MSU-Wisconsin Film Review: Round One, Quarter Four

This is part two of the original MSU-Wisconsin Game, Film Review. You can check out part one over here, part two over here and part three over here The score is 23-17 MSU and the ten minute drive has begun. Despite the relatively small lead, MSU feels in control here.

Playing the drums upside down. Ballin'

Cousins to Cunningham

This is how B.J. Cunningham catches a 2 pt. conversion. Throws don't get more disgustingly good than that.

Okay, Why All The Theatrics? Why Not Just Run The Clock Down?

Well, we tried and failed. In this example, Bell lines up in the backfield and the play is a stretch run to the strongside. The Wide Receiver at the bottom of the screen is Keshawn Martin, not our best blocking WR.

 The play starts and the Weakside DE stays home to prevent the cutback. The rest of the Badgers Defensive Line and both linebackers roll towards the bottom of the screen to push the play out of bounds.

 In the early goings of the play, four offensive linemen plus Linthicum are engaged by three Badgers DL. This leaves their linebackers free to run right to where Bell is going.

 Finally, Linthicum gets loose and goes to engage the Strongside Linebacker.

The Strongside Linebacker engages Linthicum while the Badgers keep rolling towards the bottom of the screen.

Bell runs to his already closed gap and this play is basically over before it starts. He's tackled for a gain of one.

The Amazing Wisconsin Runs in the Fourth Quarter to Tie Up The Game


Ball for 22

How does someone stop Bullough from getting Ball in that gap? Holding.

Russell Wilson, You Magnificent Bastard

The pocket is warm and cozy, but everyone is covered.

So Wilson takes off to his right.

The blur on the right hand side is Isaiah Lewis. Wilson has just pump faked and Lewis jumps to block the pass.  Lewis is the only guy between Wilson and the end zone. So Wilson runs it in for 22 yards. I do not hope to see more of this.

Other Thoughts of a Narrative Sort

- The touchdown throw to put MSU up 31-17 was a 3 yard hitch on 3rd and 11 to Keshawn Martin. The fans and such rip on Roushar and Cousins incessantly for this play, but this time it worked. Commence firing away after this play doesn't work the second time Saturday, but this time it did. Conversely, when MSU gets the ball back with 8 minutes left, Roushar dials up playaction on 1st and 10. Kirk Herbstreit says, "Interesting playcall." That's also what he says when I'm throwing in the fourth quarter dumbly in NCAA.  Then Roushar calls the shovel pass on 3rd and 8 and looks like a genius again.

- In the fourth quarter with 9:14 to go Cousins was 16/19 for 202 and 2 TDs. It is SO Vitally Important to keep him in a manageable down and distance. I cannot stress this enough, when he doesn't have to sweat completing passes, he's damn near unstoppable. When you put him behind, which is what happens immediately following, he misses his next four passes.

- For all the Harumph-ing about how Wisconsin whipped our asses at the end of the fourth quarter I will say this. The drive to make it 31-24 started at the MSU 43. You should score with Russell Wilson and Montee Ball on that short of a field. On the drive to tie it at 31, Wilson finds Ewing for 11 on a broken play and then on the next play Toon for 42. In both cases, he had no less than five seconds to throw. I'm not saying they didn't earn their two touchdowns, but you are talking about a short field and a 42 yard play to make it close.

Because I Can't Resist