In simple terms, it was a great victory on the road in the Big Ten against a tough opponent. Coaches often mention that the most significant improvement usually happens between the first and second week, and that was clearly demonstrated in this game.
This was a team win, with stellar performances on offense, defense and special teams. We need to continue with that balance to have success for the rest of the season.
Offense
Chiles & Marsh: The future is bright. Chiles had his issues, 3 TO's, but rebounded where it matters most. After missing multiple throws in week 1, Chiles was dialed with the deep ball. And the WR's made the most of it, led by true freshman Nick Marsh.
Marsh recorded eight receptions for 194 yards and scored a touchdown. It was an outstanding performance by a freshman, marking the second-highest receiving yards by a freshman in the school's history. Here is a summary of Chiles' performance provided by Al.
The running game was much more consistent in week 2 vs week 1.
Carter: 47 Snaps. 11 carries for 59 yards (5.2 average). Long of 30.
KLA: 27 Snaps. 10 carries for 46 yards (4.6 average). Long of 23
No receptions from the RB group in Week 2. And there was only 1 RB reception in week 1. Something to keep an eye on.
The offensive line performed well, particularly excelling in the running game. Despite only being sacked twice, Chiles had ample time in the pocket during passing plays, even on those with longer development.
Depth in Progress: 8 OL received significant reps. Luke Newman (74 snaps), Tanner Miller (74), Ashton Lepo (59), Brandon Baldwin (53), Gavin Broscious (46), Stanton Ramil (36) and Dallas Fincher (28)
Defense
I was impressed with the MSU D as well.
Michigan State University ranks fourth in tackling performance within the Big Ten with a grade of 80.5, having only 15 missed tackles over two games.
The defense effectively contained Maryland's running game, limiting them to 85 yards on 31 rushing attempts, averaging 2.8 yards per carry, which is commendable.
Throughout the game, the coaching staff implemented various adjustments. Notably, they initially started with man coverage to assess its effectiveness early on. However, recognizing early signs of potential issues, they swiftly transitioned to a combination of zone and off coverage. This strategic shift was prompted by the vulnerability exposed when defending against Prather and Felton in man coverage. Despite a few close calls where defensive backs were beaten but missed throws saved the day, the overall performance reflected solid coaching and the need for flawless execution from the players.
Justin Thind highlighted an interesting statistic: After an initial 75-yard scoring drive, Maryland managed only 275 total yards across their subsequent nine drives, averaging 30.5 yards per drive. This defensive performance is truly remarkable.
A total of 19 players were on the field for 20 or more snaps.
The top three tacklers were Jordan Turner, Cal Haladay, and Matthews.
Maryland's wide receiver Tai Felton had a strong game, as anticipated, but fortunately, his performance did not significantly impact our team.
Here are a few other stats following Week 2.
Pressures on QB: I am a bit surprised by this. Maybe it's how he escapes and seems to buy time, which still counts as pressure. But Chiles didn't seem rattled by the pressures in Week 2.
Blitz Rate: MSU is near the bottom in Average Blitz Rate. This means we are getting sacks/pressures without sending more than 4. And stopping the run without committing extra resources pre-snap. I view this as a positive indicator.
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