Michigan State Football: Report card for first month of 2018 season
. DB. Michigan State. DEFENSIVE BACKS. C+
If you’re a fan of numbers, you won’t like what you see from Michigan State’s secondary. Though the Spartans allow about 288 yards per game through the air, the secondary has been getting better each week.
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It all started with a rough game against Jordan Love and Utah State, then Arizona State was stymied, for the most part, until a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to N’Keal Harry, Indiana couldn’t get anything going past 5-10 yards and Central Michigan didn’t take many shots outside of a trick play.
The Spartans just don’t get beat deep and the coaching staff is fine with allowing the short slants, crossing routes, passes in the flats, curls and outs. These are the routes that kill this secondary because it just hasn’t been aggressive enough.
The tides turned against Central when the secondary began to make plays on these short passes.
Justin Layne has been the top corner, recording 27 tackles with an interception and three pass deflections. Josh Butler has been solid in place of an injured Josiah Scott, adding 10 tackles and two passes defended.
Shakur Brown has a pick-six and Tre Person was solid in his lone start.
Safeties Khari Willis and David Dowell have had rough starts, but Central was a nice bounce-back game for both of them. These two need to improve if this defense is going to take its next step.