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Michigan State Football: Previewing RB battle for 2022 spring game

By Emmett Matasovsky

Michigan State's Davion Primm, left, runs the ball as A.J. Kirk closes in during the Meet the Spartans open practice on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.210823 Meet The Spartans Football 192a
Michigan State's Davion Primm, left, runs the ball as A.J. Kirk closes in during the Meet the Spartans open practice on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.210823 Meet The Spartans Football 192a /
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Nov 13, 2021; Pasadena, California, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Jarek Broussard (23) runs against the UCLA Bruins for a first down at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2021; Pasadena, California, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Jarek Broussard (23) runs against the UCLA Bruins for a first down at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

The case for Broussard

Jarek Broussard, from Dallas, Texas, is the final transfer for the Spartans. Mel Tucker has gone after the portal hard in his two years leading the team, and it is no surprise that he contacted his former running back when Broussard elected to transfer.

Broussard tore his ACL as a redshirt freshman in Tucker’s only season with the Buffaloes but he then went on to win Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 on the back of 813 rushing yards. However, 2021 was a bit of a letdown for Broussard, as he finished with 661 yards. He comes into Michigan State as one of two running backs to start a full season, with Eli Collins being the other.

Broussard has shown the potential and has a chance to come in and be the next Kenneth Walker for the Spartans. The biggest concern for the former Buffalo is his injury history. He has had two ACL surgeries in the past and missed games last year due to injury. Thankfully, he has kept mostly healthy the last two seasons as well as the Spartans having the most depth that they have had at this position in a long time. He will be joining the team in the summer upon his graduation from the University of Colorado.

Outlook

Broussard is coming into the fold looking to fill the hole left by Walker, and I believe that he is the right man for the job. He does not have the top end, breakaway speed that Walker had, but he does have the shiftiness and ability to make the second level lose track of him for a moment to pick up an additional chunk of yards. He should be option 1A for the Spartans. He has spent a season with Tucker as a coach before, giving him a leg up on Berger, as well as his on-field production speaking for itself. Broussard did not luck into six career 100-yard games.

If I am predicting the depth chart, the room will likely be by committee, with Broussard, Berger, Primm, and Collins all seeing their own separate roles, with Joiner being the third-down back and Eaglin and Simmons taking any snaps they can get.

dark. Next. Way-too-early projected starting 5 for 2022-23

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