Confidence.
It can make all the difference in the world in football, and MSU is no exception. The team always seems to need only one big play — be it a long pass, a broken tackle, a fumble recovery or a vicious hit — to get the wheels turning.
But the team has had such a horrendous stretch of games that every last bit of confidence has disappeared, and you have to wonder if the players can get it back this season. Normally, a slate of games against weaker competition — such as Northwestern and Indiana — would be just what the doctor ordered, but MSU already lost at home to one Big Ten doormat. What reason is there to believe that they'll be able to beat those two teams on the road?
Drew Stanton rarely throws the ball downfield anymore. The offensive line looks at opposing defenders like a deer in headlights. Defensive backs play 10 to 12 yards off the line of scrimmage because they're afraid of getting burned for a long pass.
To make matters worse, the Spartans' opponents know they're going to succeed. Look no further than Ohio State wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who turned to teammate Anthony Gonzalez before taking the field for a punt return and said, "I'm going to score."
Sure enough, Ginn sprinted around a Gonzalez block and went 60 yards for a back-breaking score.
If the Spartans don't find a way to build their confidence back up, they may not win another game all season. The team looks defeated from the moment it takes the field.
Ethan Conley can be reached at conleyet@msu.edu.
