MSU's Defensive Problems Go Beyond the Pass Rush

Let's be a bit blunt: Michigan State's defense is not good enough right now.

In a big game to open up the Big Ten slate against a ranked opponent, MSU's offense was able to put up 31 points. That should be good enough for the Spartans to at least have a shot at winning, but No. 25 USC felt like it had firm control on the eventual result almost the entire way during a 45-31 loss for Michigan State.

After that poor defensive showing, there's one stat that people are going to continue pointing to --- zero sacks on USC quarterback Jayden Maiava.

It's not the incorrect place to start. It felt like every Maiava dropback also featured a squeaky clean pocket. MSU only really got close to sacking him once, and that was more due to good coverage than the pass rush getting home quickly. Still, Maiava jumped around with outstretched arms as if it were second nature to him, and turned it into a first down rush on a critical third down.

HE JUST KEPT GOING! Jayden Maiva on the run and gets the first down! @uscfb pic.twitter.com/WPv3yiLtmJ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2025

People were already going to keep a close eye on the progress of Michigan State's pass rush this season. After all, the Spartans went six entire games without getting an opposing QB on the ground in 2024. Through two games against Power Four teams, the sack counter hasn't flipped off of zero.

But the problems for Michigan State's defense aren't just that.

Rush Defense

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Waymond Jordan (2) runs the ball against Michigan State Spartans linebacker Darius Snow (23) during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Firstly, Michigan State's front seven showed that it really can't stop the run against an offensive line of the caliber of USC. Good luck finding wins in the Big Ten while allowing 289 rushing yards on 7.2 per carry and zero tackles for loss.

The Trojans have some very, very good running backs, but there were holes created by USC's offensive line that pretty much any running back could've gotten at least five yards out of. On a few of the big runs, guys just weren't getting touched until they were well downfield.

What's going to happen when MSU inevitably faces another good offensive line? USC didn't even have its starting left tackle for about the final three quarters of the game.

Sure, Jordan Hall was disqualified for targeting, and Wayne Matthews III suffered his unfortunate injury, but the run defense wasn't holding up with both of them on the field, either.

Out-Classed in Space

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Something else that was apparent from the game is that USC felt that its players were faster and better in space. The Trojans were right, and they knew it, even with their second-leading receiver out.

Head coach Lincoln Riley called several plays where he tried to get some of his skill players out on the perimeter, and a few worked.

One that stands out is a jet sweep to Makai Lemon during the fourth quarter of a one-score game. Malcolm Bell was in man coverage on him during that play and wasn't even close --- granted, he had some traffic to work around, but Lemon could've walked that one in. That score extended USC's lead to 38-24.

Coverage

Michigan State defensive back Joshua Eaton (7) leads a group of the tunnel for warm up against Western Michigan at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Friday, August 29, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Something defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren was talking about in regard to the pass rush ahead of the USC games is that opposing quarterbacks are getting rid of the ball pretty fast.

"They've been getting the ball out fast recently," VanSumeren said last Wednesday. "I think, like, 2.7 seconds or something like that is the average. When it's that fast, sometimes, even if you have a winning move, the ball's already out. It's not necessarily hard to beat the man, you've got to beat the ball, too."

VanSumeren isn't going to say the coverage needs to be better in the secondary, but the coverage needs to be better in the secondary. If the quarterback is getting rid of the ball quickly, that means he's liking what he sees immediately, and that means something is going wrong in the defensive backfield for MSU.

The stats say that the pass defense is worse in the second year of Joe Rossi as defensive coordinator. Through four games now, Michigan State has allowed 263.5 passing yards per game, which ranks 113th in the country. Last year, the Spartans slotted at 46th with 206.9 yards allowed through the air per contest.

Michigan State safety Nikai Martinez goes around the sideline during the Spartans' game against the USC Trojans on Sept. 20, 2025. | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

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