Michigan State Football: 3 upperclassmen who need to step up in 2022

For me, this is the most obvious choice for No. 1.

Jarek Broussard comes to campus this summer as a junior from Colorado with two years of eligibility left. He is a really talented running back who transfers in after a fairly productive career, but he felt like he could really flourish with a change of scenery.

Sounds a lot like Kenneth Walker III, right?

Broussard had a breakout season in 2020, winning the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year award after rushing for 895 yards and five touchdowns in six games. He then rushed for 661 yards and two touchdowns in 2021 while dealing with some nagging injuries. Over 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns worth of production on the ground to help replace the Doak Walker Award winner seems doable.

There’s going to be a heck of a battle this summer for the starting job between Broussard and Jalen Berger and Michigan State’s one-two punch in the backfield should be really good if these guys live up to their potential.

Michigan State needs Broussard to at least provide a fraction of what Walker did in his lone season in East Lansing if it’s going to take pressure off Payton Thorne.