MSU's Offense Shows it Will Be a Work in Progress
The Michigan State Spartans escaped at home against the Florida Atlantic Owls with a 16-10 victory.
The Spartans’ defense shined, sacking Owls quarterback Cam Fancher seven times in a dominant performance.
However, the offense left a lot to be desired.
From the beginning of the game, the Spartans looked out of sorts. Aidan Chiles threw a pass to Montorie Foster that hit him in the chest, but the ball bounced in the air, and the defensive back made an excellent play on it. He became the first collegiate player to intercept Chiles.
A few drives later, the Spartans started to drive and got into the red zone, but Foster coughed up the ball, and the Owls recovered.
In the third quarter, Michigan State had another good drive going, but Chiles threw another interception that was returned by Phillip Dunham.
The Spartans had a fourth-and-1 in the red zone in the fourth quarter, but running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams was stuffed.
Beyond the turnovers, Michigan State’s offense just looked like they were on different pages for the entire game.
Coach Jonathan Smith and Offensive Coordinator Brian Lindgren have a lot of work to do to get this offense on track.
The first thing the Spartans must improve on is sustaining drives. One touchdown came after a Nikai Martinez interception that he returned into the red zone; the other was a 63-yard run from Lynch-Adams.
When Michigan State tried to move the ball, often the receivers would not get open, or the offensive line would not open up holes for Nathan Carter. The Owls have a good defense, but the Spartans blew many scoring opportunities and chances to sustain drives.
It could take time for the Spartans’ offense to gel. Many new players are in big roles that they have to grow into.
Chiles made a few nice throws, including an out route to Aziah Johnson to get them closer to the end zone. This offense showed flashes of brilliance, but it may be a while before it clicks at the highest level.
The Spartans have work to do before they become an effective offense. If their defense can keep playing at a dominant level, they could win more games than expected this year.
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