Spartans' Fundamental Miscues Lead to Crushing Loss
The Michigan State Spartans could not end the season on a high note, dropping the season finale to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 41-14.
The 27-point defeat doesn’t tell the entire story of the game, as the Spartans had more yards per carry and more tackles for loss. However, crucial lapses of fundamentals ultimately led to the Spartans' demise.
Credit to Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano, as his squad was buttoned up and refused to beat themselves while also converting when it mattered most.
The Spartans' struggles on the special team came to the forefront late in the first quarter when Spartans punter Ryan Eckley couldn't handle the snap in difficult conditions. This gave the Scarlet Knights the ball on the goal line, which they took advantage of to convert for 3 points.
With the snowy conditions at Spartan Stadium, fundamentals became so much more important. The Scarlet Knights dominated in the margins, as the disparity between competence widened as the Scarlet Knights ran up the score.
We saw these same lapses when the Spartans played against Boston College in the pounding rain. There were too many mistakes for a team that can’t make up for it with their talent.
The Spartans were undisciplined, committing costly penalties that made it harder to move the ball. In total, the Spartans committed seven penalties for 70 yards, including multiple pass interference calls that gave the Scarlet Knights offense the advantage.
When the Spartans needed stops most on defense, they couldn't get them. The Scarlet Knights converted at a 53 percent clip on third downs, it's difficult to win games when the defense can’t get off the field.
On the other side of the ball, the Spartans couldn't convert in pressure situations, going 0-for-3 on fourth-down conversions.
It was a good sign to see Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith be more aggressive, but when the Spartans offensive line couldn’t produce a much-needed one-yard push, it's hard to keep them on the field in those situations.
There was more optimism during the final game of the season than in prior years, but the product on the field was still difficult to watch at times, continuing the trend from 2022 and beyond.
As the program looks to the future, a long layoff until competitive games could be a good thing. The coaching staff will have the time to lay the foundation for returning players, giving themselves time to instill winning habits instead of getting acclimated to the new system.
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