Michigan State's New-Look Staff Gets Rude Awakening in First Taste of Rivalry
The newcomers on Michigan State's coaching staff had experienced the bitterness of rivalries before, but they didn't know the beast of a rivalry that is shared between the Spartans and Wolverines.
Hopefully they learned on Saturday.
I'm not just talking about the postgame brawl. Though, that should tell you everything you need to know about the feeling these teams have towards one another.
No, I'm talking about what it takes to coach a winning game in this rivalry.
Michigan State didn't do it on Saturday.
Whether it be the questionable decisions throughout, the inability to respond to adversity, the lack of halftime adjustments, you name it. This staff simply didn't have the approach it needed to in a game it could have -- and I don't think this is a stretch -- easily won.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, on the other hand, did. Coming off back-to-back losses, in jeopardy of falling to .500 with a third of a season left to play, all while facing concerns at the quarterback position, Moore was prepared in what was his most crucial game as the Wolverines' full-time head coach yet.
He was desperate. His back was against the wall, and a fanbase that is still riding the wave of its undefeated national championship season was watching with skeptical eyes, waiting to see what Jim Harbaugh's successor would do in his darkest hour.
Moore would use the uncertainty of his quarterback situation to his advantage, starting the quarterback who he instilled his trust in to begin the season, Davis Warren, while mixing in his mobile weapon, Alex Orji, whose play was ultimately the difference-maker, throwing off the rhythm of a Michigan State defense that had established dominance early on.
Moore relied on his best players, particularly tight end Colston Loveland, who served as Michigan's heartbeat in its victory, leading the way for the Wolverines' pass game with 67 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions.
Surprisingly, Michigan State didn't do much of that, even after utilizing its top offensive weapons -- wide receivers Nick Marsh and Montorie Foster Jr. -- in its win over Iowa last week. Instead, they were mainly targeted in desperate situations rather than being used as beneficiaries of a run game that thrived thanks to running back Nate Carter.
For the first time this season, coaching was the glaring issue. Perhaps this staff will know what it's in for when these in-state foes clash next year. And next time, this Michigan team likely won't be as vulnerable as it was going into Saturday's contest.
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