It’s certainly one of those should- and must-win kind of games for Michigan State today at Indiana. And it’s also one in which the Spartans hope to iron out many of the issues that have plagued them the past few weeks.
One of the biggest areas, about which I write today, is getting a patchwork offensive line to help produce in both the running and passing attacks while moving past the season-ending injuries to center Travis Jackson and Fou Fonoti. The Spartans hope to do what they didn’t against Eastern Michigan two weeks ago – put away a struggling opponent early and decisively.
Brian Calloway examines today’s positional matchups, the two of us give a video breakdown of what to expect and here’s our predictions and key head-to-head matchup for the MSU-IU game. Also, Graham Couch looks back at the premature death and impact of former Hoosiers coach Terry Hoeppner on their program.
Kickoff is at noon, and join in an active conversation here during the game. Graham is in Bloomington, but I’ll share your vantage point from my living room.
Also, Friday night/Saturday morning was the overnight campout for Izzone tickets. Apparently, senior center Derrick Nix is light enough now to be passed around atop peoples’ hands like he’s at a Pearl Jam concert (since, I think, crowdsurfing went out of style somewhere around 1996). MSU hoops-operations man Kevin Pauga tweeted that Nix is down to 265 pounds (maybe he’s onto something with that vegetarian diet).
And for all you uniform junkies, a number of campers reported on Twitter that Tom Izzo told the assemblage that MSU will be the first school in the country sporting some Nike Pro-Combat basketball uniforms. More on that breaking and impactful news, I’m sure, on Tuesday at men’s basketball media day.
Oh, and apparently something’s going on in Detroit tonight. And Brandon Inge is involved once again, albeit as an injured spectator.
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At 265 Nix will be so big and quick down low we may see our first reliable, consistent low post threat in a long time. With all the shooting that this years team has that combination could be lethal.
A lot of the suspects were invited in to a practice before the Notre Dame game there is a breakdown on that workout from the chief suspect on that site, complete with video.
He gets IT, Alt. He gets IT. This is not your Detroit High School 28 star recruit, this is a Michigan State Spartan Basketball Player.
As far as today. As long as we don’t come out flat we should be fine. I would like to see Dantonio to continue to throw and get a good look at several receivers regardless of the score. It is not his style to run up scores, but this passing game needs the work. Running on Indiana doesn’t prove they can run on a good defense. I would like to see some guys gain confidence in catching the ball. Anxious to see if Burbridge is the real deal?
Agreed, Atl. I would also like the D and O lines and DB’s to just do what we had anticipated they would do. I think the Army had a slogan a while back “Be All You Can Be”; it was always inferred as part of a team, but it is really about self actualization and means maximizing individual accomplishments given a person’s personal limitations. Spartan Hard comes to mind.
We just need to be efficient and productive all game long, most important is the O line that will open up everything else, we get some yardage wide that stops folks from living in a 5-5 and opens up the middle. Re the passing game on the quick slants the O needs to give Maxwell time to react to the receivers being a half step off of where they need to be.
Chris,
Important question for you, is LSJ going to spring for a travel beat writer either you or Graham or is there going to be no one at the road games. I am concerned with the game in Madison , but more importantly basketball games. Just be honest with us . If there is not going to be a physical prescence on the road I just want to know up front, its not your or anyoneelses fault.
Thanks
Ted
Take that back just saw that Couch was in Bloomington, so I guess Couch will be the one doing the post game interviews on the road, sorry havent had my coffee yet.
Yea, but having the Cracker as the on site rep IS like having nobody on site.
Play with emotion. Pay attention to detail. Do your job. Focus. The rest are the vicissitudes of the game. This should be a game in which the bounces do not make a difference in the outcome.
In a preemptive strike for “behind the green curtain” when he arrives after being thrashed by Auburn today, I found this quote that describes him perfectly:
   ”He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others.” -
Samuel Johnson
Could also be used for the Cow/sheep farmer Flaming “Buddy” James
A Hollis Tweet worth repetition:
“Congrats to #25 @MichStVB on a 3-1 win in Madison and @MSUfieldhockey 1-0 win in Columbus.”
Nixer gettin slim baby !!!
Cam Cameron have hoosiers ready baby !!!
B B B Bennie and the bench …. baby !!!
The Tanner bring the goods baby !!!
Wow, empty stadium sees IU march right down the field
Too bad the btn announcer don’t know that Sparty is just the mascot and doesn’t ever play. Doofus announcer
Doesnt look like anybodys playing !