The Michigan State offense is a work in progress with an inexperienced quarterback and line as they head into a hostile Autzen Stadium.
Everyone is smiles and laughs until somebody gets poked in the eye.
Isn’t that how that saying goes? Well however it goes, it fits in with the Michigan State offense as they got on a roll until faced with tough competition and it hasn’t gone well.
The Spartans are rebuilding with a new coach in Jonathan Smith and a new quarterback in Aidan Chiles, both coming to East Lansing from Corvallis and the Oregon State Beavers.
This is Chiles’ first real opportunity to show he can be a success as a starter as he sat on the bench for much of 2023, watching DJ Uiagalelei do his thing. It worked out for the most part as Chiles was put in for a series per game to get his feet wet.
Now he’s the man at Michigan State and after a strong start, tough times have followed Chiles. Overall, he has a 56.7 completion percentage and has five touchdowns. But he has eight interceptions and that has killed his progress.
Against Ohio State, Chiles was 13of-19 passing, but for just 167 yards, a touchdown and a pick. But it was against the No. 3 Buckeyes and the mistakes that were made can be largely excused because it was against the top team in the conference.
Chiles was also sacked three times last week as the offensive line hasn’t really helped out. They’ve allowed nine sacks for the year. It’s a young group as they play freshmen Rakeem Johnson and Rustin Young along that line that is just gelling as a group.
Injuries have played a part in the success, or the lack of it, recently. Leading receiver Nick March, also a freshman, has been banged up but returned for the Ohio State game and will be 100 percent for the Oregon contest. Marsh has 13 catches for 262 yards ((20.2 ypc) and a touchdown.
Michigan State’s rushing attack is also a work in progress because of that inexperienced line. But Kay’ron Lynch-Adams does lead the team with 61 yards a game and as scored once.
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