50 defining moments from the 2021 Michigan State football season: No. 30

Today’s moment for Michigan State football is in Miami, again. After yesterday, is time for an offensive veteran, Jalen Nailor, to make a play.

Welcome back to the 21st edition of this Michigan State football series and moment No. 30 on this list. This moment again comes from the early season rout of Miami. Jalen Nailor came through in a big way on this play, as he did all of last year, culminating in becoming the sixth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings.

For those of you who missed yesterday’s article, please click here. If you would like to look at previous articles of this series, feel free to scroll through my writing profile.

No. 30: Jalen Nailor 39-yard TD reception vs. Miami

Video: ESPN

This was Nailor’s second touchdown of the ball game in case you are confused.

Why No. 30?

When watching this play, it is clear that Jay Johnson had done an exceptional job planning for moments like this to occur. After a fourth-down run by Thorne, who would expect a planned long pass immediately after when there is a Heisman-caliber running back in the backfield? Johnson plays on this, and Thorne looks off defenders before finding Nailor doing an exemplary job at practicing social distancing.

One thing I would like to highlight is the tremendous discipline by Thorne. On this play, he stares down his receiver on his left, making the Miami backfield cheat and sneak over. Thorne then whips his head around and finds Nailor left alone with the safety having cheated over and the corner having been burnt to a crisp.

This play occurred directly after the Hurricanes drove down the field for a field goal, making it a seven-point ballgame. The Spartans were unphased, driving down the field themselves before Nailor’s stop-and-go completely fooled the Miami corner. That corner quickly found out why the Spartan faithful called him “Speedy” this last year.

In part, that is why this play gets the nod over Drew Beesley’s strip-sack. While the sack flipped the game, this play drove the stake through Miami’s heart. After this, Miami’s morale was on the floor and Ronald Williams’ play on the Hurricanes’ next possession sent the fans to the exits. This play was also a drawn-up call, as opposed to an offensive tackle and tight end forgetting to block one of the best pass rushers on the opposing team.

While this was dynamic, excellently called, and occurred at a crucial time for Michigan State football, I cannot rate it higher on my list. This play makes the game a 14-point deficit when there are plays higher up this list that ties the ball game and/or aids in a comeback. I am not denying the greatness of this Nailor touchdown, but the Spartans had many more great moments that just edge out this play. After the end of the 2010s, this is a great problem to have.

Each time I type out an explanation, I find it harder to justify why a play is “low,” which is something I struggled with a lot while creating this list. I hope you can understand my reasoning and know that I struggled a lot with placing plays in this section of the list.

Statistically, this was Nailor’s second touchdown of the game and third on the season. Nailor led the team in receiving yards and touchdowns in this game, recording his two touchdowns with 82 yards between his four catches. For Thorne, this was his fourth and final touchdown of the game. It was also his longest scoring toss this game.

Today was the second day of a three-day, midweek vacation to Miami for my Michigan State football moments. Tomorrow wraps up that vacation, and who knows what comes next?