Game plan vs LSU ?

[ShotgunDawg]

With this huge game coming up quickly, I am getting curious about what MSU's game plan will be or should be in this game. I think people are making too big of a deal out of LSU not playing last weekend. Rest assured, LSU & Brandon Harris will come ready to play & play well. MSU must play at an extremely high level to win this game.

Offense: I think MSU will just do what it does in this game. There won't be anything special & there shouldn't be. I think we see MSU establish Dak running the ball early & hitting some RBs out of the backfield & then start taking shots down field in the 2nd quarter. In this game, I believe MSU scores between 28-35 points.

Defense: This is where the game will be won or lost, IMO. The first thing Diaz must do is contain Fournette & force LSU into some 2nd & 3rd and longs. At that point, Diaz & MSU will face the biggest decision of the game: does MSU, 1. Attack Harris, make him uncomfortable, & hope to force bad throws at the risk of giving up a big play, or 2. Does MSU give LSU the short to intermediate passing game & make a guy like Harris, who doesn't have much experience or have much success, execute time & time again beat them?

Conclusion:

I think Diaz would be making a big mistake if he doesn't attack Harris in this game. While attacking him may give LSU some big plays to Dural & Dupre, it is imperative that MSU doesn't allow Harris to get comfortable. Sure, playing a "bend but don't break defense" my keep LSU from making big plays & scoring quicker, but it also allows Harris to get comfortable & gain confidence.

I think this game comes down to two big things: turnovers & number of plays. MSU must hold onto the football & not help out LSU's offense by giving them a short field, & MSU needs to find a way to get more possessions & more plays in than LSU. I don't think LSU's defense can hold MSU all night, so if MSU can get a few turnovers & create a distance between the number of plays LSU runs vs MSU, then MSU win.

Keys to the game:

1. Don't turn the ball over
2. Contain Fournette
3. Make Harris uncomfortable
4. Run more plays than LSU

MSU - 32 LSU - 24

[Beaver]

I hope we attack on defense as well, but I could see Diaz playing a bend don't break. I think he'll let LSU have the short and intermediate throws, and force Harris to make good decisions in the redzone. I think Harris is going to take some shots downfield early to see if he can exploit our secondary. So don't be surprised if LSU gains a lot of yards early until Diaz figures out what Harris can and can't do.

[Bama_Dawg]

In order to limit Fournette, we have to get LSU into down and distance. So we need negative plays, and we can do that by pressuring Harris up the middle. Stay in our lanes, confine him to the pocket and get the DT push. This can be a money game for Chris Jones. The only way Fournette will touch the ball on 3rd and 8+ is on a screen. We just have to be sure to pick him up coming out of the backfield.

[ShotgunDawg]

I hope we attack on defense as well, but I could see Diaz playing a bend don't break. I think he'll let LSU have the short and intermediate throws, and force Harris to make good decisions in the redzone. I think Harris is going to take some shots downfield early to see if he can exploit our secondary. So don't be surprised if LSU gains a lot of yards early until Diaz figures out what Harris can and can't do.

I agree with what you are saying. I fully expect it to be a "little bit of both" & situational concerning if Diaz attacks or plays bend but don't break against Harris. My biggest thing is that I don't want us to be so scared of LSU making a big play that we allow Harris to find rhythm & confidence in the game. We must find a way to consistently make Harris uncomfortable.

[BeardoMSU]

I don't recall seeing the LB's blitz once against USM, and we all know that's what Manny likes to do. Our front 7 is gonna create havoc.

[ShotgunDawg]

In order to limit Fournette, we have to get LSU into down and distance. So we need negative plays, and we can do that by pressuring Harris up the middle. Stay in our lanes, confine him to the pocket and get the DT push. This can be a money game for Chris Jones. The only way Fournette will touch the ball on 3rd and 8+ is on a screen. We just have to be sure to pick him up coming out of the backfield.

I think we have the defensive line & LBs to contain Fournette till the 4th quarter. Another key to the game is MSU having a 2 score lead in the 4th quarter & basically rendering Fournette useless in the 4th quarter.

[Jack Lambert]

They are going to go all in to stop Dak and I think we should use that to our advantage.

[CJDAWG85]

We have to start fast like last year's game and how we did against Auburn. LSU doesn't have the offense to play from behind. We just can't sit on the lead and think it's over like last year.

[ShotgunDawg]

They are going to go all in to stop Dak and I think we should use that to our advantage.

So, are you saying that MSU should come out throwing to open it up for Dak?

[ShotgunDawg]

We have to start fast like last year's game and how we did against Auburn. LSU doesn't have the offense to play from behind. We just can't sit on the lead and think it's over like last year.

Great point & I agree. Us scoring first last year can't be understated.

That being said, if LSU scores first, we shouldn't panic.

[CJDAWG85]

Is Jalen Mills out for this game?

[Jack Lambert]

So, are you saying that MSU should come out throwing to open it up for Dak?

Not sure but I do know Dak has embarrassed their defense two years and I think he will have the ability to take out two or three guys every play. I think Miles catches grief over Dak after every game about not signing him and he is going to do everything he can to keep that from happening this year.

[ShotgunDawg]

Not sure but I do know Dak has embarrassed their defense two years and I think he will have the ability to take out two or three guys every play. I think Miles catches grief over Dak after every game about not signing him and he is going to do everything he can to keep that from happening this year.

