College football teams are allotted 15 days of practice in the spring. Michigan State, like most programs, will use one of them to give fans a glimpse of the upcoming season. The annual Green versus White spring game will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The format is the same as the last two years with the offense against the defense using a modified scoring system. Michigan State is coming off a disappointing 7-6 season that was torpedoed by an anemic offense and led to offseason changes. Here are five things to watch in the spring game: How will Brian Lewerke’s arm look? Before Michigan State opened spring practice in March, Lewerke said he was “pretty much 100 percent now” and coach Mark Dantonio said he looks good throwing. However, hearing it and seeing it are obviously much different and all eyes will be on the fifth-year senior quarterback on Saturday. After injuring his right throwing shoulder in an Oct. 13 win at Penn State, Lewerke struggled mightily and didn’t play at quarterback in three of the final six five games of the regular season while Rocky Lombardi was plugged in under center. Lewerke took every snap in the 7-6 Redbox Bowl loss to Oregon and looked healthier but still wasn’t as effective throwing as he had been. Although Lewerke said the injury didn’t require surgery, he didn’t throw for about a month after the season ended in order to heal. Moving forward, the goal is to regain confidence and a strong showing on Saturday, even in a glorified scrimmage, would be a step in the right direction. If Lewerke struggles, then it would only lead to more questions about if there’s actually a quarterback controversy heading into fall camp. What noticeable changes will be shown on offense? Michigan State had one of the top defenses in the nation last season but won only seven games because of an offense that was among the worst in America. Dantonio didn’t hire or fire anyone but shuffled his entire offensive coaching staff with former quarterbacks coach Brad Salem taking over as coordinator. Salem is calling plays for the first time in a decade after being the offensive coordinator in 2004 and head coach from 2005-09 at Division II Augustana College in South Dakota before joining Dantonio’s staff. Although Dantonio said there will be noticeable differences in the offense in the spring game it’s a stretch to expect the Spartans will give away much. It’s also a program built with pro-style personnel and Dantonio believes the recipe for success is running the ball at least 40 times a game. Michigan State used tempo and a pistol formation in the Redbox Bowl and cornerback Josiah Scott said the offense’s quickness to the line confused the defense a bit in the first scrimmage. Salem said his philosophy is getting the ball to playmakers and creating a system in which they can execute without overthinking. The Spartans finished last season 125th in the nation in scoring (18.7 points per game), 114th in rushing (124.8) and 116th in total offense (342.1). Those were the worst totals during Dantonio’s tenure and there will be plenty of pressure on the offense to show vast improvements. That won’t be measured until the fall but it will be a focus for those watching on Saturday. Will one running back stand out from the rest? LJ Scott missed most of his senior season due to injury and that resulted in Michigan State turning primarily to running backs Connor Heyward and La’Darius Jefferson and neither was consistently effective. Both were also relatively new to the position after Heyward was used in a variety of roles in high school and had just three carries as a true freshman in 2017 while Jefferson was a standout quarterback at Muskegon who never played running back before arriving for fall camp last year. With most of spring practice complete, Dantonio said the four “dominant figures” in the backfield were Heyward, Jefferson, redshirt freshman Elijah Collins and true freshman Anthony Williams Jr., who was one of seven early enrollees in the 2019 signing class. There’s a possibility Heyward or Jefferson will grow from last season’s experience to establish themselves as the featured back. There’s also a possibility the Spartans’ best option comes from Collins, Williams or another rusher. Heyward rushed for 529 yards last season – Michigan State’s lowest team-leading total since 2009 – and had their only individual 100-yard rushing game. Those are telling statistics for a run-first offense that will be looking for a lot more consistent chunk gains and explosive plays out of the backfield this fall. The spring game could provide an early look at who is the best option heading into fall camp. Who will move into key spots on defense? There are obviously more concerns about the offense but there are also uncertainties about the defense moving forward. Michigan State needs to replace a trio of starters on that side of the ball and filling depth is a priority as defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said he’s looking for “22 starters.” There are clear frontrunners to take over the vacated starting spots with junior Antjuan Simmons at weakside linebacker, fifth-year senior Josh Butler at