Stock Up for Michigan State in Second Bye Week
The Michigan State Spartans are 4-5 as they work through their second bye week. They hope to find two more wins on their schedule and reach bowl eligibility for the first time in two seasons.
This bye week comes at the right time for Jonathan Smith’s crew, as they need time to heal from injuries from their blowout loss to Indiana. Quarterback Aidan Chiles, among the most significant, is dealing with a wrist injury.
If Michigan State can get a few of its players back healthy for their game against Illinois, they have a chance to win the game against the Illini.
While last Saturday’s game was rough, a few Spartans had solid individual performances.
Let’s break down which Spartans improved their stock the most.
Wide receiver Nick Marsh - It seems almost impossible for Marsh’s stock to get any higher, but it has.
Marsh finished Saturday’s game with five catches for 78 yards and an incredible touchdown. He has shown he is this team’s best wide receiver, and for the offense to continue moving, Michigan State must continue to force him the ball.
The Spartans will need Marsh to continue his elite play if they want to pull off an upset against the Illini.
Defensive back Jaylen Thompson - Michigan State saw a few injuries in their secondary, so Thompson saw lots of action in the game.
Thompson finished the game leading the team in tackles with six, also breaking up one pass. He was a high three-star recruit out of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and he has shown he can be a pivotal piece of this Spartan defense in the future.
The Spartans have little cornerback depth. Their depth is quite young, and Thompson is a major part of that. He has proven he deserves more snaps and could continue to earn more moving forward.
Wide receiver Aziah Johnson - The Spartans have not gotten the production they expected out of Jaron Glover this season, leading to more snaps from Johnson.
The sophomore caught four passes for 48 yards in the contest. Whenever he is on the field, he seems to make big plays. If Glover continues to be injured or lacks production, the Spartans could call on Johnson more.
Johnson’s emergence has been a welcome sight for Michigan State this season. He could earn more snaps if he keeps up this production.
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