Michigan State Football’s Three Biggest Questions
One of the biggest frustrations Michigan State fans had at the end of the Dantonio era was the lack of offense – an offense that was one of the worst in the nation for the last two seasons.
The new coaching staff will face the same problem.
How can the Spartans begin to get more production from their offensive line and run game?
Being Physical Up Front
Michigan State returns ten offensive linemen who started in one game last season. Five of those players have at least ten starts.
Chris Kapilovic has said he would like to be able to count on an eight-man rotation and has expressed how vital cohesion on the offensive line is. He adds, "there's nothing better than competition," but keeping his five starters healthy is a priority.
One of their goals is to establish a physical attack and successfully run the ball consistently, especially within the Big Ten. With Elijah Collins returning for his third season, he should see the bulk of the carries.
The one bright spot from last season, Collins ended with 222 carries, 988 yards, with an average of 4.45 yards per carry.
After Michigan State beat Wake Forest in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Collins said he expects to rush for more than 1,000 yards this year. If the point is to be physical, he should be a big part of the new offensive scheme.
According to running backs coach William Peagler, Collins is an extremely hard worker.
"He works his butt off. When kids work their butt off, and they have talent, good things are going to happen, and I think he's a perfect example of that," said Peagler.
Reviving the run game will be a priority for this Michigan State team after they finished last season averaging 127.2 rushing yards per game, which was the second-worst total in the Dantonio era.
Scoring Offense
Sticking with the offense, Michigan State has struggled to score with efficiency. The Spartans had six games with one offensive touchdown.
During the regular season, the Spartans averaged 22 points per game, the second-lowest total under Mark Dantonio. The first? Two years ago, when MSU scored 18.7 per game. Back to back years of the two worst scoring offenses ever produced by a Dantonio led team.
Their red-zone efficiency wasn't any better. In 2018 Michigan State scored 82.9% of the time, whereas this year, MSU regressed to a conversion rate of 78.7%. Good enough to be ranked 93rd in the country.
The new offensive coordinator, Jay Johnson, expects them to put points on the board while being multiple.
"So, we're trying to be very multiple. But at the same token, it all comes down you can do this and that, but at the end of the day, it's got to be a high level of execution," said Johnson.
"I think it's important that you do what you need to do to win the game. And so, this day and age, you gotta run it extremely well, and you have to throw it extremely well, and so we're going to do both. In some games, we might lean a little bit more on the throw, and other games, we might be a little more on the run. But we're going to be multiple and as balanced as we can and put some points on the board."
In an ideal world, Johnson wants to remain multiple, so he can keep defenses guessing.
Michigan State fans still don't know who will be under center in 2020. Their spring game was scheduled for April 18th but was canceled in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. I'm not sure the game would have provided any answers, although it would have brought the coaching staff closer to making a decision. The contest would have provided the best look at Rocky Lombardi, Theo Day, and even redshirt freshman Payton Thorne.
Instead, the Big Ten announced their suspension of team activities, canceling the Spartans spring practice four days before it was supposed to begin.
Reshaping the Defensive Line
The trio of Kenny Willekes, Raequan Williams, and Mike Panasiuk was one of the best defensive lines within the Big Ten.
In their final season, Willekes finished his career ranked No. 1 in school history with 51 tackles for loss and would crack the top three in the Spartan record book with 26 sacks. Panasiuk posted a career-high 36 tackles, nine of them for a loss, another career-high, two sacks, one fumble recovery, and his first career touchdown on an interception during his last outing as a Spartan.
Williams ended his senior year with 48 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, and a career-high five sacks. He was named a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the media and the third team by the coaches.
So, how does Michigan State replace that high level of production?
It starts with Jacub Panasiuk, who is heading into his third season and becoming a starter. He will be the guy to replace Willekes and someone who will become a leader for the Spartans.
"With him being the guy who's had the most snaps, he's been a leader in the room," said Ron Burton. "He's been helping the young guys understand the game and the fundamentals; that's the key to us up front. As a senior defensive end, you're kind of taking the bull by the horns as an assistant coach and understanding the nuances of what's going on. That really allows our guys to be prepared along with us."
Naquan Jones and Jacob Slade were heavily involved as backup tackles. Slade had 14 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and one sack, whereas Jones had 15 tackles and a sack.
With Mike Panasiuk and Williams gone, it allows the two of them to join the starting lineup potentially.
"Naquan Jones has been an experienced player for the last four years with an opportunity to really flourish with multiple more starts. He has been a great person in the classroom with the guys. He has been more vocal; he's very energetic. He'll double his snaps, but he is a leader right now in the defensive tackle room," Burton said.
"Jacob Slade, who had 200-plus snaps last year, has really come on at the end of the season last year. We expect him to be a force inside."
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