By Micheal Germanese
Michigan State’s football in 2024 had yet another disappointing season, finishing below .500 for the fourth time in five years. It’s amazing how Mark Dantonio’s Pride came before the fall saying is now the best way to describe MSU football. Gone are the season with trips to Rose Bowls and competing for Big Ten Championships. Instead, they have been replaced with losing seasons and meaningless bowl games if they even make a bowl game.
Dantonio built the program into a national contender and started the fall to being irrelevant with his refusal to adapt and change. After he left, Michigan State looked to have found his replacement in Mel Tucker, who had the Spartans on the brink of getting to the Big Ten championship in 2021. However, Tucker followed that up with a disappointing 2022 season going 5-7. In 2023 after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced and a disappointing start Tucker was fired during the season.
Jonathan Smith became MSU’s new head coach on Nov. 25, 2023, after coming over from his alma mater Oregon State. Under Smith the Spartans season started good, going 3-0 but would drop their next three games before finishing 5-7, (3-6) in in year one.
Thankfully for Smith, the Spartans 2024 season is a thing of the past thanks to MSU basketball having a great season. Despite the loss to Indiana on Tuesday night, the Spartans still have a chance to win the Big Ten regular season. For Smith, the attention will shift back to football whenever the Spartan’s March Madness run ends. When the attention shifts back it will be on Smith along with three Key players who need big season in 2025 if Michigan State is getting back to a bowl.
Aidan Chiles
Aidan Chiles followed Smith from Oregon State and entered the 2024 season with a lot of hype surrounding him. There were moments he looked like the quarterback fans through, but never lived up to the hype in 2024. But considering it was his first year as a starter the expectations for Chiles going into the season were unrealistic. Chiles being sacked 30 times also helped in his first-year struggles, in comparison Dillon Gabrial was sacked 21 times, Will Howard 14 times, Kurtis Rourke 20 times, and Drew Allar 19 times.
In 2024 Chiles completed 59.4 percent of his passes for, 2,415 yards and 13 touchdowns, Chiles also threw 11 interceptions. Chiles finished the season strong, giving fans at least hope that he can still be the QB many through. In his first nine games, Chiles threw for 8 touchdowns, with all 11 interceptions coming in those games. In the last three, he had 5 TD with no interceptions. If Chiles can be the QB from the last three-games, the one that doesn’t turn the ball over, Michigan State will be a lot better then the 4.5 win prediction for 2025.
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Nick Marsh
In 2024 Michigan State’s passing game wasn’t close to being good and finished the season ranked 79 in passing yards a game with 218.1, and 115 in passing TD a game with 1.1. Michigan State only managed to find the endzone 13 times in the air.
To address the problem Smith along with OC Brian Lingren, and WR coach Courtney Hawkins added Omari Kelly, Chrishon McCray, Rodney Bullard, and Evan Boyd from the portal for needed talent and depth inside the receiver room. But if Michigan State going to Improve, they need freshman Nick Marsh to take the next step in 2025.
Marsh in 2024 led the Spartans with 649 yards, was tied for the lead with 3 TD, and was second in receptions with 41. Marsh despite having only 3 TDs still was a deep threat and showed big play ability. If Chiles can get the time to get Marsh the ball, 2025 should be a big year for the second-year receiver.
Dillon Tatum
Michigan State’s top defensive back a year ago Charles Brantley is off to the University of Miami after entering the portal, will Dillon Tatum be his replacement in 2025? Tatum has started 9 games and played in 22 for the Spartans since 2022. His best season was in 2023 where he recorded 45 total tackles, 30 of them solo and had 7 passes defended. The biggest question mark surrounding Tatum is his ability to stay healthy.
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In 2023 he missed the last 3 games due to injury. And then in 2024 in MSU’s first game against Florida Atlantic, he sustained a season-ending injury after just 21 snaps. If Tatum can stay healthy and with guys like Joshua Eaton, Nikai Martinez, Malik Spencer, and NiJhay Burt MSU should be improved in the secondary. In 2024 Michigan State ranked 46 in passing yards allowed 206.9, and 93 allowing 1.7 passing TDs a game. If Michigan State stays healthy there should be no reason why State is not a lot better in both categories in 2025.
Smith built a team at Oregon State and looks to be doing the same here at Michigan State. The biggest problem facing Smith was the lack of talent left from the previous regimes, something that will take time to fix. If Michigan State remains patient and give Smith the time, he will get MSU back to competing with the conference best year in and out.
