Tag: Brian Lewerke

Game Recap: Michigan State, Cody White torch Rutgers 27-0

Michigan State football trampled Rutgers 27-0 in an impressive performance. Here is a game recap with all the details you need.

Michigan State Football demolished Rutgers in a 27-0 shutout today. Before this victory, the Spartans were on a five-game losing streak. Michigan State was sluggish and sloppy in the first half. Then, in the second half, Cody White exploded in an impressive showing.

Here is a recap of this game:

First Half

The Spartans offense lacked urgency early on in this game. MSU’s offense moved the chains but failed to score on their first drive. On the other hand, the defense showed up to play. Yet again, the Spartan’s defense did not allow a touchdown on the opening drive. Sure, this is against Rutger’s offense, but, we can still marvel at this accomplishment.

Next, Michigan State’s offense continued to move downfield. A high snap almost forced a turnover but Brian Lewerke did not fumble. This set up a third and long which is rather intimidating for this offensive unit. Luckily, Lewerke threw a nice touchdown pass to Cody White.

Later, the offense failed to capitalize on a nice drive. Instead, they settled for a field goal. This brought the first quarter to a close as Michigan State lead Rutgers 10-0.

Rutger’s defense came out hot in the second quarter. Lewerke was sacked and this set up a third and long. MSU then went three and out. Sophomore Safety Xavier Henderson stepped up with a beautiful interception. Unfortunately, the Spartans failed to convert this into a touchdown and settled for a field goal. This time, Matt Coghlin missed the field goal kick. This sequence can sum up the entire year for MSU.

Late in the second quarter, the Spartans ran a two-minute drill. Play after play, Lewerke hit Cody White for big gains. Eventually, Lewerke threw another, crisp touchdown pass to White on a seam route.

Second Half

Rutgers started the second half with plenty of offensive movement. Their run game yielded more success in the first three minutes of the second half than the entire first half. No worries, the Spartans did not give up any points on this Rutger’s drive. Instead, Kenny Willekes sacked QB Johnny Langan.

Michigan State put in AJ Arcuri at LT for their first drive of the half. MSU managed to move the chains forward for a first down. Lewerke found White on yet another impressive deep ball, but, this play went under review. Eventually, the referees determined the play was an incomplete pass.

Next thing you know, this drive turned into a disaster. Lewerke tried to hit White again in the endzone but White could not control the ball. Instead, Rutger’s defense snatched the ball away for an interception.

Early in the fourth quarter, Josiah Scott forced a fumble and gave Michigan State a favorable field position. Unlike earlier, the Spartans capitalized on this key turnover with an amazing touchdown. Lewerke overthrew a ball to White but it did not matter. White managed to snag the ball and fell into the endzone for a touchdown and a 27-0 lead.

Cody White ended the game with 11 receptions, 136 yards, and three touchdown catches. QB Brian Lewerke ended the game with 239 yards on 21/30 attempts with three touchdowns and one interception.

Michigan State football takes on Maryland next week on Saturday, Nov. 30. This game starts at 3:30 P.M.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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Halftime thoughts: Michigan State sloppy, leads Rutgers

Michigan State’s quest to get back in the win column is going about as well as the rest of the season has gone. The difference today is the team on the other side of the field. Michigan State leads Rutgers 17-0 at the half. Here are some thoughts: …

Michigan State’s quest to get back in the win column is going about as well as the rest of the season has gone. The difference today is the team on the other side of the field.

Michigan State leads Rutgers 17-0 at the half. Here are some thoughts:

  • Cody White has 57 catches in the first half. Don’t look it up. There’s no need. It’s true.
  • It’s really nice to have Speedy Nailor back. He’s so obviously a different level runner than anyone else MSU has on offense. He absolutely cooked his man on a dee shot and might have had a long TD had the Rutgers defender not grabbed him for an obvious PI.
  • It’s pretty easy to see why Rutgers hasn’t won a Big Ten game in more than two years. Woof. The talent just isn’t even near where it needs to be.
  • Matt Coghlin back? It’s not much, but Coghlin has kicked the ball well the last three weeks, going 4/4 in field goals. He easily hit from 46 yards in the first half. In a lost season, it’d be nice for Coghlin to get his confidence back down the stretch.
  • Coghlin hit the upright from 33 yards after MSU returned an INT to the Rutgers 15 and proceeded to do nothing with it.

