Michigan State Spartans: CFN College Football Preview 2021
College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Michigan State football season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Michigan State Schedule Analysis
– Michigan State Spartans Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2020 Record: 2-5 overall, 2-5 in Big Ten
Head Coach: Mel Tucker, 2nd year, 2-5 (7-12 overall)
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 40
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 57
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 57
Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: Offense
– Well that didn’t work. It’s been a while since Michigan State did much of anything interesting offensively, and the first season under head coach Mel Tucker and offensive coordinator Jay Johnson didn’t do much to change that.
To be very, very fair, the Spartans and the new coaching staff didn’t have any time to work like normal, and there was a whole lot that had to be changed after a rough 2019, and a rough 2018, and after scoring fewer than 300 points in three of the previous four seasons.
The 2020 Spartans were dead last in the Big Ten in yards and scoring, averaging 330 yards and 18 points per game, but for good or for bad, everyone is back except at …
– Quarterback. Rocky Lombardi threw a whole lot of interceptions – 11 over the last two years for a passing game that gave up 41 over the last three seasons; more on that later – and now he’ll be taking his talents to Northern Illinois.
In comes Anthony Russo from Temple who also throws a lot of interceptions. However, he’s a big pro style passer who can push the ball deep. He’ll have to fight off veteran backup Payton Thorne – who threw three touchdowns and three picks – for the gig.
On the plus side, the receiving corps should be solid. Jayden Reed and Jalen Nailor are 6-0, 185-pound juniors who can move. Nailor averaged close to 20 yards per catch, Reed led the team with 33 catches, and Ricky White averaged 22 yards on his ten grabs. The pass catchers are there – that includes the underutilized tight ends.
– The offense line struggled. It didn’t do much for the running game and had a hard time keeping defenses out of the backfield. However, there’s good size, plenty of options, and all five starters are expected to be back.
The running back situation got better with the addition of Kenneth Walker from Wake Forest – a 1,000-yard back who ran for 13 touchdowns last season – along with 231-pound blaster Harold Joiner from Auburn.
The combination of Jordon Simmons, Connor Heyward and Elijah Collins also returns, but they only combined for 509 yards last year and ran for as many touchdowns as you did. There’s talent, though – Collins had a great 2019 and the rest of the backs would be fine with better blocking.
– What You Need To Know: Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Michigan State Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: Defense
Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: Defense
– Mel Tucker is a defensive head coach, and coordinator Scottie Hazelton is a longtime well-traveled veteran who’s seen a little of everything. Last year’s defense allowed just under 400 yards per game but it was dead last in the Big Ten in scoring D giving up 35 points per game.
Leading tackler Antjuan Simmons is done, but there’s hope for the …
– Linebackers. The Spartans have a few good ones in Noah Harvey for the middle and fourth-leading tackler Chase Kline. Simmons will be sorely missed, but Harvey and Kline are 6-4, 235-pound space-eaters who should rise with their bigger roles.
The pass rush has to come from the front four – Simmons led the team in tackles for loss. Super-senior end Drew Beesley is a decent playmaker in the backfield, Duke transfer Drew Jordan will push for a starting job, and Jacub Panasiuk is a longtime starting end who came up with five sacks in 2019.
The run D should be stronger with veteran 300-pounders in a rotation. Jalen Hunt and Jacob Slade are huge, 300-pound Dashaun Mallory has good size, and there’s depth behind them.
– Shakur Brown came up with five picks last year. The rest of the Michigan State Spartans came up with as many interceptions as you did. Brown is gone, but Kalon Gervin is a veteran at one corner and the transfer portal is bringing in a few key new parts.
Four corners – Khary Crump (Arizona), Chester Kimbrough (Florida), Marqui Lowery (Louisville) and Ronald Williams (Alabama) are on the way.
Angelo Grose is a good-tackling safety who’ll work at nickel and 6-1, 210-pound senior Xavier Henderson finished third on the team with 41 tackles from his safety job.
