Michigan State football: 10 final thoughts on the Spartans' turnaround in the regular season  (2024)

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Ten thoughts on Michigan State’s 10-win regular season.

1. Michigan State managed to exceed any and all expectations.

Head coach Mel Tucker knows what he has when he sees it. He has coached a lot of places and won a lot of games through the years as an assistant. Because of that experience, he believes he has a good idea of what a team is capable of, months ahead of time.

He called his shot this offseason.

“The second year, you should see improvement,” Tucker said this spring. “You usually see quite a bit of improvement because the players understand what’s expected. … The players know the coaches a lot better, and the coaches know the players. And so now there’s a better connection, better understanding, and you know more of what your returning players can do. I’ve been in situations where we’ve had tremendous success in Year 2. We’ll see how it goes.”

Behind closed doors, Tucker was optimistic about the collection of players on this team. He told the players during preseason camp that this group had enough to get the job done. Expectations were higher in the Skandalaris Football Building than on the outside, with the team’s win total set at 4.5 in the offseason. Players and coaches have made that clear, time and time again.

Anyone paying attention to the roster moves knew this team would be better than that. But few expected this. Myself included.

“A 6-6 season and a trip to a bowl game should be a goal for this season. It would be a good experience for the younger players and something that the staff could use as a recruiting tool to let prospects know they’re right on track.”

That’s what I wrote in my MSU State of the Program from June. I thought six or seven wins were realistic, based on MSU’s usage of the transfer portal. Anything beyond that would depend on some key things coming together. The running game getting sorted out, the emergence of a quality quarterback, health at key positions, new defensive additions coming together quickly.

For the most part, it worked. The coaches managed to produce 10 wins out of a group of holdovers they didn’t recruit and first-year transfers who only had a few months to learn the system. All of this, after a 2-5 season.

You can’t say enough about this season and how it has gone. But we’ll try to put it into words.

2. Kenneth Walker III is having one of the best individual seasons in program history.

That’s not hyperbole. When you look at what he has done, he’s worthy of all the praise he has received this year and then some.

After his 94-yard touchdown run against Rutgers, Walker owns the longest play from scrimmage in Michigan State history (he owns this record at Wake Forest, too). His five rushing touchdowns against Michigan are tied for the second-most in a single game in program history. His 1,636 rushing yards rank fourth in program history for a single season, and he can move into second with a big bowl game.

His tape is even more impressive than the numbers would suggest. He possesses some of the best vision I’ve ever seen from a running back. His ability to find the hole and to set up moves in space and keep defenders off balance is incredibly impressive. He’s extremely well-built, which helps him break off arm tackles, and he has enough speed to hit the home run, as we’ve seen time and time again this season. Not to mention, he’s doing it on an offense that has balance and isn’t run-heavy and with an offensive line that’s been good, but not great. This team wouldn’t be where it is without Walker.

The Heisman has sort of turned into an award for the best quarterback on the best team, rather than the most outstanding player. Walker has been outstanding this season, and the award seems more wide open this year than it has in recent memory. He deserves an invite to New York for the Heisman ceremony.

3. One of the brightest spots for this Michigan State team has been the development of quarterback Payton Thorne.

I’ve been high on his skill set for a while and was fascinated by his background when I wrote a feature on his development ahead of the 2020 season. You heard things about his leadership and competitive edge behind the scenes when he was a true freshman on the scout team. Then you hear Tucker talk about what he looks for in a quarterback — someone who won’t make mistakes, someone who’s the best competitor on your team. That sounded like Payton Thorne. When he got his start against Penn State last year and threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns, I thought he was going to be the guy in 2021.

Of course, when you add a grad transfer with playing experience like Anthony Russo, that changes things a bit. Michigan State brought in Russo to compete for the starting job and push Thorne. In doing so, we were either going to learn one of two things: Thorne isn’t ready for the spotlight, or he’s the guy for the foreseeable future. It took until pregame warmups of the season opener, but we finally got our answer. Thorne elevated his game and won this job.

It’ll be fascinating to put this season into perspective down the road. Statistically speaking, Thorne has had one of the most productive seasons by an MSU quarterback in program history. His 24 passing touchdowns are tied for the second-most in a single season by a Spartans QB. With two more in the bowl game, he’ll pass Kirk Cousins for the most ever. That tidbit is sort of a full-circle moment, considering Mark Dantonio likened Thorne to Cousins throughout his recruitment.

