Michigan State's Inept Offense Needs a Gut Rehab
By Kyle Koster
Michigan State has a championship-level defense and a piddling, painful offense. Stop me if you’ve heard that one before. It was true in 2018, as it’s been true in years prior. The nation was treated to the full Spartans experience last night in the Redbox Bowl against Oregon. A 7-6 Ducks victory served as a good microcosm for a proud but regressing MSU program.
They are one phase away from being perennial Big Ten and, with a few breaks, College Football Playoff contenders. The problem is, Mark Dantonio, tasked with getting them back to the top of the mountain, has done little to inspire any confidence that he’ll do what needs to be done.
Loyalty is a good thing. But the level of loyalty shown to the offensive braintrusts in East Lansing is proving to be detrimental to the larger goal. Coordinator Dave Warner had another bad year, punctuated by sweeps to the short side of the field and unimaginative first-down predictability.
Did he have the best ingredients to cook up delicious points? No. The offensive line was routinely pushed around and quarterback Brian Lewerke took a major step back. But there is no excuse for 31 total points in the final five games. There’s no excuse for two total touchdowns over the final four game (both against Rutgers).
Michigan State took what could have been a 10-3 or 11-2 year and turned it into 7-6 by declining to move the football when it mattered. This should be a signal that Warner’s time is done. It should be obvious that a change — and potentially a drastic one — is needed.
And now, let me channel the voice of every frustrated member of the fan base.
Do. Something. Different.
Anything. Everything.
Change your coordinator. Change the playbook. Use some tempo. Rediscover the tight end. Stop playing Tressel-ball like it’s the only path to victory. Doing the same thing over and over with mediocre success is the definition of insanity.
Predictably, it’s driving Spartans nuts. There is no joy in these games. Only slight hope that a 12-10 win can be gutted out. It’s no way to live. And it can’t go on.
But it might. That’s what’s truly frustrating.