Here are four game plan adjustments Michigan State needs to make to ensure victory against Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Establish The Run Game
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MSU’s week one matchup against Western Michigan was indicative of Head Coach Jonathan Smith’s intention for a run-heavy offensive style of play.
MSU showcased a power-style offense, finding success on the ground.
The Spartans’ offensive line dominated the trenches, especially in the first half, opening up wide running lanes.
Sophomore running back Makhi Frazier showed good vison, burst and physicality as he finished the game with 104 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Fraizer was the starting running back.
Sophomore running back Brandon Tullis displayed good power and vision on his seven carries for 52 yards and a touchdown.
The run-game is the offense’s greatest strength and the Spartans will need to rely on it to establish offensive rhythm, possession control and more opportunities in the passing game.
Aidan Chiles Consistency
Junior quarterback Aidan Chiles was picked by several media outlets to have a breakout season but struggled to find consistency in his first game.
Against WMU, Chiles had 155 yards passing and a passing touchdown on 17 of 23 attempts. He had a solid rhythm in the first half that was cohesive with the running-game.
Chiles struggled to find a rhythm in the second half and held the ball for too long on a few plays, which led to 4 sacks and a fumble-turnover.
Chiles is a talented quarterback with pro-level potential but he needs to display more consistency in order to make the Spartans’ offense more cohesive.
The Spartans can get Chiles into a rhythm by establishing the run-game and calling short pass plays in the beginning of the game. This will also lead to more balance in the offense.
Short yardage completions can help Chiles gain confidence, composure and consistency. Once the defense is softened up by the run and short pass, a deep shot over the top of the defense could open up.
Stout Run Defense
MSU will need to establish their presence in the defensive run-game against a team that is weak on the ground.
The Spartans defense dominated WMU in week one, particularly in the run-game.
MSU’s defensive front swarmed WMU ball carriers, holding the Broncos to 29 rushing yards on 24 carries.
The Spartans’ run defense was the team’s strongest statistical category in week one while Boston College’s run offense was its worst statistical category.
The Eagles rushed for just 98 yards on 38 carries in their 66-10 victory against FCS opponent, Fordham.
If the Eagles struggled to run the ball against an FCS opponent, then they’ll likely struggle against a Big Ten opponent who is strong in the trenches.
Limit Big Passing Plays
Even if MSU is able to bottle up the run-game, the Spartans can’t allow big plays through the air.
Boston College struggled on the ground against Fordham but was successful throwing the ball, tallying 458 yards passing.
Fordham allowed several explosive plays including two receptions for over 50 yards each.
The Spartans gave up explosive plays to WMU that could’ve been detrimental against a better opponent in Boston College, including a 42-yard reception and a 35-yard reception.
The Spartans’ secondary will have to cleanup the mistakes they had against WMU’s two-quarterback system and will look to shutdown Boston College’s unproven sophomore quarterback, Dylan Lonergan.
Lonergan is a transfer from Alabama but has very little playing experience as he only has eight passing attempts over two years with the Crimson Tide.
If the Spartans can force the Eagles into third-and-long situations and limit explosive plays, it will be favorable for the MSU defense.
The game takes place on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
---> Five takeaways from Michigan State’s 23-6 victory against Western Michigan