Michigan State football desperately needs defensive shakeup vs. Miami

Michigan State football holds a 10-7 halftime lead over Miami, but things could be much worse for the Spartans had the Hurricanes not squandered multiple opportunities.

The Hurricanes have been moving the ball all afternoon, passing for 233 yards and the rushing attack hasn’t been much of a factor as they have just 31 yards on the ground. But the secondary has struggled all afternoon and no adjustments have been made.

Harlon Barnett and Scottie Hazelton have watched as D’Eriq King has sat back in the pocket and picked apart the defense for 30 minutes straight. He has completed 22-of-29 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown. He did throw a pick on one of his only downfield passes to Angelo Grose who made a heck of a play on the ball.

What this did was show that the secondary needs to play press coverage and dare King to throw it deep. He has taken very few shots and completed a couple of 15-20 yard passes, but he is picking the Spartan defense apart from 5-10 yards just like Northwestern’s Hunter Johnson did.

This needs to change.

What can Michigan State football’s defense do?

King has had all day to sit back and pick a receiver to throw it to and that can’t keep happening. Hazelton needs to dial up more blitz packages to get pressure on King who actually looked hobbled in the first half. When he’s under pressure, he gets swallowed up or makes mistakes but that hasn’t happened much through two quarters.

Michigan State also needs to avoid the soft coverage and start playing press and forcing the receivers to beat them deep where the safeties can help out.

King has shown he can complete those soft coverage passes from 5-10 yards and the jury’s still out from 10-plus yards. It’s time to press and force him to spend more time deciding where to throw. No more easy 5-10 yard completions.

The defense needs to adjust in the final 30 minutes if the Spartans are going to pull off the upset in Miami.