cornerback and sophomore Xavier Henderson at strong safety. There are also standouts for the backup spots at nearly every defensive position worth keeping an eye on during Saturday’s scrimmage. Michigan State is thin on experienced depth at safety and juniors Tre Person and Dominique Long and redshirt freshman Michael Dowell are among those competing for playing time. The Spartans also lost four of their top eight linebackers from last season and lack a clear backup middle linebacker behind Joe Bachie for this year and to groom for next season after he departs. Will the offensive line look any different? The offense’s struggles last season coincided with a rough year for the line. The Spartans battled a series of injuries and used nine different starting combinations in their front five.<doc-sep>Michigan State football’s 2019 spring game will give fans a glimpse into the immediate future, but what should we be watching for? Basketball season is officially over which means one thing: football is right around the corner. OK, so we’re still about 4-5 months from the actual start of the 2019 season, but people seem to be in football mode. The Michigan State spring game is just a couple of days away and that means we will know more about the offensive staff coaching changes on Saturday and get a feel of what to expect next season with Brad Salem calling the shots. We’ll also get a feel for which players could break out this season and make names for themselves. What should everyone be watching for in Michigan State’s 2019 spring game? 5. Offensive line improvement Cole Chewins has put on some weight, as have a few other offensive linemen, but adding mass is only part of the need for this group. The line was awful last season whether it was technique, strength or just missing assignments. If Michigan State is going to have any success on the offensive side of the ball, it’s going to need this offensive line to improve drastically — and stay healthy. Chewins must remain healthy all year and guys like Kevin Jarvis, Matt Allen and mainly Luke Campbell and Tyler Higby must show immediate signs of improvement in the trenches. Holes need to be opened and Brian Lewerke needs to be protected. If those two things don’t happen, this team will be doomed to repeat 2018’s output. It may be difficult to tell in the spring game, but fans will get a good feel of how well the offensive line is gelling by run game success.<doc-sep>The Mississippi State Bulldogs enjoyed a solid first year under head coach Joe Moorhead. After all, winning 8 games and going to a New Year’s Day bowl is a heck of an accomplishment for a rookie coach in the SEC West. However, the bar has been set for Moorhead. Many fans already believe that veteran team actually underachieved last year, and taking a big step back this year will cause consternation for a fan base that has grown accustomed to competing at a high level. This program is absolutely not the doormat it once was. So, given that, and the fact that there’s quite a bit of turnover on the roster at key positions, you can safely say this was a big spring for the second-year head man. With the annual Maroon and White Spring Game this Saturday, there’s plenty of questions I’ll be looking to have answered. 5. Is reshuffled offensive line cohesive? The line of 2018 was a mixed bag. They were brutally powerful along the interior and that fueled a very effective rushing attack. They were weaker along the outside, however, and struggled with speed rushers coming off the edge. Now, RG Deion Calhoun and C Elgton Jenkins are gone, and the line has been reshuffled throughout the spring. Darryl Williams, who started at LG last year, has moved over to the pivot. Is he comfortable making the reads and the snaps? Former LT Greg Eiland slid over to RT, where he’s battling with Tommy Champion. Have they improved their footwork? How does Charles Cross, the 5-star early-enrollee look? Is former RT Stewart Reese a better fit inside at RG? There are a lot of questions about the line, and they won’t walk out of spring practice with the starting 5 locked down, but I’m very eager to see how comfortable the reshuffled group is. 4. Have receivers made developmental strides? A big reason the Bulldogs had such a woeful passing game last year obviously fell on quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. Poor pass protection along the edges didn’t help. We’d be doing Fitz a disservice, however, if we didn’t also recognize the shortcomings of the receiving corps he was working with. Aside from losing Jesse Jackson to graduation, everyone returns, and there’s plenty of athleticism to work with. However, for the passing attack to show improvement, they need their group of wideouts to make huge developmental strides, both in catching the ball consistently and being able to separate against press coverage. 