Moving forward

Alright, there's no need to dwell on NW loss any more and I'm sure Dantonio and the staff will have the team looking ahead to Indiana as of today. The frustrations of the Spartan fans are justified but we need to keep in mind that 6 games is not enough time to completely change some of the bad habits that have plagued this program since the turn of the century.

Stupid penalties, undisciplined defense and bad decision making in clutch situations have unfortunately become a staple of this program. It's disturbing to see them cost us again because these are all things we can control. I'm just hoping this loss will hurt enough for the players to take some accountability and right the ship, rather than accepting it and folding from here on out.

So here's where Dantonio and Co. will get a true test. Can they keep the players together and working hard to improve?

I think they will and we as fans need to stay behind them, fill Spartan Stadium for homecoming and keep hope alive. There is a lot of football to be played and I'm pretty sure nobody expected much more than 6-7 wins this year, which is still obtainable.

So let's keep the past in the past and move on. I believe in Dantonio and think we need to give him time to change this culture of collapse. Losses like this, as bad as they sting, can be the greatest motivators.

Comments

[shioda]

The game was not lost because of bad habits, penalties, etc. It was lost because of poor coaching. I recall the score being tied when OT started. I don't recall a MSU touchdown called back in OT because of a penalty. There was no sack of Hoyer in OT because of a missed block. We lost solely because of poor play calling. We won't win another game if the poor play calling continues, whether the coach keeps the players together or not

[Glover]

And just what "century" are we taking about?
And so we move on? To what? Talking about Indiana? Why? What's the point....to speculate on being disappointed again?
And when in your lifetime have you ever seen a Michigan State football team use a loss like yesterdays except to further collapse? This team obviously knows little, if anything, about "motivation". and it seems clear the coaching staff has no clue how to fix anything that resembles a defense.
Homecoming....now there is an interesting concept....welcome to Spartan Stadium where we will find yet another way to lose...yeah welcome home. I would rather watch the Spartan basketball team in Spartan Stadium next week than anything in the way of a pretend football team.
Get use to the rants. They are justified and will get more frequent and louder as the football season progresses.
It is the way it is. And that's the truth.

[colorado spartan]

Too bad we don't play Minnesota this year. It would be the only way to really see who is the worst team in the Big Ten.

This week will determine what happens in the next four years. Can the new coaches help the players face adversity and step it up, or will it be business as usual in E.L.?

This will be the test. If we lose again like we just did, say good bye to top recruits. Who in their right mind would want to play for MSU when it is the same old song and dance?

Lets cross our fingers and hope this staff is different. Lets cross our fingers and see if they can motivate the players to play error free. Lets cross our fingers and hope Dantonio talks to the O Coordinator and tells him how to call plays. Otherwise, the next four years could be agonizing.

[Munisingmike]

There are losses and then there are losses, but yesterdays embrassing defeat has got to rile up the Spartans and put them back on track. Some one posted that the game was lost because of poor coaching/play calling, admitted there were some poor calls, but the lack off pressure on the Bacher, some poor tackling, and un-excusable pass defense were the main reasons for losing the game. I agree, that with the MSU's strong running attack, why pass plays were called on 2nd and 3rd downs with short yardage is very questionable. There are many questions un-answered, like where was the pass rush? where was the pass defense? Answers need to be found and improvement/changes implemented before the Indiana game. A loss to the Hoosiers, would definitely end any chance of re-establishing the Spartan image of the pass several years and prevent them of having a winning season. Hopefully, the coaches and players will get it together, focus on Indiana and redeem themselves with win # 5. Then and only then can they even think about the following weeks contest.
It was a devastating loss, one that the Spartans should incorporate the humility of the defeat to motivate themselves to performing to their potential and ability.
GO SPARTANS.... CAN YOU BRING IT???

[markv]

"And when in your lifetime have you ever seen a Michigan State football team use a loss like yesterdays except to further collapse?"

