Michigan State football: Offensive mediocrity leads to Nebraska loss

Michigan State football had every opportunity to win, thanks to its defense, but the offense continues to spiral into mediocrity.

It happened again. Michigan State just needed to score one touchdown to beat Nebraska on the road Saturday, but the Spartans just couldn’t get the job done.

For the fifth time this season, the Spartans lost thanks to a lackluster offensive effort and for a second straight game, and third time this year, they failed to break double-digits in the scoring column. Michigan, Ohio State and now the Cornhuskers have held the Spartans to under 10 points which is shocking considering the amount of talent this team began the season with.

Sure, there have been injuries, but that’s not the problem. Michigan State’s struggles on the offensive end are purely coaching-related.

Dave Warner called a predictable game as the worst thing that could have happened to his game-plan took place on the first drive as Connor Heyward broke off a long run up the middle. He decided the best plan was to keep running up the middle and hoping for those same holes to open up. They didn’t.

Rocky Lombardi was clearly not on top of his game all afternoon (confidence-related, it seemed) as the decision to bench him in the second half and not start him against Ohio State seemed to cost him, mentally.

On top of that, the receivers were dropping plenty of passes. Was it the snow in the faces of these receivers or just poor throws, or both? Either way, this was arguably the worst offensive performance in the Mark Dantonio era, and it should call for immediate changes — starting from the top.

No, the offensive issues during the season were not all Brian Lewerke-related, clearly, but playing him injured didn’t help. Moreover, the run game can’t seem to get off the ground and Michigan State has no consistency.

This loss to Nebraska was the latest result of poor coaching, poor execution and a lack of adequate decision-making.