  • Not great, Bob.
  • Michigan State has been stopped twice on 4th-and-1 well into Rutgers territory.

  • The two-minute drill looks good again and results in a late touchdown. It’s really too bad MSU can’t take some of their two-minute principles and infuse them into the regular offense.
  • Above all else, Michigan State has just been so sloppy today. Beyond even what they’ve done in previous games. In week 11 it just reeks of a team being unprepared and unfocused.
  • The defense has been solid so credit them for that. We must keep in mind the opponent. Rutgers has been very unimpressive on offense.

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Young MSU fan pens heartfelt note about Mark Dantonio, the football team

Kids. They’re smarter than all of us.

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Kids say the darnedest things.

It’s amazing how in life seemingly wild contradictions can occur. Like a nine-year-old boy displaying the wisdom and perspective of someone many years his senior.

Dr. Ben Hartnell posted to Twitter a letter his young son Fraser penned about what it means to him to be a fan. It’s addressed to Mark Dantonio, Brian Lewerke, MSU football and Spartan fans.

The letter swashes back and forth between to-be-expected comments from a nine-year-old, “My favorite uniform is the all white,” and stunningly poignant pieces of wisdom, like “There are a lot of things sadder than losing a game,” or, “I know it hurts to throw interceptions, but I have done it too. We all throw interceptions. I did not give up, because you can’t be a good QB if you quit when you do that.”

Smart kid.

Take a minute out of your day to read the entire thing.

Cheers to you Fraser–even though you’re a ways away from actually being able to “cheers”–and thanks for the dose of perspective.

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MSU Football’s blowout loss to Michigan: Three Key Takeaways

Michigan State football suffered an incredibly tragic defeat at the hands of Michigan, 44-10. Here are three key takeaways from this game

Michigan State Football suffered an a horrific loss at the hands of interstate rival Michigan, 44-10. The Spartans kept it relatively close at first, but, the Wolverines took over in the third quarter. This lead to a landslide victory for the University of Michigan.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

Paradigm Shift

Remember the start of this season? When Mark Dantonio surpassed Hugh Daugherty as the most winningest coach in Spartan history. Those days now seem long gone. Nearly every Michigan State fan has turned on Dantonio.

There are certain fans that want Dantonio to retire, others want Dantonio to be fired. Does it have to be this way? I understand the frustration. He had a chance to clean house in the offseason and start fresh but did not do so. Does his success not warrant any good faith from fans?

It is possible to chalk up this season to the coordinator staff, injuries, and lack of talent. The Ohio State loss clearly displayed the disparity in talent between the Buckeyes and the Spartans. The offensive line is absolutely depleted and Joe Bachie is suspended. WR Darrell Stewart went down with an injury just as WR CJ Hayes came back.

I know it is easy to succumb to frustration, but, coaching decisions must be backed by logic and rational thoughts. Do not think about just the present, instead consider the future. Who will replace Dantonio? Are they a better coach? If not, then you set yourself up for failure by firing him.

The Rivalry Is Strong

Michigan and Michigan State offer up one of the most heated rivalries in all of sports. The players do not like each other, the fans do not like each other. This was on full display yesterday. The game started out chippy and it only grew from there.

Later in the game, Jacub Panasiuk hit Shea Patterson late and was flagged for roughing the passer. The referees ejected Panasiuk from the game for this hit. No doubt this was the culmination of frustration for Michigan State.

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In between the chippy play, there were celebrations galore. Cody White was flagged for taunting after a nice catch over a Michigan defender. On the other hand, Michigan WR Tarik Black was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after flexing on Josh Butler. This rivalry has not taken a step back whatsoever.