On the field, his play largely has matched the eye test. Thorne is an intelligent player. He has great chemistry with Jayden Reed, with those two forming quite the duo. And he has a tendency to make clutch throws more often than not.

Considering this is Thorne’s first year as a starter, it’ll be interesting to see what parts of his game grow in the coming years. He has been money on play-action, which was often set up by the threat of Walker. If he leaves, MSU will need to find a back who strikes fear into defenses to play off Thorne’s strengths. MSU also could lose a weapon or two if Reed or Jalen Nailor decide to enter the NFL Draft. That’s something to watch. But don’t count out Thorne’s ability to improve.

He has up to three more years of eligibility after the 2021 season. If he continues on this trajectory, Michigan State could have its guy.

4. Offense has been hard to come by through the years. But not this year.

During the previous five seasons, Michigan State has been one of the worst scoring offenses in the country, ranking 104th in 2016, 96th in 2017, 126th in 2018, 104th in 2019 and 116th in 2021. The pieces were in place for a productive offensive season in 2021, but we needed to see it.

Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson has had an excellent year. Michigan State is averaging nearly 32 points per game — its most since 2014. There’s balance between the running game and the passing game. Johnson’s fourth-down calls have been creative, and they’ve led to productive/explosive plays more often than not. He’s aggressive, and he has helped players like Thorne, Walker, Reed and Connor Heyward take their games to another level. That’s what you want out of your offensive coordinator.

It has been a good year for this group.

5. Let’s try to make sense of the defense.

Michigan State ranks 60th in scoring defense (25.7) points per game, 74th in yards per play (5.63) and 116th in total defense, allowing 455 yards per game. We’ll break it down a little bit further later on, but let’s start there.

As bad as things were in 2020, you sort of had to take it with a grain of salt. It was the staff’s first year, and the coaches had to install the 4-2-5 defense over Zoom and were working with players who didn’t fit what they wanted to do. That’s all understandable and worth a first-year pass. But I expected more this season.

For much of the year, this was the definition of a bend-don’t-break defense, even though no coach or player wore that as a badge of honor. Teams were going to put up yards, but the defense prided itself on limiting red zone trips to field goals instead of touchdowns. MSU ranks 13th nationally in opponent touchdown percentage — one of the bright spots defensively. But the thing with bend-don’t-break defenses is that, well, they sometimes break. Michigan State has been trending in the wrong direction since midseason.

• MSU scoring defense in September (four games): 18 points per game.
• MSU scoring defense in October (four games): 23 points per game.
• MSU scoring defense in November (four games): 36 points per game.

Down the stretch, with key games that mattered in November, the defense could not be trusted to get off the field and do its job. The Purdue game was lost by the defense, and Walker’s Heisman chances effectively ended each time C.J. Stroud found a receiver in the end zone a few weeks ago. If you’re going to discuss all the good we saw this season, you also have to discuss the bad. That leads us to our next topic.

6. You can’t talk about Michigan State’s defense without talking about its pass coverage.

When I sat down to write my MSU position group rankings back in May, I had the cornerbacks near the bottom. Here was my explanation:

“Kalon Gervin was the only scholarship corner this spring. That’s concerning, but the position is set to add more in the coming weeks when Ronald Williams, Chester Kimbrough, Khary Crump, Marqui Lowery Jr., Charles Brantley and Antoine Booth arrive later this month. The influx of talent will give MSU a boost to its depth, but there are a lot of unknowns here. You’re talking about two true freshmen (Brantley and Booth), two transfer corners who’ve never played a college game (Crump and Lowery) and two who were passed by others in his position room (Williams and Kimbrough). This group will need to develop quickly. Can it happen? Of course. Gervin was solid last year, and both Williams and Kimbrough bring SEC experience. But we’re in wait-and-see mode until further notice. Too much uncertainty for the time being.”

So let’s talk about this pass defense. It has been a struggle. No team has seen more pass attempts than this Michigan State team has. On average, opposing offenses are throwing the ball 46 times per game. It’s pretty easy to see why.

Michigan State’s pass defense has been an issue for a good chunk of the season. Early on, the yards were coming in bunches but teams had to work to get there. Heading into the Michigan game, MSU ranked 16th nationally in yards per attempt at 6.1. But since then, we’ve seen the defense regress in a major way.