Glover, since you asked, the 1988 Rose Bowl winners, MSU, started the season with non-conference losses. I'm sure you were cheering them on the whole way though, even when they were 1-2 (or were they 1-3 even?).

Less significant, but closer to the present, even last year's debacle of a team used all the negative results to produce the biggest comeback win in the history of NCAA Div.1 football.

So YES, Spartan football teams have used losses to come back and do something good. It's easier to do when you have support. There's no way of knowing, but i'd bet my life that last year's historic comeback would NOT have happened if it had been played at Spartan Stadium. Too much negative feeling in that place. It's no accident that most of our best wins in the last 10 years have happened on the road, over and over. Doesn't anybody get that yet?

So please, if you're going to be like Glover, don't go to the games. And don't go to basketball games either. We'll have a team depending on a lot of freshman to lift us up a level, and there will be a lot of bad moments and losses. The last thing we need is your type in the stands.

[Freddy]

The game was lost when MSU's defense couldn't stop the Wildcats on third down at all in the first half, the second half, etc. Pathetic defensive effort, period.

[jim b]

I agree with shioda above ...put this loss on the coaches...like John L says in the OSU game a few years ago.."the coaches screwed it up,the kids are playing their butts off.."
If we drop back and play 'zone' defense again on pass plays we will get killed by Indiana...
And someone please tell Treadwell we have one of the best running backs in the Big Ten..just in case we get into overtime again.
I find it hard to look forward to
next week's game.

[jerseyjohn]

harlon barnett was right..wasn't he babbling in the summer that our secondary was the best in the country...well they are the best at rolling out the red carpet for the opposing receivers to march right into the end zone. he should be fired along with that loudmouth narduzzi!

[Glover]

MarkV....thank you for the comedy and putting MSU football in perspective. I especially enjoyed the reminder about the "greatest comeback" in.....football history". Whew with that win we finished the year with 4 wins. Now that's motivation....and the justifiable firing of a Head Football Coach. Conveniently, you left out the rest of that story.
And for some reason, you chose to ignore the real story of Spartan Football.
But we all have our fantasies. Far be it from me to take yours away from you.

[jerseyjohn]

here's a message to our drunken student section..that ridiculous chant on every third down when you sound like a bunch of jungle animals obviously isn't working..every third and long they converted like clockwork!

[troopermsu]

This game was lost and this program was lost when McPherson decided to name Bobby Williams as head coach rather than find a qualified head coach. Jim Tressel was available at that time and so was Urban Meyer.

The football program will never be what it can be until the leadership of the university develops a professional environment. MSU is such a political quagmire that no legitimate coach will ever take the job. Thank you Joel Ferguson and all the other political hacks that have ruined any chance MSU had at developing a top football program.

And please don't respond by pointing out how successful the hockey and basketball programs have been. The reason they are successful is because Ferguson and his ilk do not care about them. Therefore they do not meddle with the programs.

[KROONER]

personally, i saw two things that upset me with the game.. when state would bring the blitz the corners would be 10+ yards off the line.. giving the recievers the slant and out routes.. thus defeating the point of a blitz.. that also left our corners (if we can call them that) with open field tackles to be made.. secondly, in overtime you need to worry about getting two first downs.. we ran all over thier defense yet every critical drive we seem to pass three times.. give the ball to possibly the two best tandem backs in the country.. yes the country..and get the two first downs..

i dont think we will ever get better until the players that were breed in a losing and failing atmosphere graduate or leave.. that mindset will always be engrained in thier heads in bigtime situations.. i not saying we can't be a giant killer b/c that is all we seem to be able to do.. but we're never the giants and thats where state needs to be with the endless facilites and amenties it has to offer kids..

[LONG Suffering Spartan]

Moving forward -
to the Homecoming game where perenial Big 10 powerhouse, IU, can whip us like a rented mule in front of MSU alums from around the world! Hopefully, everyone will be so lit by gametime - no one will remember the final outcome on SUN morning.

Luckily it will only be televised on BTN - so it won't be a national embarrassment like last year's primetime MSU vs ND game.

