 192 passing yards. The Spartans’ offense should be more predictable, but Jackson, Russell and Co. still have a lot to prove. This game will be a good test to see who is the faster learner, Maxwell or the Irish secondary. Advantage: Even Notre Dame Running Game Vs. MSU Run Defense The Irish add a couple of cylinders to their rushing attack this week with the return of Cierre Wood. The senior missed the first two games of the season after rushing for 1,102 yards a year ago. Senior Theo Riddick and sophomore George Atkinson III partnered up in his absence as more than capable replacements. Neither seemed fazed by having to share reps as they fell just a yard short of each reaching triple digit rushing yards against Navy (Riddick had 107 and Atkinson totaled 99). This might also be the week that sophomore quarterback Everett Golson becomes a bigger factor in the Irish ground game. Notre Dame will need all the weapons it has against Michigan State’s top-10 rushing defense. The Spartans gave up only 100.5 yards per game in 2011. They lost All-American defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, but are just as stingy this season. Junior linebackers Max Bullough and Denicos Allen present a blend of strength and speed at the second level. Defensive William Gholston, who checks in at 6-7, 278 pounds, might be the best all-around defender the Irish will see this year. Notre Dame will need to be creative to maximize their talent, but Chuck Martin has done that well in the early stages as offensive coordinator. Advantage: Even Notre Dame Passing Game Vs. MSU Pass Defense The Irish have been true to their word about spreading the ball around to as many receivers as possible. Ten Notre Dame players caught passes against Navy in the season opener. Twelve caught passes all of last season. Notre Dame’s trio of tight ends present matchup problems for every defense they face — especially senior Tyler Eifert, who started the season with the team’s first touchdown reception. Michigan State’s secondary, led by preseason All-American cornerback Johnny Adams, held its opponents to 176.9 passing yards per game last year. Boise State’s first-year starter Joe Southwick completed less than half of his attempts (15 of 31) against the Spartans two weeks ago. Golson is still in the learning stages of his development under center for Notre Dame, and he lacks the proven targets at receiver to carry him against a defense like the one he’ll face in East Lansing. Advantage: Michigan State Special Teams Senior Nick Tausch missed his first extra point attempt of the season in Dublin, but followed that by knocking in a 34-yard field goal later in the game. Michigan State’s Dan Conroy made a 50-yarder against Boise State, but later missed from 43 yards out. In what will likely be a low-scoring and close game, a big play on special teams could tip momentum in either direction. It certainly has the past two times these teams have met. In 2010, Michigan State’s fake field goal in overtime won the game. Last year, Atkinson’s kickoff return for a touchdown gave the Irish the early momentum they needed to pull out a victory. Sophomore Nick Hill gives the Spartans a home run threat in the return game, but Notre Dame has two heavy hitters with Atkinson and freshman Davonté Neal returning punts. Advantage: Notre Dame Coaching A lack of consistency has always been the knock on Mark Dantonio and his predecessors at Michigan State. With back-to-back 11 win seasons, Dantonio’s staff is erasing those doubts. A triple-overtime win against Georgia in the Outback Bowl last year was a huge statement for the Spartans after losing in the Big Ten title game. They have their work cut out for them with some major losses on offense this season, but clearly have earned the respect to remain near the top half of the top 25 in early season polls. Brian Kelly and his staff have been consistent in their first two seasons at Notre Dame, but not at the level anyone in South Bend wanted. Kelly and his group still have to prove they can consistently beat ranked teams. Both staffs have had their moments against each other the past two years. Advantage: Even Intangibles The home team has won the last four meetings between these two schools in what have been evenly matched contests even if the scoreboard didn’t always reflect that. The Spartans were whispering about a dark horse national title shot during the offseason. A big early win against Boise State has them feeling that confidence in the fall. Golson and the rest of the Irish first-timers still have things to wonder about heading into their first real test against an upper tier team. Michigan State expects to be in the BCS hunt at the end of the season. Notre Dame is still trying to figure out if it can get there, which gives Sparty the mental edge. Advantage: Michigan State