Michigan State Football: Top X-factors against Indiana

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 17, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Brian Allen (65) prepares to snap the ball in the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Who, or what, are Michigan State football’s top X-factors for Saturday’s matchup against Indiana?

Michigan State football is facing an important contest against the Indiana Hoosiers in Week 5. Sure, Indiana isn’t exactly known for its football prowess, but the Hoosiers present a tough challenge for the Spartans because of their elite offensive ability.

Just a year ago, Indiana and Michigan State battled for three quarters and were basically deadlocked heading into the fourth. Neither side was ready to blink, but the Spartans scored all of the points in the final quarter and came away with a big win at home.

The reason Indiana was in that game for so long wasn’t because of its defense, but the offense was racking up big yardage and keeping the Spartans on their toes. The same will hold true this season as JUCO transfer quarterback Richard Lagow has picked up right where Nate Sudfeld left off.

Let’s take a look at five players, or position groups, that will have the biggest impact on the outcome for Michigan State tonight.

5. Offensive Line

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Tyler O

The game begins and ends in the trenches. Michigan State can’t afford to have Tyler O’Connor running for his life again, leading to poor decisions through the air. To be fair, a number of miscues by the senior quarterback were his own doing, but the line didn’t give him much time to think.

Diagnosing blitzes should have been the first order of business in practice this past week. Wisconsin blitzed early and often and the line just couldn’t seem to figure out their assignments.

If the line can protect better and open up more holes in the run game, you can bet the Spartans will put up big numbers on the scoreboard. However, if O’Connor is scrambling more often than not and the run game has less than 100 yards again, the Spartans won’t be heading back to East Lansing with a win.

Offensive line success is crucial to the overall play of the team.

Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver R.J. Shelton (12) runs for yards after the catch during the 1st quarter of a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

4. R.J. Shelton

Last year, R.J. Shelton was one of the main reasons why Michigan State came out victorious over the Indiana Hoosiers. He scored a couple of late touchdowns, catching six passes for 76 yards and he led the Spartans to a 52-26 victory.

While there’s no Connor Cook this year to sling him the ball when a big play needs to be made, Tyler O’Connor has shown the ability to trust the senior slot receiver. After going catch-less in an injury-shortened opening game against Furman, Shelton returned with eight catches for 80 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame.

Shelton is a play-maker and he’s faced these same Hoosiers before. He’s had success and he can do it again, but this time in hostile territory. In fact, Shelton has scored at least one touchdown each time he has faced the Hoosiers.

In 2013 as a true freshman, he rushed for 40 yards and a score. As a sophomore, he had three catches for 19 yards and a touchdown. Last year, it was the two receiving touchdowns from Cook. This year, it could be much of the same. Shelton’s career record against the Hoosiers could be 4-0 after tonight.

Oct 25, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) reacts to a play during the 1st half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

3. Darian Hicks

This one’s an easy one for me. Darian Hicks gets the most hate of any defensive back on the roster and he has Tyson Smith chasing him for playing time. Vayante Copeland has been solid at the other corner position, but quarterbacks just don’t throw to his side much.

If Hicks ever wants to be respected by the doubters, he needs to put on a show against the Hoosiers. If he plays well on Saturday night, Michigan State will come out on top because the rest of the defensive backs are reliable.

Much has been made of the poor pass defense of the Spartans through three games, but a lot of it has to do with the coverage calls from the coaching staff. The backs are lined up 10-15 yards off the ball, allowing opposing receivers to do anything they want under soft pressure, including crossing routes for big gains.

Sometimes there’s miscommunication on the corners’ and safeties’ parts, but for the most part, offenses are recognizing the soft coverage and just zinging the ball to receivers on short routes, picking apart the Spartans.

Hicks will need to play closer to the line of scrimmage and prove that he’s not the weak link of the defense so teams stop targeting his side of the ball. If that happens, this secondary will gel as a unit.

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Malik McDowell (4) stands on the field between plays during the first half against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

2. Defensive Line

Getting pressure on Lagow is going to be very important for this defensive line. They can’t rely on the linebackers drawing up blitzes every couple of plays to get into the backfield. No, this line is too talented to have recorded just five sacks this season.

I get that Shilique Calhoun, Lawrence Thomas, Craig Evans, Joel Heath, Montez Sweat and Cassius Peat have all left the program via transfers or NFL aspirations, depleting the depth, but there’s still plenty of talent left over. Heck, Malik McDowell might be the most talented defensive lineman in the country.

Demetrius Cooper has been somewhat disappointing, Evan Jones has been quiet, Gabe Sherrod hasn’t seen the field all that much, Kevin Williams is getting passed over for Raequan Williams. How bad is the line looking? Well, Mark Dantonio decided to burn three redshirts last week.

Whatever helps the unit come together and really become a force, Dantonio’s ready to do. Look for more Josh King, Auston Robertson and Mike Panasiuk on Saturday night as those guys might help get extra pressure on Lagow.

Winning the trenches on both sides of the ball could surely decide this game.

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Tyler O

1. Tyler O’Connor

If you’re Tyler O’Connor, you have to be furious regarding your mediocre performance from Week 5. The Spartans struggled on offense and O’Connor was to blame for a lot of it. Well, O’Connor and the offensive line.

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The senior quarterback just couldn’t get anything to go his way. He scrambled to try and give himself more time to find open receivers, but he still ended up tossing three interceptions and he completed just 18-of-38 passes for 224 yards. Not reaching the end zone as a team was an embarrassment in front of the home crowd.

What better way to redeem himself than to go on the road and put on a show against the mediocre Hoosiers defense? Michigan State has played close games in this ‘rivalry’ matchup before, but the past few have gone the Spartans’ way by wide margins.

Indiana doesn’t have a very good defense, that much is for sure. If O’Connor wants to prove that he’s still deserving of the starting job, he needs to put up the numbers necessary to beat the Hoosiers soundly.

Michigan State needs O’Connor to do well on Saturday night more than anyone else. He’s the top X-factor in this one and if he struggles, the team will be on upset alert in Bloomington.