I think Joel Ferguson is a human pc of s*** that should be flushed. TrooperMSU - right on w/ your program comments/ history.

MarkV -
Were you in the MSU band while in EL? Enough w/ the comedy as Glover said! You must have a job w/ the State of MI as you have no idea about competition & the real world that the rest of us live in.

Please change your blog name from MarkV to Pollyanna & keep practicing on the instrument you played while in the MSU band -the skin flute.

[patrick mc cabe]

DID DR DANTONIO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Adam]

Everyone needs to get over it and move on to next week. We go through this same stuff every year. So if nothing changes there wont be anything to lose. Im still a fan and have been for 18 years no matter what. Stay behind them and give them credit for what they did right and not jus bring up the problems. How bout JR carrying the ball 12 times for 175 yards. But instead we look at only the mistakes. GET OVER IT AND MOVE ON!!

[Mitchqs]

Yes move on! ANybody and I mean anybody that has mentioned the possibilty of finding a new coach already should stop blogging, you don't have a clue about football. Or sports for that matter. What good does it do to keep switching coaches? They don't instantly bring athletes with them from other Power house schools. They can't completely reshape the talent they inherit. They can just coach what they have when they get there. The same defense that stunk up the Field last year is on the field this year, and for four games MD and his staff had them playing very well. That is good coaching. Now that the talent level on the other side is better in conference play then they are once again exposed. But look at how the Offense has stepped it up. How can you complain about bad play calling when they are racking up 400 and 500 yards abd approx 40 points a game? Have any of you been watching the rest of Div I football this year? Upsets are everywhere, USC, Florida, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, just to name a few. There is a lot of football left this season, and both Purdue and Iowa showed they are volnerable, The spartans still have a chance to win a couple games. I am sorry that improving to 6-6 or 7-5 wouldn't be adequate for some of you. I guess we should just b@#$% and complain, "look forward to Basketball season" I guess the football team aren't the only people with the same bad old habits.

[jack w]

I agree we all need to move on but I sometimes am just really annoyed with this class of football players. I was at the bar after the loss and waited in line for about an hour while half the football team "partied" and were letting questionable women cut in line. After such a humiliating loss youd think they'd be at home thinking about the embarrassment instead of going out in public and acting like they own east lansing.

[bradford]

i agree mark, it does nothing to dwell on this, even though judging by the posts everyone seems to still want to. obviously there are issues and we'll see if dantonio can fix them. also, i highly doubt stopping the chant on 3rd downs will impact the success rate of the opposing team in any way.

[truspartandawg]

Well I have not commented on here in a while but I have been thinking all day as to what to express...Let me start by saying that I am behind this team all the way...but what I saw yesterday really took me back to JLS and that is a probem. The secondary was horrible but tackling as a whole for the entire defense really worries me. As bad as the secondary played I might say the defensive line played worse. I have seen every game this year and been at every home game this year so far and this was the first time out defensive line was invinsible. We all know our corners our corners are inexperienced and need to learn how to close on the ball. Heck the one break up Rucker had hit him right in the chest!! Should have been a pick. This got me to thinking that we have not had a decent corner since Renaldo Hill. But the botton line is our defensive line got absolutely NO pressure...Did Kershaw even play??OG??Jerimiah??Wilson???Hey Balwin Make a play before telling me to clap!!I will say the Saint-Dic was doubled almost all day. Our linebackers stuffed the run decent but couldn't get to the QB on blitzes. They need to wrap up. They need to tackle. I have never seen so many long third downs go for touchdowns in one game.
Now on to coaching...the JL thing..the offensive play calling in overtime and the last drive of regulation really botheres me. You gotta let Ringer get a carry in OT. The toss already went for eight. I would have ran it on second or even third down. and why the hell don't you throw the ball to Thomas on fourth down?!?! Covered or not he should get a chance to catch it instead of a freshman who had quite on his damn route.

