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Michigan State Football: 5 reasons Mark Dantonio must make change at OC

By Connor Muldowney

LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans walks on the field with the team before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans walks on the field with the team before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 31: Dillon Mitchell #13 of the Oregon Ducks catches a touchdown pass over Josiah Scott #22 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half of the Redbox Bowl at Levi’s Stadium on December 31, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 31: Dillon Mitchell #13 of the Oregon Ducks catches a touchdown pass over Josiah Scott #22 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half of the Redbox Bowl at Levi’s Stadium on December 31, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

2. Wasting a championship-level defense

With a competent offense, Michigan State finishes 10-2 or 11-1, at the very worst. This is an argument I’ve had plenty with opposing fans who have called Michigan State “garbage” this season because, well, that’s only half true.

The offense was one of the worst in school history and would make even Andrew Maxwell or Tyler O’Connor laugh. The defense, however, rivaled that of the 2013 team which won the Rose Bowl.

It may not be clear since we will never know how this defense would stack up to the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame or Oklahoma, but it was surely on a playoff-type level. Heck, we even put it to a vote on Twitter.

The title-caliber defense was wasted and if the offense lived up to the preseason hype or potential with the type of talent it had with a competent coordinator running the show, we may be looking at the Spartans playing for a national title.

Yes, that means wins over the likes of Ohio State, Nebraska, Arizona State, Northwestern and Oregon — but the latter wouldn’t have even happened if the first four resulted in wins. Heck, no one knows what would have happened with a competent offense against Michigan, but the Spartans sure would have finished with more than an embarrassing 94 yards and seven points.

This team could have been special, but the offense held it back, and that blame lies on the shoulders of two men in particular — Jim Bollman and Warner.

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