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Michigan State Football: Don’t overlook Spartans in Big Ten race

By Zach Bigalke

SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 28: Chris Frey #23 and Andrew Dowell #5 congratulate head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans after defeating Washington State Cougars 42-17 in the SDCCU Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium on December 28, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 28: Chris Frey #23 and Andrew Dowell #5 congratulate head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans after defeating Washington State Cougars 42-17 in the SDCCU Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium on December 28, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /

Offense

Last year, Michigan State’s offense was something of an enigma. They only really burst out as a dominant group toward the end of the season, when the Spartans posted back-to-back games with at least 40 points to close out the campaign. But they also scored 17 points or fewer in six games.

If they hope to compete in the Big Ten this year, the Spartans can’t count on going 4-2 in low-scoring games. The return of senior running back L.J. Scott is a boon for a unit that finished middle of the FBS in rushing production and could stand for another dose of stability. Then again, experience throughout the roster should yield improvement throughout the Spartans offense.

Only one player, center Brian Allen, needs to be replaced from the 2017 starting unit. Otherwise, everyone is back from a group that showed great promise at various points of the season, especially toward the end of the year. Getting so many people back should at the very least yield a more consistent offense in 2018.

Focusing on Brian Lewerke

As a redshirt sophomore, Brian Lewerke finally got his first chance to start for the Spartans. Once he grabbed the reins of the offense, Lewerke proved more than capable of following in the footsteps of other great Michigan State quarterbacks. Lewerke finished the year with just under 2800 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. Lewerke added 559 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.

The youngster was adept at protecting the football, throwing just seven interceptions all season. He had a few fumble issues on botched snaps, though, and was generally inconsistent. Thrice the Spartans starter finished a game with a passing efficiency rating under 100 points. That Lewerke went 2-1 in those games is a matter of luck rather than talent, and regression to the mean is a risk.

Thus Lewerke cannot just maintain his productivity. To put the Spartans in contention for the Big Ten in 2018, Lewerke will need to take the next step in his development. It could be a breakout year for the quarterback as he makes his case for NFL scouts throughout the season.

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