Pound-green-pound has been the mentality football head coach Mark Dantonio has built the program around since joining MSU’s sidelines in 2007. However, through the first two games, the normally reliable running game has been a cause for concern in East Lansing.
No. 11 MSU (1-1 overall) is averaging 167 rushing yards per game, which puts them in bottom half of the country and eighth in the Big Ten. MSU was held to only 123 rushing yards in its last outing against No. 2 Oregon, creating a noticeable area for improvement this week against Eastern Michigan (1-2 overall).
“It’s a little bit skewed, a little bit, but I think we need to run the ball more effectively,” Dantonio said on Tuesday. “However you say it, however you want to say it, we need to be balanced and we need to try to make sure that happens as we progress through the season.”
Senior running back Jeremy Langford has struggled to have much of a presence so far this season, leading to the run game troubles. Langford has been battling an ankle sprain injury he endured in the season opener against Jacksonville State, averaging only 74 yards per game so far. Normally a big-time playmaker, Langford’s longest run on the season is his lone 16-yard touchdown scamper in Eugene against the Ducks.
Now that Langford considers himself back to full strength and the ankle no longer bothering him after the bye week, he wants to use this week as an opportunity to get back on track.
“Coming into this week is when we really are going to have a chance to run the ball and show what we do,” Langford said.
While Langford would be the first to tell you he hasn’t been up to par, all of the running game’s early woes can’t be just thrown on him. With a number of fresh faces on the offensive line this season, senior left guard Travis Jackson said the group has to improve for the running game to experience more success.
“We watched film and it was kind of the end of the third quarter (where) we kind of stalled out on our run game,” Jackson said. “As the offensive line we take full responsibility for that up front and we’re really focused in on finishing our blocks every play, taking each play at a time, just kind of focusing and making sure we play them.”
Another adjustment needed for the rushing attack is establishing consistency, according to Langford. He said through watching film with coaches and talking to his father during the bye week he realized that he needs to focus more on getting at least four yards per carry instead of always shooting for the home run play.
“Getting the four yards, getting the lineman’s confidence rolling, getting the four yards this play, getting the four yards this play and then eventually it’ll break,” Langford said. “... I’ve notice how I’m starting this year (and) I got to continue to get the four yards, to get the ball rolling so we can stay on the field longer.”
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