Michigan State football: Jack Stone transfer indictment of poor special teams coaching

Stepping up right before halftime and finally getting an opportunity to show what he had, Jack Stone hit a 51-yard field goal to give Michigan State football some life at the break.

That field goal led to some momentum for the Spartans as they went from down 21-3 to pulling within five before a fourth-down defensive gaffe led to the game-clinching score.

It felt, in that moment, like Stone was the kicker of the future because he showed more on one kick than any other field goal kicker (Ben Patton, Stephen Rusnak) had shown all year. He looked like the guy who could be that next four-year starter as the field goal kicker.

Two days later, the former five-star (kickers have different ranking sites) kicker announced he would be transferring from Michigan State.

This is an indictment of the poor special teams coaching we’ve seen all year.

Where does Michigan State football turn?

Losing Stone hurts because I felt like he had the potential to be really good in East Lansing. He was just 2-for-4 on the year, but he attempted all of his kicks from 40-plus yards. It would have been nice to see him as the full-time kicker, but Patton and Stone split time.

Patton’s missed field goal from under 30 yards against Indiana still stings and one would be left to wonder what would have happened if Stone kicked that one.

With Stone gone and Patton graduating, Rusnak is the only kicker on the roster and he is 0-for-7 on field goals in his career. Mel Tucker will have to land a kicker late in the recruiting cycle or hit the transfer portal yet again.

Going forward with Rusnak just doesn’t seem like the smart option.

Another move Tucker needs to make is probably looking for a new special teams coordinator as Ross Els was one of the biggest disappointments on the staff. Stone’s transfer is an indictment of the poor coaching he got from the special teams coaches.

Hopefully Michigan State will have a new consistent kicker next year along with a new special teams coordinator. Too often, special teams changed the trajectory of the game for MSU, and not in a good way. And Bryce Baringer put that unit on his back — or leg.