– What You Need To Know: Offense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Michigan State Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: Top Players
Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: Top Players
Best Michigan State Spartans Offensive Player
WR Jalen Nailor, Jr.
The running backs are going to be stronger if Elijah Collins can regain his 2019 form and transfer Kenneth Walker rocks right away.
There will be all-Big Ten honors for at least some of the veteran offensive linemen this time around – there’s too much experience in place not to be better.
But the receivers should be the best players of the bunch early on.
The 6-0, 185-pound Nailor led the team with 26 catches for 515 yards and four scores – averaging close to 20 yards per grab. He hit Penn State for two scores, came up with 119 yards against Iowa, and he and Jayden Reed were bright spots in a gloomy offensive campaign.
2. RB Kenneth Walker, Soph.
3. WR Jayden Reed, Jr.
4. C Matt Allen, Sr.
5. QB Anthony Russo, Sr.
Related
Michigan State Football Schedule 2021: Analysis, Best and Worst Case Scenarios
Best Michigan State Spartans Defensive Player
S Xavier Henderson, Sr.
Call this the safe choice.
LB Noah Harvey should get more respect, and a few pass rushers should make a push for stronger seasons, but the very good, very steady Henderson will be a constant.
The 6-1, 210-pound tackler followed up his 83-stop 2019 season with 41 last season. He’s always physical, but he’s always out there making things happen in the open field.
2. DE Drew Beesley, Sr.
3. LB Noah Harvey, Sr.
4. DE Jacub Panasiuk, Sr.
5. LB Chase Kline, Jr.
Top Incoming Michigan State Spartans Transfer
RB Kenneth Walker, Soph.
The hope is for QB Anthony Russo from Temple to be the star transfer – more on that in a moment – and a few of the incoming corners should be strong, but Walker might be the steadying force the offense desperately needs.
Michigan State has running backs, but after a rough season with no touchdown runs among the top guys, the offense needs a guy who can get into the end zone.
The 5-10, 205-pound sophomore from Wake Forest ran for 579 yards in each of the last two seasons with four touchdown runs in his freshman year, and he pounded for 13 scores in just seven games in 2020.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Michigan State Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
Michigan State Spartans Biggest Key: Offense
Interceptions … STOP THROWING THEM.
The Michigan State offense has a ton of problems it has to fix. The running game has to work, the line has to be better, there have to be more third down conversions, being anything but last in the Big Ten in scoring would be neat …
The interceptions are a killer.
The Spartans started off the 2020 season with five lost fumbles, but there were two picks to go along with the rest of the fun.
Three interceptions against Iowa. Three more against Indiana, Two against Ohio State. There were 12 in the seven games, 15 in 2019, and 14 in 2018 after coming up with just eight in 2017.
Over the last two seasons, Michigan State has thrown multiple picks nine teams and lost eight of those games.
Oh, by the way, likely new starting quarterback Anthony Russo threw 32 interceptions in his 27 games at Temple.
Michigan State Spartans Biggest Key: Defense
Where’s the pass rush? To take a little bit of heat off the D – the offense rarely provided the slightest lick of help or support. Okay, enough of that …
The defense didn’t do enough to change around games.
It occasionally did – like early on against Northwestern – but in general the D struggled to force opposing offenses to struggle.
No, the 2020 pass rush wasn’t as miserable as the 2016 version that came up with 11 in the ugly 3-9 season, but it wasn’t good.
There were four sacks in the win over Northwestern and three more against Ohio State a week later, but there were a mere 12 sacks on the season and fewer than two in four of the seven games.
The 2019 defense came up with 40 sacks and failed to get two or more in just two of the 13 games.
Michigan State Spartans Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Anthony Russo, Sr.
The Spartans need better quarterback play.
Brian Leweke was fine, Rocky Lombardi was interesting, and Tyler O’Connor had his moments. Those three were coming after Connor Cook – who, if you go strictly by top lines of the resumé – was among the most accomplished Big Ten quarterbacks ever.
