A sports break ...
Fellow Spartan fans, here’s my take on this painfully disappointing 2012 season.
After two consecutive great seasons under Dantonio, there are many reasons we fell far, far short of expectations.
But, given all the setbacks MSU faced, it’s certainly worth noting that, under normal circumstances, two of our losses came from the two teams that would have faced each other in the championship game.
At the time we played them in September, no one realized how far Notre Dame had come. And our one-point loss to Ohio State, also undefeated for the season, should have been erased by a fumble recovery that was blown dead by the officials.
We also lost by four points to a Nebraska team that may finish the bowl season in the polls’ Top 10. And we lost on the road to our primary rival, an improved Wolverines team, on the last play of the game.
The losses to Northwestern and Iowa in particular are unforgivable. But let’s take a step back and assess how we ended up being 6-6.
Some of the losses could have been prevented simply if field goal kicker Dan Conroy was who we expected him to be in 2012. In addition, Andrew Maxwell was not the quarterback as billed by Spartan coaches. And the biggest blow to Michigan State fans may have been the mediocre receiving corps. Not since at least the early 1970s have we had such an inept group of receivers.
After Gibson, Hawkins, Rison, Burress, Mason, Rogers, Muhammad and Martin, Spartan fans just assumed that the endless stream of star receivers would continue.
For all his mistakes, Maxwell demonstrated arm strength and some coolness under pressure, which bodes well for the future. He played with an injured shoulder on Saturday against Minnesota and managed to get the job done (with a whole lot of help from Le’Veon Bell).
More importantly, he played most of the season with an offensive line in turmoil, which led to more sacks and pressure from opponents’ defensive linemen -- and more defensive emphasis on stopping the run -- than could have been anticipated. As a result, Bell was a constant target. Predictable, retrograde play-calling by the coaching staff certainly added to Bell’s difficulties.
In the end, Michigan State was 11th in the Big Ten in scoring and ninth in total offense. That is a statistical situation that no Spartan fan could have imagined at the start of the season.
But consider the circumstances. We had our top receiver, tight end Dion Sims, out or less than 100 percent in a key stretch through October and November. More importantly, MSU struggled with an offensive line that changed its five-man lineup from game to game.
What other NCAA team had two starting offensive lineman suffer season-ending broken legs? What other team that was ranked in the pre-season polls had to rely on redshirt freshmen to suddenly fill in to block for an inexperienced quarterback and a warhorse running back?
Any astute football fan knows that disruptions to the O-line, especially the constantly shifting lineup fielded by Michigan State, destroys the flow of the offense.
So, it’s 6-6. But that’s after a number of heart-breaking close losses, an offensive line that was a mess, a QB who needs seasoning, a receiving corps that needs to be reminded of MSU’s legacy, a defensive line that registered far fewer sacks than expected, and a secondary that gave up numerous big plays.
To be clear, I don’t much give a damn about whatever upcoming bowl game is coming. With a certain amount of bitterness, my focus has turned to next year. Maybe at the top of the list for 2013 is to get rid of offensive coordinator Dan Roushar.
Those who closely analyze Spartans football say that the offensive line should be better next year. Maxwell is bound to improve, along with the receivers. And, of course, we’ve got to have Bell return for his senior year.
If things fall into place, it’s worth noting that our 2013 schedule is very favorable. Other than a trip to Notre Dame on Sept. 21, all of our games are certainly winnable until we host Michigan on Nov. 2 (and hopefully get back on track in that rivalry). If we get a win there, our only real remaining challenge should be when we travel to Nebraska on Nov. 16.
At that point, MSU could stand at 8-1 and this disturbing season of 2012 will be put behind us.
Let’s see what happens next.
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