Michigan State Football: Midseason report card for 2021 Spartans

4 of 8

Michigan State’s Chester Kimbrough, right, carries the ball he intercepted as he celebrates with Charles Brantley after beating Nebraska in overtime on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.210925 Msu Nebraska 271a /

Secondary: C-

The secondary has just not been that great this season. They have made some decent second-half adjustments and don’t give up a ton of points after bending all the way down the field and a lot of this has to do with scheme issues, but it’s the bending that is forcing this grade down to a C-.

The Spartans have talent in the secondary with guys like Chester Kimbrough, Ronald Williams, Charles Brantley, Xavier Henderson, Darius Snow, and Angelo Grose, but the scheme issues are allowing teams to dink and dunk them all the way down the field.

Losing Kalin Gervin to the transfer portal also hurt the depth, but I don’t think that would even change the fact that the Spartans are giving 5-10 yard cushions on every play.

Lining up 10 yards off the line of scrimmage is hurting this secondary but we have seen both safeties step up to have really good starts to the season.

I’d like to see more lockdown plays from Williams and Kimbrough, but it seems the staff is content with the bend-but-don’t-break mentality.

Home/Spartans Football