Weis and Co. have touted the importance of winning first down this year, but, in facing a power back like Javon "Puttin' Other Teams Defensive Coordinators Through The" Ringer, winning first down on the defensive side of ball is extremely important if the Irish are to win their first road game of the season.

In Sparty's first three games they have faced "First and ten" seventy-nine times (excluding the series against Eastern Michigan when the second team took the field and the end of the Cal game when, being down so many points, Brian Hoyer was given the greenlight to run and gun to his heart's content).  Fifty-nine times they ran the ball, mostly by handing the ball off to Ringer.  The chart below details how those rush plays turned out.

Most impressive about these stats is the number of times Sparty rushed on first down for four yards or more.  Almost 65% of the time MSU gained 4+ yards by carrying the rock on first down.  Considering that 65% is the regarded as an excellent completion rate for a QB, and that the State averaged 6.5 ypc on runs of 4+ yards, Sparty's first down rushing game is like having an extremely efficent second quarterback on the field.

The number of first downs that culminated from first down rushes of 0-3 yards is skewed by several of those rushes coming from first and goal situations as well as MSU being bailed out by opposing team's defenses commiting personal fouls or interfering on the pass.

As evidence of the Michigan State commitment to the run, the Spartans have only thrown the ball 18 times on first down.  See chart below for more detail.

The rates are unremarkable, and while State doesn't throw very often, a disturbing trend emerged, particularly in the last two games against Eastern Michigan and Florida Atlantic.  In the first sixteen first downs against Eastern Michigan, MSU ran the ball 14 times (the two throws were an incompletion and a 17-yard completion on the first play of the game).  However, the 17th first down was a play-action pass completed for 29 yards.  After rushing on three more consecutive first downs, another play-action pass for 29 yards.  Even in a monsoon, State was able to complete a 47 yard bomb off play-action following run plays on 19 of 22 previous first-downs.

What have we learned.  Michigan State rushes the ball very effectively on first down.  That effectiveness leads opponents to drop their guard, leading to one or two deep completions per game on first down.  Against Cal, the Spartans threw on first down seven times, again, not counting the end of the game when they threw by necessity, and they lost.  That's not to say that was the reason, but in the last two games MSU has established their identity as a run-first team, and a good one at that.

How do the Irish win?  Stop Ringer on first down.  I realize that sounds like saying the answer to solving global warming (if it even exists, Communists) is to stop everyone from using fossil fuels, but if ND can stop the run early and get a few scores a la the Golden Bears, this young team could be on its way to it's first 3-0 start since Weis took the reins in 2005.