3. Can defensive line still apply pressure? The Bulldogs fielded arguably the best defensive line in the country last year, and that group was a primary catalyst for the extraordinary success the defense experienced as a whole. All four starters, who combined for 43 TFL’s and 19 sacks last year, had to be replaced this offseason, and naturally, everyone wants to see how the new line looks. The Bulldogs have done a terrific job in recent years recruiting defensive linemen, so while I don’t expect this unit to be as productive as their predecessors, I do expect the unit to be a strength. Coordinator Bob Shoop likes creative blitz packages, but he also likes knowing he can get pressure on the quarterback without blitzing when need be. Can this new defensive line still generate the kind of pass rush Shoop needs to run a top-flight defense? 2. How do the quarterbacks look? State has been fortunate with the continuity it has enjoyed under center in recent years, and this is only the second time since 2013 that they’ve gone into an offseason knowing they would have to replace their starting quarterback. Naturally, who replaces Fitz (and how he looks) is probably the question that every State fan wants to know the most at this point in the year. Junior Keytaon Thompson has a strong lead to be named QB1. Not only does he possess impressive athleticism and the dual-threat ability Joe Moorhead likes, but he’s the only one who has ever taken actual game snaps. Redshirt freshman Jalen Mayden appears to be running with the 2s and heralded true freshman Garrett Shrader the 3s. There’s a lot of physical talent among the group, but I really want to see how they look throwing the ball. Sure, they’ll be able to escape pressure and make plays with their feet, but will they be able to step up in the pocket and deliver dimes into tight windows? How are they making pre-snap reads? How is their footwork and mechanics? It’s safe to say, all eyes will be on this group Saturday. 1. How different does the offense look? Last year, the combination of Fitz’s accuracy woes, poor protection and receivers failing to get separation (along with countless drops) forced Moorhead to limit his offense. He couldn’t really run what he wanted to run, because the downfield passing game was virtually nonexistent. Obviously, this forced the Bulldogs to rely almost exclusively on their rushing attack, but against teams like LSU and Alabama, which could defend the run, the offense literally ground to a halt. The quarterbacks have to be able to complete passes downfield. This is an absolute necessity for Moorhead to run what he wants to run. If the offense we see Saturday looks like the offense we saw in 2018, it’ll no doubt be alarming, because this year’s team doesn’t possess the same talent level that they had last year. I still think the defense will be very good, but expecting 13.2 points allowed per game from them is unrealistic. And if the Bulldogs are going to get over the hump and beat the upper crust of the SEC and get back to Atlanta for the first time since 1998, they simply have to be more balanced on offense. As if the National Championship Game didn’t make it obvious enough, to beat Alabama you have to be able to pass the ball and stretch the field vertically, and I’m eager to see if the Bulldogs have made improvement in this crucial area.<doc-sep>EAST LANSING — Mark Dantonio has a tough decision to make for Michigan State football’s spring game. It has nothing to do with his players, per se. Dantonio said Tuesday he has yet to determine whether the Spartans will draft teams and split up the roster, as they have done for much of his tenure, or continue to use the offense vs. defense, first string vs. second string approach he has used the past two years. “That’s sort of a decision we have to make. I don’t know whether to draft them up,” Dantonio said Tuesday before the Spartans’ 12th of 15 allowable spring practices. “We got to this week, and we’re gonna figure it out amongst ourselves. … I think there are benefits to doing it every single way. We’ll weigh the benefits and figure it out.” The annual spring game is 2 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium. Admission is free. Injuries and attrition the past two seasons forced Dantonio and his staff to ditch divvying up of players in the 2017 and 2018 spring games. In the years before that, seniors would be divided and pick their teams in a draft format. “There are some benefits to each,” defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said. “You go 1s vs. 2s, obviously the whole offensive line is gonna get to work together as a whole O-line unit. The linebacking corps is gonna get to work together. The communication that you’ll have on a game day is intact. “When you draft, there’s a whole bunch of guys that get to participate as if they’re starters and show what they have. You don’t know 1s, 2s, who’s on what team, you’re all playing like you’re 1s.” New offensive coordinator Brad Salem echoed Tressel’s cost-benefit analysis. “Whatever we do is gonna be the best thing to do,” he joked. “We’ve lucked out with numbers. I think it’s fun for the players when you draft. And I think you see some different players maybe that you wouldn’t see. We’ve kind of been going 1s on 1s the whole spring, so it’d be something different.” The Spartans didn't lose many starters on either side of the ball — four on offense, three on defense — after going 7-6 in 2018. They will be a veteran group going into their Aug. 30 opener