Turnovers Still A Major Issue for Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans have struggled all year long with turning the ball over. Against top competition the past two weeks, those turnovers are showing their teeth and leading to losses to Boston College and Ohio State
In a 38-7 loss to the No. 3 ranked Buckeyes, the Spartans turned the ball over three times for the second game in a row. It is the fourth game this season with multiple turnovers.
Spartans quarterback, Aidan Chiles, threw his ninth pick in five games adding a lost fumble and a failed 1-yard run on fourth down that led to a turnover in the red zone. Tight end Jack Velling also fumbled at the Buckeyes' 19-yard line, a second consecutive red-zone turnover.
Through five games this season, the Spartans have turned the ball over 13 times, tied for third-worst in all of FBS. Only Auburn (15) and East Carolina (16) have more turnovers in the same span. It is really tough to win big ball games when a team is averaging just over two and a half turnovers per game.
The Spartans lost by a 31-point margin but the score did not reflect the actual competition that was had on the field. Anywhere from six to 14 points were left off the board with those red zone turnovers which would have shown a much closer final score.
“I think 38-7, we're far away because it is in the details, and it is in these turnovers,” said Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith after the game. “We're going to continue to work; credit to those guys [Ohio State], 38-7 is not that close because, at the end of the day, it is about the scoreboard. There will be plenty of snaps that we’ll watch of this game that we're right there and guys are making some plays and playing with awesome effort.”
Smith, alongside Spartans offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren, will have to spend much more time in practice this week handling the football and potentially creating an offensive scheme that might tailor Chiles to throw fewer interceptions. Anything is on the table at this point.
The Spartans will head out west to face a top-20 defense this Friday night, the No. 6-ranked, Oregon Ducks. Smith and his group will have to limit the turnovers to have any chance at avoiding three consecutive losses.
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