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EAST LANSING- After a tough loss against the third-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 38-7, the Michigan State Spartans go into a short week against the number six-ranked Oregon Ducks.
When playing a tough team like the Buckeyes, Junior running back Nate Carter described that you have to learn from this, and find ways to get better.
With MSU gearing up to take on another tough Big Ten and ranked opponent, let’s get into the things the Spartans will need to do to succeed.
Self-Inflicted Wounds:
During the season for the Spartans, penalties and self-inflicted wounds hurt them and prevented them from succeeding. MSU is 132nd out of 133 schools for penalties committed in the country. The Spartans have an average of 107 penalty yards given per game.
Against Ohio State, Maryland, Florida Atlantic, and Prairie View, penalties have given the opposing teams many opportunities to score. Against a top-10-ranked school like the Ducks, turnovers will harm the Spartan’s success on Friday Night.
Offensive Consistency:
MSU has had its ups and downs on the offensive side of the ball, and its offensive struggles have given up points on the board. Against Ohio State, Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles had trouble taking care of the football.
MSU QB Aidan Chiles drops back to pass versus No. 3 Ohio State. (Sept. 28, 2024) (Matthew Reynolds)Chiles experienced OSU’s defense and fumbled the ball when taking a hard hit from defensive end Jack Sawyer. The Spartans hurt themselves in the passing game as well, dropping passes and fumbling after 20-plus-yard opportunities that could have changed the outcome of the game, and many games so far this season.
Chiles and the MSU regime will face another tough defense this week, meaning ball security on the quarterback and receiving side will be important for success.
Defensive Pressure:
The Spartan’s defensive pressure has been an upside to the Spartans in their three wins on the season. Big contributors to that success have been redshirt senior linebacker Cal Haladay, Sixth-year defensive lineman Khris Bogle, and redshirt senior linebacker Jordan Turner.
The veteran Spartan pass rush has given the team the chance to succeed on the offensive end. Against Ohio State, Turner intercepted a pass from senior quarterback Will Howard making a momentum-changing play for the Spartans.
The defensive line has been a shining part of the Spartan’s success so far this season. If MSU wants to put a cap on Oregon’s high-flying offense, Haladay and company will be crucial to come out of Eugene with a win.
Cornerback shifting:
In recent years for the Green and White, the secondary positions have been a struggle. But this year, Senior defensive back Dillion Tatum stepped up as a true defensive back number one.
However, due to injuries early on in the season, the Spartans had to adapt and change to succeed. Alongside Tatum, sophomore defensive back Chance Rucker, and redshirt junior Khalil Majeed became injured early on this season and have not returned.
This made MSU change some things around and challenge their depth in the cornerback position. In the beginning of the contest so far, the defensive back room has stepped up and made big plays for head coach Jonathan Smith. But, defensive back Charles Brantley has taken over the Defensive back role and has made big plays for MSU defending the toughest receivers the Big Ten has to offer.
MSU DB Charles Brantley runs back 100-yard pick six in Spartans victory over Prairie View A&M (Sept. 14, 2024) (Avery Kotel)Against Prairie View, Brantley set a record in East Lansing, picking off the Panthers and taking it 100 yards for the pick-six. MSU has made game-changing plays this season on defense, and those plays will be essential to stopping a Big Ten powerhouse as the Oregon Ducks.
Oregon Ducks Talent evaluation:
There’s no telling that the Oregon team is one of the best we’ve seen so far this year, as their ranking speaks for itself. With being number six, the Ducks have show-stopping talent on both sides of the ball. For MSU to compete against this squad, they will have to watch out for these players.
Starting on the offensive side, you have to talk about who is leading the charge. Senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been leading the Ducks for years, and is firing on all cylinders so far this season.
Gabriel has averaged a 151.8 passer rating in conference play, and a 75% completion percentage in the Big Ten. Gabriel, at home, is averaging nearly 9 yards per attempt with four touchdowns so far. When the Ducks are at home, Gabriel’s stats are significantly better with an 84 percent completion percentage instead of 75.
With a career of 134 passing touchdowns, Gabriel is continuing to play at a higher level than ever, which will be MSU’s highest priority.
With Gabriel playing his best ball coming into this matchup, other players have been showing out on that side of the ball as well. Senior receiver Tez Johnson is averaging 11 yards per reception this season with two touchdowns already in conference play.
Johnson is a fast receiver who can lose defenders with a move quickly, his elusiveness can create a problem for MSU and their defensive back room. Already, he has gained 121 yards this season, coming off a 1,182-yard year in 2023.
Switching over to the defensive side, a familiar face to MSU is leading the QB pressure over in Eugene. Former MSU defensive lineman Derrick Harmon will cause problems for the MSU offensive line.
Harmon in his first week as a Duck, had 5 tackles, one solo tackle, a forced fumble, and one and a half sacks. Harmon is currently the highest-graded defensive tackle in the Big Ten according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Harmon so far this season has gained 18 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble already, spearheading the Big Ten at the position. Time will be important for Chiles to not throw any turnovers, and Oregon’s defense will try to force as many as possible.
Michigan State looks to turn it around against another ranked Big Ten opponent in Eugene. You can listen to the matchup live on Impact 89 FM with Joe Dez and Oscar Henderson on the call. The pregame will start at 8:30 p.m., with a 9:00 p.m. start time.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State football is 3-2 so far this season, with two frustrating back-to-back losses against Boston College and Ohio State.
This Spartan team is talented, but they continue to make careless mistakes that end up costing them wins. Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles is still finding his footing as QB1.
Chiles has struggled severely with turnovers, putting up seven interceptions in the past five games.
Chiles has the talent and ability to be great, but he is not efficient enough to make difficult passes when he is pressured.
These interceptions happen because Chiles is way too quick to get rid of the ball and doesn’t know how to get out of the pocket to complete a pass.
In the game against Boston College, Michigan State had 45 seconds left to score. MSU was moving the ball very well down the field, getting multiple first downs and stopping the clock.
Instead of continuing to run these short plays, Chiles panicked and threw the ball 50 yards to the end zone into double coverage, leading to an interception.
It is situations like these where Chiles needs to gain patience. Chiles is very young, and he is still learning. He just needs to relax and focus on the task at hand, not turning the ball over.
Which leads to another issue, offense in the red zone.
Michigan State’s offense has moved the ball efficiently between the 20s, but turnovers in the red zone have cost the team at least 28+ points this season.
In yesterday’s game against Ohio State, the Spartans went for it on fourth and one from the 20, which resulted in no yards gained and no points on an otherwise successful drive.
The Spartans also fumbled the ball twice against the Buckeyes in the red zone.
With stats like these, it is almost impossible to win any football game. When you are up against a national title contender like Ohio State, you cannot afford to make mistakes.
On the flip side, MSU’s defense has been performing relatively well.
Junior cornerback Charles Brantley has been an asset so far, putting up two interceptions on the season, and setting a school record for the longest pick six in MSU football history of 100 yards against Prairie View A&M.
MSU’s red zone defense is pretty good. The Spartan defense had a huge stop on fourth and goal in the game against Boston College. The problem is that the offense cannot capitalize off these clutch defensive plays.
You cannot expect to win a game when you cannot score, and that is where this Spartan team struggles.
This team is very young, and in time they will prove themselves. However as of right now, they have some changes to make.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State returns to East Lansing after a close loss to Boston College, looking to bounce back against the No. 3 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Spartans started off the game strong, with Honorary Captain senior defensive back Angelo Grose for a tackle for loss on the first play of the game, stuffing senior running back TreyVeyon Henderson in the backfield for a loss of four.
The Buckeyes marched down the field early, getting to the MSU red zone fast. The Spartans, off a second down penalty, get a stop on a third down quarterback keeper from senior Will Howard that was stopped in his tracks by redshirt junior defensive back Charles Brantley.
MSU starts strong offensively, testing the run game, with a 19-yard run from Junior running back Nate Carter starting things off.
“We were moving the ball successfully on them in the run game and the passing game, and we got into the red zone, but you can’t make mistakes against great teams like that”. Said Carter.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles rushes down the field for MSU. But on a fourth down keeper, the Buckeye defense steps up, with senior defensive end Jack Sawyer and senior linebacker Cody Simon forcing a turnover on downs.
Chiles threw 13-19 on the day, he racked up 167 yards and one interception late in the third quarter.
“I thought he was throwing the ball well in the first half, seeing the field, and the protection was there. I thought the guys were holding up for him,” said head coach Jonathan Smith.
Both MSU and OSU went back and forth in the first quarter with neither squad crossing the pylon. But the Buckeyes started the second with a short field on the Spartan’s nine-yard line.
OSU Head coach Ryan Day decided to go for it on fourth down, with a quick pass to senior tight end Gee Scott Jr. for a three-yard gain to put the Buckeyes up 10 to start the second quarter.
MSU coraled the ball again, and marches down the field to the Buckeyes 10-yard line, where Junior tight end Jack Velling catches the ball for a long gain but fumbles on the Sonny Styles tackle and turns it over.
On the next play, OSU made their first mistake offensively, when Senior quarterback Will Howard threw an interception at the Ohio State 48-yard line by redshirt senior Jordan Turner, who rushed it back 36 yards to the Buckeye red zone.
Turner had himself a night in East Lansing, rushing all over the field and causing problems for Howard. Turner gained four solo tackles and the interception turning momentum over for MSU.
“We came out, we were ready to play,” said redshirt senior linebacker Cal Haladay. “We were competing every play that we could, our effort on defense was there, flying around to the ball.”
With MSU getting to start on the 12-yard line and excellent field position, Chiles and company scored on a one-play drive to junior receiver Jaron Glover for the Spartan’s first touchdown of the night making it 7-10.
With Chiles playing clean in the first quarter of this game, a collapsing pocket changed things quickly. Chiles comes out, gets sacked, and fumbles the ball trying to escape the pocket.
Will Howard continued to use the star-studded freshman Jeremiah Smith, starting the drive with a 20-yard completion to the 44-yard line.
Howard continued to feed his receivers as he handed it off to Smith for a 20-yard rush down the right sideline for a touchdown, increasing the lead by seven. OSU increased their lead by seven making it 17-7. Smith had 83 Yards on the night with five Receptions and a touchdown play.
Chiles and the Spartans couldn’t get much going against the OSU defense, keeping the Spartan offense at bay and not allowing any more points in the second quarter.
After a hard hit to quarterback Will Howard, Junior backup quarterback Devin Brown completes his first pass of the day to Smith extending the OSU lead 24-7 in the first half.
Coming into the second half, MSU looks to bridge the gap but does not end up successful for the Spartans, running through a five-play three-minute drive resulting in a turnover on downs.
MSU tried to get their offense going again, starting with the ball at the beginning of the second half but punted it away after a first down and a three-and-out on the MSU 31-yard line.
Ohio State on their next drive took their time. Howard and company stormed down the field with dynamic plays from junior running back Quinshon Judkins, and senior running back TreVeyon Henderson getting the Buckeyes in field goal range.
Judkins and Henderson led the team in rushing, sparking the run game for OSU. Judkins had 11 carries on the night with 54 yards and Henderson had seven carries with 69 yards, the highest on the team.
The Buckeyes did what they do best in the red zone, trusting their receivers and getting them the ball. Senior receiver Emeka Egbuka sprinted into the endzone adding to their lead. OSU worked the clock with a 13-play drive for 7 minutes, scoring and increasing the lead to 31-7.
OSU continued to cap the Spartan offense, they stopped any forward progress after a pass completion from Chiles.
Then, Chiles, in a collapsing situation, threw his first interception of the day to senior cornerback Denzel Burke, returning the ball to the MSU 12-yard line.
OSU quickly took advantage of the field position with a three-play drive with Howard rushing in for six on a six-yard gain. Howard extends the lead again, making it a 31-point deficit for the Spartans.
Ohio State came out of this game victorious, winning 38-7 in East Lansing. Howard threw 21-31 on the night, with 244 yards and 1 interception.
“The biggest positive is that these guys will go back to work because we’ve got a short week, and if they learn from this and continue to move forward. That will be the biggest positive,” Smith said.
The Spartans have another Big Ten battle ahead of them, traveling to Eugene, Oregon for another ranked matchup on Friday, October 4th, at 9:00 p.m.
EAST LANSING– Michigan State Spartans lost 38-7 to the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night.
The Spartans kept things close in the first half but turnovers continued to handicap them. Two trips to the red zone were halted by fumbles, another ending on downs.
The Buckeyes ran away with this one in the second half, the inflated score shows a lopsided matchup, but that’s far from what the game felt like.
Here are a few takeaways for the Spartans:
They belong on the same field
Last November, the Spartans lost by a similar score at the Horseshoe, 38-3. This loss feels different.
By that time the white flag had been waved and the team was on its second head coach of the season and cycling through three quarterbacks. Essentially, it was a program with no life or direction.
Ten months later, the outcome in the box score seems the same, but it does feel different. Now under head coach Jonathan Smith, there was more fight, energy and hope for the future.
Spartans’ linebacker Cal Halladay was a starter for both games and believed they played better this time:
“I thought we were in this game the whole time, I thought we did what we needed to for the most part,” Halladay said.
The Spartans had their chances, but fumbles from Chiles and tight end Jack Velling in the red zone squandered those opportunities.
Even with those missed chances the defense kept them in the game. Spartans’ linebacker Jordan Turner picked off Buckeyes’ quarterback Will Howard to give the Spartans a boost, eventually scoring their lone touchdown on the next play.
But the biggest separator for the Buckeyes was their depth, they never lost their legs, playing at full speed for the full 60 minutes.
The Spartans matched the intensity for a quarter and a half but once the Buckeyes got rolling, they couldn’t keep up.
So in the record books, it goes down as another blowout loss against a top-ten team. The overall message is much different from the losses to Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State from last season.
Second half drop off
Through five games the Spartans have a worrisome trend of scoring dropping off in the second half of games.
In the first half of games, the Spartan offense is averaging 16.6 points per game. However, in the second half, that mark shrinks to only 5.2 points. In all five games, the Spartans have scored fewer points in the second half than the first.
“We’ll take a look at this film and find ways we can improve, but we gotta be able to score more than that,” Smith said.
The Spartans offense stalled once again in the second half, compiling four punts and an interception in five drives.
It is the second time the Spartans were blanked in the second half this season, the first time was in the season-opener against Florida Atlantic.
Spartans’ quarterback Aidan Chiles started the game strong, completing nine-for-ten passes, including a passing touchdown to wide receiver Jaron Glover.
But in the second half, Chiles flamed out, completing three of six passes and throwing an ill-advised pass that the Buckeyes took the other way.
The final stat line isn’t pretty, but Chiles showed flashes against a top defense in the country.
Quick Turnaround for the Spartans
The Spartans need to put their second-straight loss in the rearview mirror, with a short week approaching.
The Spartans will fly west to Eugene, to face new Big Ten opponent, the Oregon Ducks on Friday. This means less time for much-needed preparation against the No. 8 team in the country.
Spartans’ running back Nate Carter reiterated that the team needs to move on quickly.
“At the end of the day we got to play another game in six days, you know, we got a long trip out to Oregon,” Carter said.
The message in the locker room was to not get discouraged and let this two-game losing streak compound.d
“It’s easy for great teams, which I believe we have, to get to this point in the season where we lose a couple games, and how it can go downhill,” Carter said. “And I think the message is for us, is not to allow that to happen.”
