The Michigan Daily I michigandailycom I October19, 2011
MICHIGAN STATE 28 M CHIGAN 14
Spartan seniors finish S W E E
four-year sweep of the
Michigan football team
By STEPHEN J. NESBITT
Daily Sports Editor
EAST LANSING - Masked by flashing strobe
lights and dense clouds of fog, the Michigan State
football team bolted onto the Spartan Stadium grass
brandishing a sleek, ultra-modern look.
The Spartans' Nike pro-combat uniforms - com-
plete with black pants, dark green tops and bronze
helmets - were meant to be the highlight ofthe rival-
ry tilt between No.11 Michigan and No. 23 Michigan K
State.
But when the Wolverines crowded into the tun-
nel just seconds later, they stole the show, donning
all-white Jerseys, the complementing road alternates
to the legacy jerseys worn for the Under the Lights
game against Notre Dame.
It was the first indication of the one-upmanship
that would prevail throughout Michigan State's
28-14 victory- the fourth-consecutive defeat of rival
Michigan (2-1 Big Ten, 6-1 overall).
Though the final score suggests otherwise, the -
game was in line for a classic last-minute finish. But -
the Wolverines ran into the Spartans (2-0, 5-1) - or"
more specifically, their cornerback Johnny Adams.
Trailing 21-14 and facing a 4th-and-1 from the
Michigan State nine-yard line midway through the
fourth quarter, offensive coordinator Al Borges made
the call: play-action fake to the halfback. MARISSA MCcLAN/Daiy
The Spartan defense set up in the "Green Pony" (Top) The Michigan State football team took the field at Spartan Stadium shrouded by fog and in new-look uniforms. (Bottom left to right) Junior quarterback Denard Robinson,
See STATE, Page 3B Spartan wide receiver Keith Mumphery and senior tight end Kevin Koger react to the Spartans' 28-14 victory, the Spartans' fourth-consecutive win over Michigan.
Botched 4th-and-1 and
pick end Blue's chances

MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily
Junior quarterback Denard Robinson was hounded by the Spartan defense, finishingjust 9-of-24 passing for 123 yards.
Despite poor performance,
Robinson is still Hoke's QB

By TIM ROHAN
Daily Sports Editor
The message came in loud and
clear.
"Denard (Robinson) is our
quarterback," said Michigan
coach Brady Hoke. "We're 6-l and
a lot of that is because Denard is
our quarterback."
That statement came two days
after Robinson completed less
than 38 percent of his passes.
Two days after Hoke and offen-
sive coordinator Al Borges rotat-
ed sophomore backup Devin
Gardner into the game for a few
snaps. Two days after Michigan
State proved for the second time
it knew how to corral Robinson,
providing a legitimate blueprint
for the rest of the Big Ten.
Robinson completed his first
two passes Saturday, leading
Michigan (2-1 Big Ten, 6-1 over-
all) on a touchdown drive that
ended with a spectacular 15-yard
touchdown scramble. The rest of
his day was forgettable. Robinson
connected on just two of his next

EAST LANSING - By the
time the Michigan football team
lined up at Michigan State's
nine-yard line, the comeback
wasn't just on, it was nearly com-
pleted.
Down 21-7 entering the
fourth quarter, the Wolverines
had scored a quicktouchdownto
bring the game within a touch-
down and then recovered a fum-
ble on the Spartans' next drive.
After seven plays, then-No. 11
Michigan was on the brink of
tying the game but found itself
in a 4th-and-i. situationwith six
and a half minutes left.
The Wolverines lined up in
the I-formation as the Spartans
stacked the line of scrimmage.
Junior quarterback Denard
Robinson motioned sophomore
running back Stephen Hopkins
out of the backfield and had him
line up at wide receiver. Red-
shirt sophomore running back
Fitzgerald Toussaint, lined up at
fullback, remained in the back-
field.
"We had what we wanted,"
Robinson said after the game.
"We called it at the right time,
we just got to execute."
But for Michigan coach Brady
Hoke, the "right time" was actu-
ally a little too late. He tried to
call a timeout. The play clock
was running down to zero.
"I think we got away with
one, to be honest with you,"
Hoke said.
They got the play off, but they
certainly didn't get away from
anybody. Michigan State ran
a cornerback blitz. Robinson
faked the handoff to Toussaint
and looked to throw.
Spartan cornerback Johnny
Adams went in untouched and
sacked Robinson just after he
completed the play fake for a loss
of 10 yards.

Junior quarterback Denard Robinson was injured late in the fourth quarter.

13 passes.
"We know how he plays, man,"
said Michigan State cornerback
Isaiah Lewis. "We know he's
going to try and run on us. So we
game planned around that. ... We
know he needs to work a little
on his passing game. He's a good
quarterback, but we know that's
kind of his weakness a little bit."
So the Spartans blitzed Robin-

son early and often, most effec-
tively with their cornerbacks
off the edge. The speed off the
edge contained Robinson's abil-
ity to improvise and forced quick
decisions. When Michigan State
defensive coordinator Pat Nar-
duzzi relied on his front four to
get pressure, they picked up on
the snap count.
See ROBINSON, Page 3B

Michigan Statequarterback Kirk Cousins celehrates a touchdown on Satur-
day. Senior wide receiver Martavious Odomrs straggles to hlock a Spartan.
"I (saw) him at the last sec- idea what they like to do out of
ond," Robinson said. it."
Added Michigan State defen- Hoke said he was the one who
sive coordinator Pat Narduzzi: chose to go for it, but offensive
"I just like to bring the corner. coordinator Al Borges called the
We knew what personnel group play. And the play call was ques-
they were in and kind of had an See FOURTH DOWN, Page 3B


THAT OVERTIME ZIP
Latif Alashe finished Michigan's grudge
* match against No. 4 Akron with the over-
time winner. Page 2B

MISSING MR. MERRILL
Defenseman Jon Merrill hasn't returned
to the Wolverines' practices after being
suspended for 12 games. Page 2B

A

p