Michigan State football may have played Central Michigan nearly a whole week ago, but I still have some thoughts.
Last week, I previewed what I wanted to see from Michigan State football against Central Michigan. So, to sum Week 1 up, I want to go through those points of emphasis and share my thoughts on the win over the Chippewas.
In summary, despite the slow start, I came out of Friday with a very optimistic outlook. There was a lot of good and some bad, but most of the bad, I think can be explained, and fixed.
Brief takeaways
Spending a quick moment going over more of what I took away from the win I have to start with the running backs. What I liked about Carter, outside of the explosiveness, is his ability to turn nothing into something. He may not turn it into six every time but turning zero yards into 2-3 on 1st-and-10 is a huge sigh of relief. He finished with 18 carries for 113 yards with an average of 6.3 per touch. As for Jalen Berger, I liked how he was utilized out of the backfield. There were some plays that made it clear that Carter should be RB1, but his pass-catching ability was noticeable. Berger finished with four catches for 30 yards. Two of which resulted in first downs on third down.
The young Michigan State football receivers stole the show. Sophomores Jaron Glover, Tyrell Henry, and junior transfer Christian Fitzpatrick looked the part of the next great crop of Spartan receivers. We need to give Courtney Hawkins and Mel Tucker their flowers on these finds because it’s going to be the bandage to cover up who they lost pretty well. They gave us a glimpse at the potential in the receiver room and capped off their debuts well.
- Jaron Glover: 3 catches (75 yds) and a couple of highlight-reel catches
- Tyrell Henry: 2 catches (25 yds) and a Sportscenter Top 10 touchdown haul
- Christian Fitzpatrick: 2 catches (70 yds)
A lot to be excited about here.
Simply put, the defensive line looks as advertised. Zion Young is a name to remember, as his explosiveness allowed him to get in the backfield more than once. Simeon Barrow, Tunmise Adeleye, Derrick Harmon, Jalen Sami, and Maverick Hansen are going to be problems for run games all season. The numbers reflect the positive performance, limiting Central to 123 yards on 41 attempts.
Bonuses for the run defense include Jacoby Windmon and Khris Bogle. Windmon finished with a PFF grade for run defense, and tackling that were top 20 for linebackers. Bogle finished with a 76.5 run defense grade, which was ranked first for Big Ten edge defenders.
Moving onto the points of emphasis I put out last week.
Personnel
Some concerns here, but not because of Maliq Carr’s drops. He had several, but also brought in a ridiculously difficult touchdown catch. My biggest concern is that Evan Morris earned the second most snaps at tight end. The punter turned tight end wasn’t on my list of guys who we could see at the position, and it’s slightly concerning that the production and depth aren’t what we thought they might be. It’s possible that Jay Johnson dips into the bag more in Week 2, but with Carr at his best, we may not need to. I was impressed with a key block Carr threw on the Berger touchdown run.
As much as I raved about the defensive line, the same should be said for the defensive backs. Outside of maybe two miscommunications, the passing game wasn’t a factor.
Noticeably, when CMU did throw it, the receivers were tightly covered. While rewatching the game, it was apparent to me how many times Dillon Tatum and Angelo Grose were right in the vicinity of a pass. Refreshing, after this was a glaring issue in 2022. Chuck Brantley got a great jump on a throw midway through the second quarter and almost came away with a pick.
It looks like we will be getting a heavy dose of Brantley, and Tatum on the outside. Armorion Smith and Marqui Lowery played sparingly, both recording tackles.
Where the defensive backs really impressed me was in the run game. They all run to the ball as if they are shot out of a cannon and with CMU’s elusive quarterback, I didn’t notice many missed tackles. Malik Spencer looks poised to cement himself as this program’s next great safety, recording nine tackles. Grose recorded four, and Jaden Mnagham with six. They rose to the occasion, and I expect big things from the defense and defensive backs in 2023.
