It will be tough sledding for Stephen Houston and the Hoosier offense in East Lansing on Saturday
Written By Sammy Jacobs (@sammyj108)
It’s Spittoon Week Hoosier fans! Yes, that’s a thing
now. Hoosier Nation it is time to
embrace the Battle for the Old Brass Spittoon. This weekend the Hoosier offense will face its toughest test
yet when they line up against the vaunted Spartan defense in East Lansing. Indiana had a big first half last year
against Michigan State, putting up 27 points, however they were shutout in the
second half. As we settle into
this long weekend here are three keys for the Indiana Offense to come away with
the Old Brass Spittoon at Spartan Stadium.
1. Protect the
Quarterback– Last year the Hoosiers used the screen pass to pick apart the
Spartan defense in the first half.
In the second half Michigan State adjusted and shut down the short
passing game. The key for Indiana
this year is to give Sudfeld enough time to find the deep man on passing plays
so the Hoosiers can loosen up the Spartan D. The offensive line will have its work cut out for them as
they have struggled to protect Sudfeld at times, especially against fast and
strong d-lines.
2. Get a lead– Any
type of lead will do for the Hoosiers, as getting off to a quick start will
quiet the Spartan Stadium crowd and give Indiana even more confidence. MSU is not a great offensive team and
if they fall behind quickly it could force them to be more one-dimensional and
play right into Indiana’s hands.
3. Don’t Abandon the
Run Game– But don’t force it either.
Indiana plays best when the offense is balanced. While the Spartans do a great job at
stuffing the run, the Hoosiers just cannot ditch it and throw the ball 50 or 60
times and win the game. Tevin
Coleman has should big play ability and can go the distance from any where on
the field. However, this can be
dangerous because the Hoosiers cannot waste many possessions trying to
establish a running game if it just is not there.
The one sure thing about Michigan State is that their
defense will be ready to go. This
will be a strength versus strength match up. The Hoosiers have the weapons to pull off the upset against
the Spartans, but they have to follow the formula they used last week in the
victory over Penn State and grab whatever points they can early.