“You kind of just wanted to go out there the next week and prove them wrong,” he said

With the Spartans (2-0) allowing only a single first down – which ties a school record set against Maryland in 1944 — and 48 total yards of offense to the Owls (0-2), it’s safe to say the coaches were silenced.

The Spartans defense actually spent most of the game on the sideline watching the offense work. Three-and-out was the motto for the Owls offense, whose starting quarterback could only squeeze out 15 passing yards on the day.

“I feel like everybody was flying around,” senior safety Trenton Robinson said. “I’m pumped. That was one of the best defensive games I’ve been involved in.”

Robinson, a captain, could hardly contain himself after the game, admitting he was “amped up” that the 2011 defense is finally starting to find its identity.

With a 44-0 win, the Spartans earned their first shutout of the early season.

“It gives us a lot of confidence,” Robinson said. “We believe that we can be dominant and now we actually did it. So to actually do it and be that dominant, everybody has an extra boost now.”

Kicking chemistry
It’s not often you see a kicker upset with himself after putting a 50-yard field goal through the uprights, but senior kicker Dan Conroy believes his blast that barely slipped over the crossbar could have been better.

“I hit it poorly,” Conroy said. “I really got under it and skied it up there. It just wasn’t a clean hit. We’re still working things out.”

Conroy was still happy with the three points and said it was more the fact he can kick from that distance with ease in practice.

After shanking a field goal try against Youngstown State, Conroy was happy with how chemistry continues to building between the snapper, the holder and himself.

“We had a tough situation last week and then you go from that to this week, and the next field goal attempt is a 50 (yarder),” he said. “Too be able to make it with (us) three guys is definitely a confidence booster.”

Maxwell progressing
One of the most important things the Spartan needed to do against Florida Atlantic was allow the backups to get some valuable game time experience. Most notably MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said sophomore quarterback Andrew Maxwell needed to get some game experience.

Maxwell got in the game early, subbing in temporarily for senior quarterback Kirk Cousins in the second quarter. Although he didn’t lead the team to the end zone, he got the Spartans into field goal range.

Maxwell finished the day 6-for-9 with 63 yards and felt decent about his performance, however he said he would wait until he watches the film to make his final judgment.

“For the most part when I was in there on offense we moved the ball pretty effectively,” Maxwell said. “I know we came away with points in two of the drives. Anytime you’re moving the ball and getting points off the drive I think you’re doing OK as a quarterback.”