I think your right.

So, assuming that LSU is going to go all in to take Dak out of the game like Bama did last year, how does MSU counter this?

With Mills out, we may go play action & hit Justin Johnson & Walley down the middle in vacated space, due to their LBs eyeing Dak

[HSVDawg]

Defense should involve some combination of 1 and 2. We can blitz 1 or 2 LB's and give up the intermediate passes at the same time. The key is to not get beat over the top because Dural and Dupre both have the speed to get behind the secondary. Any time we don't blitz we need to be in tight man coverage on those guys, no question about it.

[confucius say]

1. What is our identity? I'm not sure right now. I think it needs to be physical and run first, but i feel like we may be trying to become pass first, and that worries me.

2. I think you will see a lot of "mullen staples" (bubbles to Myles/Ross, zone read, qb power) early while we are trying to figure out their scheme. Not much film to go on and their whole defense scheme will be different under Steele and the ogre. Mullen commented they were watching old bama and USCw film to get an idea.

[ShotgunDawg]

1. What is our identity? I'm not sure right now. I think it needs to be physical and run first, but i feel like we may be trying to become pass first, and that worries me.

This is HUGE IMO & something that takes time to find. I don't believe we found this till the LSU game last year & hopefully we do it again.

Every team is different, has a different pulse, & does different things extremely well. It is key that MSU finds what their identity is as quickly as possible.

[starkvegasdawg]

Is Jalen Mills out for this game?

Last I heard he was.

ETA: Latest injury report


09/09/15

OL Chidi Valentine-Okeke Redshirt out for season

09/09/15

DT Mickey Johnson Undisclosed out for season

09/08/15

S Jalen Mills Ankle out indefinitely


Calhoun is listed as probable for us.

[LC Dawg]

I'm not sold on Harris coming in and playing well. Other than a few minutes against us last year when Coach Mullen lost his mind Harris really hasn't impressed.
As far as attacking on defense I will feel a lot better about that when I see Calhoun at full speed Saturday.

[jumbo]

Make Harris beat us. Load the box and bash LF at the line, if he gets to the 2nd level he will be trouble. I'm fine giving a up a big play or 2 because I don't think Harris can beat us all night in his first game of the season on the road in cowbell hell

[CJDAWG85]

Defensively, State has to harass Harris all night. Keep him rattled. Lots of pressure and the crowd will cause multiple turnovers.

[HoopsDawg]

You don't want to blitz Harris. Not a huge sample size but all of his numbers are better against the blitz. You want to keep Harris in the pocket. The Ends have to keep containment. Disguise your coverages to confuse Harris and focus on the run.

Also, Cam Cameron loves the deep ball. LSU has receivers that can get deep. Harris throws a good deep ball. The last thing you want to do is blitz and set up one on one down the field and give up the big play. I think we will play our safeties deep and see if Harris can make the checkdowns.

So the keys to me are stopping the run with our front 7, not 8. That 8 guy needs to jam the TE to throw off timing and protect the middle of the field. And keeping Harris in the pocket.

[Johnson85]

Defense: This is where the game will be won or lost, IMO. The first thing Diaz must do is contain Fournette & force LSU into some 2nd & 3rd and longs. At that point, Diaz & MSU will face the biggest decision of the game: does MSU, 1. Attack Harris, make him uncomfortable, & hope to force bad throws at the risk of giving up a big play, or 2. Does MSU give LSU the short to intermediate passing game & make a guy like Harris, who doesn't have much experience or have much success, execute time & time again beat them?

Diaz is going to attack Harris and give up the short hot routes in order to guard against the big play. Pretty sure that's what he does until he is forced to do something different. And I think that's right for this game. I think Harris is much more dangerous throwing deep to good receivers than he is having to repeatedly make short and intermediate throws. The only thing that concerns me is if you play too conservative against athletic receivers, you make it hard on the dbs to tackle them.

[Political Hack]

Diaz is going to attack Harris and give up the short hot routes in order to guard against the big play. Pretty sure that's what he does until he is forced to do something different. And I think that's right for this game. I think Harris is much more dangerous throwing deep to good receivers than he is having to repeatedly make short and intermediate throws. The only thing that concerns me is if you play too conservative against athletic receivers, you make it hard on the dbs to tackle them.

this is the correct answer. Diaz isn't going to change what he does because of who we're playing. The problem I have with this is I think Cam is a better magician than Diaz. If they're matching wits, we're going to lose that battle. We have to disrupt them and make sure they can't execute. I worry about slip screens, the TE getting deeper than the LBs, draw plays, and Harris using his legs.

[ShotgunDawg]

this is the correct answer. Diaz isn't going to change what he does because of who we're playing. The problem I have with this is I think Cam is a better magician than Diaz. If they're matching wits, we're going to lose that battle. We have to disrupt them and make sure they can't execute. I worry about slip screens, the TE getting deeper than the LBs, draw plays, and Harris using his legs.

What has Cam Cameron done to lead to believe that he can match anyone's wits?

Not saying Diaz has done much either, just curious where your confidence in Cameron comes from?

[Dawgcentral]

We've got to disrupt things up front on passing downs and make Fortunette work for every yard.

Limit mistakes and keep our focus on offense and special teams.

The crowd needs to give everything. It's a big advantage even with our past with them.