Since we are talking football again and we have some MSU fans here I have some questions.
Offensive line it looks really versatile in terms of blocking scheme. Is it situational when they use zone vs power?
Does MSU typically rush four? I've watched very little but what I have seen doesn't look too exotic. Not a lot of window dressing or stunts/crosses. Did I see correctly?
How do they use their lbs in coverage? And typically how do they defend slants and crossing routes?
I'll try and answer your questions as best I can.
MSU under Dantonio has primarily used a power scheme. It has been his philosophy of having his OL be able to control the line of scrimmage by brute force. As his OL coach Mark Staten has said, "We want maulers." The issue with this, at least this year is that MSU is playing one true freshman, two redshirt freshmen, a true sophomore, and a senior. The senior is the only one who doesn't look like he just stepped off a high school football field and onto a college. MSU's young offensive linemen have not completely filled out or as physically mature as previous OT's. They go 284 (Chewins) and 293 (Campbell). MSU was forced to play a true freshman after the starting guard David Beedle went down with an undisclosed injury. He hasn't suited up the last few games. The true freshman (Jarvis) has played adequately, but at times has been physically overmatched. This has resulted in MSU not being able to run between the tackles with any sustained success. MSU will pull their center/guards, on sweeps, trying to utilize their quickness and athleticism instead of employing brute force against more physically mature DL's.
MSU relies heavily on their front four to collapse the pocket and pressure the QB. Last year they did not get any kind of a push from the DL, and had to employ more blitzing. MSU will still blitz at times, but for the most part the front four has really improved at getting to the QB. On some passing situations MSU will employ a three lineman, four linebacker set. They might drop all four linebackers into coverage, or blitz one or two. One of MSU's young linebackers, Brandon Randle (#26), is listed as a LB/DE. He is a RSF. He has displayed a knack for getting pressure on QB's so far this season. He uses his speed to blow around OT's, otherwise he gets caught up and easily blocked.
MSU's DT's have been very effective at shutting down any inside running lanes. Williams (99), Panasiuk (72), primary starters, and Owens (41), Jones (93), rotation players, are playing at an unexpected/surprising very high level. Their performance has allowed the DE's and LB's to be free to make plays.
Bachie (35), Frey (23), and Andrew Dowell (5) are used heavily in coverage of RB's and TE's. In my estimation Andrew Dowell is the best in coverage, with Bachie being second. Each has recorded an INT, and has several pass breakups. Bachie is a sophomore and has made multiple youthful mistakes, but thankfully he has learned from them and his performance is becoming more steady/consistent.
The MSU secondary is extremely young and inexperienced, with three who are seeing their first playing time. Safety Khari Willis (27) is the lone elder statesman of the group as a junior. His partner is sophomore David Dowell (6), who has played surprisingly beyond his age. The corners are true freshman Josiah Scott (22), and converted WR sophomore Justin Layne (2). Both have had their share of coverage breakdowns, but those breakdowns were not a result of physical limitations, but more a result of communication issues. Scott surprisingly is MSU's best cover corner as a true freshman, but Layne isn't too far off.
MSU has played surprisingly at a much higher level for being such an extremely young team. They are still prone to breakdowns due to inexperience so the staff uses those as teachable moments, and hopefully correct them so that they won't be repeated. Dantonio and his staff have done an admirable job of reestablishing team chemistry within the locker room after the debacle that was 2016. MSU suffered from a great deal of dissension last year, including racial tension. Give credit to Dantonio for making the correct decision to remove many of the players responsible for these issues. It had to be done, even at the detriment of having to field such an inexperienced and young team this year.
