The 2008 OSU – Michigan State Report Card

Here’s the report card for the 2008 OSU – Michigan State game:

• The Opponent – B. I always hate to criticize a guy I like and respect, but I’m going to do it anyway. Coach D’Antonio simply didn’t prepare his team to play against a ranked Ohio State team. I suspected that the Spartans might have been a little over-rated coming into the game. But I never expected them to be completely out-played and out-coached by the Buckeyes. I know a D’Antonio-coached team will recover. But the damage to the program is done for this year. If they don’t play exceptional football against a tough, late-season schedule, they’ll fall well-short of their post-season goals. D’Antonio is one of the good guys, so I’m pulling for him.
• The Defense – B+. I know some of you will argue with a B+ after a seemingly superior performance. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. As I mentioned above, Michigan State could barely get out of their own way. We need to see what we can do against a quality offensive unit before we start throwing the A grades around. Still, I’m starting to warm to Malcolm Jenkins, as he put together another game worthy of an All-American. And for the first time, the defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage. We were able, on several occasions, to generate pressure on the Spartan quarterbacks with only the DT’s. And as expected, when defensive linemen play well, linebackers look good. Funny how Freeman and Laurinaitis both returned to their 2007 form on the same day the lineman stepped up. Perhaps the biggest story for the day, though, was the rediscovery of the Big Play on defense. Sometimes a big play might appear to a casual observer as just a matter of a fortuitous bounce. But that’s not how it works. Good defenses deliberately create big plays through aggressiveness and opportunism.
• The Offense – B+. After enduring a week of criticism, Terrelle Pryor showed some intestinal fortitude. It’s not that he put up huge numbers or looked spectacular in any particular aspect of the game. It’s that he responded with a solid, workman-like effort when he could’ve faded into the background. He has a long way to go, especially in the passing game. But he showed that he’s the kind of kid around whom you can build a championship team. We also have to recognize the brilliant adjustment by Jim Tressel in managing Pryor’s development. As he saw his young quarterback start to struggle under the weight of the offensive package, Coach Tress lightened the load. He simplified the game plan and gave Pryor plays that allowed the freshman to exploit his athletic ability. The complex stuff can come later. I’d still like to see Boeckman get a few meaningful snaps in the next few games. And the offensive line still needs to play more aggressively. But the Pryor-led offensive is finally starting to shape up – just in time for Penn State.
• The Special Teams – B-. Fumbles on a kickoff return and a punt return almost made this game interesting. But thanks to steady performances by Trepasso, Pretorius and Pettrey, the special teams played well enough to win the game. Other than his fumble, Ray Small played his best game as a punt returner.
• My Favorite Play. Beanie and Pryor each contributed a few plays to the 2008 highlight film. But I’m going to the other side of the ball this week and selecting the Malcolm Jenkins – Thadeous Gibson combo as the MFP this week. After getting a free shot on a well-designed corner blitz, Jenkins made the play and caused a fumble. Gibson picked the ball off of Cousins’ backside and rumbled 69 yards for a touchdown. You have to be kind to the big guys when they run that far.
• Game Ball. The defensive line.

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