Curtain Call For Brian Lewerke

I’ve spent almost all year defending Brian Lewerke. Last week, I gave this up. I cannot do this anymore. Lewerke is not a terrible QB, but, he is certainly not a winning QB. He had an absolutely horrendous outing against the Wolverines.

Michigan QB Shea Patterson won the QB duel yesterday against Lewerke. Patterson dropped 384 yards, completing 24 of his 33 pass attempts. This lead to Patterson throwing four touchdown passes, three more than Lewerke. Brian only put up 166 yards, completing 17 of his 30 attempts.

It is not easy to bench a senior QB and maybe that won’t even happen. Personally, I think it’s time for Rocky Lombardi and Theo Day to get some snaps. Especially late in a blowout game. These reps can help shape the offseason perspective and QB scenario moving forward. It’s time to think about the future.

Michigan State football travels to SHI Stadium to play against Rutgers University on Nov. 23. The game starts at 12:00 P.M.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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Michigan ‘out-toughed us’ and other notable quotes from MSU players

Interesting things were said by the four Michigan State players who met with the media on what Michigan did to win the game.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan really eviscerated in-state rival Michigan State for the first time since 2006, with an impressive 44-10 win over the Spartans at The Big House.

While the Wolverines were naturally enthusiastic about the win, those who suited up in green and white were obviously dejected about their lopsided loss.

Some credited Michigan and the job they did, others placed blame on themselves.

Here’s what the four players that MSU allowed to meet with the media had to say about the game.

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LB Antjuan Simmons

The former Ann Arbor (MI) Pioneer product started at the MIKE linebacker spot, and managed 7 tackles, a sack and 2 tackles for loss in the game. MSU stuffed the run game quite well, as the Wolverines managed just 2.4 sack-adjusted yards-per-carry. But, Michigan annihilated MSU through the pass game, with quarterback Shea Patterson having his best game in a maize and blue uniform, going 24-for-33 for 384 yards and four touchdowns.

What did Simmons see on his side of the field in his view of the Michigan offense?

“They were just doing a lot of things out on the perimeter, out in space,” Simmons said. “I mean, they were just throwing the ball all over the place. They only had 60-70 rushing yards, so yeah.”

NEXT: MSU QB Brian Lewerke notes that Michigan did something it hasn’t done since Week Two.
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5 Players to Watch Against Michigan State

Michigan football takes on Michigan State this week in the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy, who are the key players to watch for it?

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The biggest week for the state of Michigan when it comes to football is here. Michigan vs Michigan State. The Wolverines are coming off a bye week and with the extra week off they should be extra prepared for this game. The Spartans are coming off a 37-34 loss to Illinois, a game where they were up 28-3 and lost the lead.

The Spartans will be coming into this game upset and angry with themselves with the loss last week, and a win over Michigan would be the perfect cure for it. Michigan will be looking to keep its possible New Year’s Six Bowl hopes alive as they continue their recent hot streak after losing to Penn State.

Before you watch the game on Saturday, check out these five players you should watch when the action unfolds.

1. QB Shea Patterson – MICHIGAN

Last season against Michigan State, Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson went 14/25 for 212 yards for two touchdowns. This year he’d like a similar, if not better performance in front of the home crowd against his in-state rival. It won’t be easy though as this is Michigan State’s biggest game of the year. It doesn’t help that the Spartans are 4-5 either, as a loss will put them to the brink of being bowl ineligible.

MSU doesn’t want to avoid a bowl game, so winning this game will be even more important as a loss would mean they need to finish the game on a two-game winning streak to play in a bowl game in December. Patterson and the offense is going up against the 24th ranked defense and with desperation and grit in the Spartans mindset, their effort will be turned up to 11 for this game.

For Michigan State’s offense, their quarterback could be dangerous with his arms and legs…
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MSU vs. Michigan: Three Things To Watch

Michigan State faces off against interstate rival the Michigan Wolverines this weekend. Here are three things to watch in this game.