East Lansing– The Spartans have a tall task ahead of them on Saturday night, hosting the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium.
During Ryan Day’s tenure as head coach of the Buckeyes, their calling card has always been talent. There were reports this offseason that the roster assembled by Day cost over $20 million in NIL funds.
The Buckeyes’ offense is explosive, scoring at least 49 points in all three games this season.
However, the Buckeyes haven’t faced tough competition, playing two MAC teams and Marshall, out of Conference USA.
The Spartans will be the first Big Ten and Power Four opponent for the Buckeyes, which means there could be some growing pains early for the Buckeyes. So the Spartans must start fast if they want to put the Buckeyes on their heels early.
Here are five players that MSU needs to look out for:
Wide Reciever, Jeremiah Smith:
Freshman wide receiver Jerimiah Smith has been the star of the Buckeyes offense. Smith has gained national recognition for his play as a true freshman, scoring two touchdowns in his first-ever collegiate game.
The five-star recruit from Miami Gardens, FL. has shined early catching 14 passes. He also leads the team with 283 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Smith will be battling with Spartans’ wideout Nick Marsh for many freshman awards.
Spartans’ defensive backs Charles Brantley and Angelo Grose have had stellar starts to the season but Smith isn’t like any wide receiver they’ve seen yet. Smith will definitely be lacing them up on Sundays in a few years.
Quarterback, Will Howard:
Senior quarterback Will Howard has been good, completing 68 percent of his passes and throwing for six touchdowns.
The Kansas State transfer isn’t being asked to carry the load that a C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields had to. His role is to get the ball to the athletes in the loaded Buckeyes’ wide receiver room and take care of the football.
Howard still has more upside than Kyle McCord, the 2023 starting quarterback who transferred to Syracuse after one year of starting.
The Spartans’ pass rush led by Khris Bogle and Jordan Turner will have to force Howard to make quick decisions and limit the big play ability.
Running Backs, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson:
The two-headed backfield of Judkins and Henderson is one of the best in the country. Judkins, a transfer from Ole Miss, is the speed outside back that can break one free at any time. Judkins has had a larger share of the carries so far, rushing for the Buckeyes.
Then there’s Henderson, the bruiser is great at finding seams up the middle, even if it means running through the defender.
Through the first three games, the Buckeyes have been careful with Henderson, a back that has dealt with some injury concerns in the past.
However in his limited action this season, Henderson has averaged over eight yards per carry and four rushing touchdowns.
Thanks to Spartans’ defensive coordinator Joe Rossi the run defense has been much improved this season, on Saturday they will need to neutralize the Buckeyes’ ground game to have a chance.
Safety, Caleb Downs:
The Buckeyes are equally talented on the defensive side of the ball. Sophomore safety Caleb Downs was a star on the Alabama defense that made a run to the College Football Playoff last season.
As a true freshman, Downs led the Crimson Tide defense in tackles (107) and earned All-American honors.
After the retirement of Nick Saban, Downs entered the transfer portal as the consensus number-one prospect, landing at Ohio State.
Downs is the leader on the Buckeyes’ defense, a top-ten defense in the country. The Buckeyes are ranked fourth in points allowed per game (6.7) and second in yards allowed per game (180).
The path to victory for Michigan State
The odds are stacked against the 24-point underdog Spartans to pull off the upset, but wilder things have happened in college football.
Spartans’ quarterback Aidan Chiles will need a performance similar to his week two start against the Maryland Terrapins, most importantly Chiles needs to take care of the ball.
The Spartans’ offense will need to finish drives, something that was a problem against FAU and more recently against Boston College. Three points won’t be enough when the Buckeyes’ offense is on the other side of the ball.
Look for tight end Jack Velling to be utilized more in the red zone, the tight end caught eight touchdowns for Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith at Oregon State last season.
The Spartan running backs Nate Carter and Kay’ron Lynch-Adams need to be more dependable, the bulk of their yards have come on big plays.
The duo has to be better in obvious running situations, they have been stifled in those situations too many times so far this season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Spartans need to bring pressure and make life difficult for Howard.
They also need to force field goals, the Buckeyes have scored touchdowns on all 11 trips to the red zone this season.
This Buckeyes team has its sights set on a National Championship and a win against a different team in Michigan. Who knows, possibly the Buckeyes could let their guard down and the Spartans could shock the college football world.
You can listen to the Spartans matchup against the Buckeyes on Impact 89 FM on Saturday, with pregame starting at 7 p.m. with Oscar Henderson and Joe Dez on the call.
EAST LANSING- After a close loss to Boston College in Chestnut Hill on Saturday, Michigan State travels back to Lansing to take on the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.
Against Boston College, sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles threw 17-35 and 241 yards, but the story of the season and this game are his turnovers.
Chiles threw three interceptions which cost MSU the game, to seal it for Boston College, Chiles heaved a ball into double coverage which was picked off, ending the Spartan’s chance at success.
The Spartans had bright spots all over the field, as junior tight end Jack Velling racked up 77 yards on six receptions, being an anchor offensively for MSU.
With three core receivers out, redshirt freshman Iziah Johnson and Senior Montorie Foster Jr. must be consistent for Chiles during this game.
True freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh was ruled out against Boston College, by getting hit in the knee on a first-down completion against Maryland.
Marsh contributed heavily to the gritty road win, gaining 194 yards and a 77-yard touchdown catch to extend the Spartan lead.
Head coach Johnathan Smith plans to give an update on the Big Ten Freshman of the Week this Friday. Junior receiver Jaron Glover is returning for the Spartans due to injury, but the star-studded freshman Nick Marsh.
MSU’s defense has a tough task against them, playing one of the best offensive threats in the county. OSU’s junior running back Quinshon Judkins and senior wide receiver Emeka Egbuka will prove troublesome for MSU.
Judkins in his last game rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns against Marshall. Egbuka had 117 yards and one touchdown that night as well.
Senior running back TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns on six carries for 76 yards. Henderson and Judkins complete the one-two punch running back room that hurts all defenses in the country.
MSU is not the only team with a star-studded freshman receiver, OSU’s freshman receiver Jerimiah Smith has shocked the world at 18 years old.
Smith has had at least one touchdown in every game this season, putting up one against Marshall for 53 yards.
Smith’s deep ball threat will create trouble for MSU’s cornerback room, with injuries all over the Spartan’s secondary.
Michigan State invites the Buckeyes to East Lansing for a late-night brawl. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 pm on Saturday, as Joe Dez and Oscar Henderson will have the call live from Spartan Stadium on WBDM Sports.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Spartans traveled into Boston with a 3-0 record taking on the Fighting Eagles, with a back-and-forth game in heavy downpour rain, both teams battled to the very end.
MSU started off the game strong, winning the coin toss and choosing to start on defense, which was the right choice, getting a quick three and out with a big sack from sixth-year defensive lineman Quindarius Dunnigan.
The Spartans’ defense was the anchor point for MSU, making many plays to set the offense up for chances to convert.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles sparked the MSU offense early, showing off his dual-threat capabilities and rushing for a nine-yard gain.
Chiles also utilized the tight-end connection, completing a 13-yard pass over the middle to junior tight-end Jack Velling, his number-one target of the night.
The first quarter of action was a defensive front for both sides, ending with a score of 3-0 from a 41-yard field goal from sixth-year kicker Jonathon Kim.
With MSU coming out on the top in the first quarter, Boston College and their dynamic offense did not stay down for long.
Junior quarterback Thomas Castellanos and the running back cohort carried most of the offense for the Fighting Eagles, testing the Spartans’ run defense on every drive.
After moving down the field, freshman running back Turbo Richard goes up the right sideline for 11 yards to the pylon, putting the Fighting Eagles up 6-3.
A muffed punt in the rainy conditions gave MSU a crucial scoring advantage.
Chiles continued to use his legs during the second half, rushing for an 11-yard gain early in the drive.
With the run game struggling hard for MSU, Chiles relies on his arm converting on the 40-yard gain to redshirt senior Montorie Foster Jr. putting the Spartans on the Boston College one-yard line.
Chiles seals the deal with the QB sneak and would put the Spartans up 10-6, taking the lead and ending the half up seven with a field goal from Jonathan Kim.
In the second half, mistakes started to halt the Spartan’s success offensively, starting with sixth-year running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams fumbling a punt near the Eagle’s endzone to turn the ball over, giving Boston College a chance to respond.
“Offensively, we have to get better in the run game, staying away from negative yardage. We had some missed opportunities with Montorie a couple of times, and those things could have changed the game,” MSU head coach Jonathon Smith said postgame.
Boston College quickly capitalized with graduate student running back Treshaun Ward flying down the field for a 36-yard touchdown.
The Fighting Eagles gained the lead by three with 12 minutes left in the quarter. Off an incompletion to redshirt junior running back Nate Carter, MSU would march up the field and Jonathan Kim would make a 51-yard field goal to tie the game 16-16.
The Spartans failed to spark any offense in the second half, and the struggles continued in the fourth quarter. Chiles drove down the field on two tries but failed to convert in the red zone.
Boston College and Castellanos gained the chance to win the game, and they took the opportunity in stride.
Castellanos delivered a 42-yard touchdown to his number-one target, junior receiver Lewis Bond, who iced the game for the Fighting Eagles.
In MSU’s second challenge of the season, they came up short in Chestnut Hill 23-19.
The Spartans go on to start their biggest test of the season yet, taking on the ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in East Lansing on Saturday, September 28.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State Football travels to the East Coast for a tough non-conference game against the Boston College Eagles on Saturday night.
This will be an emotional game for the Eagles as it is the Red Bandanna Game honoring Welles Crowther, a man who lost his life on 9/11 rescuing others from the towers.
The Eagles are coming off a tough loss to the No. 7 Missouri Tigers. The Eagles’ offense came out hot on the road with a two-score lead in the first half. The Tigers showed why they are a top-ten team in the second half coming away with the victory.
Despite the loss, the Eagles held their head high after nearly pulling off the upset against an SEC opponent.
Control the run game
Missouri gashed the Eagles on the run last week, rushing for 176 yards on 43 carries. On the other hand, the Eagles were stifled, rushing for only 1.9 yards per carry.
The Spartans don’t have the same personnel as an SEC team, but the trenches seem like a spot where the Spartans can take advantage.
Through three games the dynamic backfield of redshirt junior Nathan Carter and sixth-year Kay’ron Lynch-Adams have rushed for over 400 yards combined and two touchdowns.
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams celebrates his touchdown in MSU’s 16-10 victory over FAU. (August 30 2024) (Cole Pannell)Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith has said that they expect to split the reps 50/50 between the two backs.
Take care of the football
Spartans’ quarterback Aidan Chiles has had some turnover issues in the first few games of the season. The raw talent is evident for Chiles, however, the situational awareness isn’t always there for the 19-year-old. He currently has the second most interceptions in the Big Ten but is also sixth in passing yards.
Aidan Chiles directs the play calling during MSUs 16-10 victory over FAU (August 30, 2024) (Cole Pannell)In a road game against a team like Boston College, the offense must take care of the ball. The Eagles haven’t forced many turnovers but they also haven’t committed many turnovers, so it is vital for Chiles and the rest of the offense to take care of the ball.
The Eagles were able to shut down Smith’s former Oregon State starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei in their season opener against Florida State, let’s see how Chiles will do after backing up Uiagalelei last season.
Play disciplined defense
One of the biggest improvements under Smith’s regime is the defense led by coordinator Joe Rossi. Rossi preached having a more aggressive mindset throughout the offseason. However, with their aggressive mindset has come too many penalties.
Through three games the team has committed 11 penalties per game with a majority coming on the defensive side. This leaves the Spartans 128th nationally in total penalties committed and 134th in penalty yards.
The Spartans won’t be able to give an inch to this Eagles team who will match their aggressiveness. Through three games the Eagles haven’t even attempted a field goal, expect head coach Bill O’Brien to go for it on fourth and short scenarios. Meaning every yard will matter when the Eagles enter the Spartans’ end of the field.
The Spartans will play on Saturday in Chestnut Hill, MA, with a chance to get ranked with a win over the Boston College Eagles. Jacob Mauer and Derrick Mitchell will have the call on WDBM Impact 89 FM starting at 8 p.m.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State comes back home to East Lansing to take on the Prairie View A&M Panthers.
Michigan State did what they were supposed to do and took care of business against the Panthers, winning 40 to 0. With the Spartans starting their ranked tenure next week with Boston College, here are a few takeaways from today’s game.
The fast blitz Spartan Defense:
The MSU defense came into this game strong, starting with a quick sack by redshirt sophomore Ken Talley. Sparking the MSU defense with the shutout performance. Redshirt senior linebacker Jordan Turner was a bright spot on the defense. Putting up four solo tackles and one sack on the night.
Sixth-year defensive lineman Khris Bogle also led the way for MSU on defense with four tackles and one solo tackle. Bogle has been an anchor point for MSU and their rush attack and he did it again today.
With many starters out in the safety and db room, players stepped up and made plays on the defensive end.
Redshirt senior Ed Woods racked up five tackles with three solo tackles on the night. Locking down his side of the field. But when MSU needed a play to be made, redshirt junior Charles Brantely always delivered, and did today with a 100-yard pick-six touchdown on the other end. Brantley also gained two solo tackles capping off his night.
“It was my longest run since high school as a punt returner,” said Brantley. “Our defense runs on team execution, toughness, and technique.”
MSU’s defense has been a focal point of success for this team, with many ranked opponents coming up on their schedule. MSU’s defense is going to have to succeed in many ways, like they did today.
Aidan Chiles coming into his own:
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles is starting to embrace the QB1 role in East Lansing, scoring the first touchdown of the day with a 6-yard run across the right Pylon. Coming into this game, Chiles looked to take care of business and not make sloppy mistakes with the football.
Chiles also threw to one of his favorite targets, Senior Montorie Foster Jr. Hitting him on two drives to get the passing attack for MSU going.
Chiles also used his second favorite target, Big Ten freshman of the week Nick Marsh for a 20-yard gain putting the Spartans in position.
Chiles scored twice in the first quarter with no interceptions, first with a quarterback keeper for a six-yard touchdown, and a 17-yard pass to Redshirt freshman Aziah Johnson. He ended the day throwing 12-19 with 173 and one touchdown before being taken out of the game in the third quarter.
Lots of player depth got into the game at the beginning of the second half, and Chiles did a great job of getting everyone touches and opportunities to make plays.
“We needed to show up so that they could play,” Chiles said. “And we did that, we executed. We got to see a lot of guys play, got to see a lot of guys run, which is a beautiful thing.”
With the gauntlet coming up next week and during the month of October playing many ranked teams, Chiles is gearing up for ranked football in the Big Ten with this game today.
Running Back attack:
On the opening drive, Michigan State ran the ball 8 times on their opening drive, sparking Junior Nate Carter and Senior Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams confidence on the offensive end.
In the second quarter, Carter erupted up the middle for his first touchdown of the season running for 60 yards.
MSU’s run game and their passing game are accompanying one another sparking the offense.
Carter ended the day with 91 yards, one touchdown averaging 11 yards per carry. During the first two games not playing his best ball, Carter came into this one playing fast and strong and he is working to gain momentum going deeper into the season.
“It opens up things. We need to get an explosive run or two like that,” said head coach Johnathon Smith. “He’s got that natural skillset, with cutting the ball back and outrunning the defender. I go back and forth about him and Kay’Ron with how they complement each other”.
