5 Takeaways From Michigan State Football's 'Spring Showcase'

On Saturday, we got our first glimpse of what Spartans football will look like under Coach Jonathan Smith, and there was a lot to like...

After months of anticipation, we finally got our first real look at Michigan State football under the direction of new coach Jonathan Smith when the Spartans hosted their 2024 "Spring Showcase" on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

After 30-45 minutes of stretching and individual position group drills, we got to see MSU play four 10-minute quarters in its third and final scrimmage of spring practice. It was awesome to see Smith, his staff and these players play in a setting that at least resembled the "Green and White game" of old, which we didn't see at all under previous head coach Mel Tucker. Without further ado, here's what stood out from the scrimmage session:

1.) Freshman WR Nick Marsh looks ready to contribute

We don't want to overreact to a spring game, but former four-star recruit and current true freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh sure looks like a kid who is going to be hard to keep off the field this fall. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder ran with the second team offense on Saturday and put on a show with three receptions for 105 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown catch on the first play of the second half. Marsh's size and speed stand out right away, and this kid does not look like a freshman out there. He also threw a couple of nice blocks on some running plays, which is usually something a young receiver needs time to learn.

MSU has already been active in the transfer portal looking for a wide receiver to add, and that position looks like a priority for the Spartans. Redshirt senior Montorie Foster Jr. looks in line to earn a starting job again while Alante Brown, Jaron Glover and Antonio Gates Jr. all compete for snaps.

With that, Marsh will have to earn his way onto the field. It will not be handed to him, but the freshman looks well on his way.

2.) Quarterback competition alive and well?

Since sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles first transferred to MSU from Oregon State back in December, the overwhelming assumption has been that he'll be the Spartans' starting quarterback in 2024. Chiles' familiarity with Smith and MSU's new offensive system gives him a big advantage over the other QBs on the Spartans' roster, and he's also the most physically gifted quarterback that MSU has.

While Chiles remains the favorite to earn the starting job, North Dakota transfer QB Tommy Schuster had an excellent performance in the spring game. A four-year starter with the Fighting Hawks, Schuster's poise and experience were on display Saturday, as he completed 6-of-8 pass attempts for 135 yards and the touchdown throw to Marsh.

The spring game was only one practice out of 15 this spring, but if Schuster has performed the way he did today over the past five weeks, he'll give Smith and MSU's coaching staff something to think about this fall. If nothing else, there's comfort in knowing the Spartans have two game-ready quarterbacks on the roster.

3.) Hot and cold, Chiles flashes big-play ability

As for Chiles, the sophomore completed his first pass attempt for 22 yards to Montorie Foster Jr. to get the scrimmage started, but it took a while for him to really settle into the spring game, completing just one of his next five pass attempts. Chiles then connected with Foster again for 35 yards before capping a 7-play, 80-yard drive by finding redshirt junior running back Nate Carter for a 17-yard score.

In the second half, we got to see Chiles' dual-threat ability, when he scrambled for 17 yards on a 3rd and 10 to keep a drive alive. The sophomore added a 24-yard completion three plays later, finishing his day completing 7-of-14 pass attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown. It appears that Chiles has developed good chemistry with Foster already, and with his prior relationship with tight end Jack Velling at Oregon State, the quarterback could have a pair of reliable receiving options in the fall.

There's room to grow here for Chiles, but he's off to a solid start in East Lansing.

4.) MSU's Defense has plenty of work to do

In most spring games, defenses are ahead of offenses, but that didn't appear to be the case on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. MSU's offense gashed its defense for seven explosive runs (10 yards or more), with many of them coming on straight gives up the middle. The Spartans' offense also beat the defense over the top for four explosive pass plays (20 yards or more) and drew a pass interference on a fifth deep ball. For the game, MSU's offense finished with 401 yards on just 52 plays, good for over 7.7 yards per play.

Now, it's fair to note that the offensive line got away with a few holding penalties, and the fact that the defense couldn't hit the quarterback allowed those guys to be more comfortable throwing the football. In that sense, there's no reason to panic here. MSU's defense did finish with six tackles for loss, including one sack, forced a fumble and had an interception. The Spartans have some talent at key positions on defense, but there's clearly a lot more work to be done as defensive coordinator Joe Rossi installs his 3-4 scheme.

5.) RB Nate Carter looks excellent, freshman Brandon Tullis stands out

Carter was used sparingly in the spring game, but he was one of the biggest standouts for the Spartans. The former transfer from UConn took his first carry 48 yards for a touchdown on the scrimmage's second play, and the tailback added a 17-yard touchdown reception later in the day. Carter finished with 50 yards on three carries on the afternoon, adding two receptions for 25 yards. He's one of the leaders on this team, and you won't find many more reliable guys.

True freshman tailback Brandon Tullis was another standout on Saturday, getting a lot of reps with MSU's second team offense. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound bruiser runs behind his pads with a punishing and fearless style, finishing with 48 yards on seven carries in the scrimmage.

New MSU running backs coach Keith Bhonapha has a knack for taking three-star running backs out of Texas and turning them into stars, having done so previously with Damien Martinez (one of the most coveted RBs in the transfer portal). It wouldn't be fair to put that kind of pressure on Tullis, who has plenty of time for development in MSU's deep running back room, but the freshman looks like a guy who can turn into a very good player in the future.

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