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The most intense week in the Michigan State football season is here. The Spartan Dawgs face off against interstate rival, the Michigan Wolverines at the Big House on Saturday, Nov. 16. Michigan is playing its best football so far and Michigan State is at an all-time low in the Mark Dantonio era.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

Gridiron Warfare

This game is going to be gritty and grimy. Both teams absolutely loathe one another. Mark Dantonio referred to Jim Harbaugh as “intense” earlier this week. Michigan DB Ambry Thomas said this game decides who is the big brother and who is the little sister. Personally, I’m not a fan of his rhetoric, but, it points to the intensity of this rivalry game.

Both the players and fans are heavily invested in this game’s outcome. Both teams are going to lay it all on the line. What else does MSU have to play for this year? The Michigan rivalry game is the last chance for the Spartans to salvage any positive sentiments for this season. On the other hand, the Wolverines want to make a statement against Michigan State.

The QB Battle

Shea Patterson and Brian Lewerke are the Spiderman meme in which two Spidermen point at one another. They are one in the same. Both are athletic QB’s that put their heads down and run while also having a pretty strong throwing arm. Note, both QB’s suffer from the same issue: inaccuracy.

Through nine games, Lewerke has thrown for 2,102 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 55.7 completion percentage. On the other hand, Patterson has thrown for 1,773 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 57.2 completion percentage. What’s the difference? Lewerke has thrown three more interceptions than Patterson. The QB matchup is pretty even. Whoever plays better will lead their team to victory.

Michigan State’s Receiver Core

Mark Dantonio recently revealed that TE Matt Dotson is out for the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles. Michigan State is still without WR Darrell Stewart as well. These are two huge holes in their receiver core. So far, Stewart has tallied up 694 yards on only 47 receptions along with four touchdowns to boot. He has been a quintessential part of the Spartan’s offense.

Note, Michigan State sees the return of sophomore WR CJ Hayes. Hayes is back after an injury kept him out for a few weeks. Luckily, I think Hayes can easily replace Stewart. All the while, Cody White has stepped up big time in the past few games. Look for both White & Hayes to have a big game if MSU has a chance to win.

Tune in at 12 P.M. this Saturday on Fox to catch this game. Cheer on the Spartans, they certainly need it.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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Michigan State HC Mark Dantonio says Brian Lewerke did not have concussion against Illinois

In his press conference on Tuesday, Mark Dantonio said that his staff agreed that Brian Lewerke did not get concussed on Saturday.

In his press conference Tuesday, Michigan State Head Coach Mark Dantonio said that Brian Lewerke, while not assessed fully during Saturday’s loss to Illinois, did not suffer a concussion after a helmet to helmet hit he endured. Some fans wondered if he did suffer an injury as he threw a bad pick-six on the following play.

“No, we didn’t go through any protocol. We looked at him very quickly,” Dantonio said Tuesday. “Just I asked him and he said he’s good, and he motioned that to our trainers as well, so he just went on with it.”

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“The safety of student-athletes at Michigan State University is our No. 1 priority. Decisions on whether a player returns to competition after potentially suffering an injury are made by our medical staff, which does not report to our coaching staff or through the Athletics Department,” Anthony Avellino, assistant provost for student wellness, health and safety said in a statement released today.

“Upon returning to the sideline late in the fourth quarter with under five minutes remaining in the game, Brian Lewerke was given a symptom assessment by our medical staff. After not showing signs of a concussion, he was cleared to play. As a precautionary measure, Brian was given further testing the following day, and was once again determined not to have a concussion.”

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Michigan State vs. Michigan: Five most important Spartan players

Michigan State and Michigan face off yet again this weekend. Here are the five most important Spartan players in this interstate game.

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Michigan week is here. The Spartans travel to Michigan Stadium this Saturday (Noon, FOX) to play against the No. 14 Wolverines. As always, there is so much riding on this game. Most importantly, Michigan State football fans’ pride. Michigan comes into this game on a hot streak. The Spartans need to execute perfectly to win.

Here are the five most important players for MSU in this game:

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