Lynch-Adams played an important role in this offense, with the one-two punch between these two running backs. He has established himself as a quick and dominant player, finishing the game with 63 yards on four yards per carry.
The Spartan running back room has shown flashes of success, and with the one-two punch of Carter and Lynch Adams, the run game will flourish as the season progresses.
MSU receivers dominate:
MSU’s receiver room has dominated on many occasions throughout the season, and this game against Prairie View is no different.
Chiles spread the love to many receivers in this game, letting them all get a chance at success. Aziah Johnson led the team in yards with 50 and a 17-yard touchdown to start MSU’s run in the first quarter, with Chiles not looking back.
Junior tight end Jack Velling led next for the Spartans with 42 yards and a 34-yard catch to move the chains. Montorie Foster, redshirt sophomore Antonio Gates Jr., and Nick Marsh contributed to the Spartans’ success moving the ball against the Panthers.
“Marsh got a couple of catches, Johnson was big in the red zone, and Gates came in a couple of different times and had some nice catches as well,” Smith said.
MSU’s depth at the receiver position opens up opportunities down the field for different schemes against tough Big Ten opponents to score.
The Spartans come into the week 3-0 after the win against Prairie View A&M, now the Spartans travel to Boston to take on the Eagles at 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
EAST LANSING– Michigan State Football dominated the Prairie View A&M Panthers on both sides of the ball in a 40-0 victory.
“There are no trap games, everyone has to come out and play their hardest,” said Spartans’ quarterback Aidan Chiles.
The Spartans were efficient offensively, scoring on all five trips to the red zone, something they struggled with the last time they were at Spartan Stadium.
The defense was superb, allowing zero points against the Panthers. It was the first defensive shutout for the Spartans since a 52-0 victory over Akron in 2022.
The first drive on offense for the Spartans was capped off by Chiles with a six-yard scramble into the end zone, his second rushing touchdown of the season.
Later, Chiles connected with redshirt freshman receiver Aziah Johnson, who found the end zone for his first career touchdown.
“[Johnson] came out, did what he had to do, caught a couple of big passes, and gained a couple of yards,” Chiles said.
There were fewer poor decisions today for the sophomore quarterback. However, there was once instance where instead of tucking the ball, he forced a bad throw which led to an interception. Luckily for Chiles, the play was wiped out by offsetting penalties.
In less than three-quarters of work, Chiles did what he was supposed to do, take care of the football and put points on the board. Chiles finished the day with 179 yards in the air and two total touchdowns.
The Spartans leaned on their run game heavily throughout the game. The backfield of Kay’ron Lynch-Adams and Nate Carter had their way with the Panthers with help from a dominating offensive line.
In the second quarter, Carter found a gaping hole on the right side and took advantage, taking it 60 yards to the house.
Carter led the squad in rushing for the second game in a row, running for 91 yards on only eight carries. Lynch-Adams also contributed 90 all-purpose yards for the Spartans’ offense, taking a larger share of the carries for the first time this season.
The defense was disciplined early, committing no penalties for the first 26 minutes of the game. Until, a roughing the passer penalty wiped off a would-be pick-six Charles Brantley, which would’ve been the first defensive points of the season for the Spartans.
However, later in the drive, Brantley got his revenge intercepting Panthers quarterback Cameron Peters in the end zone, taking it all the way 100 yards downfield.
Brantley’s return was the longest return in Michigan State history, passing Michigan State Athletics Hall of Famer Dan Bass, who held the record with a 99-yard interception return in 1978.
“Just yesterday we were in a meeting and coach Rossi said if you catch an interception in the endzone your progression is taking you backward take a knee,” said Brantley. “But I looked to my left and my right and I didn’t see anyone so I said lets take it out.”
In the third quarter, starting right guard Gavin Broscious was carted off the field with an apparent lower-body injury. Broscious will be a big loss for the Spartans’ offensive line if he is out for an extended period of time. “It didn’t look good but next man up, you know,’ said Smith.
North Dakota transfer Tommy Schuster, made his Spartan debut at quarterback for the last three drives of the game.
Schuster managed his opportunity well, completing 8 of 10 passes for 97 yards and a rushing touchdown. This may be the only opportunity Schuster sees, but it is good to have a capable backup quarterback; just in case.
Smith is the first Michigan State coach to go 3-0 in his first three games since Mark Dantonio in 2007.
Michigan State will head to the east coast to take on Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. next Saturday at 8 p.m.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State true freshman Nick Marsh came up big against Maryland, helping Michigan State come up with the win to stay undefeated and end up first in the Big Ten.
Marsh set his name in stone on Saturday catching eight passes on the night for 194 yards, becoming the 10th Spartan with the highest single-game total in Spartan history.
With being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, he also earned Shaun Alexander National Freshman Player of the Week yesterday morning with Marsh being one of the 37 players represented on the Shaun Alexander preseason watch list.
Marsh came up clutch when MSU needed it the most, the Spartans trailed in the fourth quarter 24-17 he caught a 77-yard touchdown pass that tied the game.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles hit Marsh again on a 57-yard that was MSU’s longest touchdown pass since Jayden Reed’s 85-yard touchdown against Youngstown State in 2021.
Postgame against Maryland, walking off the field Chiles called Marsh the best freshman in the country, with being named Big Ten freshman of the week, he is off to a great start.
In the fourth quarter by itself, Marsh gained 151 yards and four receptions. In addition to his two large gains, tack on another reception for 11 yards on the game winning drive.
Michigan State heads back to East Lansing to take on Prairie View A&M this Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE PARK, Md.– Michigan State traveled to College Park to take on Maryland, marking the 15th meeting between these two squads. In a head-to-head game, MSU defeated Maryland, 27-24.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles threw for 357 yards and three interceptions in his conference play debut. But with his ups and downs, he played a game that led to a win.
MSU started off the game trusting its defense, which slowed down the Maryland offense but did not stop the dominant two-man play of junior quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. and senior wide receiver Tai Felton.
The duo scored the first touchdown of the night and continued the dominant performance finishing with 253 yards and two touchdowns, with Felton racking up 152 yards.
MSU started its drive out strong, with a calm and collected Chiles at the helm. MSU’s run game came out fast and strong, opening up opportunities for Chiles to get the passing game working. The Spartan offense capitalized with a touchdown throw to MSU redshirt senior Montorie Foster Jr. to tie the game 7-7.
“We got more explosive offensively through some strikes down the field,” MSU head coach Jonathan Smith said.
Redshirt senior Montorie Foster Jr. completing 9-yard pass touchdown at SECU Stadium on Sept. 7. (Avery Kotel)MSU and Maryland continued to go back and forth on offense and defense, stopping each other, but Maryland broke through.
Redshirt senior defensive back Glendon Miller led the charge by picking off Chiles on third down, putting a destructive Maryland offense on the MSU 17-yard line. The Terrapin offense quickly took advantage of the field position with a quarterback run and score. Maryland ended the first quarter up 14-7.
Nonetheless, the Spartans got it done in the second quarter with Chiles taking a chance and threw a 34-yard deep ball to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jaron Glover to tie the game up 14-14. He finished the drive in 11 plays for 75 yards.
Sixth-year defensive lineman Khris Bogle kept Maryland on its toes rushing Edwards Jr. and making him take the sack. MSU defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has transformed the Spartan defense to be dynamic, fast and hard to track when rushing the passer. And it starts with the revamped defensive line.
MSU has been strong in the passing game, with over 100 passing yards in the first half. But the run game has not been there for MSU. Between transfer running-back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams and redshirt junior running back Nate Carter, both had 63 yards combined.
Without each running back’s large runs for a big gain, the pair would only be averaging 3 yards a carry, which makes the Spartans rely on the passing game much more.
MSU made a last-ditch effort before the second half, storming down the field to the 50-yard line to get up on the board. Chiles missed on a touchdown opportunity on third down, but sixth-year kicker Jonathan Kim checked into the game with a 50-yard field goal to put MSU up three to close out the half, 17-14.
Sixth-year kicker Jonathan Kim at Maryland on Sept. 7. (Avery Kotel)MSU opened up the second half with explosive runs from Carter and a Lynch-Adams 23-yard run on the left side, but MSU could not stay consistent.
Turnovers have been riddling MSU to make a streak on offense. It started with Chiles having three interceptions on the night, and one interception costing the opening drive touchdown in the second half.
“Again, there is a learning curve there, but the kid is resilient. Aidan kept on coming back. He’s the quarterback that drove us down the field and set it up for Jonathan,” Smith said.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles at Maryland on Sept. 7. (Avery Kotel)Something had to break eventually, and it did, with Edwards Jr. hitting sophomore tight-end Dylan Wade in a drag corner route to put the Terrapins up to start the fourth.
MSU continued to compete with Maryland on the offensive side, trading drives on both ends. True freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh delivered with a 57-yard deep ball putting MSU in scoring position, putting up 194 yards for MSU.
“This game he was going to play more,” Smith said of Marsh. “He’s catching the ball on the sideline, operating in our two-minute offense at the end of the half, and the end of the game. He’s mature beyond his years.”
With four minutes and 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the MSU defense produced a stop and made the Terrapins take a 41-yard kick, leading to a missed field goal. The Spartans took advantage of the missed field goal with a one-play drive from Chiles to Marsh for a 77-yard touchdown to tie it 24-24.
With two minutes to go, MSU and a young quarterback received the chance to win this game, and they did just that. Chiles led the Spartans down the field and sealed the deal with Kim kicking the 37-yard field goal.
MSU took the win in College Park before heading back to East Lansing to matchup against Prairie View A&M on Sept. 14 with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.
Tune into the live radio broadcast featuring Joe Dez and Oscar Henderson locally on 88.9 FM or at impact89fm.org/listen-live/
EAST LANSING– Michigan State football begins Big Ten play on Saturday as they travel to College Park, MD. to take on the Maryland Terrapins.
The Spartans have lost the last two matchups against the Terrapins and haven’t won on the road since 2018.
Taulia Tagovailoa has torched Michigan State the last two years, scoring 58 points in two games. Luckily for the Spartans, Tagovailoa is no longer the Terrapins quarterback, after being denied eligibility for a sixth season by the NCAA this offseason.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley has turned the program around since joining in 2019. He’s led the Terrapins to three straight winning seasons, including their first eight-win season since 2009.
The Terrapins dominated their week-one matchup against UConn, scoring 50 points in a blowout.
Terrapins quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw for a career-high 311 passing yards in his third regular-season start of his career. The redshirt junior is also dominant on the ground, rushing for 39 yards last week. The Spartans will have to keep Edwards Jr. in the pocket after allowing 67 yards to Florida Atlantic quarterback Cam Fancher last week.
Michigan State defensive back Angelo Grose had a standout performance in week one with 11 tackles and an interception. He will have to slow down Terrapins wide receiver Tai Felton, who caught seven passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns last week against UConn.
Veteran running back Nate Carter couldn’t get anything going in week one, only running for 2.5 yards per carry. With minimal openings for Carter, the offensive line will need to help get him going as the season progresses.
The leader of the Spartans offense, quarterback Aidan Chiles had a disappointing debut against FAU, but he is looking to bounce back against Maryland. Chiles was inefficient, only completing 42 percent of his passes. Expect him to get more easy completions, instead of looking for the deep threats.
Spartans wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. also needs to rebound in week two, after bobbling a pass that led to an interception and fumbling in the red zone last week.
Expect tight end Jack Velling to be more active, the Oregon State transfer only made one reception for 15 yards against FAU.
The Spartans will be without key players on both sides of the ball for game two. Defensive back Dillon Tatum is expected to be out for most of the season with a lower-body injury. Wide receiver Alante Brown, a bright spot in the season opener, will be out until November with an upper-body injury.
The odds are stacked against the Spartans this week as Maryland is an eight-point favorite. Maryland is 9-1 in their last ten home games favored by more than a touchdown. Head coach Jonathan Smith hasn’t fared well in this spot as he is 2-8 in his last ten games as an underdog of seven or more points.
Michigan State will look to prove themselves against Maryland on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3:30 p.m. Catch Oscar Henderson and Joe Dez on the call from SECU Stadium on Impact 89FM radio.
EAST LANSING– Former Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has been named a part of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Class of 2024, the Tournament of Roses committee announced on Wednesday.
Dantonio led the Spartans to a 24-20 victory over the Stanford Cardinal in the 100th Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2014. This capped off a historic 2013 season where the Spartans won a program-record 13 games, finishing No. 3 in the national polls.
The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame was created in 1989, in its 35-year history, there have been 143 inductees.
Dantonio will join two other Spartans in the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. College Football Hall of Fame and 2022 inductee running back Lorenzo White, who beat USC in 1988, and Kicker Dave Kaiser, who kicked a game-winning 41-yard field goal in 1956 to top UCLA.
Also included in the 2024 class, is Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush from USC and two-time All-American running back LaMicheal James from Oregon.
In 2023, Dantonio came out of retirement to be associate head coach for the Spartans under interim head coach Harlon Barnett for the final ten games of the regular season.
In 16 seasons as head coach, Dantonio led the Spartans to a 132-74 record, winning three Big Ten regular season titles and two Big Ten Championships. In addition to his Rose Bowl appearance, he also won the 2015 Cotton Bowl and an appearance in the 2015 College Football playoff.
Dantonio developed many players, sending them off to the NFL. Some of his most notable include Jack Conklin, Le’Veon Bell, and Kirk Cousins.
Dantonio is also one of the three coaches elected to the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024, he will be inducted during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10, 2024.
EAST LANSING– The Michigan State Spartans kicked off their season against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Spartan Stadium.
It was the highly antiquated debut of Spartans’ head coach Jonathan Smith, bringing his West Coast style to East Lansing. After a 2-0 first quarter, the Spartans’ offense broke through, scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter.
It seemed like the Spartans would run away with the game in the second half, but the offense stalled, allowing the Owls to stay in it until the end. Ultimately, the Spartans walked away with a win, 16-10, despite not playing their best football.
Here are my takeaways from the season opener:
Sloppy offensive play
There was a lot of offseason hype for the revamped offense. Despite the off-season, the offense looked a lot like the past few years, unorganized, committing sloppy mistakes, and not taking care of the football.
Quarterback Aidan Chiles took responsibility for the shortcomings of the Spartan offense.
“It’s me, I’m taking full responsibility for everything that happened today,” Chiles said. “I play football for a living and I didn’t come out and play to the best of my ability today.”
Aidan Chiles gets under center in Michigan State’s 16-10 victory over FAU. (August 30, 2024) (Cole Pannell)Chiles was held to 10 completions on 24 attempts, with two interceptions. Chiles was still an effective runner despite the mistakes, scrambling for 28 yards and a touchdown.
Smith took the pressure off of Chiles postgame:
“It ain’t all on him and he knows this, Smith said. “I love the kid and that he’s competitive, he did enough good things for us to win the game and he’s 1-0, undefeated as a starting quarterback.”
Smith believes the red zone offense needs to improve for the Spartans.
“We just have to be more efficient offensively and then finish, like in the red zone if we score 21 points versus zero this thing is totally different,” Smith said.
Defensive discipline
The Spartans were aggressive on the defensive side of the ball. They might have been too aggressive, committing seven penalties for 75 yards.
“We did not play clean,” Smith said. “It was a bunch of 15-yarders too, we’re not just talking about offsides. We’re fortunate because there is a lot of sloppiness in those numbers.”
Defensive back Angelo Grose led the team in tackles with eleven tackles and also came away with an interception in the second quarter.