MSU ranks 64th nationally in yards per attempt (7.3) and last in passing yards per game (337.7). The high volume of pass attempts is the result of opposing offenses looking to exploit this team’s Achilles’ heel. The defense has struggled to get off the field, making every third-and-long an adventure. The pass rush hasn’t always been there, which has given quarterbacks plenty of time to throw in the pocket. Stroud had twice as many touchdowns (six) as incompletions (three) against MSU. And it’s not just him. Any quarterback with a decent arm has looked like an All-Conference player against this secondary.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a secondary this lost on the field. With so many new players, you understand some issues early on and hope to see improvement as the season progresses. We’ve seen the opposite. During the final five games, MSU allowed 410.8 passing yards per game, a little more than 9.0 yards per attempt, with 17 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

I’m sure the staff will look to add to the position room this offseason. But the lack of adjustments also has been surprising for a coaching staff with plenty of defensive brainpower. That’s a problem that needs to be fixed because this isn’t cutting it. It’s clear to everyone watching.

7. With that being said, Michigan State’s run defense remains a bright spot.

Defensive line coach Ron Burton doesn’t get enough credit nationally for what he manages to do year in and year out. Michigan State’s defense consistently has excelled against the run. Burton has been the constant, getting it done under Dantonio and now Tucker.

MSU ranks 16th in rushing yards per game allowed (117.3). Some of that can be attributed to teams loading up to pass, but not all of it. The sign of a good unit is when the low yardage is accompanied by a low yards-per-play average. Michigan State has that, with the run defense allowing just 3.4 yards per rush — 15th nationally. And Burton is doing it without highly-rated prospects.

Jacob Slade and Simeon Barrow have been tremendous up front all year. There’s so much depth along the defensive line, specifically at tackle. This group has gotten the job done this year.

8. Because of the team’s success this year, Michigan State coaches and players are in the national discussion for a number of awards.

Reed is a finalist for the Hornung Award, which is given to the most versatile player in the country. Reed is averaging 130 all-purpose yards per game this season and has scored touchdowns of three different varieties — receiving (eight), rushing (one) and punt return (two).

Walker could get an invite to New York for the Heisman ceremony. He’s already a finalist for the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award.

The offensive line as a whole is a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, which is given to the nation’s best offensive line. It’s graded on six categories: toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing ability. Walker certainly helps, but this unit has improved a lot since last year. This is good recognition.

The Joe Moore Award for the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football revealed Thirteen 2021 Semifinalists, announced The Foundation for Teamwork, which has presented the unique award since 2015. Click the Link below to read!
Press Release: https://t.co/CJ61yztjw9 pic.twitter.com/nKuwnWCrKM

— Joe Moore Award (@JoeMooreAward) November 23, 2021

Johnson was one of 59 coaches nominated for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant. He didn’t make the group of finalists, but it shows that others around the sport thought highly of the job he’s done this year.

Tucker should be in the national Coach of the Year discussion, even if he doesn’t ultimately win it. Dave Aranda, Luke Fickell, Jim Harbaugh and others will certainly be in the mix, but so should Tucker. This team was 2-5 a year ago and predicted to finish with four wins this season. We could be talking about an 11-win team by the time it’s all said and done. That kind of turnaround is always going to be a strong case for an award like this.

This type of national recognition is always going to be a selling point in recruiting. Look for Michigan State coaches to use it to their advantage.

9. There were several defining plays and moments of the season. We’ll recap a few of them. Spoiler alert: Get ready for a heavy dose of Walker.

• We have to start with Walker’s 75-yard touchdown run against Northwestern. It was MSU’s first offensive play of the season, coming off a year in which the offense struggled to score and move the ball. This run was Walker’s introduction to MSU fans and set the tone for the rest of the season:

Truth: @Kenneth_Walker9 will never forget his first @MSU_Football carry.

