Iowalaw's Thoughts After Rewatching the MSU Game

[Herky the Uruk-hai]

The commentators mentioned it, said the kid led with his shoulder. If I had been a Hawk fan, I would have thought targeting should have been called; as a semi-objective viewer, I thought it could have been called or not. Just one of those things. Obviously, it was a big play.

I also saw a couple of what I thought were obvious pass interference penalties that weren't called on both sides......which makes me think I don't know what criteria were being used.

I head the commentator's statement and he was wrong, it was clearly a significant impact that was helmet to helmet and as I shared, hard enough that the receiver who actually had caught the ball immediately dropped it. I have always thought that the rule was suppose to be that flags are thrown on the close calls and that is why it is an automatic review.

I agree with you regarding the pass defense - lots of close calls on both sides that were pretty physical but they did not punish the defenders for being aggressive.

 

[Spartan Glory]

Iowa was simply awesome in our game. Could've gone either way. Well-played game with both teams demonstrating a never-say-die attitude. You will love being back at the Rose Bowl. Best bowl experience by far - and I hope you show up in legions. Spartans far and wide will be rooting hard for you.

 

[HawktimusPrime]

I just watched the replay too. I agree with pretty much everything you said.

What I don't get is how everyone is sort of ignoring the play LJ. Scott on that final drive. Even as a Spartan he took my breath away. He's had some very good spurts this year but he got the ball 17 times.....17 TIMES....in that final drive. That game was pretty much dead even between those two teams. You guys were clearly better in several and MSU in some others. But Scott was the absolute tie breaker. I can't remember a RB pulling that kind of duty (who has 22 play drives anywhere, anytime any more?) at any level of FB in my life.

Scott was the MVP. Every Spartan should bow down in praise of that kid. He was the difference. No doubt about it.

Agreed with Scott, he was the key to that drive, and should have gotten player of the game for it.

 

[HawktimusPrime]

Iowa was simply awesome in our game. Could've gone either way. Well-played game with both teams demonstrating a never-say-die attitude. You will love being back at the Rose Bowl. Best bowl experience by far - and I hope you show up in legions. Spartans far and wide will be rooting hard for you.

I'll be pulling for you guys also. You guys would do yourselves and the conference proud if the Spartans could win this thing. Heck, even just taking down Bama would be awesome. I think you have the tools to do it, and I don't think Bama is all that great to be honest.

 

[aurorabimmer]

I haven't seen any mention of the long pass to Vandenberg on our next possession after the T. Smith catch. The MSU DB made a great field decision to hold Vande rather than allow the catch and touchdown (assumes he does catch it). In college it is 15 yds., and an automatic first down. Much better than being beat and allowing a TD. We would have I think been up 20-6 and it would have forced Cook to throw and not allow the MSU O line to hammer our D line. The commentators did mention it at the time. Anyway great game by both teams. MSU deserves the win and I hope they win it all.

 

[thewop]

Like many of you, I was in Indy and got to feel the heartbreak first hand of MSU's killer 4th quarter drive that derailed our dream season. After rewatching the game, here is my objective take on the game. Fire away! lol

1. CJB absolutely outplayed 1st team all conference Connor Cook. Granted, Dantonio made clear that Cook was playing injured, but then again so was CJ. It just would have been nice if we opened up the playbook a bit more for CJ. One run (1st quarter), and only a couple shots down the field. We did not open it up until the 2nd half. CJ was on the money on most of his throws and we didn't allow him to win the game for us (nor did our OL).

2. Roughing the punter penalty was HUGE. Our d stopped them cold, and we would have got great field position. Not one, but two of our guys (bo bower and someone else) dove right into the punter. Come on, this late in the season, that's unacceptable mental errors.

3. Bizarre - we have the top CB in the Big 10 in King, yet King was playing the weak side of the field all game. MSU would have two wide receivers on one side of the field and none on the other, and King would be playing on the side with no one running a route. Why are we leaving our lesser DBs out to dry and letting them get picked on? King should have been on their stud WR Burbridge all game. Not in on run support.

4. Old Kirk never left. We were driving in the 1st quarter, knowing it was to be a tough, low scoring game. We had 4th and an inch near mid field. We go with the ultra conservative punt. We lost by 3 pts. Could that have been the reason? Oh and by the way, Kidd absolutely screwed the pooch this game. Embarrassing punting by a senior who is capable of so much more. Rather than a patented CJ sneak for 1 yard, we punted 20 yards.

5. Miles Taylor and crew laid some huge its on MSU. But i have to hand it to MSU, their guys are tough as nails. They held on the ball and bounced off our hits.

6. Enough is enough with Daniels. I get that he doesn't fumble, but he also doesnt gain more than 2 or 3 yards. Wadley DOES! Why don't we give Akrum the ball already. Very disappointing.

7. Speaking of RBs, Mitchell saw the most pt of any RB. Strange, when he's our 4th string guy and rarely saw the field during the season. Why was he our feature back all of a sudden when we get to the championship game? I just don't get switching like that for this game. Not that he didn't play well. Just strange move.

8. Everyone loves to slurp on Brian Ferentz as OL coach...but our OL got owned again today. Our tackles looked like high schoolers trying to block college kids and poor CJ took way too many hits as a result. How does OL University start a couple of walkon 2 star young kids at tackle? They played to the best of their ability, but a stud tackle was much needed. Also, no holes created up the middle for our RBs. We had what, 50 yards all game?

9. Boy oh boy Ott was missed. What a difference he would have made in this game. Fingers crossed that we see him again in a hawk uni.

10. Overall, it was clear that our guys were nervous and MSU's kids played like they have been there before. We dropped way more passes this game than usual, Kidd was shanking, and our defense was just missing where normally they would have picked up passes, stripped the ball (MSU's late td run any other game would have been stripped, but we whiffed). I think the better team won, but Iowa is no doubt a top 5 team this year. I can't wait for the rose bowl to dominate some pac ten pansies.

Nobody plays perfect. MSU wasn't perfect either. IMO, we made 1 more major mistake than they did (INT), and it was the difference in the game.

While your points are valid, I'm sure an MSU fan can nitpick their performance similarly. MSU Earned it, and had we stopped them at the goal line, we would have earned it, plain and simple. MSU won that game at the end, we didn't lose it.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

You guys do realize that Iowalaw trolls you every time he posts. Wow...too funny.

 

[David1979]

The commentators mentioned it, said the kid led with his shoulder. If I had been a Hawk fan, I would have thought targeting should have been called; as a semi-objective viewer, I thought it could have been called or not. Just one of those things. Obviously, it was a big play.

I also saw a couple of what I thought were obvious pass interference penalties that weren't called on both sides......which makes me think I don't know what criteria were being used.

Doesn't matter if he led with his shoulder. He was a defenseless receiver and the contact was initiated in the head and neck area. That is a penalty.