“Last year man, last ride, I got to do everything, make plays,” Grose said.
Defensive lineman Khris Bogle led the Spartans’ dominant defensive line with 2.5 tackles for loss and contributed 1.5 sacks.
“We practice how we play and we’ve been making plays in practice so we knew that would translate to the game,” Bogle said.
FAU quarterback Cam Fancher was unable to get anything going in the passing game against the Spartans, but he used his dual-threat ability to his advantage as he ran for 67 yards on 25 attempts.
Fancher put his body on the line, drawing multiple personal fouls for late hits and targeting.
“[Fancher] is a great quarterback and he slides a lot so we have to be disciplined and try not to get those targeting calls,” Bogle said.
The Spartans locked down the Owls on third-down attempts. Out of 14 tries the Owls were only able to convert twice. Limiting third-down conversions is a crucial stat for elite defenses.
Ground Game Led by Transfer Running Back
Running the ball was a bright spot in a rather frustrating game for the Spartans. Both touchdowns were scored on the ground and Michigan State amassed almost 180 rushing yards.
Transfer running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams had a breakout performance in his first game in the Green and White.
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams celebrates his touchdown in MSU’s 16-10 victory over FAU. (August 30 2024) (Cole Pannell)Lynch-Adams, previously at UMass, tore up the Owls defense, leading the game with 101 rushing yards.
Lynch-Adams is a very hard runner, similar to an Isiah Pacheco type. In the first half, he scored a touchdown that was called back due to forward progress.
“I heard the whistle but I was just out there trying to run,” Lynch-Adams said.
Late in the second quarter, Lynch-Adams got his revenge busting out for a 63-yard touchdown. The offensive line created a gaping hole for Lynch-Adams, who scored untouched by the Owls.
“That was the offensive line’s touchdown, that crease opened up and just did what I was supposed to do,” Lynch-Adams said.
All things considered today was not a fantastic performance by the Spartans, but they did enough to come away with the first win of the Jonathan Smith era. There is still a lot to be desired on both sides of the ball.
MSU will have an extra day of rest this week before they travel to College Park to face the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, Sept. 7, in their first Big Ten matchup of the season.
EAST LANSING- The Spartans took on the Florida Atlantic Owls for the first time since 2011. Michigan State started this game out with an unexpected turn.
Transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles threw an out-of-pocket deep ball to Montorie Foster Jr., which was bobbled and led to an interception after review.
FAU took a quick four-down turn-around to start the Michigan State drive on the other end.
The game trend seemed to follow that all game, as the Owls and Spartans battled back and forth. Eventually, Michigan State was able to prevail due to a huge fourth-down stop, propelling MSU to a 16-10 victory over FAU.
Chiles was forced to scramble out of the pocket and move for most of his drives. He finished with 114 yards on the day and two interceptions, creating many dynamic plays for MSU. Though Chiles had some dynamic plays, some crucial mistakes were made that he would have to learn from.
Aidan Chiles directs the play calling during MSUs 16-10 victory over FAU“I mean, we won this. I’m not happy with it, but we got the win,” Chiles said.
The sophomore QB took accountability for his teammates during their opener, but work has to be done throughout the entire season to perform.
Michigan State’s defense started off dynamic, led by defensive lineman Khris Bogle, who started the Spartans’ defense with a sack and finished with three solo tackles and 1.5 sacks.
A large issue for Michigan State in the previous season was their defensive pressure, and this season, pressure is no problem for Joe Rossi and the defensive front. Bogle and Turner turned the heat up in their first game, making the defense look revived at MSU.
“We work hard, every day. When we practice the game we are supposed to be practicing, you have to respond,” said Turner. “I knew it was going to happen because we practice how we play. They make plays and translate them over to the game.”
To put the Spartans on the board, D’Quan Douse sacked Cam Fancher for a total loss of five yards and get the safety. This put the Spartans up two and got the ball rolling for MSU.
The defensive line room has shown tremendous improvement over the last two years, and it is all thanks to Joe Rossi for creating a scheme-heavy blitz system on defense.
“Rossi was calling plays for us in the right place, putting us in the right direction,” Khris Bogle said.
MSU came out slow at the beginning of the second quarter, but Chiles sparks the offense for an 11-yard rush to score Michigan State’s first touchdown of the year.
Kay’Ron Lynch -Adams, a surprise cornerstone for the offense saw a gaping hole in the defense and took it. Taking in a 63-yard score posting Michigan State up 16-0.
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams celebrates his touchdown in MSU’s 16-10 victory over FAU. (August 30 2024)“That was the offensive line’s touchdown,” Said Lynch-Adams. “As soon as I saw that crease open up, I just did what I needed to do and got to the end zone.”
In the second half, it was a race to pressure the quarterback. MSU’s defense was closing on Fancher all game, but his speed and movement provided a troubling problem for Rossi’s defense.
The Spartans came out shaky for the rest of the game, but the story of the night was the missed throws and penalties. Mistakes that did not help the Spartans win comfortably.
Targeting, late hits, and sloppy turnovers, gave FAU a chance to come back late in the fourth to win.
The biggest penalty came from Turner, with an unnecessary roughness call and unsportsmanlike conduct call, which moved the Spartans from their 44th-yard line to the MSU 29.
“We want to play with some aggression, but we’ve got to have some technique at the same time. We need to be smart around the sideline,” MSU head coach Jonathan Smith said.
MSU had many things to celebrate, a dynamic defense, great special teams, and flashes from the run game. The Spartans start 1-0, but things need to change to stay undefeated. “A win is a win.” Reiterated by Chiles and Smith, but some things need to be fixed.
MSU will prepare to back to work this week to correct their mistakes and get ready for Maryland on Saturday, September 7.
Twas the night before game day, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring not even a…. HOLY CRAP ITS THE NIGHT BEFORE GAME DAY. Don’t worry the usual crew has you covered. Join Oscar Henderson, Joe Dez, Tim Marshall, Derrick Mitchell, and Jacob Maurer as they give you a preview of MSU’s matchup vs FAU and some predictions. Later in the episode the panel also gives their thoughts on the other big games of Week 1. You won’t want to miss this one.
EAST LANSING- With just over 24 hours until the official start of Michigan State football’s 2024 season, many expectations and standards are being set for the success of the Spartans.
Coming into this season, there are many storylines to look for at the beginning of the 2024 season. Beginning with a brand new era brewing in East Lansing for the Spartans, Jonathan Smith is changing the culture and view of Michigan State and it starts on Friday.
With the addition of Smith, additional talent arrived from Oregon State. Quarterback Aidan Chiles, tight-end Jack Velling, offensive lineman Tanner Miller, along with a plethora of new coaches filling up the staff.
It all starts with your quarterback, and at Michigan State, a star has landed. Chiles has earned the call to be one of the five captains of the Spartans 2024 season.
Chiles has a large amount of potential that has translated to the success of his play in the offseason, but with the season looking ahead, he will need to take an extra step toward the Spartans overall success.
With Chiles set to be one of the significant leaders for the season, other players will have to step up for the Spartans, ensuring a better start than the 2023 season.
There are many Spartan leaders for every position on MSU’s roster, but Velling and running back Nathan Carter stand out as trailblazers for this team.
These two players have solidified their positions by the work they put in during the offseason. Velling and Carter have been sharpening each other, and that work ethic has spread throughout the entire team, making them legitimate threats on offense that Big Ten defenses will be scared of.
Another question Spartan fans are early to see is how star-studded freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh could be used in this fast-paced offense.
Who will Chiles target the most with his quick decision-making under pressure? These questions will all be answered this Friday night at Spartan Stadium.
Michigan State’s first opponent this season is FAU, a team looking to gain an identity this season. With it being year two under the reigns of Tom Herman, FAU has something to prove this Friday.
Florida Atlantic looks a lot different than it did last season, seeing many new transfers in key positions across their offense and defense.
Florida Atlantic’s new transfer quarterback Cam Fancher, had an impressive 2023 season throwing 2,162 yards and 11 touchdowns at Marshall. Fancher is smooth in the pocket with a great presence to take off when the pocket collapses.
FAU’s defense has a lot of holes that concern the defensive line and safety room specifically. MSU will have a good test on the offensive side against an unproven FAU.
Michigan State hopes to start the season strong under a brand new head coach with a new regime, and it begins now. The Spartans will start its season against FAU on Friday, August 30 with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.
EAST LANSING– The Big Ten enters a monumental season with major changes to the landscape of the conference. Some of the storylines include, adding four schools from the west coast, eliminating decisions and the Michigan Wolverines defending their title as National Champions. Here’s how the teams stack up before the season begins.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
After a disappointing 2023 campaign, the Buckeyes hit the portal hard, acquiring Senior Quarterback Will Howard from Kansas State and safety Caleb Downs from Alabama.
Ohio State will have one of the best ground games in the country. Transfer RB Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson give the Buckeyes a dynamic thunder and lightning backfield with Judkins being the speed and Henderson the power of the tandem.
Ohio State starts the season with a lighter non-conference schedule, squaring off against Akron, Western Michigan, and Marshall. The Buckeyes travel to Michigan State for their first road game. They also travel to Oregon and Penn State, with two tough road matchups against top 10 teams. And of course, an intense matchup with Michigan to wrap up the regular season.
2. Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks are a conference favorite in their inaugural season in the Big 10. Dan Lanning has rebuilt Oregon to a perennial national championship contender entering his third year in Eugene.
Oregon has been an attractive program for transfer quarterbacks. Two years ago, Bo Nix transferred to Eugene and turned his game around. This offseason, Oregon landed two high-profile players. Ex-Sooner Dillion Gabriel is the projected starter for the Ducks. The Southpaw threw for over 3,600 passing yards and 30 touchdowns at Oklahoma last season. Oregon also landed Dante Moore, a true sophomore who underperformed at UCLA last season.
The big question is how the Ducks will acclimate to the Big 10. The biggest game on their schedule is when they host Ohio State on Oct. 12 in a possible Big 10 Championship preview.
3. Michigan Wolverines
The Defending Champs. However, this squad is much different from Team 144. Harbaugh is out. McCarthy is out. With an NCAA punishment looming, new head coach Sherrone Moore will have to navigate a tough situation for the Wolverines to maintain their spot at the top.
Michigan’s defense is still elite, Defensive Lineman Mason Graham and Cornerback Will Johnson are first-round talents that will anchor the Wolverines defense. This squad will have to lean on their defense with many questions on the offensive side of the ball.
After scheduling weak non-conference opponents in years prior, Michigan has a tough matchup against Texas at the big house, a great litmus test for the new regime of Wolverines football.
4. Penn State Nittany Lions
This is a make-or-break year for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions. In the four-team playoff era, Franklin’s squads were frequently on the bubble but never made the top four. Now with the expanded playoff, there is more pressure for Penn State to make the postseason.
Drew Allar’s sophomore campaign was exceptional with 25 touchdowns and two interceptions. Allar lost some weapons to the transfer portal and will have to manage with a lesser supporting cast.
With a rearranged Big Ten, the Nittany Lions only have to play one of the conference’s major powerhouses Ohio State. A favorable schedule and veteran quarterback give Penn State a clear path to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
5. Iowa Hawkeyes
After being a laughing stock of college football for their poor offense, the Hawkeyes finally made some changes, firing Brian Ferentz, son of head coach Kirk Ferentz. The new offensive coordinator is Tim Lester, former senior analyst for the Green Bay Packers. Lester’s most recent term in college football was as head coach of the Western Michigan Broncos from 2017-2022.
Cade McNamara is looking to bounce back after a 2023 campaign that was cut short due to an ACL tear. The former Michigan quarterback has amassed 21 starts over his five seasons of collegiate football.
The Hawkeyes will no longer be able to beat up on the Big Ten West. But this season Iowa only has one tough matchup as they travel to Ohio State but they no longer have an easier path to the conference championship.
6. USC Trojans
After a disappointing 2023 season, Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have a chip on their shoulder as they begin their inaugural season in the Big Ten. USC starts with a tough out-of-conference game against LSU on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas.
2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams departing for the NFL is a tough blow for USC but Riley has no issue in developing elite quarterbacks with three Heisman-winners in the last seven years. This year, Miller Moss will be the guy for the Trojans. Moss, a redshirt junior, has been a backup quarterback at USC for the last three years, learning Riley’s system. Moss showed out in his first start, throwing for 362 yards and six touchdowns against Louisville in the Holiday Bowl.
7. Wisconsin Badgers
Entering his second year at the program, Luke Fickell has begun the rebuild of Wisconsin. Last season the Badgers went 7-5, a solid first season for Fickell. Coming into 2024, Wisconsin will be without leading rusher Braelon Allen who was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Jets.
Fickell brought in transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke from Miami. Van Dyke had a disappointing 2023 campaign in Coral Gables with 19 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions but looks to improve under Fickell, who has proven that he can develop quarterbacks at the collegiate level.
The Badgers have a gauntlet of a schedule, starting with hosting fifth-ranked Alabama at Camp Randall in week three. They will also face off against four ranked Big Ten opponents (USC, Iowa, Penn State, and Oregon). For the past decade the Badgers have had an easier schedule in the Big Ten West but now will have to battle some tough teams in conference.
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have high expectations for the upcoming season in the second year of head coach Matt Rhule’s tenure. The Cornhuskers crawled to the finish line of the 2023 season, losing their last four games and ultimately missing out on a bowl game, finishing 5-7.
Quarterback play was a glaring issue for Nebraska a year Prior. Rhule has brought in a five-star freshman quarterback from Georgia, Dylan Raolia. Raolia’s father Dominic Raolia was a two-time All-American center for the Cornhuskers during their peak in the late 90s. Raolia flipped his commitment from Georgia to Nebraska last winter.
Nebraska has the chance to start strong with a weak first half of the schedule. However, their competition ramps up in week nine when they travel to Columbus to face off against second-ranked Ohio State.
9. Washington Huskies
There are a lot of changes coming to the program in Seattle. After losing in the College Football Playoff Final to Michigan, Washington is switching conferences and switching head coaches as Kalen Deboar left to take over for Nick Saban at Alabama.
Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch will take over a depleted roster due to transfers and losses to the NFL Draft where Washington saw ten players get drafted to the NFL. Fisch will have some help, his staff includes defensive coordinator, Steve Belicheck, who brings his father Bill Belicheck as an advisor to the team.
This is expected to be a rebuilding year for Fisch but doesn’t mean the Huskies won’t play in marquee games, week six Washington hosts Michigan in a rematch of the 2023 Championship.
10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are no longer the bottom dwellers of the Big Ten. Last season marked their first winning season since 2014. Greg Schiano is entering the fifth season of his second tenure as head coach at Rutgers, it’s his 16th total season at the helm for the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers will lean on their experienced defense and hope that Minnesota transfer quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis can improve their struggling offense from a year prior.
The Scarlet Knights caught a good break with scheduling, the only ranked team on the schedule is USC. Avoiding the powerhouses will help Schiano and the Scarlet Knights as they continue to improve year after year.
11. Michigan State Spartans
The first season of the Jonathan Smith era begins in East Lansing as he brings over impact transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles and tight end Jack Veiling as impact transfers from his last stop at Oregon State.
Freshman four-star receiver Nick Marsh will provide a deep-threat to the Spartans offense that has been missing for some time. Veteran running back Nate Carter will be the primary back in his third year at Michigan State.