[David]

A few passing thoughts. Remember in the pre-season when we were told that MSU wanted to have the best defense in the Big Ten? I never believed that, and that honor soley belongs to Ohio State. However, after the first 4 games I wanted to believe that the defense had finally IMPROVED after 4 years of being stagnant under John L. Boy, those bold predictions and statements look oh-so-foolish now.

That said, Mitch is correct. The people who are screaming for Dantonio's head need to get back to reality. As I said on a previous post, for MSU to hire yet another coach within the next 3 years would be disastrous. Other programs use the instability of the MSU football program against us in recruiting. They will say "Gosh, you don't want to go to Michigan State. Coach Dantonio is on the hot seat & won't be there much longer. Never know whom you'll end up with as a head coach." On top of that, Coach D has two 4 star recruits already for next year. This year we had three 4 star recruits IN ALL.

Beyond that, remember this as well. I remember when Heathcoate stepped down & Tom Izzo took over. Few people remember it any more, but Izzo struggled in his early years. Michigan owned MSU in basketball (strange to even think that could happen). MSU lost three years in a row to Detroit Mercy. After the 3rd defeat in a row, Izzo and Tom Crean had a midnite snack at a Burger King and Izzo seriously thought that their jobs were in jeapordy (another strange thought - that Izzo could ever be fired). Many of the students, alumni & fan base were starting to turn up the heat under him. Obviously, it's a great thing that Izzo didn't get fired.

I'm not saying that Dantonio is going to win National Championships if we give him time. He may not even win Big Ten Championships. HOwever, this is what I do know: he comes highly recommended by Jim Tressell & Nick Saban. He was the defensive coordinator for OSU when they beat Miami in the National Championship. I remember that game, and I was stunned at how Ohio State was able to stifle what had been the highest scoring offense in the country. That tells me Dantonio knows something about defense. He needs time to get the program back on his feet & get his own players in.

I know a zillion people will say I'm "just another State fan willing to settle for mediocrity." If you read closely what I've written, you will find that's not the case.

DSR

[Jason]

I'm not really sure where everyone is getting off saying MSU lost because of bad coaching on Saturday. On offense we looked good for the most part and scoring 41 points should win you football games. On defense our players were in position to make plays BUT THEY DIDN'T. It's not the coaching staff's fault we have a bunch of no talent a$$ clowns playing defense that can't tackle. Everyone needs to stop thinking that we're an elite team in the Big Ten because coming into the season and as of now we clearly aren't. It took Izzo a few years as it does any major programs coach to build a program. Stop blaming our coaching staff for our second tier players mistakes!

[jim b]

I am "over it" so let's get on to "how" we win against Indiana!!?? My opinion-
We need to play man to man on pass defense, then rush the passer! (We don't have to blitz on every down like the NW game!)
Run the ball and run the ball some more...then have Hoyer throw down the middle..not dink it to the sideline, down the middle to tight ends and fullback out of the backfield!!!
My comments above stand Adam...the entire coaching staff needs to review their decisions and stop with the double talk.

I was on the 45yd line and the booing came from the "corporate seats" not the students or younger fans around me.

[truspartandawg]

Don't get it confused...Dantonio is here for the long haul!! And rightfully so...I'm just saying that the culture left by the former coach is what is needed to be changed which is evident by the defensive effort yesterday. Even after yesterday...We are still on the right track for the program...Go Green!!!

[markv]

Glover, if you're going to quote me, try quoting me correctly. I said the biggest comeback (this is quanititave, not a comment on how insignificant it was) in Div.I history. That is a fact. I didn't tell the whole story. I only answered your stupid comment. You said no MSU team has ever bounced back from any defeat. That's crap and not true. It's happened. Sorry, i know it's the net and you're supposed to be able to make up crap that goes unchallenged. But hey, i read a bunch of lies, and if i know they're lies and i have the time, i'll type out why they're lies. MSU HAS at times come back from a defeat.

[markv]

If anyone would like to make more obscene personal comments about me, please email them to me at markvotapek at earthlink dot net. It would be really stupid if people from the newspaper had to start wasting their time censoring or moderating this blog.