The Wake Forest transfer goes 75 yards for the TD on the first play of the game. pic.twitter.com/dkhE179MUN

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 4, 2021

• This play shall forever be known as “The Dap.” No need for further explanation:

DAWG HE DAPPED UP NAILOR ON THE WAY TO THE END ZONE 💀 pic.twitter.com/vf8z7J1cFS

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) October 9, 2021

• Michigan State’s win over Miami established a mentality that would go on to guide this team throughout the year. Leading 17-14 heading into the fourth quarter, with momentum slipping away, Michigan State rallied and made a number of key plays down the stretch to win. The Spartans outscored the Hurricanes 21-3 in the final 15 minutes. The defense forced turnovers and the offense scored three touchdowns — including a 39-yard bomb to Nailor to effectively seal the victory. Tucker talked about the “deep water” mentality of the team after the game. Players and coaches adopted it. MSU’s student section is now called “The Deep End.” This game sparked it all:

The Deep Water #RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/gWtt33ygQP

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) September 19, 2021

• It had been a while since Michigan State returned a punt return for a touchdown. In fact, it had been a decade. With Michigan State trailing Nebraska 20-13, with the offense held to one yard in the fourth quarter, there was no better time for a special-teams spark. Reed provided one. MSU would go on to win 23-20 in OT:

Can't talk too busy watching this Spartan 🔥.@JaydenReed5 with the 63 YD punt return ➡️ TD. 🤯@MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/UI1QIxDaHt

— Michigan St. on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) September 26, 2021

• Literally any flea flicker:

Flea Flicker x 2@JaydenReed5 // @MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/1ZOtoY743V

— Michigan St. on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) September 26, 2021

• Walker’s Heisman campaign really took off in the Michigan game. Rightfully so. He ran for 197 yards and all five of Michigan State’s touchdowns. He broke off big run after big run, finishing with 197 yards and all five of MSU’s touchdowns. His performance was one for the ages, and it cemented his place as a Heisman contender. While he might not win the award, it would be criminal for him not to earn an invite to New York, especially after Gus Johnson’s call on his final TD run:

Catching up on stuff. Gus was lit huh lol pic.twitter.com/PyrMGRQPT7

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) October 31, 2021

• The Penn State game was not a gimme. Michigan State needed to play well against a team with more than enough talent to win. It was a tight game most of the night and a three-point contest with a little more than five minutes to play. That’s when MSU secured the win and perhaps a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl as well.

Five minutes left. Fourth-and-15 from the Penn State 20. Only up three. Kicker is injured. Snow coming down.

Go make a play: pic.twitter.com/7Haqlw57S0

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) November 28, 2021

• Honorable mention: Xavier Henderson’s one-handed interception versus Youngstown State. Cal Haladay’s pick six versus Indiana. Heyward trucking several defenders versus Nebraska. Kimbrough’s interception in OT versus Nebraska. Brantley’s interception versus Michigan.

10. All things considered, this has been a terrific season for Michigan State — one that could have long-lasting ramifications.

A 10-2 record. Wins in the three conference trophy games. A potential New Year’s Six bowl. A Heisman candidate. A chance to turn the success on the field into success on the recruiting trail. There’s no denying the success of the 2021 season.

Michigan State will end its season in late December or early January with a bowl game — perhaps a New Year’s Six bowl. The next few weeks leading up to the bowl will be spent recruiting to close the gap with other Big Ten programs and taking advantage of the extra bowl practices to get younger players up to speed to help in 2022.

What’s clear is that Michigan State’s timeline has accelerated. A season like this is one you can really use to your advantage on the recruiting trail. As I write this, Michigan State’s assistant coaches are traveling across the country to meet with their committed prospects, remaining targets for the 2022 class and top 2023 targets in person. A top-20 class in 2022 would be impressive, especially considering most committed prior to the 10-win season. But the 2023 class is the one where we really could see the benefits of this turnaround season if the staff can capitalize off its on-field success in 2021.

There’s a ton of buzz surrounding the program. Tucker signed a contract extension that should keep him in East Lansing for the foreseeable future. There are big-money donors willing to foot the bill to keep him in town and also give him the resources and facilities needed to recruit and attract high-end talent. If it all works out, Michigan State will be well-positioned for the future. That’s why you pay to keep a guy who checks every box. Michigan State is playing the long game. It’ll be fascinating to see where things go from here.

“I said from the beginning that I believe that Michigan State is a destination job; it’s not a stepping-stone,” Tucker said Saturday. “We want to bring a national championship to East Lansing. That’s the goal, that’s the plan. We want to be in that conversation year in and year out.”

(Photo of Payton Thorne, left, and Kenneth Walker III: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)