NU running game comes alive
Lost in the shuffle of Northwestern's loss to No. 7 Michigan State? The Wildcats' renewed running game.
Two weeks ago against Purdue, NU rushed 29 times for 80 yards on plays that weren't Dan Persa scrambles or sacks.
On Saturday, the Wildcats produced 127 yards on the 29 carries that weren't Persa scrambles or sacks.
Redshirt freshman Mike Trumpy, the third back in the rotation, ran 10 times for 50 yards. True freshman Adonis Smith, the first sub for starter Jacob Schmidt, rushed 10 times for 44 yards.
“It's getting to feel like it's my offense,” said Smith, who rushed just three times prior to Saturday's game. “I didn't know what was going on (before).”
In addition, freshman wideout Venric Mark took one of those fly sweeps for 29 yards in the second quarter. Mark's run was NU's longest from scrimmage since the 2008 season.
“Same plays,” grumped NU coach Pat Fitzgerald. “Yeah, no new plays. Sorry, I hate to disappoint you. You guys were asking me that all week, ‘How many new plays?' and ‘What new wrinkles?' Just same plays. Try and execute a little better.”
Neither Trumpy nor Smith was dropped behind the line.
Persa couldn't say the same. He lost 35 yards on 8 sacks. He also scrambled seven times for 65 yards.
Northwestern entered the game ranked last in the Big Ten with 2.8 sacks allowed per game. Now the Wildcats have given up 25 sacks in seven games, which should rank among the nation's bottom 10 teams when the new stats come out Sunday morning.
Laundry flying: Michigan State and Northwestern entered Saturday's game as the most-penalized teams in the Big Ten.
But while the Spartans committed just 4 penalties for 30 yards, the Wildcats seized the Big Ten lead by committing 6 for 66 yards. That included 3 personal-foul penalties on the offense.
“No. 1, we've got to be more disciplined,” NU coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “I don't know what the issue is right now, but if it's personnel-based, I'm going to fix it.
“We're going to find a way to play with some more discipline. We had some issues happen out there today predominantly a breakdown from the standpoint of a couple penalties and some self-inflicted wounds and some guys really not executing very well.
“To me, that might be as disappointing as anything. So I've got to take a look at the tape before I make any decisions or any comments further.”
Senior cornerback Justan Vaughn appeared to be the first casualty of NU's plan.
Vaughn played throughout the first half, but sat out the second as backup Mike Bolden handled Vaughn's side. Fitzgerald said afterward there was nothing wrong with Vaughn's health.
Key plays: Defensive end Vince Browne (shoulder) didn't start and played sparingly, but he produced a sack and a fumble late in the fourth quarter as MSU drove for what turned out to be the winning score.
If Northwestern comes up with the fumble, then it would have all but clinched the game.
As it was, the Spartans faced third-and-15, but quarterback Kirk Cousins hit Keith Nichol for a 14-yard gain despite NU dropping eight players into coverage. Cousins then hit tight end Charlie Gantt for an 8-yard gain to convert the fourth down.
Missing piece: Superback Drake Dunsmore was a game-time decision with an ankle injury he suffered in a midweek practice.
Dunsmore didn't appear until late in the first quarter and didn't have a pass thrown his way all day. That took away NU's second-best target.
Ouch: Starting running back Jacob Schmidt rolled his ankle on his first-quarter fumble at the goal line and did not return. It was Schmidt's fourth fumble of the year, but his first since Week 2 against Illinois State.