1.)Left tackle by committee, what could go wrong?
So as I'm sure you've heard by now, or maybe not, Jared McGaha has been bumped as the starter from Left Tackle to second string Right Tackle. Again, if last week I came across down on Jared McGaha it's nothing personal and he's about the only survivor of a whole hell of a lot of Offensive Tackle attrition.
I have to think that the gap between France and Fonoti is at this point more than a little bit. France is two inches taller, twenty pounds heavier and has a whole spring and pre-season of football at the Left Tackle position. It's my understanding Fonoti exclusively played Right Tackle until a couple of weeks ago. While France's experience at the position is not sufficient to give him an experience advantage, experience and a little bit better physical stature might be enough.
This position doesn't need to be perfect by Notre Dame, but improved would settle my mind a bit.
Ty: this may be apocryphal, but remember reading someplace on the Internet* that when Dantonio recruited McGaha, he told him of the famous Archimedes quote, "Give me a place to stand . . . and I can move the Earth." McGaha, so I read, was so impressed by the saying he made it his personal motto. Unfortunately, there's an important bit in the middle there about having a lever of sufficient length and rigidity, and, well, McGaha's clearly fell short. Or limp.
I was impressed by France's tools at the spring practice, though to my eyes he struggled with things like stunts and zone blocking, stuff you'd expect a newbie LT to struggle with. Physically, when asked to mash France can mash. But, as you say, benching a starting LT due to a poor performance against your supposed tomato can cannot be a good thing.
* The Googles, they do nothing.
2.)FAU's Superior Pass Defense
Last week FAU picked off John Brantley and the Florida Gator Swamp Folk three times. Without watching the game, it's hard to know if this came from superior defensive scheme or the installation of Jabba the Charlie's new offense. Maybe both? Regardless, three picks is plenty-pickin'-good on a team like Florida.
This game will provide a great tune-up for Cousins going into the Notre Dame game next week. FAU runs a 3-4 designed to stop or slow the pass just like ND. If FAU can generate some pressure expect their pass D to be the one thing FAU can do that will make us have to work for this a bit. The other facets of their team look pretty anemic.
Ty: Any time a college team runs a 3-4 I get suspicious. A true two-gap nose tackle, by physical definition, must be a grown-assed man. Either they've found a truly precocious manchild, or they're planning on stopping the run at the second level. With FAU's talent, it must be the latter, and that's good news for the Spartans.
Ideally, the ball won't have to come out of Captain Kirk's hands, and even if it does I'd hope experienced targets like Cunningham and Martin can get open enough for any crafty zone stuff not to matter. Failing that, just play jumpball to Dion Sims; he'll be a man amongst boys in their back seven.
3.)Can I get an Amen? I mean a sack.
Well, last week we got no sacks on YSU. They are a quick release, spread type offense and that's not the kind of offense that lends itself to lots of sackin'. FAU however runs a more pro-style look. I suspect you'll see some sacks get home this week. With luck not so many that our fans then start thinking that we sack ND's quarterback 83 plays out of 85 and anything else is equal to failure of a sort that is unparalleled since Nero.
That said, if the pass rush doesn't hit home this week it's not time to worry about the defense yet, but it may be time to start the undocking procedure for the USS "Our Front Four Will Generate All The Pressure We Need Without Any Assistance From Their Linebacking Friends".
Like this
Not this
Ty: With the size and speed MSU has up front, there'll be no excuse if they can't bring down FAU's quarterback(s) at least a couple of times. If Narduzzi has to dial up the blitz to generate heat, it could be a very long October—and some very large, very fast defensive linemen will have to take very long, very hard looks in the mirror . . . or maybe at Dantonio's celebratory pile of broken cinder blocks.
4.)How will our linebackers do in TE pass coverage?
FAU throws to their tight ends. A lot. Well, relatively speaking a lot insofaras they actually complete passes. Last week two tight ends finished in the top 3 receiving for FAU. Since Denicos Allen and Chris Norman appear to have outright won their LB positions this should be a good chance for them to tune up on the pass coverage.
This is an area where we will continue to miss Eric Gordon. Gordon was an excellent pass-covering linebacker and I think I'd like to see if these guys can develop into that.
Ty: Let's take the optimistic view here, and re-title it: How hard can our safeties hit their tight ends shortly after they catch the ball? I don't expect FAU to be a legitimate threat across the middle. Still, as you say, these should be very good practice reps for young Allen . . . Jake Stoneburner looms.
5.)Nick Hill: The Next Great Kick Returner?
Nick Hill has been promoted to the number one kick returner as a way to make sure he gets on the field. I think he has the stuffin's to be a permanent replacement at this position.
Ty: I like the cut of Nick Hill's jib. I don't know if he'll ever be a feature tailback but I know that kind of quick-twitch running can be absolutely lethal at this level. Get him on the field, I say, however you have to do it.
Final Score: MSU 38 FAU 7.
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