against Tulsa at Spartan Stadium. A few players are known to be out — defensive ends Kenny Willekes and Jack Camper, and linebacker Ed Warriner among them. But Tressel knows what he wants to see regardless of the format. “What you want to do is bring a lot of energy and a lot of passion out there,” he said. “So sometimes having that draft brings a little more excitement to the kids, and I’m always a fan of that energy.” Dantonio said he planned to talk with his staff and players to have it figured out before Thursday, which will be the Spartans’ 13th practice and generally the day in the past when seniors would split up teams in a draft setting. He did promise one thing for fans. “It’ll be a scrimmage, though. It’s not gonna be a tag-you-off-touch-you deal,” he said. “We will play. We’re looking forward to people coming out.” Contact Chris Solari at csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.<doc-sep>
EAST LANSING — The last time Michigan State stepped on to the football field was much like the rest of the 2018 season. Points and yards were scarce. For both the Spartans and their opponent. That was against Oregon, a 7-6 MSU loss in the Redbox Bowl on Dec. 31 that typified the rest of its 7-6 season. Changes were made to the offensive coaching staff, a promotion to offensive coordinator for Brad Salem and a shuffling of roles and responsibilities for others by head coach Mark Dantonio. More:MSU football team takes Final Four bus trip, gets 'awesome' experience More:Michigan State's Kenny Willekes updates his recovery from broken leg More:Michigan State football spring depth chart: Here's our prediction Saturday’s spring game will be the first time the public gets a glimpse of what is different going into the Aug. 30 season opener against Tulsa. While many of the offensive adjustments likely won’t be revealed until then, there is plenty to keep an eye on when the languishing MSU offense faces its dominant returning defense at 2 p.m. at Spartan Stadium. Lewerke’s arm Easily the biggest question coming out of the Redbox Bowl and going into spring practice was how healthy third-year starting quarterback Brian Lewerke’s right shoulder is. The senior, who hurt his right shoulder during a win at Penn State midway through last year and missed three games, said he feels 100% physically but is working on mechanical issues with his throwing motion. A 52-degree, sunny day appears on tap Saturday, but the 17 mph winds that are expected could cause havoc with the passing game, both in throwing into the wind and from the mental standpoint of seeing throws not going where intended. Who knows whether MSU wants to put Lewerke in that position. Running men Connor Heyward and La’Darius Jefferson, both multi-position high school players who had not spent much time at running back, got pressed into significant roles with now-departed LJ Scott’s injury that cost most of his senior season. Both Heyward and Jefferson had vision issues hitting holes, and their on-the-job training should help this year. There is plenty of competition for the open job, however, with the addition of true freshman Anthony Williams Jr. and redshirt freshman Elijah Collins coming off a few brief appearances at the end of last season. Dantonio did not say who is the front-runner, but Williams and Collins were the first two names he mentioned Tuesday when asked about the running back position. And cornerback Josiah Scott pointed out Collins when asked what players are standing out on offense. Catching on Losing Felton Davis III midseason hampered MSU’s passing game, but it gave the Spartans a chance to develop some other receivers. Junior Cody White appears poised to take a leap forward into being a No. 1 wideout, while senior Darrell Stewart returns as a steady, sure-handed threat. Finding a third receiver is vital, with sophomore Jalen Nailor bulking up in the offseason after injuries limited his true freshman year and breakaway speed. There is no shortage of other options, with Cam Chambers, C.J. Hayes and Laress Nelson all gaining valuable experience last season. Keep an eye on true freshman Tre Mosley, an early enrollee who has the size to make an immediate impact. MSU also needs to find a starting tight end and more production from the position, with junior Matt Dotson and redshirt freshman Trenton Gillison fighting for the starting job vacated by Matt Sokol’s graduation. Noah Davis also is back after missing all last season with an injury. Line ‘em up One benefit for the format of first-team offense vs. first-team defense will be a chance for MSU’s offensive line to go up against perhaps the toughest front seven it will face all season — its own. The only graduation loss is David Beedle, and returning starters LT Cole Chewins (300 pounds), LG Tyler Higby (300), C Matt Allen (312), RG Kevin Jarvis (317) and RT Jordan Reid (300) all gained weight, as did top returning backups Luke Campbell (302) and Blake Bueter (318), both of whom have starting experience. Finishing blocks and picking up an extra yard or 3 late in plays is one of Salem’s primary requirements for the line this season. Showing better push up front Saturday would be a big start to 2019.