The middle four games on their schedule could rival for the toughest four-game stretch in college football. Facing off against Oregon and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks before hosting Iowa and then of course the in-state rivalry game against Michigan.
12. Maryland Terrapins
The Maryland Terrapins are coming off an eight-win season in 2023 but enter a transition time for the program.
The Terrapins will have a hole at quarterback after Taulia Tagovailoa was denied eligibility for a sixth year. NC State transfer quarterback MJ Morris and backup quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. will battle for the starting spot.
Maryland doesn’t have many tests in the first half of the season but they face off with Oregon and Penn State to close the season.
13. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois had a disappointing 2023 season, with a record of 5-7, the year after a record season under Bret Bielema in 2022.
Luke Altmyer, former Ole Miss backup, was the starter for the 2023 Fighting Illini. Altmyer started nine games last season, throwing for 1,883 passing yards and 13 passing touchdowns.
Bielema will lead his squad to try to upset one of the four ranked teams on the schedule. (Kansas, Penn State, Oregon, and Michigan).
14. Indiana Hoosiers
After Tom Allen’s Indiana Hoosiers never reached the same heights of the shortened 2020 season, Allen was relieved of his duties as head coach. The Hoosiers brought in Curt Cignetti, former James Madison head coach, who transformed the Dukes program at the FBS level.
Cignetti was active in the transfer portal this offseason bringing in twelve players from James Madison and thirty total transfers. Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke was all-MAC in 2023 after throwing eleven passing touchdowns for the Bobcats.
The Hoosiers have a win total of 5.5 games, according to the FanDuel Sportsbook.
15. Minnesota Golden Gophers
PJ Fleck enters his eighth season at the helm of the program for the Golden Gophers. In 2023, Minnesota narrowly made a bowl game even with a 5-7 record.
Fleck brings in new quarterback Max Brosmer from New Hampshire out of the transfer portal. Brosner will hopefully help improve Minnesota’s air attack, which was near the bottom of the Big Ten last season.
The Golden Gophers are another former Big Ten West team that will now face a harder schedule due to the extinction of divisions in the conference. Minnesota’s over/under win total is set at 5.5 according to the FanDuel Sportsbook.
16. UCLA Bruins
UCLA is in a tough spot as a program. Former head coach Chip Kelly left to take a demotion at a school in the conference at Ohio State. Former quarterback Dante Moore transferred in conference to become a backup quarterback at Oregon.
First-time head coach Deshaun Foster was one of the talking points after Big Ten media day for his interesting press conference. Foster brought in Eric Bieniemy, former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, to be the Bruins offensive coordinator.
UCLA has one of the toughest non-conference schedule games in the Big Ten. In week three the Bruins travel to Baton Rouge to face the 13th ranked LSU Tigers.
17. Northwestern Wildcats
The Wildcats will be playing at a temporary stadium on the shores of Lake Michigan. The program made a surprising turnaround in 2023. Despite a scandal and coaching change the Wildcats won seven more games than they did in 2022.
Starting quarterback Mike Wright enters his final year of eligibility after spending four years in the SEC at Mississippi State and Vanderbilt where Wright started 14 games, three for the Bulldogs and eleven for the Commodores.
The Wildcats’ toughest opponents include Penn State, Michigan, and Iowa this season. Their win total line is currently at 4.5 according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
18. Purdue Boilermakers
The Purdue Boilermakers are coming off a 4-8 season in 2023, don’t expect them to be much better this upcoming year.
Redshirt senior quarterback Hudson Card is back at Purdue for his final year of eligibility. Card spent his first three seasons at Texas where he played in 22 games as a Longhorn. In 2023, at Purdue, Card threw for 15 touchdowns and earned all-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors.
Purdue can still play the role of ‘Spoliermakers this year as they host national championship contender Oregon at Ross-Ade Stadium in October.
INDIANAPOLIS- Day two of Big Ten Media Days featured an array of traditional and new blood in the Big Ten Conference.
It introduced new teams and coaches to the conference for the first time while also highlighting long-standing Big Ten programs with more established head coaches.
Day two featured newcomers to the landscape of the Big Ten, USC, and UCLA, as well as four Big Ten staple programs, Iowa, Penn State, Nebraska, and Michigan State, all hoping to establish new goals and new hopes of their own.
This offseason marked the most changes conference-wide in its entire history. With huge changes like four new teams entering the conference or the abandonment of the East and West divisions, it can be easy for other changes to slide under the radar.
One of those drastic changes was Michigan State’s gutting and rebuilding of their coaching staff and using that staff to build and strengthen their roster.
This was a big theme with the questions asked to the members representing Michigan State at Big Ten Media Days. Those included head coach Jonathan Smith, running back Nathan Carter, tight end Jack Velling, and defensive back Dillion Tatum.
The day started with Jonathan Smith addressing the media with his opening statement. In his first fifteen minutes, he mentioned how important it was to have a good mix of new guys as well as coaches on his former staff.
He was able to have a good chunk of his staff follow him from Oregon State but with the new hires outside of the Beavers, he was very pleased with who they landed, especially the coaches he was able to get from previous Big Ten schools.
“With Chad Wilt and Joe Rossi having coordinated in this league at a really high level I felt really good about those two additions,” Smith said.
Chad Wilt, the new special teams coordinator for MSU comes from Indiana and Joe Rossi, the new defensive coordinator for the Spartans comes from Minnesota.
“Having two other coaches that have been former Spartans and played here with Courtney Hawkins and Demetrice Martin I think rounded out really well,” Smith said.
Those four coaches join a Jonathan Smith staff that both Smith himself and the players are excited to be a part of.
Dillion Tatum spoke about his new defensive coordinator Joe Rossi during his 30 minutes with the media.
“He is going to put all of my teammates in positions where we are going to be successful, to where we can play to our best ability. I think his defense is very good and you can tell by the accolades he built over the years,” Tatum said.
Tatum will be working with him for the first time as well as Demetrice Martin, the new cornerbacks coach, and Blue Adams, the new secondary coach.
As far as on the offensive end, players showed the same energy towards their new coaches. Jonathan Smith (head coach) Brian Wozniak (tight end coach) and Brian Lindgren (offensive coordinator) are all coming over to MSU from the Oregon State coaching staff.
Jack Velling, a transfer tight end from Oregon State, expressed how having most of Oregon State’s coaching staff go to Michigan State had a real impact on his decision.
Michigan State tight end Jack Velling speaks to the media about his upcoming season with the Spartans.“Right when it happened I didn’t know what I was going to do and the more I thought about it the more I thought that if I had stayed or if I went somewhere else I would be always looking back and thinking well what if I went there.”
“So I thought why would I ever want to think that and keep staying with the tight end coach and offensive coordinator who have gotten me where I am and just trying to stack another year on top of that,” Velling said.
Another offensive piece that should have a big impact this year is running back Nathan Carter.
He was one of the first to meet with the new MSU coaching staff and he made it known during his media day that the interaction helped him realize MSU football was heading in the right direction.
“My first interaction with them was in a way where I could sense that they cared about us and they cared about this culture and they cared about Michigan State as a whole and that’s important to me because that is what I care about,” Carter said.
Another offensive coach from Oregon State heading over to MSU is assistant and running backs coach Keith Bhonapha.
With Carter working with him the most in the offseason he had very positive things to say about the new culture Bhonapha brings to the running back room.
“He just incorporates a mindset where we are a family. Yes, we are competing, but it’s not necessarily that we are competing with each other. We are competing to be great, We are competing so that our running back room as a whole is great. Coach KB does a great job with us making sure we do stay as a family,” Carter said.
The new culture these Michigan State coaches have spread to their players all goes back to the motto head coach Jonathan Smith has set with his team, “Low Ego, High Output”.
This was repeated many times during both the coach’s and player’s media sessions.
Michigan State is set to start its training camp on Tuesday to prepare for the new schemes and challenges of the upcoming season.
Michigan State will open up their season at home against Florida Atlantic on August 30 at 7 p.m.
INDIANAPOLIS: Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith and the Michigan State Spartans head into the season with day two of the 2024 Big Ten Media Days.
Jonathan Smith, Junior running back Nathan Carter, cornerback Dillon Tatum, and tight end Jack Velling are in attendance for Michigan State’s media availability.
Smith started the day being very adamant and excited to take on this challenge, also living up to the pressure of the Michigan State helm.
“It’s always exciting, an exciting day to kick off and get started on a new adventure that my family and I are ready for,” Smith said.
After Michigan State’s 4-8 overall record last year, Athletic Director Alan Haller knew a change needed to be made. Jonathan Smith was hired as the head coach November 25 and the optimism in East Lansing could not be higher.
Smith has very high hopes for his veterans. Nathan Carter is a player who caught his eye immediately, and when he looks for a leader Carter always takes over that role.
Michigan State running back Nathan Carter speaks on his off-season success heading into the 2024 season. (Derrick Mitchell)Carter showed out during the Spartans spring game this year.
“Carter has been awesome for us, on and off the field. Coming off of getting married, he has had the best off-season of his life,” Smith said.
The 2024 Spartans schedule has a stretch against tough teams in the Big Ten seeing Ohio State, Oregon, Iowa, and Michigan from weeks five to eight. However, with Smith coaching in one of the toughest conferences, tough schedules are normal for him.
Moving from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, his responsibility has increased but his mantra has stayed the same.
“I have worked with the low ego, high output mantra for all of my players, and at Michigan State it is the same,” Smith said.
Michigan State’s defense has changed significantly with the addition of their new head coach. Star junior Dillon Tatum had the largest transition period finding his way in the secondary.
Michigan State safety Dillon Tatum talks about his position change and team goals for the 2024 season. (Derrick Mitchell)Tatum has played safety, nickel, and cornerback but finally solidified his role as a safety. His biggest goal is to build new relationships with the new guys on the roster and become a leader in Smith’s new defensive schemes.
The Spartans look to find the balance of being ultra-competitive and having a lot of patience for the growth of the team and its culture.
“You’re always building your start somewhere, you’re going to create your foundation and build off that with a constant state of improvement,” Smith said.
As Michigan State looks to rely more on the run game this season, Nathan Carter is going to spearhead their success.
In the 2023 season, Carter recorded a career-high in rushing yards with 798, also getting 185 carries and four touchdowns.
Carter looks to have another breakout season under Smith’s coaching, challenging himself in practice with his teammates.
“I think it’s healthy in a way that we are pushing each other. We want to see each other grow.” Carter said.
The Big Ten Media Days spark a new era for the conference, with new coaches and new teams to compete in the new 12-team playoff next season. Michigan State looks to take on the Big Ten with a new culture and a lot of improvement.
The Spartans kick off their season at Spartan Stadium against Florida Atlantic on August 30 at 7 p.m.
Jonathan Smith comes into the summer landing yet another recruit, the three-star Detroit native Jayden Savoury. Savoury committed earlier this morning adding to nine other commitments for the next class of 2025.
Savoury is listed as the 18th player in Michigan, the No. 41 tight end nationally, and also the 88th overall player in the class of 2025 per 247 Sports. Picking from his top four schools today, Savoury chose Michigan State over Wisconsin, Penn State, Northwestern, Rutgers, Duke, and many others.
The 6 ‘6 220 pound tight-end adds size and skill to the tight end room at MSU, being the second tight-end commitment since May 13 with the three-star Emmett Bork flipping from Wisconsin.
Graduating in 2025 from Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s, Savoury joins his teammate Charles White who has previously committed, with MSU targeting other Saint Mary’s stars Bryson Williams and Antonio Johnson to sway his decision.
With only beginning to play football in his junior year, he recorded 15 passes for 187 yards catching on quick to football with his frame and size.
To start his high school career, Savoury played basketball for two years and then gave football a shot. After playing football during the junior season, Savoury decided to fully commit to football. His goal now is to make the NFL, and committing to MSU is the first step to doing so.
Savoury being Johnathon Smith’s fourth commitment of the year, Michigan State is loading up on talent for the future, securing many 3-star recruits for the 2025 season.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State football concludes its spring practice with the Spring Showcase, where each coach and player were able to demonstrate their skills for the upcoming season.
The 26th head coach, Jonathan Smith, brings in his new staff and players to start a new regime of Michigan State football, and that starts with your quarterback, Oregon State transfer Aidan Chiles.
Coming into the transfer portal, Chiles started as the second overall quarterback in his class, who followed his coach from Oregon State to MSU. In the Spring Showcase, Chiles showed his ability to take on the reins of QB1.
“He looked comfortable and guys made some plays for him in the pass, which was great to see,” Smith said.
With the addition of Smith, a whole new culture was transferred to Michigan State, but with that culture came a very credible coaching staff. At the helm of Smith’s credible coaches, Offensive Coordinator and quarterback’s coach Brian Lindgren got right to work.
To start things off, Chiles threw a 23-yard bomb down the field to make his mark in Spartan Stadium. Shortly after, redshirt junior Nate Carter broke 2 tackles and took it to the house for a 48-yard Spartan touchdown. Speed and acceleration were an important training point for Carter, and his explosiveness is a stepping stone from last year’s performance.
“He runs really hard, we think that Nate is explosive and that fits well in the scheme. The first few practices he was getting his feet wet, but in the back half of the spring he became more and more comfortable,” Smith said.
The main focus of the new regime for coach Smith was that players need to play fast and need to be aggressive. Michigan State came out with a quick pass rush and quick decisions from the offense.
Nick Marsh, the 6-3 true freshman made his impact known on the offensive end, catching two deep balls from Tommy Schuster, solidifying another weapon for Chiles and the Spartans.
“I see a lot of Nick in me,” Chiles said. “He’s young, he’s a baller and he uses a lot of his talent every day. I did the same thing my freshman year. I thought about what I can do talent-wise and athletically.”
Coming back in the Green and White for the Spartans, redshirt senior Montorie Foster Jr. caught a long ball from Chiles down the sideline for 35 yards to put the offensive side up 21 to 17. Foster has become a leader in the receiver room, with his ability to play multiple positions, and with his knowledge, he can teach the rest of the receivers in the locker room.
MSU redshirt senior receiver Montorie Foster Jr. (3) celebrates after a reception for a first down during the the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Jack Moreland)The Spartans are playing a quick style of football that is intentional in their tackling.
Defensively, Michigan State continued to pressure the quarterback and let Chiles make his reads while on the run. In the third quarter, the Spartan defense kept up the pressure which made Chiles burst out of the pocket for a large gain. Chiles is very keen on sensing incoming pressure, and he ended up turning a large loss into a huge gain for Michigan State.
In the previous season, Michigan State’s defense was less dynamic, but in the new Smith Era, the entire defense is electric, with rushers attacking the quarterback at different angles at different times.
The Spartans now have depth at every position, both on offense and defense. Giving the coaching staff leverage to change every position from the receivers, to the offensive line depending on the play being run.
The Spring Showcase ended with the offense winning 31-24, with the help of many playmakers on the Michigan State roster. But both sides showed how ready they are for Big Ten conference play because their team has bought in on the new era.
“There is a difference between last year’s team and this team because this year you can add to the offense. You can see explosive plays and some very aggressive hustle as well,” said junior defensive back Dillon Tatum.
Michigan State spring football has come to an end. Now the Spartans set their sights on the fall, where they look to polish up their skills and be prepared for the first game of the 2024-25 football season.
EAST LANSING– Michigan State football capped off their spring practice window with the Spring Showcase at Spartan Stadium on Saturday.
It was the first time the public had been able to watch head coach Jonathan Smith lead the new-look Spartans.
