Last October at Michigan State, Jim Sorgi made himself famous. The tall, lanky second-string quarterback replaced concussed starter Brooks Bollinger to begin the second half against the Spartans. Sorgi promptly led Bollinger’s team to a comeback win that he punctuated with a game-winning 45-yard touchdown pass.
Now, 377 days and two quarterback controversies later, Sorgi could once again replace an injured Bollinger against Michigan State. Sorgi has improved since his first game, and so have the Spartans. You know Sorgi aches to win this game, against the team that passed on recruiting him three years ago. But whether he can satisfy his aches will depend on how well his team can accomplish these five objectives:
1. Five yards and a cloud of dust: That’s about how many yards per attempt opponents have gained so far this season against Michigan State. The Spartans give up 4.8 yards per rush, the same total as defensive juggernauts Rutgers and Navy. The Spartan defensive line also gives up more than 30 pounds to the Clydesdales on UW’s offensive line. Badger tailback Anthony Davis, America’s sixth-leading rusher, may not have to dodge tacklers Saturday. They’ll already be lying facedown.
2. Blitz right away: Michigan State’s four top receiving threats all measure at least six feet. Chris Baker, a tight end, is 6-foot-3. Charles Rogers, a wide receiver, is 6-foot-4. These guys tower above UW’s starting defensive backs, none of who stand above 5-foot-11.
In other words, Michigan State’s offensive strength lies in its receivers. UW must blitz at least one linebacker on virtually every short- and medium-yardage down. Wisconsin blitzes will penetrate the poor Spartan offensive line, which has surrendered 20 sacks in five games, leaving sophomore starter Jeff Smoker little time to find a rhythm with his gigantic receivers.
Also, Smoker sat out practice Monday with a sore ankle, and it hasn’t completely healed yet. If he reinjures it, Damon Dowdell, a redshirt freshman with two snaps worth of college experience, will replace him (the Spartans’ usual backup, Ryan Van Dyke, will sit out the game with a broken jaw). I think Wendell Bryant just licked his lips.
3. Remember the other Davis: By wide receiver Nick Davis’ standards, he has played superbly in the last two games, catching 11 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. In the first six games, he caught only 10 passes for 139 yards, two touchdowns and a dagger of a drop against Oregon. Lee Evans’ fantastic game against Illinois (nine catches, 150 yards, two touchdowns) has probably made him the focus of Michigan State’s coverage. That means Davis ? and Sorgi ? should see some man-to-man matchups to exploit.
4. Look deep, Jim: Against this year’s Michigan State team, if he replaces Bollinger, Sorgi may have more time to pass than ever before. The Spartan defense has produced just six sacks in five games, and their defensive linemen and linebackers have accounted for only three. Sorgi will be able to wait for deep routes to develop ? his strength ? without having to scramble away from pursuers — his weakness. Even if the Spartans play soft coverage to prevent a deep completion, Sorgi has enough quarterbacking skills to find open receivers on short routes to keep UW’s offense running.
5. Kick off or defend the south endzone: The Badgers this season are 3-1 when kicking off first and only 1-3 when they receive the opening kick. In games that UW has kicked off first, opponents have scored just 19 first-quarter points and 82 total points. However, when UW has received the first kickoff, it has given up an embarrassing 55 first-quarter points and 132 total points.
Why? The defense, which relies more on emotional, adrenaline-charged play, performs better when it doesn’t have to wait a series before taking the field. Also, Wisconsin’s early-game offense positively stinks, having scored just 15 percent of its points in the first period. If the Badgers win the coin toss, they must choose to receive the ball in the second half.
If Michigan State wins the coin toss, however, the Badgers should choose to defend the south (Field House) end zone, so the Spartans face the student section during the fourth quarter. Sounds silly, but the trifecta of Homecoming, Halloween and an extra hour of bartime (thanks to Daylight Savings Time) should have the crowd whipped into a frenzy and ready to drown out Smoker’s signals during any game-tying or game-winning drive. In a rematch of last year’s game, which came down to the final six seconds, the student section may become the difference-maker in helping UW escape with a four-point victory.
