Michigan State Football: Where do Spartans turn after Arizona State loss?

After losing to Arizona State in Week 2, Michigan State football has some questions to answer. Where do the Spartans turn next?

In the book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell, there is a law called the Law of the Lid. “Leadership ability determines a person’s effectiveness.” If you do not lift the lid then someone else will. He uses the biblical example of King Saul and David who followed Saul as a ruler of Israel. David was able to do the things that Saul was not. He was a more effective leader.

Must Read: MSU football: 5 takeaways from heartbreaking loss to Arizona State

What Spartan fans witnessed late Saturday night, early Sunday morning were problems that have plagued the offense and defense the entire time that head coach Mark Dantonio has been in East Lansing. He is the second-winningest coach in MSU (at the time of this article). He has done more for this school than any other modern college football coach has. Personally, I have much respect and admiration for what he was able to do, which those other coaches were not.

However, Michigan State is at a watershed moment that will determine the rest of the season. It is an opportunity to “life the lid”, and that can only happen if its head coach can transcend. The Spartan offense is archaic, yet Wisconsin is able to run something similar with success. MSU has playmakers all over the field, however, its offensive line has proven itself to be shaky.

How many times do they need to run a play out of the traditional offensive to figure out that 2-3 yards on first down will not cut it?

I’ve been watching the play calling since Dantonio has gotten to East Lansing and his base offense worked in some years, but it has not worked well since 2014. This is 2018 and not much has changed. Michigan State still tries to run up the middle or power and it goes nowhere.

Some might say, “this is who we are.” If that’s true, then good luck the rest of the way. If the ASU defensive line can stop you then not much is happening in the run game. In the last two games, every commentator has mentioned how light the tackles are. If MSU wants to ‘pound, green pound’, then it needs to get bigger or change the offense to adapt.

Quarterback Brian Lewerke was a revelation for this team because he made something out of nothing. He was the difference in an inept play-calling.

An SEC football head coach was reminiscing on his time as an offensive line coach (on Sirus radio 84) about how they knew they were not talented on the line, therefore, they did a no-huddle offensive scheme in order to run the football. He understood they were overmatched and they changed what they did to fit their players. Michigan State needs to realize the same thing.

Your line has communicated with you, they cannot block, therefore, you have to change. Or we will get much of the same. Coaching can teach and instruct, but it cannot change what players can do especially if you have been doing the same thing and it has not worked. As the cliche goes, ‘the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.’

One might say, well what if they score instead of getting a Lewerke interception in the end zone? The same problems exist and have existed for some time. The difference has always been the types of quarterbacks MSU has had. Connor Cook routinely got into thirds and longs and was able to convert. Kirk Cousins used his leadership and field vision. Lewerke is the next guy in this line of outstanding qbs to improvise.

This is not an indictment on offensive coordinator Dave Warner. Warner like his predecessor Don Treadwell (now on the coaching staff in a different role) were highly criticized. They are merely calling what Dantonio wants. Therefore, he is the one who will need to transform or these losses will continue for this talented team.

During the first couple of seasons of Dantonio’s tenure, the knock on him was his defense is unable to get a push, but then they were able to turn it around. The Spartans lost much to graduation, attrition, and poor choices by its players. However, this is why MSU is where it is at. The recruiting on defense must improve. Otherwise, they will continue to struggle in all areas of defense.

MSU must adjust its scheme on offense to fit its personnel. If not then it will be more of the same. Dantonio will need to lift the lid on this offense. The defense will need to figure out how to get a pass rush or this offense will have to carry them in 2018.