Week 3 is the real test, but they look more the part of good players in Scottie Hazelton’s scheme.
Touchbacks and field goals are always a welcome sight. Going into the game with one eye closed on special teams, I left very relieved for the trajectory of the 2023 season. We even got an extra positive with the punting game. Jonathan Kim hit a 47-yard field goal and said he’s hit from 62 in practice. He went 3-for-3 on extra points. Ryan Eckley, was impressive punting the ball, logging three with an average of 47. He pinned one inside the five but was knocked into the endzone for a touchback. A simple mistake that if cleaned up, can result in an overall positive special teams group this season.
Other areas
Not much to mention here, as there weren’t really any high-stress situations in the game. To go along with play calling, to end the first half, I was pleased with the two-minute drill, not once but twice. I felt as if the game went smoothly, but I really think it will be Week 3 that will test the coaching staff’s ability to manage the game. You can make a case that a few penalties were frustrating, but you can also make a case that they were ticky-tacky, especially 1-2 facemask penalties on CMU’s touchdown drive. In Tucker’s Monday presser, he was asked about the first-half unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Derrick Harmon. He said it was submitted to the Big Ten for review.
This is a big segment. It’s easy for fans to be frustrated with the Michigan State football play-calling, especially to start the game. Trust me I was right there with you initially. Coming off of a season in which play-calling and execution were frustrating, it was not refreshing to start the game the way we did. The simplest way I can explain this is that so much of play-calling has to do with player execution. In many cases in 2022 and the first half on Friday, the execution wasn’t there, which resulted in conservative play-calling.
Same thing on the defensive side of the ball. Hazelton’s scheme requires a strong pass rush, paired with athletic linebackers and defensive backs who are quick to the ball. Michigan State football was missing so many key guys on that side of the ball in 2022 that it appeared as if the play-calling wasn’t up to par. I think this defense has much better personnel to allow for a very strong season on that side of the ball. Look for more of a balance, rhyme, and reason to play-calling here.
As for the offensive side, a lot of it also has to do with execution. Can the offensive line get a push? Can running backs get rid of negative plays? And can Noah Kim and the receivers execute when it comes down to it? The last few minutes of the second quarter and the second half allowed a better picture of what I expect the offense to look like. Especially from a play-calling perspective. With a young group, it won’t be perfect, but I believe once players get in rhythm, the play calling won’t seem like such a red flag.
What stood out?
Two plays stood out to me. On 1st-and-10, twice MSU opened the drive with passes. One was a great “smash concept”, resulting in a Kim on-the-run bullet to Tre Mosley for a 23-yard gain. The other, a “flea-flicker” from their own 10 that, if not for a Maliq Carr drop, would have resulted in a 40-yard gain. Carr catches this, and the veteran MSU receivers complete 1-2 more catches and it really changes the narrative on play-calling, and Kim throughout the first half.
Another play that stood out was a second-quarter slip screen. Despite shaky blocking from J.D. Duplain and Carr, Carter turned it into a 25-yard gain. Great execution and throw from Kim, and an even better effort from Carter. This is what happens when players execute play calls.
Buzz?
Personally, I left this game more optimistic and satisfied than I did the Western Michigan game last season. I think it’s time to acknowledge Mel finally has a lot of his guys starting. With so many injuries, and rotations at positions in 2022, as well as a change at quarterback in 2023, it’s hard to paint a picture of where the Michigan State football program was at. The expectations this season change if Tucker and Co. don’t land Kenneth Walker in 2021.
I think, to the general fan, there might be some weariness, but as I’ve dove deeper into position groups and play-calling, and started to understand expectations, I truly believe there should be a substantial amount of buzz in year four for Mel Tucker. Sure, the wins may not always be there, especially with the tough schedule, but a respectable bowl game is certainly attainable. The buzz is there for the young guys. The coaching staff will put them in the best position to succeed, and the program is in a fine place.
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