The 6-4, 245-pound Russo was solid in his first two seasons at Temple – leading the way to two bowl appearances with 35 touchdowns – but he threw a whole lot of interceptions and he got banged up early last season.
He can sling it, and as long as he can get the offense moving, he’ll be doing his job.
Michigan State Spartans Key Game To The 2021 Season
Michigan, Oct. 30
You want to endear yourself to the base if you’re the head coach? Go 2-for-2 against the self-proclaimed leaders and best.
Michigan State’s 2-5 season was miserable overall, but 1) there was a win over Big Ten West champion Northwestern, and 2) Michigan State 27, Michigan 24.
The paraphrase the old – and very, very silly – adage, if you go 2-5 but one of those wins is over your arch-rival, it was a successful season.
The Spartans get a week off before hosting the Fighting Harbaughs, and the other side will be coming off a battle against Northwestern.
– Michigan State Football Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2020 Michigan State Spartans Fun Stats
– Rushing TDs: Opponents 20 – Michigan State 2
– Time of Possession: Opponents 32:50 – Michigan State 27:10
– Red Zone Scoring: Michigan State 11-of-12 (92%) – Opponents 25-of-32 (78%)
NEXT: Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction
Michigan State Spartans College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction
Doing the whole Mark Dantonio thing was hard to pull off.
There was talent, but the 33 drafted players from Dantonio’s 13 years were a tad light considering there weren’t a ton of high picks out of the group. By the way, compare that to 55 selected from Michigan during the same era and 83 from Ohio State.
There was production, but it’s not like the Spartans were a high-flying fun show. They played a tough brand of defense, they had a sound offensive system, they had a strange way of controlling games by grinding away, and …
It worked.
The brilliance of the era was how Michigan State seemed most at ease in tight games as the other side kept buckling.
However, there was almost no margin for error with the way the Spartans played. So when the offense went bye-bye and the defense wasn’t operating at an otherworldly level to make up for it, everything stalled.
Even when the Spartans were rocking and rolling on the way to the College Football Playoff in 2015 and the Rose Bowl in 2013, they weren’t always doing it – the 2014 team was an exception – with big, gaudy offensive performances. 20-16 was more in the comfort zone than any sort of a firefight.
And now that has to change, and it starts with the offense.
Michigan State beat Central Michigan 31-20 in late September of 2018. Since then, the team has scored more than 28 points just five times in 29 games and went 13-16.
It’s not that the style under Dantonio couldn’t keep on working, but it took a certain tone, tenor and coach to pull it off. So now in Mel Tucker’s second season, the first goal has to be to create his own direction.
Set The Michigan State Spartans Regular Season Win Total At … 5.5
Everything has to be blown off in the pandemic season with so many crazy twists, turns, and stalls – especially for a new coaching staff – but kicking off a new era with seven turnovers and a loss to Rutgers isn’t exactly how this was supposed to go. However, dive deeper.
The opener was a total disaster and the Spartans were still sort of in that game against the Scarlet Knights. They beat Michigan, beat Northwestern, and got rocked by Ohio State, Iowa and Indiana teams that combined to go 19-5. The other loss was to a surging Penn State on the road – no real shame there.
There are a whole lot more winnable games this time around.
There’s experience and depth on the 2021 team. The offensive line seems like it’s been around long enough to have blocked for Lorenzo White, there’s a solid starting 11 on defense, and there’s enough coming in from the transfer portal to fill in some of the cracks.
There’s no Wisconsin, Iowa or Minnesota on the schedule. There’s a trip to Miami, road games at Ohio State, Northwestern and Indiana, and home dates against Michigan and Penn State.
Win at least two of those, get the O going and go 5-1 or better against everyone else, and everything is back on track.
Of course, doing that is going to be a tough fight, but this program is used to that.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– Michigan State Schedule Analysis
