Jesse Minter, Michigan preparing for MSU tempo, receivers, trick plays, and everything else

Michigan State has a history of saving plenty of its play book for its hated rival, and the Spartans — like U-M — have had an extra week to prepare for Jesse Minter and his defense thanks to a bye week. Last year, they fooled the Wolverines and caught them off guard with some tempo, a big reason for their victory. 

First-year defensive coordinator Minter wasn’t here for it, but he’s well aware of the strategy and preparing so it won’t happen again.

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“Practice it, prepare for it, anticipate it,” Minter said when asked how they combat it. “Have a really good focus on when they substitute vs. when they don’t substitute. 

“It’s something we’ve worked a lot this year. We haven’t been perfect in that regard, but definitely just prepare and practice for that stuff and know they’re going to attack us that way.”

He didn’t hesitate when asked if he watched last year’s film.

“Oh yeah,” he said. “A few times.”

It doesn’t necessarily force them to pare down the call sheet, Minter said. In fact, that’s probably the Spartans’ hope. Michigan will be the best defense MSU has played this year, a bad match-up for an offense that hasn’t moved the ball well this season.

“What they want is for you to simplify your defense,” Minter said. “So, it will be interesting to see what we’re able to do. It’s certainly like they want to get you in base defense and keep you in base defense into a third down. 

“But also sometimes, it works both ways. For a team to stay in two tight ends and two receivers on a third and 8, sometimes that’s okay, and we feel okay about those matchups. We’re just trying to have as many answers as we can for whatever method they try, whether it’s stay in one personnel and going fast, or trying to get us into certain personnel an keeping us in that personnel. 

“When they go tempo, a lot of times you shorten your menu, plays you’re running, certain things you’re trying to do. That’s what they want us to do. We’ve just got to try and combat that. When you stop it, a lot of times it doesn’t show up as much. So … that’s the goal.”

Minter has an eye on MSU receivers

In some years, including this one, the chuck and hope offense has been the Spartans’ best bet. They used it with success in 2015 with receiver Aaron Burbridge, and just last week with Jayden Reed in a double overtime win over Wisconsin. 

The receiving corps might be MSU’s strength, in fact, and if quarterback Payton Thorne is on, it could be tough to cover. 

“They have really good receivers,” Minter continued. “They have a quarterback who trusts his receivers, especially on those deep down the sideline throws, whether it’s a deep ball or a back shoulder throw. They excel in those areas. So, it’s something our guys are prepared for. But also, it’s mixing and matching coverages and not always giving them the one on ones that they’re looking for. But we also know at times those guys are going to be one on one and they’re going to have to hold up their end of the bargain. 

“I think our guys are primed and excited for the challenge. For us, we’ve just got to do a good job mixing up the looks and giving them help at times and knowing they’re going to be on their own at times. Those guys are really, really good players that have elite ball skills and size and speed. Kind of two different body types, but both very capable of making good plays. It’s definitely something high on our radar.”

But they’ve been preparing for them all year, Minter said, knowing how big this game is.

At the same time, MSU will bring out new looks and formations they haven’t seen before. The key to stopping those is simply preparing for everything, making sure they know their assignments, Minter added. 

“When teams run a trick play or a new play, especially both teams coming off a bye, we anticipate seeing things they haven’t put on tape before,” he said. “But it really comes back to reverting to your training, reverting to your rules … trusting your eyes, your instincts, your technique. There’s no secret play call to stop a gadget play or a trick play or something new. It’s really just about having the guys as well prepared as possible that know where their eyes are supposed to be, what they’re supposed to be looking at; what their responsibility of that particular play call is. 

“I think when you do that and the guys trust each other, you have an opportunity to stop it. It doesn’t mean there might not be something crazy that happens, and if there is you bounce back and you respond, try to clean it up for the next time.”