In short, there's not a lot of promise for Tucker's defense. The run defense hasn’t been quite as bad, but it’s certainly not a strength of the team, either. After a couple of solid performances against the likes of Akron and Western Michigan, the front-seven has failed to make any sort of impact against Power Five opponents. To describe the pass defense as abysmal would be an understatement. Sophomore cornerback Charles Brantley, 0, tackles his Buckeye opponent during the match on Oct. However, to have a losing season is one thing - to look lifeless in every game against Power Five opponents is another, especially following an 11-2 season. In 2022, Tucker is just a few years into his tenure and the program is still very much in rebuild mode. Michigan State was near the end of an excellent run with a veteran coach in 2016. That year featured only two real blowouts: a 30-6 loss to Wisconsin and 45-12 loss to Penn State.īesides losses and a dissapointed fanbase, 20 aren't all that similar. MSU was a two-point attempt away from upsetting a top-10 Ohio State team at home. īack in 2016, when Michigan State collapsed and went 3-9, when the games were far more competitive. It’s not “death by inches,” as Tucker is fond of saying. They aren’t playing Ohio State every weekend. The team isn't 2-4 because of just a few sloppy mistakes. Michigan State isn’t losing nail-biters thanks to a few small mistakes. Tucker needs time to make Michigan State his own. The transfer portal has certainly helped him turn around the roster quickly, but it's not magic. That team was full of MAC-level talent (just look at where MSU players transferred to in Tucker's first two seasons). Tucker's first game as head coach was a 38-27 loss to Rutgers. Heading into the 2022 season, a 2-3 start to the season was almost unimaginable for fans and media alike. All memories of Michigan State’s 2-5 season in 2020 seemed to fade away with each win. Devin Anderson-TorrezĪs impressive as that year was, it warped expectations for the program. Junior running back Kenneth Walker III celebrates after the Spartans raced back from a 16-point deficit to beat the Wolverines on Oct. Spurred on by ex-junior running back Kenneth Walker III, the Spartans clawed their way to a 10-2 regular season record and a New Year’s Six bowl win. In Tucker’s second year as head coach, Michigan State had a magical season. With a global pandemic just a month into his tenure it makes a lot of sense that Tucker is still struggling for stability in his third year with the program. Those mediocre years of recruiting and losing provide context to just how tough of a rebuild Tucker had when he was hired back in 2020. From 2017-19, the last three years of his tenure, MSU finished 36th, 31st and 31st, respectively, in national recruiting. Any fan that watched MSU’s 7-6 loss to Oregon in the RedBox Bowl can attest to just how grotesque Dantonio’s offense was at its worst.ĭespite winning multiple Big Ten titles and making the college football playoffs, Dantonio couldn't seem to gather any sort of steam in recruiting. While his defense was consistently strong, the other side of the ball was occasionally putrid. Now, let’s not get too rose-tinted with our memories of the Dantonio era. Opposing quarterbacks consistently look like Heisman contenders when facing the Spartans' secondary. Chloe TrofatterĮvery week features blown coverages, missed tackles and a lack of production from the front-seven. Head Coach Mel Tucker looks on during the Spartans game against the Wolverines. The Spartans currently rank 113th in the nation in yards allowed per game, giving up an average of 445.5. This season, Tucker's defense has been straight up embarrassing. Under Head Coach Mel Tucker, Michigan State’s defense has yet to finish inside the top-50. In Dantonio’s final year as head coach, the unit finished 36th. In 2018, when Michigan State finished with a 7-6 record, the defense was ranked No. The unit finished eighth in 2015, giving up an average of 315.8 yards per game.Įven in the twilight years of Dantonio’s career, the defense was dependable. In 2013, during the Rose Bowl season, MSU's defense was the fourth best in the nation, allowing just 274.38 yards per game. Those elite defensive units guided Dantonio's Spartans to multiple Big Ten Titles, a Rose Bowl win and a playoff berth.Īfter years of excellence under Dantonio, Michigan State fans became accustomed to a certain level of execution on the defensive side of the ball.
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