The revamped offense led by Aidan Chiles
When Jonathan Smith inherited the program, there wasn’t a quarterback on scholarship. Quarterback Aidan Chiles followed Smith from Oregon State in the transfer portal. The incoming sophomore was the second-ranked transfer portal QB by 247 Sports.
MSU sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles (2) drops back to pass in the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Jack Moreland)Chiles found senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. early to start the afternoon. On the first play of the scrimmage, the two connected for a 22-yard strike over the middle. In a two-minute drill to finish the first half, Chiles found Foster Jr. again, this time for a 35-yard completion outside the numbers to put the offense in the red zone.
Fifth-year running back Nate Carter looked sharp. On the second play of the scrimmage, Carter took off for a 48-yard rushing touchdown. Later he would catch a wheel route in the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
for the first time this year…
TOUCHDOWN SPARTANS pic.twitter.com/H6dl6Slk6b
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) April 20, 2024
The Spartans’ offensive line was a driving force in most of these plays. Coach Smith was pleased with the performance up-front.
“It was probably their best day out of 15 [practices], looking at the offensive line and what we were able to do with protections,” said Smith.
Freshman Wide Receiver Shows Out
Freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh, a four-star recruit from River Rouge, Mich., was a bright spot for the second-string offense. Marsh created separation downfield and had multiple catches that resulted in first downs in the first.
MSU redshirt sophomore lineman Jacob Merritt (69) celebrates with freshman receiver Nick Marsh (15) after Marsh’s touchdown reception during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Jack Moreland)On the first play of the second half, Marsh showed his ability to take the top off the defense, getting behind both safeties for a 75-yard touchdown. Marsh had a good chemistry with North Dakota transfer back-up quarterback Tommy Schuster.
Coach Smith was impressed with the young wide receiver.
“I think Nick has really come on the last half of practices. You can tell he’s getting more and more comfortable in the scheme and he’s gifted physically,” said Smith.
Marsh has also grown closer to Chiles, who sees a lot of himself in Marsh.
“I see a lot of myself in Nick, we have different attitudes and everything but he’s young, he’s a baller and he drives a lot off of his talent,” said Chiles. “Coming into the fall we have to work with Nick and get him into the playbook.”
New Rules Implemented
This offseason there have been two major rule changes coming this fall to college football. First, the addition of the in-helmet communications. Now in college football, just like the NFL, quarterbacks can receive playcalls from coaches and no longer have to look over to the sideline for call signals.
“Yeah we’ve been using [Helmet mics] all spring, I thought it was solid,” said Smith. “We only have three of them so a couple of the quarterback guys didn’t have it. But I think that’s a good rule change for college football and being able to communicate that way.”
The new way of play calling has been complicated for Chiles.
“It’s a love/hate relationship there man, I’m used to signals you know, and if you get the signal wrong that’s on you, ” said Chiles. “But sometimes you don’t get the full call but we’re working on it and it’s easier than having the coaches on the field.”
This was also the first look we saw of the two-minute warning at the college level, another rule adapted from the NFL.
Michigan State will be back at Spartan Stadium to kick off the 2024 regular season against FAU on August 31.
EAST LANSING – On Saturday, Michigan State football participated in their first scrimmage of the spring, which tested the player’s ability to make in-game decisions. MSU defensive coordinator Joe Rossi thinks the talent in the linebacker room showed out during the scrimmage.
“You have practice and it’s done one play at a time, ‘hey it’s first down, it’s second down’. It’s all scripted right?,” Rossi said. “You get into a scrimmage, it’s more of a true game-like feel where you’re putting the ball down and you’re playing.”
Rossi was adamant about seeing his players in pressured moments, without it being a controlled environment.
With the addition of head coach Jonathan Smith and his staff, the offense has changed for the Spartans, but the defensive scheme is where the integration of a new style is the most important.
“It’s going to take time,” Rossi said. “They’ve got to be able to have a new verbiage, new fundamentals, and techniques that they have to be able to put together. It’s a race to get that done as quickly as possible.”
Defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa is set on building a new scheme for the Spartans. Sophomore defensive lineman Jalen Thompson is excited about the challenge of a more fast-paced role in the new defensive style.
“The difference from last year is I play a rusher who also drops back in coverage,” Thompson said. “It’s like a linebacker but on the front line, compared to last year being in a three-point defensive stance.”
With the changes to the Spartans’ style of play, each player is adjusting. Especially Thompson and the defensive front.
“I’m really taking in every little detail listening to coach,” Thompson said. “This scheme is more fast-paced, coming from a slower play style from last season. Getting used to that pace is the biggest adjustment.”
MSU’s spring practices come to a close with the spring showcase on April 20 at 2 p.m. in Spartan Stadium.
“The best part of spring is that we don’t have to get ready to play physically in a game. Our main focus is development and then teaching what the fundamentals are here,” Suiaunoa said.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State football kicked off spring practices on Tuesday.
Players feel optimistic about the shift in culture and adapting schemes under new head coach Jonathan Smith. After failing to make a bowl game in the last two seasons the Spartans are looking for a fresh start.
Senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. believes the culture around the program is changing for the better.
“There is definitely a difference, the culture has changed, but in a good way though,” said Foster. “There are guys in here that want to get better, they’re focused, they want to prove to the coaches that they can play too.”
Foster Jr. is excited to implement coach Smith’s West Coast offense.
“It favors a lot of wide receivers, spacing it out now, so I can’t wait to make big plays down the field,” said Foster Jr.
The Spartans hope to improve their offense from 2023 which scored the least amount of points in the Big Ten. Last season, Smith’s offense at Oregon State scored the 35th most points in the country.
Graduate defensive lineman Maverick Hansen explained the new defensive line concepts that allow the defensive line to be more aggressive.
“We’re trying to tackle the ball carrier in the backfield, not holding on to a double team and letting it cross the line of scrimmage before we fall onto it,” said Hansen.
Hansen is also impressed by the coaching staff and how they have taught the players the new defense.
“[The coaching staff] starts at the very beginning to make sure you understand all the moving parts and everything that is going on around and then stack on that every other day with a new install that builds on the previous install,” said Hansen.
Last season the Spartans dealt with a plethora of injuries. This offseason there has been more of a focus on staying healthy.
“It is a little more body-driven, we’re focused on the body a lot,” said junior defensive back Dillion Tatum. “We’re using rollers, stretching a lot more while also getting our work in. Our workouts have been a lot longer than what it used to be.”
Michigan State will continue spring practices until their Spring Showcase at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, April 20.
Matt Merrifield and Jay Decoster return to discuss the hiring of Jonathan Smith as the next head coach of Michigan State football. They breakdown the roster outlook heading into the offseason with all the entries into the transfer portal and preview the conference championships.
EAST LANSING – With the hiring of former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith, Michigan State football began a new era, by introducing the 26th head coach in school history on Tuesday afternoon at the Breslin Center.
“I think Michigan State is a place where you can develop. Diving into a team meeting yesterday, diving into the idea of being a program, a program of substance on and off the field,” Smith said. “We want to be a place of substance on and off the field. We are gonna be process-oriented, and this takes a minute.”
The announcement of Smith is a fresh start for the Michigan State football program that fired former head coach Mel Tucker three weeks into the season, was outscored 170-10 against No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Washington, No. 6 Ohio State, and No. 10 Penn State, and failed to make a bowl game for the second consecutive year, going 4-8.
Smith, who went 25-13 the past three seasons at Oregon State, has already brought in five assistant coaches from his former school, according to reports. Those coaches are expected to be offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren, offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, running backs coach Keith Bhonapha, tight ends coach Brian Wozniak, and secondary coach Blue Adams.
An alma mater of Oregon State, Smith talked about his transition from the west coast to East Lansing.
“I thought a lot of what I value, which, wherever I’m at, I’m gonna value these things – the family piece, the community network, a passionate fan base, the opportunity to win, the resources available to win, a community that is invested to win, I feel like all of that was here,” Smith said.
According to MSU athletic director Alan Haller, Jonathan Smith will receive a seven-year contract at $7.25 million per year annually.
“At the end of the day, this is probably the last football coach I’ll hire as the AD here at Michigan State, and I understand that,” Haller said. “This will be the last coach that I hire at Michigan State, and I know that. We had to get this right.”
EAST LANSING – Three days after MSU football finished the 2023 season with an 4-8 record, several Michigan State players have announced their decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal on Monday, according to reports.
LB Darius Snow:
Snow, who missed the majority of 2022 and 2023 with injuries, recorded 98 tackles and one interception in 22 career games at MSU. He has two more seasons of eligibility remaining.
OL Spencer Brown:
Brown was a two-year starter on the Spartans’ offensive line, and played 783 snaps in 2022.
QB Katin Houser:
Houser, who started the last seven games, and threw for 1,132 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions for the Spartans, became the third MSU football player to enter the portal on Monday. The 6-foot-3 and 215 pound quarterback was a four-star recruit from Bellflower, CA, and has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
OL Ethan Boyd:
Boyd was a member of the 2021 recruiting class, and started three games at right tackle for the Spartans. Wigenton did not play a snap in 2023, and played a total of 12 snaps on offense in 2022.
OL: Kevin Wigenton:
Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Kevin Wigenton and played a total of 12 snaps on offense in 2022. In 2023, he competed for the starting spot of the offensive line, and did not play a snap.
QB Sam Leavitt:
Leavitt became the second MSU quarterback to enter the transfer portal on Monday. The former four-star recruit from Oregon appeared in four games, throwing for 139 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Leavitt used his redshirt year late in the 2023 season.
QB Noah Kim:
As of Tuesday, Michigan State football does not have a quarterback on scholarship. Kim is the latest player to enter the transfer portal after earning the starting job in fall camp. The redshirt junior only started five games for the Spartans, throwing for 1,090 yard, six touchdowns, and six interceptions.
WR Christian Fitzpatrick:
A transfer from Louisville in May 2021, Fitzpatrick suffered season-ending injury in 2022. The wide receiver from Southfield, Michigan returned to the lineup in 2023, catching 18 passes for 252 yards.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State football has officially hired Jonathan Smith as the university’s next head coach, according to a press release. Smith is the 26th head football coach in school history.
Smith, who was at Oregon State for six seasons, went 25-13 in his time with the Beavers, including an 8-4 record in the regular season, along with a third straight bowl appearance.
Smith was named the 2022 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, and has built OSU into a contender in the conference.
“Today is an exciting day for Michigan State as we welcome Jonathan Smith, wife Candace, and children Robert, Bella and Charles into the Spartan family,” said MSU athletic director Alan Haller.
“Jonathan has a proven track record of success, building the Oregon State program from the ground up by implementing a plan resulting in sustained historic success for the Beavers. He’s been a part of championship staffs, coached in the College Football playoff, and understands what’s required to be successful at the highest level, learning from some of the game’s most successful coaches.”
Under Smith, the Beavers went 16-2 at Reser Stadium, creating one of the toughest home atmospheres in all of college football.
Smith was a four-year letterwinner quarterback for Oregon State from 1998-2001, where he led the Beavers to a program-record 11 win season.
DETROIT – The Michigan State football team closed out its 2023 season with a loss against No. 11 Penn State, falling 42-0 on Friday evening at Ford Field.
It was another offensive struggle for the Spartans, as they were shutout for the second time this season. Michigan State’s first shutout loss was against Michigan on Oct. 21, losing 49-0.
“I told the team that in life, things will happen. You guys will be able to look back on this season as an adverse situation,” MSU interim head coach Harlon Barnett said. “I told them to keep pushing, and when you keep pushing on the other end, there is something better.”
On Penn State’s first drive of the game, sophomore quarterback Drew Allar was sacked by graduate senior linebacker Aaron Brule, forcing a Nittany Lions field goal.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Katin Houser got the start for the final time this season. His first drive got the MSU offense into Penn State territory, but his pass was intercepted on third-and-nine.
The Nittany Lions kept their offense rolling, with a 50-yard run from running back Nicholas Singleton.
Despite a slow start on offense and settling for two field goals in the first three drives, Penn State found its groove, recording five touchdowns and generating 568 yards of total offense.
On the ground, PSU recorded 283 yards. Kaytron Allen led the team with 15 carries for 137 yards, along with Nicholas Singleton right behind him, with 18 carries for 118 yards.
Like most of its games this season, the Michigan State offense couldn’t generate any positive momentum, with a total yardage of 68, along with -20 rushing yards, a season low.
Drew Allar, who has had his share of struggles this season, had one of his best games of the season, throwing for 292 yards and two touchdown passes.
Penn State redshirt freshman Beau Primula celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against MSU on Friday, November 24, 2023 at Ford Field. (Jack Moreland)Michigan State finishes the 2023 season with a 4-8 record, its worst finish since 2016, where the football program went 3-9 after winning the Big Ten and making its first ever College Football Playoff appearance in 2015. The last time MSU went 4-8 was 2006.
“I think a lot of guys have to make a lot of decisions for themselves and put themselves in the best situation possible,” redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter said. “We do have guys that will play. We hope that we can continue to grow on that and also bring people in to help us be a better team.”
Now that the season is concluded, the university will continue its search for the next head coach of Michigan State football. It will be the 26th coach in MSU history.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Michigan State football picked up its fourth win of the season on Saturday afternoon, in a 24-21 thriller over the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium.
The Spartans took back the Old Brass Spittoon with the win, which went to Indiana after last year’s 39-31 loss at Spartan Stadium.
“Our guys did a good job of making plays down the stretch,” MSU interim head coach Harlon Barnett said. “That’s what you have to do when you’re going to finish like that.”
The Michigan State offense started off strong, with a touchdown pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Katin Houser to redshirt junior tight end Maliq Carr on the first drive of the game.
Two minutes later, the Hoosiers responded with a 4-yard touchdown from freshman running back Trent Howland.
Michigan State continued to stick with Katin Houser as the starting quarterback. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Andrew Schorfhaar handled the backup duties, replacing freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, who did not travel with the team. Leavitt will plan to use his redshirt year, making him ineligible to play the rest of the 2023 season.
Houser finished the day 26-of-41, 245 yards, three touchdown passes, and two interceptions.
“We knew going into this week that it was a big game for us. We wanted to bring the Spittoon back where it belongs,” Houser said. “Being able to see the trophy and spend time with the guys was huge.”
“He’s [Houser] similar to Sam [Leavitt], very confident and close to cocky. I love those guys because they believe in their abilities, and that’s what allows them to play at a high level,” Barnett said.
At the end of the first half, senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. made a highlight-reel one handed catch, then shook off two defenders and ran to the endzone for a 29-yard touchdown.
MSU went up 14-7 after the touchdown.
The second half featured more big plays from Maliq Carr, who hauled in nine receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Carr, who has missed time due to injuries this season, had his best game of the season, and was a focal point in MSU’s offense that helped the team pick up the fourth win of the season.
With the Spartans trailing 24-21 late in regulation, Katin Houser made a big play happen in a crucial moment. Houser spun away from pressure, scrambled to his left, and let the ball fly to Maliq Carr, who took a big hit after the catch. Carr found the endzone after the catch, giving MSU the lead late.
MSU redshirt junior tight end Maliq Carr runs into the end zone at the end of his second touchdown reception against Indiana on November 18, 2023 at Memorial Stadium. (Jack Moreland)“It was just a scramble drill. We practice it every day at practice. I turned around, he saw me, and we made it happen,” Carr said.
