The heartbeat of East Lansing was alive again Friday night as Spartan football kicked off the season against Western Michigan. Tailgates were full and loud, drinks were flowing and Munn Field was even back in play! If all of that was going on then you know it’s time for the return of the weekly weather report. After each game I’ll give you my opinion on the suns and clouds awarded to MSU football, cause let’s be honest, it may always be a beautiful day for football but it’s not always a beautiful day of football.
Let’s begin with this weeks suns.
Sun 1: Chiles
Okay, I know this was not a phenomenal game. One pass of 28 yards, one of 21 and everything else was under 14 yards. Yes, he also had a lost fumble and managed to recover another. So, there is some of the negative. However, there was actually more positive to look at, in my opinion. His footwork seemed vastly improved. They were quick, rotating, and he was looking down options. He also was not forcing the ball like last year. There were two specific plays where I thought, maybe things will be better this year. It was like mid second quarter and Chiles was scrambling to his right, Marsh broke open down the left side. The old Chiles would have forced that ball across the field and likely ended up in danger. This play, he tucked, ran it, gained a few yards and lived to see the next down. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, maybe they make that play, but most guys aren’t making that and I was glad to see that mentality. The second play came in the third. He was scrambling to his right again but this time a receiver had step on the same side of the field. He still was running and had to throw across his body and just over threw his mark. That was a shot that was worth taking as it was much lower risk of being messed with. People around me in the stadium were complaining that he didn’t make the completion. It was a very tough pass, he was not that far off the mark considering everything and honestly a decent play. Definitely felt like steps in the right direction.
Sun 2: Makhi Frazier
The running game has most certainly been an area of concern for me coming into this game. I was unsure of who “the guy” was and if that person would be able to contribute. Frazier had 14 carries for 103 yards a touchdown and a 7.4 yards per carry average. Tullis had 7 for 52 with a 7.4 yards per carry. That is a great sign to see the backfield that productive. Granted, it was against a decimated Bronco front, but that is exactly the numbers you should put up against that opponent. As a team, MSU had 44 rushing attempts which almost doubled the passing attempts. That is back to some Spartan football roots right there. I hope to see this kind of continued production as the opponents improve.
I’d also like to attribute some of the rushing success to the offensive line. Again, tough to really judge based on the group they had to face, but you can only play against what is put before you. They rotated personnel on basically every play. The line created holes, for the most part gave Chiles time to throw. They still gave up four sacks and one led to a strip, and that all needs to improve. It still felt and looked better than what we saw last year against FAU.
Sun 3: Defense
MSU defense looked good against a team that they should look good against. Jordan Hall, Wayne Matthews III, and Malik Spencer all looked good. They produced 4 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. They held Western to 29 yards rushing, got a turnover, almost blocked a punt and pitched a shut out as the 6 points were on the pick six from Milivojevic. They also looked engaged, excited, determined, and pumped. I feel like a lot of this was missing last year and it was really great to see. My biggest concern was giving up 35 yards here, 42 yards there on pass plays. That needs to get remedied quickly but all in all the defense showed up.
Sun Honorable Mention: Omari Kelly
There has been a lot of talk about the receiver transfers that arrived. That a lot of damage can be done if Chiles can get them the ball. Marsh wasn’t targeted a whole bunch but Omari Kelly was. He seemed to have some nice chemistry with Chiles. Kelly had 7 receptions for 75 yards and always seemed to be a first look. I’m looking forward to more plays with the stacked set of Kelly and Marsh and seeing what can develop. It almost felt like the playbook wasn’t fully opened today, maybe Connor Stallions was seen on campus or maybe its just me, but it felt like there will be more to see from these receivers and the play calling down the road.
Cloud 1: Kicking
Well, we all knew this was going to be an issue and it clearly very much is. We got pretty used to Jonathan Kim just booting every kickoff through the end zone but that was not the case in this game with Blake Sislo. I guess the return defense is going to really have to be on it and they did play well in this one. I predicted a missed field goal in this game and they delivered that very nicely by missing the uprights by more than a lot. Thankfully, field goals were not important in this one other than helping MSU get closer to covering the spread. This is going to be a problem this season and as the games get tougher and the weather gets worse I hope the Spartans can find an answer. At least the PAT’s were made.
Cloud 2: Velling
As muchas I tooted my own horn about predicting the missed field goal, I will equally hold my head in shame at predicting Velling as the leading pass catcher. I know he’s coming off an injury but we was playing and they need to get him involved more. There just wasn’t much action in the middle of the field and I hope Smith finds a way to get him involved in the upcoming weeks or if it is still injury nursing, then get him healthy.
Cloud 3: The Second Half
The second half was nonexistent. All in all the game was kind of strangely boring. Lot’s of 4 yards here, 5 there, but never a big exciting moment other than a safety, ad those are always fun. Smith gave some credit to the Broncos and their halftime adjustments but was accountable for the need to be more consistent in the second half and continuing to push. No show second halves were a story last year and to see this week one in 2025 is a bit alarming. They need to figure out how to finish games and adjust to the adjustments because that what a good team is supposed to do.
Rainbow: Spartan Stadium
Every now and then something is deserving of a little rainbow, that happy pleasant surprise when we see it. This week goes to Spartan Stadium. first and foremost the energy in there was really good. Smith even credited the defensive success to the crowd and in particular the student section. That was the most full I’ve seen the student section and Spartan Stadium as a whole in a minute. I’ve got seats near the student section and we had students flooding our area because they arrived late and couldn’t get a spot. It was great seeing all the students turn out and up.
I also want to say the fireworks, the smoke, a big hit. I thought it was fantastic, fun, and improved the overall atmosphere. My seven year old loved it and the 19 year old student next to him loved it just as much. It was hinted that it was coming and hope it stays as a new tradition.
Game one in the books, 1-0, with BC on the horizon. I’ll take it, I know we all will. Let me know what you liked or disliked from MSU football in the comments. Here’s hoping the weather stays beautiful! Go Green!
