ASU Football: Behind enemy lines with Michigan State

Before ASU football takes the field against No. 15 Michigan State, we go behind enemy lines to profile the Sun Devils’ second game of the season.

Continuing our “Behind Enemy Lines” series, we caught up with Spartan Avenue site expert Connor Muldowney (@ConnorMuldowney) ahead of Arizona State’s upcoming matchup with No. 15 Michigan State.

Kick off between the Sun Devils and Spartans is on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. PT from Sun Devil Stadium.

The Spartans produced a top-10 defense in 2017 and returned a majority of starters. What was the disconnect against Utah State (allowed 31 points) and how do the Spartans prepare for an ASU team that put up 49 points in its opener?

Not to be overly technical, but the defense allowed 24 points and the other seven was on a pick-six, so the unit didn’t fare horribly, especially against the run.

However, the defense did struggle mightily — like it always does — against short passing routes. That’s what killed Michigan State in 2017, the short dinks and dunks down the field. The Spartans need to shut down the short and intermediate passing routes in order to win this one because they’re capable of shutting down the down-field passes. This team is far too content with playing back and allowing the short routes which eventually kills them against teams like Utah State that capitalize.

Personally, when I think of the Big Ten, I think of run-heavy offenses and hard-nosed defenses. As one of the remaining players from the 2015 College Football Playoff team, how critical is running back LJ Scott to establishing a balanced attack? 

LJ Scott is crucial to the Spartans’ success this season. Brian Lewerke can only do so much with his arm but Scott is there to take the pressure off but when that offensive line struggles like it did in the opener, he can’t do his job. Fortunately, he’s become more of a receiving threat out of the backfield as well.

If the Spartans are going to beat Arizona State, Scott needs to lower his shoulder and run hard rather than dance around and go down on the first hit. He has a bad tendency of doing the latter.

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For Brian Lewerke, this game doubles as a homecoming. How do you think that will elevate his play and what did you like out of him in Week 1?

I think this matchup is made for him. Arizona State hasn’t had the best passing defense in the country and he gets to play in front of family and friends that haven’t gotten to see him in person during his college career. This is the type of game that he thrives in as he’s usually not rattled by being under the microscope and he wants to show what he’s got.

In Week 1, he looked great. He was arguably the best player for the Spartans against Utah State, looked far more accurate, went through his reads and made smart plays. He looked to have taken that next step and his lone interception was actually when his receiver tripped, so I can’t even blame him for that. He looks to be heading in an upward trajectory as a passer.

What is Michigan State’s greatest strength/weakness?

The biggest strength for this team has to be its passing attack. Lewerke has some elite receivers to sling the ball to such as Felton Davis III, Darrell Stewart Jr. and Cody White. Plus, he has some impressive tight ends who didn’t get much run in the opener but who are fully capable of contributing.

The biggest weakness would easily be the offensive line. It was supposed to be a strength heading into the season with four starters returning, but that wasn’t the case in Week 1. It’s a major liability and could be the difference between a potent offense and a lackluster one.

Who are some additional key players to watch?

Some key players to keep an eye on are Joe Bachie, Cody White, Connor Heyward, Kenny Willekes and Justin Layne.

Bachie, the starting middle linebacker who could be a first-team All-Big Ten selection, seems to be all over the field at all times. White, a sophomore receiver, is one of the most underrated pass-catchers in the conference and probably the most electric outside of Felton Davis III on the team.

Heyward is the backup to LJ Scott and he was sensational in the opener, providing a nice change of pace. Willekes is an All-Big Ten defensive end who may be the team’s best lineman.

Lastly, Layne will be tasked with trying to slow N’Keal Harry and he may do a solid job as a 6-foot-3 former four-star receiver. He knows the ins and outs of the position and it’s helped him transition to cornerback.

The Big Ten is generally tougher and more skilled than the Pac-12, yet the conference is 0-9 at Arizona State. Is there something about this MSU team that separates it from past opponents who have left Tempe unsuccessful?

That’s actually a wild stat and it’s not terribly surprising given the tough nature of Tempe at night. The Pac-12 After Dark matchup isn’t easy for any opponent but this team is calm under pressure and has played in the big games before.

I’d say being battle-tested as a young team separates this Spartan squad from the rest of the Big Ten teams that have left Tempe winless and it’s what’ll make this matchup even more intriguing.

What is your prediction for Saturday?

This one’s going to be really close and I think it comes down to which quarterback can make plays under pressure and I’ve seen Lewerke do that more often than not. I’m going with Michigan State taking one thanks to a last-minute touchdown pass to Felton Davis III, 35-31.