Michigan State Football: Is Dave Warner actually the problem?

It’s been a rough 2018 season so far for Michigan State football, but is offensive coordinator Dave Warner truly the problem for the Spartans?

Every team needs a scapegoat when things aren’t going as planned and for Michigan State football, that’s been co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner.

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Running some questionable plays week in and week out, it seems as if Warner’s lack of creativity and ability to adjust to the Spartans’ strengths and weaknesses has him at the center of attention when he probably shouldn’t be.

For a coach the caliber of Mark Dantonio, you’d think he would have an offensive coordinator who could take advantage of a future NFL quarterback along with some pro-caliber receivers and a star tight end in the making (Matt Dotson). However, that hasn’t been the case. While the offensive line can be partially blamed here, much of it lies on the coaching staff.

There’s only so much you can blame on execution, though that’s part of it, but the offensive line isn’t the lone reason MSU can’t score touchdowns in the red zone nor is it why Felton Davis III isn’t getting the ball as much as he should or the tight ends aren’t being targeted.

Brian Lewerke’s confidence plays into this as well but it’s tough to gain momentum as a quarterback when you don’t believe in your team’s play-calling.

Mark Dantonio has said that the players don’t seem frustrated with Warner, at least not visibly, but anyone with eyes could have witnessed that on Saturday. The Spartans’ body language spoke for itself. It was a lifeless effort and they couldn’t do much about it because the plays were not geared toward the team’s strengths.

Michigan State is 3-2 with one of the most underwhelming offenses in the Big Ten, and that’s not OK given the amount of talent on the roster.

Is Warner the problem? He’s part of it, but a lot falls on Dantonio as well. All plays are run by him and he needs to stand up and speak his mind when he believes something is or is not going to work. It’s a coaching staff issue, but it starts with Warner.

A head coach tries not to create a disconnect by undermining his offensive coordinator, so to a point, it makes sense. But at some point, Dantonio must stop trying to be a good friend of his staff during games and he must try to be a winner.

Execution, poor offensive line and Dantonio stubbornness have all enabled Warner and that’s why he’s receiving most of the blame but maybe the head coach should make a change or give more input moving forward.