Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State football's season-opening 30-20 win over Toledo
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1. An MSU opener that should make fans optimistic and uneasy
EAST LANSING — Beating Toledo will only mean something for so long. But it’s so much better than the alternative. Michigan State did the minimum it needed to Friday and a little more — pulling out a comfortable-until-it-wasn’t 30-20 win that showed that the Spartans, even in a rebuild, are building from a place that’s ahead of a pesky mid-major. Because we didn’t know that before Friday.
In the revenue-sharing era, there’s no excuse for teams like MSU to lose to Toledo — or Rutgers to lose to UMass, etc. — but after several years of program instability and questions about MSU’s roster strength, again, we didn’t know what we’d see.
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MSU showed enough positives — playmaking and resolve — to keep its long-suffering fans thinking this season might be worth investing in. The Spartans also showed enough reasons to think an emotional investment in this crew might get someone hurt.
The positives were many: The Spartans were statically dominant outside of Toledo’s big plays. The defense won at the line of scrimmage and came up with a couple timely and critical stops. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was pretty efficient for his fifth career start, completing 26 of 34 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown, without throwing a pick. He made some throws that showed some arm talent and some throws late when MSU needed them. A number of MSU receivers got involved, with Rodney Bullard, Chrishon McCray and tight end Jaden Savoury looking like they’re up for this, even if not stars.
And MSU’s supposed stars stood out, including running back Cam Edwards (more below) and defensive end Kenny Soares Jr., who’s tip and INT in coverage in the first half was one of the more athletic plays you’ll see from an edge rusher. I thought it was a well-called game by Nick Sheridan offensively, Joe Rossi had some good moments, and Pat Fitzgerald didn’t botch any of the important decisions.
All good stuff.
The red zone offense needs work. Toledo’s offense hit the Spartans with two long scoring plays that, against a lot of opponents, will be too much to overcome. MSU is already getting beat up on the injury front, it seems.
Beating Toledo was important to launching the season, but these guys need to survive another 11 weeks — most of them against better competition.
All of that said, this could have gone a lot worse. And for a while, looked like it might. MSU showed some character and ability in taking back the lead and putting the game away.
2. Cam Edwards lives us to the hype. MSU needs him to stay healthy.
There is perhaps no better way to measure the impact of a player than to see their team operate without them on the field. When Cam Edwards wasn’t on the field during a critical drive in the third quarter, with the Spartans needing something after Toledo cut the deficit to 19-14, MSU looked like an offense going nowhere. The only play that went anywhere during that possession was a 13-yard scramble by quarterback Alessio Milivojevic.
Edwards is the sort rusher who forces defenses to focus on him. We saw that from Toledo. He’s the sort of back who looks great behind a good offensively line, but can make something happen on his own even when everything isn’t perfect. He’s a difference-maker on a team we weren’t sure had enough, or even one offensively. That much we saw Friday, during a 26-carry, 96-yard, one-touchdown performance while battling what appeared to be a right leg issue, hopefully just a cramp, in the second half.
Edwards returned after the aforementioned drive that he missed and then was knocked from the game again. And then return again. His presence is a threat, his pass protection also noticeable. But he didn’t seem to have the same juice late. And he took some blows that MSU would rather he didn’t in the fourth quarter in a game against Toledo.
MSU also lost mammoth left tackle Ben Murawski, another UConn transfer, in the second half. This MSU season needs Edwards and Murawski.
MSU wore Toledo down late, including getting strong work at running back from Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson and from a line that began to lean on the Rockets. A good sign for MSU. Again, there are supposed to be levels to this, with MSU and Toledo on different levels, especially at the line of scrimmage.
Importantly, for the Spartans' chances against teams they can’t wear down, Edwards appears to be every bit the complete and dynamic back they touted him to be before the season.
3. So much for wondering if MSU’s kicking game would be a problem
On a team full of unknowns, the quality of MSU’s kicking game was quietly near the top of the list. There were other larger storylines, but every once in a while you could find yourself in a conversation with someone who wondered if the Spartans’ kicking game could be a problem.
I don’t know if we just didn’t respect Liam Boyd’s work last season at North Carolina-Charlotte, because he wasn’t bad. He was really good Friday for the Spartans, and reassuringly consistent, connecting on field-goal tries of 32, 42, 48 and 35 yards, before he had a 54-yarder blocked. Then, with 2 minutes left, the fifth-year senior transfer made a 51-yarder to seal the win. The 48- and 51-yarders were career highs. So, in fairness to doubts about him, he’s never been this good.
MSU’s new punter, Iowa transfer Rhys Dakin, was as expected, booting his only punt 44-yards, pinning Toledo at the 8-yard line at the diciest point in the game. Again, reassuring.
But Boyd is the story here. Because in a season that might be full of Big Ten games decided by fine margins, and for an MSU team yet to show much in the red zone, getting at least three points every time is essential. As is having a guy who isn’t scared to make a big kick.
Contact Graham Couch at [email protected]. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch and BlueSky @GrahamCouch.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State football's season-opening 30-20 win over Toledo