Michigan State football: Video analysis of MSU’s win over Prairie View
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press MSU beat writer Chris Solari break down the Spartans’ win over Prairie View A&M.
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch grades Michigan State’s performance in the Spartans’ 40-0 win over Prairie View A&M on a scale of 1-10.
This and every MSU grade from Saturday could just as easily be an “incomplete”, because the level of competition doesn’t allow for proper analysis. Nonetheless, MSU’s offense did some good things — going 8-for-11 on third downs, reaching the end zone four times and not committing a turnover (though Aidan Chiles had an INT that was negated by offsetting penalties on the play). A lot of guys played, including backup QB Tommy Schuster, who completed 8 of 10 passes for 97 yards and ran in a touchdown and that experience means something. There were areas that weren’t as smooth, including the offensive line play in the running game and a few penalties that, a week from now, could be costly.
MSU’s defense mostly controlled their lower-level competition, outside of a couple drives. But even then the Spartans stiffened near the goal line, forcing one field goal attempt that missed and picking off a pass in the end zone, which Chuck Brantley then returned about 140 yards to the other end zone. Prairie View A&M didn’t score and only converted 4 of 11 third-down tries, tallying only 10 first downs for the entire game while amassing just 140 total yards. That’ll do the trick every week. Most weeks, however, Prairie View won’t be the opponent.
Other than an uncharacteristic missed extra point by Jonathan Kim, MSU’s special teams were pretty solid. Even a Montorie Foster fair catch inside the 10-yard line was more a debatable choice than a bad one. That could have been downed even closer to the goal line. A penalty on the return ended up pinning MSU inside the 5, which made it seem worse. Kim made two field goals, from 33 and 23 yards out, respectively, and Ryan Eckley’s lone punt went 55 yards — his ninth straight game with a punt of 50 yards or longer. Prairie View A&M had only one kick return and it didn’t go very far.
The penalties are clearly beginning to frustrate Jonathan Smith, who emphasized after the game that that’ll be an emphasis again this week. That’s something that hasn’t cost MSU yet, but will. The Spartans were flagged 11 times for 102 yards Saturday, their third straight double-digit penalty game to open the season. The staff did a nice job of getting a lot of guys involved in a game that allowed for it. A lot of players who might at some point be called upon will leave this game feeling a part of things. The challenge now is to quickly develop enough depth on the offensive line and in the defensive secondary to withstand the next few weeks. If MSU holds up OK in those areas against Boston College, Ohio State and Oregon, this staff will deserve a 10.
There was zero doubt that MSU would be 3-0 once the Spartans were 2-0. Still, 3-0 is a nice start to a transition season, even if what’s just ahead is pretty nasty. MSU’s halfway to bowl-eligibility, which, even if the Spartans are 3-3 after the next three weeks, seems much more realistic than before the season began.
RELATED: Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State’s 40-0 win over Prairie View A&M
— Graham Couch
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