Spartans prepare for Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan defense

The Wolverines have been stout on defense in 2021, but Mel Tucker and company are ready to take their shot at Michigan
Spartans prepare for Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan defense
Spartans prepare for Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan defense /

Michigan State has faced its share of defensive challenges in 2021 – Miami brought NFL talent to the field in the Week 3 matchup. Nebraska and Indiana’s defenses featured good players and were well-coached.

But Saturday’s matchup with the Michigan Wolverines and new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald may off the stiffest test yet for quarterback Payton Thorne and the Spartan offense.

“They’re a good defense. We’ve watched a lot of film. They do a lot of good stuff,” Thorne said. “They’ve got good players as well. They’re going to be a tough team to play, and we’re excited to get going against them.”

While Michigan has several players on that side of the ball that can be disruptive for offenses, one guy stands above the rest – senior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.

“The last two years, they’ve had a really good defensive front, starting out with Hutchinson. You’ve always got to know where he’s at,” MSU tight end Connor Heyward said.

“You want to make your quarterback as comfortable as possible. So, when I’m matched up on him, I’ve got to do what I got to do. I know our offensive line will be prepared, as well as the other tight ends in the room.”

Hutchinson leads the Big Ten in sacks with six through his first seven games. The Wolverine senior draws a lot of attention from opposing offenses, which opens up opportunities for his teammates.

“He’s an NFL guy,” Heyward said of Hutchinson. “We face NFL guys every week. We’re in one of the best conferences in the country. But, I think he does a really good job of using his hands. He has a motor like [former Spartan] Kenny Wilekes. Kenny was a great player. Kenny didn’t get as much hype, but I think [Hutchinson] is really good. He’s a player that you just have to be alert for, kind of like the Bosas. They can make an impact.”

On the other side of the defensive line, redshirt sophomore David Obajo has come into his own for Michigan as well. Obajo has five sacks on the year, which is tied for fifth in the conference.

“D1 program. They’ve got ball players all over the place,” Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed said. “A very good front four, they’ve got playmakers on the back end. So, we’ve just got to prepare for that stuff during the week, and we’ll see what happens during the game.”

In the Wolverine secondary, junior safety Daxton Hill is the player that Thorne will have to be most aware of. Hill is an excellent tackler in space, is strong in coverage and has reeled in a pair of interceptions for Michigan this season.

“On the back end, you can definitely see that they’ve improved since last year. Number 30 is a good player as well,” Heyward said. “[Hill and Hutchinson] are two guys that really stood out on film to me.”

Michigan State will have to play well and limit mistakes on Saturday against the Wolverine defense. Head coach Mel Tucker and the Spartan offense aren’t taking their opponent lightly. Not this week. Not in a game of this magnitude.

“They’re sound and solid,” Tucker said of Michigan. “They play with good technique and fundamentals up front. They’re stout in the trenches, and they’re very coordinated with their coverages. They play very hard and they run to the ball. They’re opportunistic in terms of forcing takeaways and things like that. So, it’s a strong group, they’re very well-coached and they play extremely hard.”

Both of these programs bring star players into the Top 10 showdown. Hutchinson, Obajo and Hill are feature pros, but the Spartans have plenty of offensive weapons to counter with.

Tailback Kenneth Walker III is a threat at all times, and the combination of Reed and Jalen Nailor is difficult for any secondary to defend. Michigan hasn’t faced an offense with the explosive ability that Michigan State brings.

It’s a fascinating matchup between two of the top units in the Big Ten, and we can’t wait to see how it all plays out.


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