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Michigan State Football: 3 goals and a prediction vs. Maryland

By Scott Tolonen

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 09: Tunmise Adeleye #52 of the Michigan State Spartans tries to get into the backfield against Parker Mitchell #76 of the Richmond Spiders during a game at Spartan Stadium on September 09, 2023 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 09: Tunmise Adeleye #52 of the Michigan State Spartans tries to get into the backfield against Parker Mitchell #76 of the Richmond Spiders during a game at Spartan Stadium on September 09, 2023 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images) /
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We find out who Michigan State football is this week. If the Spartans look resilient, focused, and determined, the season can still be salvaged. If they look how they looked last week, then it’s time for the season to be over, and will go directly to looking at the basketball schedule only to get burnt out on predictions and expectations in two weeks.

I just get frustrated that any sports team I like has gone to complete mediocrity for the last five years and I stupidly got my hopes up that Michigan State football could go from a laughing stock to just average but that was too much to ask for.

If the team wants to shape up and turn the season around, I need to see these three things against Maryland.

1. Pressure the quarterback

This has been an issue since Mel Tucker took over in 2020.

Last week, it was zero sacks and only two tackles for loss. It’s not a coincidence that the Spartans went 11-2 when they led the Big Ten in sacks (38) in 2021. Last year, they had 29 but remember, 12 of those came in the first two games of the season. They also had three games with no sacks, and two games with one, and four of those games were losses.

Do you know what else comes with just pressuring the quarterback? Bad throws. If Taulia Tagovailoa has a clean pocket, gets comfortable, and is able to set the rhythm, he’s Michael Penix Jr. Jr.

Pressure him, don’t give him a chance to go through his passing progressions, and don’t have Spartan defensive backs have to cover for 12 seconds because not even prime Seattle Seahawks can cover for that long.

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