Two Major Issues Face Michigan State Football This Season
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Fall camp starts Monday for Michigan State, and there are plenty of questions which have to be answered after last season's 5-7 record. The Spartans did not get to go bowling like many of their counterparts in the Big Ten.
There are plenty of storylines for second-year head coach Jonathan Smith to resolve before the Spartans take the field against Western Michigan on Aug. 29. We examine two of the most pressing issues facing Smith this season.
First, Smith is going to have to improve the Spartans record of last year. They started out promising with a 3-0 start, but that was in cupcake games and not against conference foes. They then proceeded to lose seven of nine in the Big Ten, which included big-time losses at home to Indiana at Rutgers.
Smith was hired by Michigan State's previous athletic director Alan Haller, who the school moved on from in May. That means that Smith was not hired by new athletic director J Batt, so he has to keep one eye open. The question becomes how long of a leash is Batt going to have on Smith before he gives him the hook.
The Spartans have not gone to a bowl game in three seasons. They only went to one bowl game in the last five years. The fan base is getting frustrated, and Batt will become more frustrated if a lack of winning stands in the way of his fundraising for stadium improvements and revenue sharing.
Next, when Smith came over from Oregon State, he brought with him quarterback Aidan Chiles He came to East Lansing as an 18-year-old kid with zero starts and zero experience. He was supposed to be the savior for the Spartans and was handpicked by Smith to run his offense.
Chiles had a tough road to travel last season. He showed some flashes of brilliance with his arm and his legs, but other than that it was a very pedestrian season. He started out slow but finished the season a little stronger. For the season, he completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 2,415 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
He used his legs to run for 225 yards and three additional touchdowns.
They key word for Chiles is potential. He has the skill set to potentially be a great quarterback in the conference. He needs to improve his analytical skills and make better decisions. His touchdown to interception ratio is horrible. He needs to throw less interceptions and more touchdowns.
Chiles cannot wear the problems of the season by himself. It is not his fault there was no ground game, and the offensive line could not pass block for him. He also lacked weapons on the perimeter other than Nick Marsh, who was an easy target for double coverage. Marsh returns along with a group of transfers, so help came, it is just a question of what Chiles can do with it.
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Scott Alan Salomon, J.D., earned his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law and his bachelor's in Communications from Miami University. He brings years of experience as a General Sports Writer On SI and is a gifted communicator. He has worked for the Tribune Company, Fan Sided, and now serves in his capacity On SI.