If coaches were judged on how their teams perform in the first three quarters, I'd be convinced that the "L" in John L. Smith's name was short for "Lombardi." But instead, I'm almost positive that it stands for fourth-quarter "lemon."
On Saturday night, after the Spartans blew a nationally televised 16-point fourth quarter lead against No. 12 Notre Dame, another chapter was written in the book of blown leads that Smith's teams have surrendered in his days as MSU head coach.
And every one has happened because Smith plays not to lose. The way he coaches in the fourth quarter is the polar opposite of the way he coaches in the first three. He coaches defensively, tentatively and scared.
In the first three quarters, Smith's originality in offensive schemes and designs, especially in the Big Ten, is what he can attribute his success to. The spread-offense that he features, executed by players who perfectly fit his system, is one of the scariest attacks in the nation. When things click, and they often do, MSU is a juggernaut of a team.
Smith has turned senior quarterback Drew Stanton into one of the most efficient passers in the nation. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper lists him as the second-best quarterback prospect in the country.
Smith has architected a running game that keeps even the best defenses in the country off balance. His wide receivers are deep and talented. His offensive line, with the exception of last Saturday, has been able to control the line of scrimmage, despite three new starters.
But for whatever reason, Smith cannot successfully convert his success into wins. Why? Look no farther than last Saturday's collapse — a microcosm of the struggles Smith has endured as MSU head coach.
To repeat an already very popular question: Why didn't he put Caulcrick in the game when they were trying to run out the clock? With all due respect to Javon Ringer, he is not the guy on the roster that should be bearing the load in these situations — especially in the rain.
Caulcrick is a north-south, tank of a running back. The slippery terrain wouldn't have affected him. Ringer is a lateral running back. Even though he got a lot stronger in the off-season, he still relies heavily on his crafty footwork.
Caulcrick had already bowled over Notre Dame's notoriously weak defensive line in the game. He carried the ball eight times for 111 yards — 13.9 yards a carry. Why not just give him the ball and let him push? At worst, he would have been able to salvage at least three or four yards per carry. I mean, am I being ignorant, or isn't this a better idea?
If nothing else, it would have worked better than the option. All the option did was cause holding penalties that not only stopped the clock and forced MSU into uncomfortable situations, but made Stanton more vulnerable to injury on the slippery turf. Plus, the option didn't even work. Does Smith see these things? Or is he still convinced that his way in the right way?
The two most important things a coach can do are exploit the weaknesses of his opponents and make adjustments. Smith can't do either of these things. He scripts out the whole game, and when one thing doesn't go his way, he panics. And then he responds to his mistakes by making things even worse.
In my opinion, tomorrow's Big Ten opener against Illinois marks the real beginning of MSU's season. They need to set their eyes on a conference championship, because even though the competition is tight, they have a realistic chance of winning.
MSU is very often the best team on the field, no matter who it plays. Its talent has very seldom been the reason it has lost games under the Smith regime. If MSU had held on against the Irish, it would probably be perceived by experts as a Top 20 team.
Smith has to show his character and resolve now more than ever. He needs to somehow, someway, earn back the respect of his players, because whether or not he's willing to admit it, he blew that game.
If Smith wants to continue coaching at MSU, he is going to have to prove that he can make in-game adjustments. There are no excuses this time. He can't blame his failures on the kicking game anymore. The talent is there — he just needs to harness it.
Alex Altman is a State News staff writer. He can be reached at altmanal@msu.edu.
