Breakout Michigan State Star Looks to Rebound Against UCLA
In one of the first years of the Michigan State Spartans' rebuild, the team has been full of amazing and growing transfers that have heavily impacted the team since they arrived in East Lansing.
One of the biggest transfers was the least seen before the season, but then he began to lead the team in multiple receiving categories, even overtaking the star sophomore Nick Marsh.
That player is Omari Kelly, and going into their matchup against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, it was expected that he would explode on the gridiron to aid in a Big Ten upset.
Yet the opposite ended up happening, and his impact was very small, so what happened and will he be able to bounce-back against his next opponent in the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins?
Kelly's Issues Against Nebraska
- Not all of what caused Kelly to struggle was in his hands, as the game was more oriented to a rushing script than an air raid as it had been in the first few weeks of the season.
- On top of that, his quarterbacks, both Aidan Chiles and Alessio Milivojevic, had rough games, throwing a total of 156 yards on 30 attempts for one lone score and two interceptions.
- But he still only had one reception for nine yards, pointing to him missing the strength that he has built upon the whole year, building the team off of huge gains and chunk plays.
- Marsh was still able to overpower defenders in his four catches. Tight End Jack Velling was still able to do the same; they both were able to lean into their strengths in the offense lacking a script, but Kelly had a harder time doing so himself.
The Road To A Bounce-back Against UCLA
- To explode against the Bruins' softer defense, Kelly will need to lean into his strengths the same as Velling and Marsh do, but his teammates will have to step up as well, as they have had their own struggles.
- After all, he had many fewer targets to work with compared to previous weeks; the whole team did, and where one part of the offense struggles, the whole team will struggle.
- The pressure of a good game will be more on Chiles and Milivojevic than Kelly or any of the other receivers. Even if they do their part they cannot thrive without having the ball passed to them.
One tough week does not spell disaster for Kelly, but it comes as a sign of caution for the future, and he will need to lean into his talents to erase any need for concern against the Bruins at Homecoming.
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Nathan Berry is a senior at NCCS and was raised a Michigan State Spartan fan. With a great interest in sports and writing, journalism is a great avenue to pursue both.