3 Keys for Michigan Football against Michigan State
By Josh LaFond
Jim Harbaugh is 0-2 against Spartan head coach, Mel Tucker. With bragging rights and an undefeated season on the line, can Harbaugh and Michigan football pull out the win?
Despite being in the midst of a disappointing season, in Mel Tucker’s third year as the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans he sits 2-0 against his university’s arch rival and looks to keep his undefeated streak against the Wolverines going.
The Spartans, however, have underperformed to say the least.
Starting the season ranked #15 in the AP pre-season poll — and rising at one point to #11 in season — Michigan State currently sits 3-4 with an offense that’s in shambles and a defense that’s been marred by injuries.
Speaking of the defense, many Michigan State fans (and Michigan football fans for that matter) said after last year’s worst nationally ranked secondary, “how could next year be any worse?”
Well, it might not be worse, but it certainly hasn’t gotten better currently sitting at 111th nationally in passing defense.
Sure, on paper — and after reading all that — you’re thinking that this should be a cake walk for #4 ranked Michigan football. But that’s not the case.
This is a rivalry game that has seen great Michigan State teams lose to Michigan, and title contending Michigan teams have their hopes and dreams ripped out from under them against the Spartans.
What does Michigan football need to do to keep the title dream alive and “bring Paul home”? We discuss that in our keys to victory; this week, against Michigan State.
Get after Payton Thorne
Last season the Michigan State Spartans were blessed with one of the best running backs college football has seen in the last 10+ years in Kenneth Walker III. Walker single handily won the game against Michigan last season in East Lansing, and is proving his talent this season in the NFL, starting for the Seattle Seahawks as a rookie.
Why do we mention him in a segment about starting quarterback Payton Thorne?
Because Walker is gone, and so is the Spartan run game.
The Spartans have struggled mightily to pound the rock behind transfers Jalen Berger (Wisconsin) and Jarek Broussard (Colorado). And when you can’t run the ball, the offense naturally leans on the passing game.
Payton Thorne has had his ups and downs this season. At times struggling to hit wide open receivers, and then two weeks ago against Wisconsin, delivered a 2OT win with elite level NFL throws.
For Michigan to come out on top, they need to get after Thorne, and get after him early. We spoke just a minute ago about how he has his ups and downs, and is a streaky passer. The Wolverines need him to have more downs than ups and that’s going to come from getting after him with an emerging pass rush.
Defensive end Eyabi Okie looks like a stud in the making, Mike Morris is putting up Aidan Hutchinson like numbers, and freshman Derrick Moore has shown flashes of future stardom.
If the Wolverines can unleash the pass rush led by those three and get after Thorne, they’ll have a great chance of winning this game.