Michigan State’s trip to UCLA turned into another night of stretching whatever depth the Spartans had left.
The 28-10 loss dropped MSU to 2-6 overall and 0-5 in Big Ten play, and the snap counts tell the real story as much as the score does. With starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic already out because of an undisclosed injury, backup Cam Fancher sidelined by a leg injury, and more players going down during the game, Michigan State was forced to patch together a lineup on the fly.
That made Saturday a meaningful day for the program’s young quarterbacks. Third-string freshman Kayd Coffman, who had only seen 11 offensive snaps at the end of the Wisconsin loss before this, got the start and finished 4-for-10 for 42 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Leo Hannan, a sophomore who had not played at all before this game, took over in the third quarter and went 9-for-15 for 67 yards and one interception. Coffman’s throw looked cleaner early, but Hannan wound up with the stronger outing overall.
The situation at running back was just as thin, and the rotation was telling. Michigan State came in without its top two backs: Cam Edwards is out for the year, and Jaziun Patterson was ruled out on game day with an undisclosed injury.
Then RB3 Marvis Parrish went down just a few snaps into his first start in a Spartan uniform. Even with all that attrition, Brandon Tullis barely saw the field.
Instead, the workload fell mostly to Kenneth Williams, a player MSU largely brought in as a kick return specialist. Williams handled 17 carries, while Tullis had just one.
There was also some curiosity around how much the Spartans might lean on Carson Gulker, the gadget tight end who can show up as a runner, passer, or receiver. Michigan State wasn’t likely to move the ball conventionally against UCLA with a QB3 and RB4 situation, but offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan never really turned to anything especially exotic. Gulker got one touch, a wildcat carry that went for no gain.
A few other snap counts stood out. Wide receiver Samson Gash played a season-high 19 offensive snaps, more than he had logged during the first seven games combined, when he had 18.
The speedy freshman also caught his first two college passes, finishing with nine yards. He even played more snaps than starter Rodney Bullard Jr., who had 17.
It was a step forward for Gash, and it would not be a surprise if his role grows from here.
On the defensive side, Carlos Hazelwood may be headed for a larger role the rest of the way. The third-year defensive tackle had only played 10 defensive snaps through Michigan State’s first seven games, but he got 21 at the Rose Bowl.
That increase came after star nose tackle Ben Roberts was injured on the opening defensive snap when Eli Coenen rolled up on his lower leg/ankle area. Roberts later appeared on the sideline with crutches.
If Roberts is out through the bye week, Hazelwood looks set to join the defensive tackle rotation. He transferred to Michigan State from Toledo this offseason. Derrick Simmons and Mikeshun Beeler also hit season highs in snaps, with 47 and 42, respectively.
In Other News...
Michigan State Fans Had Another Reason To Be Frustrated After UCLA
UCLAs 28-10 win over Michigan State at the Rose Bowl did more than push the Bruins to 7-0 and keep their College Football Playoff hopes intact. For the Spartans, it was another frustrating afternoon in a game that started with early miscues and never really gave them much traction, even as Bob Chesney pointed to the two costly fumbles that handed Michigan State favorable field position and return yards.
By halftime, UCLA had steadied itself and played a cleaner second half to close out the victory, leaving Michigan State to regroup after a loss that never felt far away but also never felt truly winnable. And while the action on the field was enough to drive plenty of reaction, the game also drew a separate wave of attention online as photos of UCLA cheerleader Kelsey Lowder spread across social media, adding an unexpected layer to an already talked-about night in Pasadena. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Already Has One Worry As Its Backcourt Takes Shape
Michigan States backcourt is starting to look like the clear strength of Tom Izzos newest group, with Jeremy Fears Jr., Jasiah Jervis and Jordan Scott all starting together in recent exhibition action. Scott, in particular, offered a glimpse of how much he can help on both ends, scoring 18 points while also making his presence felt defensively with blocks and steals, which is the kind of two-way lift the Spartans can build around as the season approaches.
The concern, though, is in front of that perimeter trio, where the frontcourt left more questions than answers. Center Anton Bonke had limited impact, while power forwards Cam Ward and Coen Carr were uneven, leaving Michigan State with some real work to do in the paint before the games start counting. The guard play looks ready to carry a significant load, but the Spartans still need the interior rotation to settle in if they want the rest of the roster to match that progress. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Volleyball Heads Home With Real Big Ten Momentum
Michigan State wrapped up a four-match road trip in convincing fashion, finishing with a 3-0 sweep at Maryland and heading back home with its Big Ten standing looking a lot stronger. The Spartans are 17-3 overall and 7-3 in conference play after controlling the match in just about every phase, from kills and service aces to blocks and digs.
Madi Andrews supplied 12 kills and Hayley Ogden added seven blocks as Michigan State kept Maryland from finding much rhythm on its home floor. With the Spartans now back in East Lansing, the bigger question is how this momentum carries into the next stretch of league play, where every clean road result can shape the conference race. [Read more 🡒]