The leading defensive team in the Big Ten heading into Saturday, Michigan State didn’t wait to whip out the surprises against one of the best offenses in the conference.
The Spartans lined up on the first play from scrimmage with a trio of linemen, a trio of linebackers and a nickelback in the secondary. The alignment – one the Wildcats haven’t seen this season – immediately threw NU quarterback Zak Kustok and his offense off-balance.
The Cats (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) failed to do any damage on their first possession in three games this season.
“When you come out and they throw something new at you that you’ve never seen before, there’s definitely a little bit of – I don’t want to stay stuttering – but an adjustment period,” said NU guard Jeff Roehl.
Michigan State (2-1, 0-1) didn’t stick with the 3-3-5 for long, but shuffled around a number of different alignments on defense, often using more than four defensive backs or stuffing the box.
“We are not necessarily a team you can come in to play conventionally against,” NU coach Randy Walker said.
DEFENDING DUCKETT: On Michigan State’s first possession of the game, tailback T.J. Duckett answered a week’s worth of speculation about whether the NU defense could contain him with four consecutive carries of eight, seven, six and 23 yards. The drive eventually took the Spartans into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
Duckett needed barely a minute-and-a-half to rack up 47 yards. Last season, he totaled 72 in 60 minutes against NU.
But linebacker Kevin Bentley wasn’t worried after the first series.
“I thought they were trying to take a knockout blow at us, to see what we’re made of,” he said. “But then I was thinking, OK, we took their best blow. Now they’re going to have to be ready for the rest of the game.”
An imposing 6-foot-1 and 249 pounds, Duckett finished the first quarter with 67 yards on eight carries. But the Cats then limited him to 37 yards the rest of the game, as Michigan State shifted to a more pass-oriented offense.
“He’s a big back so we had a lot of guys on him,” Bentley said. “I think the hits just started to take their toll and he wore down a little bit.”
Tight passes: Jon Schweighardt and Kunle Patrick had the big catches, but Saturday’s game was a showcase for tight ends from both teams. Kustok found David Farman four times for 48 yards, including twice on the Cats’ 80-yard scoring drive in the first quarter. Spartans’ tight end Chris Baker led his team in receiving with 99 yards on five receptions.
For a loss: Called to a challenge, NU’s defense answered the Spartans’ threat with one of its own. The Cats tallied eight sacks on Michigan State quarterbacks Jeff Smoker and Ryan Van Dyke. Freshman tackle Colby Clark and senior end Napoleon Harris both had a pair. And Bentley, senior end Salem SiMonday, freshman linebacker Dan Pohlman and sophomore tackle Matt Anderson all had one apiece.
Notable among Harris’ sacks was a third-and-16 hit on Van Dyke in the fourth quarter that forced a Michigan State punt. Harris said he left his pass coverage when he saw Van Dyke roll out of containment and knew he could cover the 15 yards between him and the quarterback.
Harris knew he was taking a risk, but it paid off.
“I know I’m a pretty fast guy,” he said.
INCHES TO GO: Starting fullback Vince Cartaya was in street clothes Saturday after suffering a stinger in his neck against Duke. … The last-second victory brings Walker’s record to 60-1-1 (11-0 at NU) when he takes a lead into the fourth quarter. … Kustok’s interception to start the second quarter was his first in 278 attempts. … The Cats haven’t opened a season 3-0 since 1962.
