GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 7 • 10
Hazell said. "You have to be able to
do some things to take advantage
of that."
Translation: Throw the ball up
the field.
It's easier said than done, con-
sidering Michigan State defensive
end Shilique Calhoun leads one of
college football's more potent pass
rushes, also.
Purdue dominated at Illinois
behind its offensive line.
Saturday, whether it's
against the run or the pass, it has
to compete.
"They're gonna be physi-
cal, we're gonna be physical," said
guard Jordan Roos, coming off
what might have been the best
game of his college career. "You're
either the nail or the hammer. We
want to be the hammer."
If they're not, Purdue will run
the risk of getting hammered.
Since the Oregon game — a
contest in which the Spartans were
neck-and-neck with the Ducks
before Oregon hit a couple quick
game-changing touchdowns —
Michigan State has outscored its
last three opponents 156-50.
In a battle of top-10-type
teams last weekend in East Lan
-
sing, Michigan State led Nebraska
27-3 after three quarters, smoth-
ering its vaunted running game,
sacking QB Tommy Armstrong five
times that night and intercepting
him twice.
Through five games, Michi-
gan State is 11th nationally in total
defense, allowing 297 yards per
game. It ranks among conference
leaders in both sacks (20) and in-
terceptions (seven).
But Michigan State is where it
is right now — probably the class
of the Big Ten and still a realistic
possibility for a spot in the
inaugural College Football
Playoff — as much if not more
because of its offense than its
defense.
A 73-point eruption
against overmatched East-
ern Michigan warps the numbers
some, but the Spartans lead the
Big Ten in scoring an average of
45.6 points per game, doing so be-
hind the leadership of improved
quarterback Connor Cook, who's
completed 61 percent of his passes
and thrown 10 touchdowns to just
three interceptions so far.
Seven of those touchdown
throws have gone to the Big Ten's
top wide receiver, 6-foot-3 Tony
Lippett, who's averaging 21 yards
per catch and 105 per game. His
25 catches lead Michigan State. No
one else has caught more than 10.
Lippett's caught a touchdown in
every game he's played this season
and ran for a 32-yard score against
Nebraska. His average scoring
catch has covered 35.3 yards.
Making the Spartans even
more difficult to defend is the
presence of running back Jeremy
Langford, whose 111 rushing yards
against Nebraska made for his
ninth
consecutive 100-plus-yard
game in Big Ten play.
"One of the things that makes
him different than other tailbacks
Michigan State has had is that he
has high-end athleticism to the
point where if someone misplays
a gap, he can take it the distance,"
Konyndyk said. "He also gets bet-
ter as the game goes on, which is a
great sign to have in a tailback. He
can turn two- or three-yard runs in
the first half to 20 or 30 yards in the
second half."
j
Michigan State
D-end Shilique Calhoun is one of the Big Ten's most-feared pass-rushers.
OPPONENT NEWSSTAND
ESPN.com: Going inside the 'No Fly Zone'
ESPN.com: Michigan State learns closing lesson
SpartanMag.com: Michigan State offensive questions
LansingStateJournal.com: MSU finds its identity in a trusted old friend
LansingStateJournal.com: Spartans re-evaluate short-yardage options
MSUSpartans.com: Michigan State game notes
MSUSpartans.com: Mark Dantonio weekly press conference
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