Given everything going on with the Mel Tucker investigation, it is easy to forget that Michigan State defeated a thoroughly overmatched Richmond Spiders team by a final score of 45-14 on Saturday.
Let's review the film from last weekend's game.
Defensively, MSU stayed mostly in its base nickel set, but seemed improved as far as communication and assignment-based football was concerned. One play I clipped that I thought was of interest is the play below, which featured a simulated pressure and man-coverage by the cornerbacks.
MSU places six people at the line of scrimmage, ultimately dropping both linebackers into coverage, but there is enough confusion on the defensive line (combined with the defensive line kicking ass) to force a poor throw into tight coverage by MSU nickel back Angelo Grose (No. 15), who played solid man-coverage over the slot fade.
Offensively, MSU ran some fairly interesting sets that will definitely be used more against Washington and in conference play. Above, MSU runs a zone staple called "pin and pull," where linemen who have a player line up outside or over them in the direction of the play reach block them, and any "uncovered" players pull behind the run surface to the edge.
An interesting twist on this is throwing a mesh point read on this, turning into more of a quarterback power with Noah Kim (No. 10). The issue is that this is run extremely poorly, with nobody picking up the linebacker who knifes inside a pulling Nick Samac (No. 59 at center), who takes on a defensive back.