On the next drive, Indiana quarterback Brendan Sorsby found wide receiver Dequece Carter for a 9-yard completion to get to the MSU 27-yard line.
A few plays later, Sorsby was called for intentional grounding, backing up the Hoosier offense.
Indiana kicker Chris Freeman came on for a 48-yard field goal attempt, but missed wide right.
Michigan State clinched the 24-21 victory, improving to 4-7 on the season.
The Spartans will close out the 2023 season on Friday, Nov. 24 against No. 12 Penn State in Detroit. Matt Merrifield and Zac Slowik will be on the call from Ford Field at 7:30 p.m.
Amidst the suspension of Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker, who was accused of sexual harassment, now begs the question: How will Michigan State football move forward amongst all the chaos surrounding the program? MSU suspended Tucker on Sunday, Sept. 10 without pay as the university continues its investigation, leaving the fourth-year head coach’s...
After three seasons, Mel Tucker’s time at Michigan State has come to an end. Despite being placed on unpaid administrative leave after the publishing of a report from USA Today that accuses Tucker of sexual harassment, he has, for all intents and purposes, coached his last game at MSU.
Tucker’s suspension, and his inevitable removal, is another demoralizing moment within MSU’s athletic department, on a campus that has grown far too accustomed to scandals and tragedy. It is another gut-wrenching chapter in the university’s complicated history, that once again plasters MSU’s name across televisions and websites across the world, portraying the school in a negative light that it has become desperate to get away from, but cannot seem to avoid.
However, this is no longer just about sports. Nor is it just about the university itself.
It is about a community that has done nothing but support Michigan State University, only to be disappointed, deceived, and left in the dark yet again. It is about a student body that has annually rallied around MSU through all of its trials and tribulations, while dealing with the trauma, disappointment, and challenges that encompass being a student on this campus during such a tumultuous time period. Far too often, there is another dark cloud casted over the school in some capacity, with even larger ones hanging overhead from a not-so-distant past, leaving students to watch their university wade through murky waters that, despite their familiarity, never become easier to navigate.
Sunday’s press conference provided very little additional information on the matter.
Three questions were allowed from the media, with all of them pertaining to football in some capacity. Three. The transparency, or lack thereof, has only amplified the restlessness, confusion and apprehension amongst students, alums, and fans alike, and brings another looming situation over the athletic department for the foreseeable future. According to a university spokeswoman, Title IX protocol kept MSU athletic director Alan Haller, university president Teresa K. Woodruff, and MSU’s leadership in the dark on the explicit details of Tucker’s case. Despite being made aware that a report had been filed in December, leadership was informed on some of the aforementioned details Saturday night. However, the school failed to mention this in the press conference, adding another oddity to an already troubling situation. Once again, MSU is in crisis mode, leaving the football program to navigate the rest of its season while simultaneously being engulfed in a storm that is only beginning.
At some point, when is it enough? When do the tragedies, acts of misconduct, and scandals finally stop? When does this community get to fully heal from its wounds, without another one opening in the meantime? When can this community provide its unwavering support without dealing with constant disappointment, heartache and turmoil?
There isn’t a clear answer on when or if that happens. Moments like Sunday’s press conference serve as a harsh reminder of the glaring issues that have re-exposed MSU’s shortcomings, and alienated everyone else in the process.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker has been suspended without pay, the university announced in a press conference on Sunday afternoon.
The move, announced by MSU athletic director Alan Haller, comes after a report was published by USA Today just after midnight on Sunday morning, hours after Michigan State’s second game of the season against Richmond. The article detailed accusations of sexual harassment from Michigan-based Title IX attorney Rebecca Leitman Veidlinger, who began working on the case in January.
“This step to place Mel Tucker on an unpaid leave is equally necessary and appropriate for today’s circumstances,” MSU interim president Teresa K. Woodruff. “These actions are not taken lightly, and I know AD Haller is making them in support of the individuals impacted.”
Veidlinger completed and submitted her 106-page investigation on July 25.
An official hearing is set for the week of October 5, during MSU’s bye week. According to the article from USA Today, another Title IX attorney was hired by Michigan State to determine if Tucker violated university rules.
“I want to reinforce that these matters are unique and complex, and our investigations are designed to be comprehensive and fair,” said MSU interim president Teresa K. Woodruff. “Our guiding principles are equity and process and confidentiality for all involved, in order to protect the integrity of the investigation.”
Haller announced that secondary coach Harlon Barnett will coach the team on an interim basis. Former MSU head coach Mark Dantonio will serve as an associate head coach.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State football took care of business on Saturday afternoon in their second game on the season, pounding the Richmond Spiders 45-14 and improving to 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.
With another slow start from the offense, MSU stepped on the gas with six straight drives resulting in points.
“We started fast on defense, we didn’t start as fast on offense but we were able to get going,” Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker said. “We just have to continue to get better, learn from our mistakes, and build on things we did well.”
After a muffed Richmond punt, the Spartans capitalized on the turnover with an 11-yard touchdown pass from redshirt junior Noah Kim to redshirt senior Tre Mosley.
“I thought our performance was better. We showed some improvement, and that was one of the key things we focused on in practice this week,” MSU quarterback Noah Kim said. “I still think there is a lot to improve on, but overall I thought it was a good win.”
The second quarter of play began with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Noah Kim to Boise State transfer tight end Tyneil Hopper. The sixth-year transfer scored his first touchdown as a Spartan.
As MSU concluded play against two of its three non-conference opponents, the real test begins on Sept. 16, when the No. 8 Washington Huskies come into East Lansing.
We will quickly find out if MSU’s defense improved from a season ago, as Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Penix Jr. will provide the toughest test yet this season for MSU’s defense. Last season, Penix recorded 397 yards and four touchdowns against Michigan State.
“I see a lot of communication and a lot of guys that know how to work with each other,” said sophomore defensive back Dillon Tatum. “I think we’re going to do very well. We have a lot of confidence and a lot of young guys. We just have to keep working.”
Mel Tucker emphasized that his traditional 24-hour rule will not be in effect this week, as the team gets ready for Washington.
“The team celebrated in the locker room. Washington is on the clock,” Tucker said.
Connecticut transfer running back Nathan Carter showed more flashes of his potential, with three rushing touchdowns on the day, including a 44-yard touchdown run. Carter finished with 111 rushing yards on 11 carries.
Nathan Carter rushes towards the end zone en route to scoring a touchdown against Richmond at Spartan Stadium on September 9, 2023. (Jack Moreland)Richmond’s two touchdowns of the day came off of MSU turnovers. Running backs Jordan Simmons and Davion Primm each fumbled on their carries, leading to two scores from the Spiders.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Antonio Gates Jr. saw action late in the game, and caught his first touchdown in the green and white, with a 45-yard catch from Noah Kim, putting the Spartans up 38.
Redshirt junior Noah Kim made his second career start on Saturday, and it was a good one. Kim finished his day completing 18 for 22 passes, 292 yards, and three touchdowns. After a sluggish first half against Central Michigan, Kim has looked calm and collected in his first two games as a Spartan.
“He’s a good player. He’s got some talent. He can do a lot of things. We saw his ability to run the ball today, and he throws a really nice ball,” Tucker said.
Kim completed 15 straight throws in his outing, two of those going for touchdowns.
Michigan State will stay at home on Sept. 16, as the Spartans host No. 8 Washington for a 5:00 p.m kickoff at Spartan Stadium. You can listen to the game on 88.9 FM, with Zac Slowik and Matt Merrifield on the call.
EAST LANSING – For the first time in history, Michigan State and Richmond faced off on Saturday afternoon. “Really proud of the way our team came out. We did not do these guys lightly,” said Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker in the post-game press conference. Here are four takeaways from Saturday’s game: The running...
EAST LANSING — Michigan State football opened its 2023 season victorious on Friday evening, defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas 31-7 at Spartan Stadium.
After a first half filled with penalties and stalled drives, Michigan State was able to clean up its miscues, leading to a blowout win against its in-state opponent from Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
“I just thought we had some jitters out there,” said Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker. “We started slow, but we kept choppin’ and we were able to execute in all three phases and get the win.”
On the game’s first play, UConn transfer running back Nathan Carter came out of the gates with a 31-yard run.
The Michigan State offense went stagnant after Carter’s run, as the Spartans only put up six yards through the air in the first 20 minutes of action.
In the second quarter, the Chippewas scored the first touchdown of the contest, with a 12-yard pass to Chris Parker to go up 7-3.
The Spartans quickly responded with a 32-yard pass from quarterback Noah Kim to redshirt freshman wide receiver Jaron Glover to enter CMU territory. Shortly after, Nathan Carter ran up the middle for a two-yard touchdown to give the Spartans a four-point lead.
Kim, who was named the starter by head coach Mel Tucker on his pregame radio show, completed 10 of his first 21 passes in the first half but made second-half adjustments to improve his night. The redshirt junior finished the game with 279 yards and two touchdowns.
“Over the course of time, he won the job. This is his fourth season. He knows the offense. We feel like he can go and run the offense,” said Tucker.
“It’s the first game, mistakes are bound to happen,” said Kim. “We made some great plays out there, but we definitely left some out there.”
It was all Spartans in the second half, led by MSU’s defense that was flying around the field. Linebackers Cal Haladay and Jacoby Windmon combined for 18 tackles in the win. Halladay, a two-year letterwinner, also had an interception.
“In the first half, we had a little bit of a slow start,” said Haladay. “We got a lot of cleaning up to do.”
The second half featured a couple of highlight-reel moments. Redshirt junior wide receiver Christian Fitzpatrick hauled in a 72-yard reception to put MSU in the red zone, and sophomore wide receiver Tyrell Henry went up and caught a one-handed touchdown from Noah Kim to put the Spartans up 24-7 in the fourth quarter.
Tyrell Henry makes a catch in the end zone during the fourth quarter of Michigan State’s season opener vs. Central Michigan. Photo Credit: Jack Moreland/WDBM (Jack M)Four minutes later, Michigan State got possession and drove back down the field, with redshirt junior Maliq Carr catching an eight-yard touchdown pass.
Michigan State is now 9-0 in its traditional Friday night games at Spartan Stadium.
The Spartans start off their 2023 season 1-0 and will be back at home next Saturday for a date with the Richmond Spiders on Sept. 9 at 3:30 p.m. Zac Slowik and Matt Merrifield will be on the call from Spartan Stadium on Impact 89FM.
EAST LANSING — Football season is finally here. As Michigan State goes through its final preparations for game one, the Spartans are set to host the Central Michigan Chippewas at Spartan Stadium for its annual “Stripe the Stadium” game on Friday evening. The Spartans are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2022 season, which...
Matt, Zac, and, Jay preview Michigan State’s season opener against Central Michigan and give predictions for the upcoming season including who will be QB1 for the Spartans.
INDIANAPOLIS – 2023 Big Ten Football Media Days are in full swing in Indiana’s capital. With the start of the season just over a month away, Big Ten coaches and players gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium for its annual Big Ten Media Days. Michigan State Football head coach Mel Tucker, wide receiver Tre Mosley, offensive...
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State 2023 football schedule got a big shake-up on Wednesday afternoon, as the team announced it will play Penn State at Detroit’s Ford Field in a primetime Black Friday matchup on Nov. 24 at 7:30 pm.
The game marks the first time Michigan State has played at Ford Field since 2010, when the Spartans defeated Florida Atlantic 30-17 on Sept. 11.
Michigan State was originally scheduled to host this matchup at Spartan Stadium for the last home game of the 2023 season. The Spartans will now host six games for this upcoming season.
Primetime in the Motor City.#RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/mPsUK93145
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) May 24, 2023
According to the university, season ticket holders and student season pass holders who already paid for the game will be refunded for tickets and parking.
Payton Thorne and Keon Coleman enter NCAA transfer portalTakeaways from Michigan State’s spring gameSpartans look to impress as spring practice comes to a close
EAST LANSING – Michigan State football got hit with some abrupt news on Sunday afternoon, as redshirt senior quarterback Payton Thorne and junior wide receiver Keon Coleman are entering the NCAA transfer portal, according to reports.
Thorne threw for 6,494 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions during his time in East Lansing. In 2021, he broke the school record for most touchdown passes thrown in a single season with 26.
In 2022, Thorne finished the year throwing for 2,679 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Thorne’s departure signals a two-quarterback competition for MSU, as redshirt junior Noah Kim and redshirt freshman Katin Houser will most likely be battling for the No. 1 spot.
Coleman led all Michigan State wide receivers in 2022, with 58 receptions, 798 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-4 wideout became the focal point in the Spartans’ offense in 2022, and will likely draw significant interest from other schools.
Coleman also appeared on the basketball court at Michigan State, playing in six games during the 2021-22 season.
Takeaways from Michigan State’s spring gameSpartans look to impress as spring practice comes to a closeKeon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on football
The New football beat headed too Spartan Stadium for the Spring football activities. Zac & Matt were joined by multiple guest discussing all MSU Football.
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State football team had its spring game on Saturday, April 15 at Spartan Stadium.
The game featured a 15-period practice session, with scrimmage periods in the second half.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
The quarterback competition isn’t over yet
This spring, there has been an ongoing quarterback competition for who will be QB1. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson revealed at the beginning of spring football that fifth-year senior Payton Thorne, redshirt sophomore Katin Houser, and senior Noah Kim were the top three prospects.
MSU head coach Mel Tucker discussed the competition happening throughout the spring that will continue through the summer and fall, when looking at what was laid out on the field at the spring game.
“Today was very different from what we’ve seen on those guys throughout the spring,” said Tucker.
Payton Thorne celebrates with a teammate after a touchdown during Michigan State’s Spring Game on April 14, 2023. Photo Credit: Jack Moreland/WDBMThe running game is a must
MSU has five returning running backs, two transfers and one incoming freshman. It was tough for MSU to lose Elijah Collins, but Tucker is confident in transfers Nathan Carter and fifth-year Jaren Mangham.
“Both of those players are going to help us win,” said Tucker.
Mangham is a transfer from the University of Southern Florida. He had previously trained with Tucker at Colorado as a true freshman.
“He’s a smart player, really good ball skills, catching the ball out of the backfield and he understands pass protection as well,” said Tucker.
Carter is a junior transfer from the University of Connecticut.
“He’s got really good explosiveness, good vision, and he runs with a lot of toughness. He also has really good ball skills,” said Tucker.
Every position is up for grabs
Head Coach Mel Tucker during Michigan State’s Spring Game on April 14, 2023. Photo Credit: Jack Moreland/WDBMWith every player on the field receiving reps, players who weren’t quite yet on anyone’s radar had breakout plays.
Tucker discussed that he and the coaching staff feel every player understands the expectations and standards they are putting forward.
“I think every position has had a really good competition,” said Tucker.
In the final seconds of the spring game, Kim completed a stellar pass to redshirt sophomore Anotonio Gates Jr. Additionally, junior kicker Stephen Rusnak completed a 43-yard field goal attempt.
“We’re just going to focus on getting better every single day,” said Tucker. “We have quite a few workouts and practices before our first game, so we’ve got a lot of opportunities to improve.
Spartans look to impress as spring practice comes to a closeKeon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on footballJayden Reed declares for 2023 NFL Draft
EAST LANSING – Just as Michigan State’s basketball season comes to a close, the buzz for the football season is just beginning. Michigan State football held a press conference on March 30 to talk about offseason work, what to expect heading into the season, and how the team looks to improve from a disappointing 2022 campaign.
