Michigan State football: 3 players that need to step up at Maryland

After yet another dismal performance in Week 4, Michigan State football has dropped to 2-2 on the season and there doesn’t seem to be a quick fix for a couple of position groups.

The entire defense has been awful and the offensive line has been ineffective. Two straight lopsided losses have put a damper on the season, but Week 5 at Maryland is one of the most crucial contests of the entire year because it could dictate how the Spartans finish.

Will Michigan State turn it around and beat a tough Maryland team on the road and carry that momentum over into a gauntlet in October or will they falter once again?

These guys need to step up if the Spartans plan on winning.

Arguably the leader of the defense right now, Jacoby Windmon just looks the part of that guy who can help turn things around and it starts with him getting after the quarterback.

Michigan State hasn’t gotten a ton of pressures on the quarterback over the past two weeks and it’s because it has faced decent lines and quarterbacks who get the ball out quickly. That needs to change against Maryland.

Taulia Tagovailoa is hampered after getting hit pretty hard against Michigan and he may not be able to move as freely as he would if he was 100 percent. If he holds on to the ball too long, I want to see Windmon channel his inner Weeks 1 and 2 self and get after him and maybe even get a strip-sack or two.

Windmon is so important because if there’s added pressure on Tagovailoa, he’s going to rush his throws and that’ll lead to big stops or turnovers.