[NU Sports] Q2: Michigan State ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

And quarter #2 ...

- Doesn't look good for Smith (OUCH! That hit by
Stanton just looked painful).

- Nice drive after the pick ... Sutton is just super!
Great run after the reception to set up the plungs.
14-7.

- Gotta keep up the pressure O because the D will be
hurting even more with Smith out. Plus, if we can keep
up the pressure, the crowd will be a factor in the
opposite direction, booing the home team.

- Rhythm is everything for our O and it looks like Baz
is getting in sync ... STAY IN THAT ZONE ALL GAME,
BAZ!

- I know Ringer's a stud and you want to have balance,
but I'm surprised MSU isn't passing more, especially
with our secondary even more hurt.

- YES!!! WHAT A FUMBLE!!! WHAT A RETURN!!! GO
DEFENSE!!! 21-7 CATS!!! HUGE GAME SWING!!! YES!!!

- Our defense has been run all over, shredded by air
and rightfully bemoaned ... but they do have a knack
for causing turnovers and have come up big twice today
despite all the newcomers and injuries. That's gutsy.
Now let's hope the O keeps the foot on the pedal.

- Gotta give Coach Smith credit - he's sticking to the
gameplan and running Ringer.

- Refs (or us?) are sure trying to help MSU get going
with penalties on us. Ugh! But that's the first on the
D and Roach rebounded with a nice tackle for loss.

- PICK BY HENDERSON!!! The D's been out there most of
the second quarter but we now have three turnovers
generated in the red zone. Good call by Henderson to
run as well -- I don't think he'd have gotten the call
for a touchback by momentum. NOW GO O!!! Give the D a
rest and some cushion -- let's get a long drive for a
score!

- Man, Baz had ALLLLLLL DAY to make that 2nd down
throw from the end zone. GREAT JOB O-LINE!!! And who
makes the catch? Herbert of course!

- Dang holding call! Our O is really racking up the
penalty yardage as well - UGH!

- You'd hope Herbert's work would open some running
lanes for Sutton sooner or later.

- Big 3rd and 11 after the penalty ... this could
really be a big point in the game ... but we can't
convert. That was a big stop for MSU, especially if
they can get something before the half to close the
gap. Dang - we had a chance to go up 28-7 and blew it.

- Well, MSU may be turning it over, but we're
committing umpteen penalties to their zero, so that's
not good.

- We gotta take away that running game from MSU.
They're relying on that with Stanton struggling.

- The D isn't stopping the run, but they sure are
getting in some hard licks that you can hear all the
way from the field.

- Nice stop for the D before the half. If the O failed
to take advantage and go up 28-7, at least the D kept
it from being 21-14. But that MSU running game is
really milking the clock and keeping our O on the
sidelines (so we gotta score every chance we get!).

- Another missed FG!!! Bring out the boo-birds (though
I dunno if that's good because MSU will now be going
for it every 4th down in our territory regardless of
distance).

- Gotta love Sutton! What a superfrosh banging the
pile forward and pushing out of sheer will.

- Dang holding call ... we had a chance to maybe get a
FG in the final seconds. How many penalties on the
offense is that? UGH!

So we head to the half, leading 21-7. The D allowed a
quick score and then made some nice adjustments to
shut out the Spartans the rest of the half, thanks to
those BIG turnovers forced (and that 3-and-out stop
after we fumbled to get the ball back in good field
position was key as well).

The story of the game may well be our first drive of
the second half. We get the ball first -- if we can
march it downfield and go up 28-7, then we make MSU
one-dimensional and the crowd really starts to groan.
If we fail to score and MSU gets the ball back, they
can get momentum.

Halftime: NU 21, MSU 7

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


		
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