With Tuesday’s press conference focusing mainly on offense, the talking point shifted to the defensive side of the ball on Thursday.
New Michigan State cornerbacks coach Jim Salgado spoke to the media again and was asked about the transition from the NFL to college football, and how the coaching style may be different.
“I’m still going to be the same person that I am. I’m going to coach [players] to the best of my ability to help them succeed,” Salgado said. “Whether I was coaching on Sundays or Saturdays…[players] want to be coached. At the end of the day, [players] want to know one. You care about them. Two. You’re there to help them succeed.”
Young players in the secondary said that there was a focus this offseason on building chemistry with each other both on and off the field. Sophomore cornerback Dillon Tatum spoke highly of his roommate Jaden Mangham and the other sophomores in his class.
“Last year, there was a couple older guys that were playing, so now that they’re gone, it’s the young 2022 class,” Tatum said. “You got myself, Jaden, and Malik Spencer here…I think as a group, we’re going to be tight.”
The 2022 class is full of raw talent, and there is no exception with Jaden Mangham. Mangham showed promise last season as a freshman, before a scary head and neck injury in MSU’s loss to Ohio State derailed his season; however, he is not letting an injury get in the way of him making an impact for Michigan State this season.
“It definitely made me better,” said Mangham. “Injuries will always happen, so once that happened to me, I just basically found that as I got that out of the way. So now I can actually take it to the next level, and I know what I have to do…I know what I should do to avoid what happened.”
The young class of 2022 has many bright spots and the players are ready for the bright lights. As the spring game approaches, many Michigan State fans will be intrigued to see who is producing on the defensive side of the ball and what the lineup is going to look like. If you ask Tatum what the secondary is going to do, his answer is quite clear.
“I feel like we’re going to replicate the No Fly Zone,” said Tatum.
Keon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on footballJayden Reed declares for 2023 NFL DraftCam’s Corner: Death by execution
EAST LANSING — Michigan State announced on Tuesday that sophomore wide receiver and guard Keon Coleman will not be a part of the basketball team this season and will focus on his football development, according to a statement.
The announcement came a week after the team said that Coleman joined basketball practice. He will focus on spring football for head coach Mel Tucker.
A little late on this one as I made my way up to EL for tonight's game, but news out of MSU today is that Keon Coleman will not be playing basketball at MSU at this time in order to focus on his bright football career. Statement from Spartans coach Tom Izzo below. @WDBMSports pic.twitter.com/tH2QdAaZTD
— Michael Markoch (@mcmarkoch20) January 3, 2023
“Keon Coleman and I spoke at length this week and we came to the joint decision that it would be best for him to focus on his football career and not join the basketball team at this time,” head men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo said on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-4 guard was a highly-rated three-sport athlete from Opelousas Catholic in Louisiana. He starred in football, basketball and track and field before he was recruited to Michigan State for football and basketball.
Coleman has 65 career receptions for 848 yards and eight touchdowns for the Spartan football team in his first two seasons. He also led the team in catches in 2022 with 58.
“Keon [Coleman] had a great football season, and it’s in his best interests to take the next few months to get ready for spring football, while also taking care of his academic obligations,” Izzo said.
On the hardwood, Coleman featured in six games for Izzo’s side and recorded his first career points against Michigan on Jan. 29, 2022.
“I love Keon and have such great admiration for him, but I also want what is best for him and his future,” Izzo said. “I’m glad we agreed that this was the best plan of action moving forward.”
EAST LANSING – After deciding to not enter the 2022 NFL draft last season, redshirt senior wide receiver Jayden Reed has declared for the 2023 NFL draft.
On Sunday, Nov. 27, Reed took to Instagram to give thanks and shared his decision to enter the draft.
“I am extremely blessed to announce that I will be entering the 2023 draft to accomplish lifelong goals,” Reed said.
Reed was named a first-team All-American after an impressive 2021 season where he recorded 1,026 receiving yards and scored 13 touchdowns.
Had Reed entered the 2022 draft, many scouts had him projected as a first or second round pick in a talented wide receiver class. Although Reed is returning to the draft a year older, his ability still resides and could assist him in bettering his draft position.
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State Spartans fell in overtime to the Indiana Hoosiers as a second-half comeback proved to quell the Spartans’ postseason hope for at least another week. On a cold and windy senior day at Spartan Stadium, the Spartans could not hold off the Hoosiers as they came away with the 39-31 victory.
Here are three takeaways from the Spartans’ overtime loss to Indiana.
Berger is a force
Michigan State’s run offense has had its fair share of bad games. Something needed to change from a season-low seven yards against Ohio State and two abysmal under 50-yard performances against Minnesota and Michigan if the Spartans wanted to go bowling. That change was Jalen Berger.
Since MSU’s 29-7 loss to Michigan, the run offense has improved drastically, culminating in three-straight games with over 100 yards rushing. In the previous two games, Berger had accounted for 54% of MSU’s total rush yards. Having Berger in the backfield has allowed the Spartans to suffocate opposing defenses and take valuable time off the clock.
Today was a similar story. Berger was dominant in his time on the field, amassing 119 yards on 21 carries as the Spartans put up 223 rushing yards against the Hoosiers. It was Berger’s third time breaking 100 yards on the ground this season, after failing to do so since his 107-yard performance against Akron.
It was also his second-highest rushing total this season after rushing 120 yards in the season opener.
Michigan State had been able to pull out victories in the past few weeks with the resurgence of the ground game. Allowing a mix of play calls and proper execution had given the Spartans the ability to not have to rely on Payton Thorne as much, while also keeping guys in the running back rotation fresh.
Today, a mix of other factors led to the Spartans’ crumble. However, if anything positive can be taken from this game, it’s that Berger is going to be instrumental if the Spartans want to go bowling.
Second half collapse
Michigan State was dominant for a majority of the first half holding Indiana to 81-yards of total offense, with 50 of those coming on Indiana’s opening drive that resulted in a touchdown. The Spartans were limiting Indiana’s play calling to be one-dimensional, and even though Indiana looked deadly on kick and punt returns, the Spartans held their own.
Until the floodgates broke.
After the Spartan offense floundered on their opening possession of the second half, Indiana’s Shaun Shivers found the endzone on a 79-yard rushing touchdown that brought Indiana within two scores. Though the Spartans scored on the ensuing possession, Indiana would get a huge momentum boost with a Jaylin Lucas 88-yard kickoff return touchdown that kept Indiana in the game.
Indiana went back to the ground game, and for good measure, it was the only thing that worked against the Spartan defense. Indiana amassed only 37 yards through the air with most of that coming one-yard 24-yard completion in the second overtime period. The rest of their 288 yards of total offense came on the ground.
It was the perfect game plan to rely on as the Spartans did not seem to have an answer for the combined rushing attack of Shivers and quarterback Dexter Williams II. Michigan State, which had dealt with one of the nations best running backs in Illinois’ Chase Brown, could not find a way to keep Shivers and Williams II in check as the two ran for a combined 201 yards.
For a Michigan State side that had taken some monumental steps forward in run defense, today was a massive leap in the wrong direction.
Special Teams
It has been a freaky year, to say the least, when it comes to special teams. Long gone are the days when the Spartans had a “closer” and field goals have been a problem all year for the Spartans.
Today it cost them dearly.
With an opportunity to secure a bowl game, the Spartans relied on kicker Ben Patton to send them into the postseason with an extra game. A “routine” 22-yard field goal proved to be anything but as Patton was unable to curl it inside the right upright.
To make matters worse, Patton once again failed to convert in overtime as a high-snap resulted in a botched play with Indiana blocking the 28-yard attempt. Two field goals are not much in the grand scheme of things, but it has been a constant reminder of what the Spartans have failed to do this year.
Time and time again, the Spartans have put themselves in positions to get points but have ultimately failed to get them in critical situations. The Spartans missed two field goals against Maryland and also missed an attempt at Illinois as Patton’s 31-yard try to secure a victory went wide.
Though the Spartans won at Illinois, those misses this season had started cutting into the massive gash that was exposed today. It is a problem that continues to show that there indeed is “a lack of execution.”
The Spartans’ postseason fate will be decided next weekend when they travel to State College to take on Penn State. Michigan State needs a victory to secure a place in a bowl game, and with a loss, the Spartans would most likely fail to receive a bowl invitation.
EAST LANSING – The battle for the Old Brass Spittoon took place on Saturday in East Lansing. In frigid temperatures, wind, and snow flurries, the Spartans fell to the Indiana Hoosiers in a heartbreaking, double-overtime thriller.
The last home game of the season for the Spartans ended 39-31, with two teams vying to keep their chances of making a bowl game alive.
After a dominant first half, Michigan State had an abundance of errors in the second half, including an interception, an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown, and a 79-yard rushing touchdown to open the third quarter. An additional touchdown by Indiana’s Josh Henderson knotted the score at 31 apiece near the end of the fourth.
With the wind and snow intensifying, the Spartans had a decision to make on their final drive of regulation. Sitting at fourth-and-2 around the 30-yard line, head coach Mel Tucker elected to leave his offense out on the field.
The risk paid off.
Maliq Carr’s five-yard catch kept the Spartan offense on the field, giving them one final opportunity to break the tie.
With two seconds left, Ben Patton missed a 22-yard field goal attempt, stunning the Spartan Stadium crowd, and sending the game into overtime.
Defense kept the game tied at 31 in the second half, as both teams had their field goal attempts blocked, pushing the game to a second overtime.
Mel Tucker walks off the field after Michigan State’s double-overtime loss to Indiana on November 19, 2022. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBMHeading into the period, the snow ramped up, and the crowd shifted down near the field.
Shaun Shivers’ one-yard rushing touchdown broke the lead and gave the Hoosiers a 37-31 lead.
A.J. Barner completed the two-point conversion with a catch in the end zone, giving the Spartans one final chance to respond.
At fourth-and-7, with the game on the line, Tucker called one final timeout to talk things over with his offense.
“We wanted to make sure we had the right plays,” head coach Mel Tucker said in the press conference after the game.
A final pass from Payton Thorne to Jayden Reed was ruled incomplete, concluding the duo’s touchdown-filled era at Spartan Stadium, with one final effort that fell short.
Saturday’s loss was a disheartening finish to one of the best offensive performances of the season.
Elijah Collins and Jalen Berger both ran for over 100 yards, and Keon Coleman recorded 107 yards on eight catches.
“It was surreal,” Collins said of his last performance at Spartan Stadium. “It was everything that I could’ve dreamed of, truthfully.”
“I was just trying to just do everything I could for Spartan nation, Spartan dawgs, and all the Spartan alum. Everybody that represents green and white across the world,” Collins said.
With one game remaining in the regular season, the Spartans are still one win shy of bowl eligibility.
“Anytime you lose, it hurts the same,” said Tucker.
“We’re not going to cry about it. We haven’t done that so far. We’re not going to make excuses. One of the most important things is what you do next,” Tucker said.
Michigan State’s bowl hopes now rest on the final game of the season. The Spartans will travel to take on Penn State the day after Thanksgiving.
Zach, Liam, Zac, and Cam look back on MSU’s victory against Rutgers and preview their matchup upcoming with Indiana. we talked about how one member became MR. Irrelevant just seconds before we started recording. Liam continues to be dominant in the pick’em.
Zach, Liam, Zac and Cam reflect back on Michigan State’s upset win on the road, Before Zach Surdenik has to depart early to go film for class, Zac Slowik takes the host mic for the week, and won’t stop talking about Bo Nix. Surdenik’s little brother makes a guest pick. The guys preview MSU’s matchup this weekend with Rutgers, and Liam stays hot in the pick’em going 9-1 in the past two weeks
EAST LANSING — Michigan State Spartans defeated Rutgers 27-21 on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.
Playing the day after Veterans Day, the Spartans found themselves in a “war of attrition”, relying on the ground game and special teams to pull within one win of bowl eligibility.
“Winning is fun, execution is fun,” said Payton Thorne. “I think we’re playing a lot better than we were earlier in the year as a team and we just have to keep rolling.”
After the Spartans and Scarlet Knights sputtered on their first few drives, the Spartans found a breakthrough with their junior tight end Daniel Barker. A week removed from being held without a catch in his homecoming at Illinois, Barker caught three passes on the drive including a 26-yard touchdown reception to put the Spartans in front late in the first quarter. The touchdown reception was his first since the season-opening victory over Western Michigan.
“We knew that the tight ends would be a factor in the passing game,” said head coach Mel Tucker. “Obviously, they’re trying to take away some of our receivers, but obviously [running] backs and tight ends can be very effective in the passing game and we have good tight ends.”
In addition to Barker’s performance on the first scoring drive, the Spartans would utilize the two “B’s” in the backfield: Berger and Broussard. After rushing for 112 yards against Illinois, the Spartans amassed 197 yards on the ground, tying their second-best performance on the ground all year and the most they’ve had against a Big Ten team.
“It was good to see us run the ball well,” Thorne said. “Guys run the ball hard, the offensive line is opening up creases, receivers are doing a good job blocking on the edge, and just executing. That helped us a lot.”
After Rutgers went 96 yards in nine plays to tie the score on an Aaron Young 18-yard touchdown reception, the Spartans would turn to the running game to take the lead. On the strength of 23 yards rushing from Broussard and a two-yard punch in from Berger, the Spartans took a 14-7 lead that they held on to into the half. Berger and Broussard would finish with 85 and 80 yards, respectively.
Jalen Berger reaches for endzone in win over Rutgers on Nov. 12, 2022/ Photo credit: Jack Moreland (Jack Moreland)“They’re my guys,” Barker said. “We all know that they can run the ball hard. It’s just about everyone doing their job … that’s all it really comes down to. Those guys will handle the rest.”
At the beginning of the second half, Michigan State was able to utilize the full playbook going with a combination of passing and running plays that put Rutgers in a tough position defensively.
After consecutive chunk plays from Jayden Reed and Berger, Thorne found Reed in the endzone for a 25-yard touchdown reception to double the Spartan lead. Reed finished with four catches for 90 yards on 10 targets.
However, Rutgers would pull within one score after a nine-play drive that covered 69 yards ended in a Johnny Langan one-yard touchdown rush. From then on, special teams would be the difference.
After MSU failed to get going after their lone touchdown drive in the third quarter, Rutgers started the fourth quarter with a chance to tie the game. After dicing up the Spartan defense on the ground and through the air, the Scarlet Knights were stopped on third down in the Spartan red zone and sent out Jude McAtamney to attempt a 39-yard field goal.
On the try, Michigan State got pressure on the interior offensive line which allowed Jacob Slade to get a hand up and block the try. The Spartans would march down the field and get within field goal range and Ben Patton’s 34-yard attempt was good to put the Spartans up by 10.
“That was huge and we talked about that all week,” Tucker said. “We’ve been close in some other games this year, even recently we’ve been really close on blocking some field goals and extra points, we just didn’t get them. We knew that was going to be a difference in the game.”
Michigan State would rely on Patton’s leg late in the fourth as he would knock in a 48-yard field goal to put the Spartans up by 13 with under four minutes left in the game. Rutgers would score with under a minute left in the game to make things interesting, but the Spartans would recover the ensuing onside kick and run out the clock for the win.
With the win, the Spartans move to 5-5 (3-4 Big Ten) while Rutgers falls to 4-6 (1-6 Big Ten) with two weeks left in the regular season. Michigan State will play its final home game next week against Indiana with a chance to secure a bowl game.
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