Michigan State Holiday Wish List 2018: Wish No. 14 for Spartan fans

Michigan State’s 25 wishes list continues today and will run for the next two and a half weeks. What is the No. 14 wish for all Spartan fans?

Here is wish No. 14 on our Michigan State fan wish list as we count down to wish No. 1.

Wish No. 14

A healthy and productive offensive line in 2019.

The Michigan State offensive line had many injuries and many different lineups on the line because of it.

If you’re a fan of Michigan State football you could not have avoided reading, listening, watching, or being told on a FOX, ESPN or during BTN broadcasts of all of the Spartan injuries especially of those on the offensive line.

On sports talk radio, in newspapers, or on informative Michigan State sports websites such as our very own Spartan Avenue it was talked in nauseating length of not just the injuries of who was injured and when it happened to those particular players who were hurt but also the status of the injuries, the probability of if they will play game to game, and even if a player was dressed on the sidelines, if he would actually play that game.

Let’s first look back at some of the more notable injuries to the offensive lineman before we talk about the actual wish.

Before the season opener against Utah State, junior Cole Chewins had suffered a preseason injury. The season before, he had started every game at left tackle helping the Spartans to a 10-win season. Chewins was in and out of the lineup until he was what appeared to be fully healthy against Purdue and ended up having a productive season.

Starting left guard Kevin Jarvis hurt his leg injury during the Indiana game which kept him from playing in four games this season. Another injury struck the offensive line again during the Northwestern game when David Beedle injured his arm very early in the game and has kept him out of eight games.

The injuries really shifted players all around the offensive line. They kept piling up and even though he didn’t start the season at center, Matt Allen, who had become the Spartans’ starting center, suffered a foot injury half way through the season which kept him out for three games.

Luke Campbell missed time in two games this season due to some minor alignments, and ended up not playing against Ohio State and Rutgers. Jordan Reid also played through minor alignments this season but played the vast majority of the season. However, looking to next season, if the returners on the offensive line can stay healthy next season, total offensive production should be better overall.

Beedle, a fifth-year senior at left guard, is the only lineman graduating. Coming back are Campbell, who will be a redshirt junior, Tyler Higby, who will be a redshirt senior, Blake Bueter will be a redshirt sophomore, Allen will be a redshirt junior, Kevin Jarvis will be a junior, Jordan Reid will be a junior and Chewins will be a senior.

That list does not include other offensive linemen such as Mustafa Khaleefah, AJ Arcuri, and Jacob Isaia who will provide depth for next season.

More than likely you will see the incoming freshmen offensive linemen recruits to be redshirted or play limited snaps next season. The offensive line could have a productive season next year if they can stay healthy.

I put the probability of Wish No. 14 on our wish list of coming true at 40 percent. Keeping an offensive line healthy for an entire season may not be likely but it does have a decent probability of happening next season.