A depleted offensive line because of graduation and injuries and a stacked defensive front made for little room to run, but the Spartans hope they can build off the effort Saturday.

“I’m proud of the way the offensive line as a whole played today because when you have a spring game, you only had 10 left at the end of spring,” offensive line coach Mark Staten, who also coached the White team, said. “You’re talking about 10, including walk ons, and they played hard and they fought hard.”

Although the two teams passed for more than 400 combined yards, the teams’ running games didn’t produce one play longer than 15 yards all afternoon in the Green team’s 24-10 win.

With much expected from an explosive passing attack, the Spartans’ running game figures to be a potential difference-maker. But injuries to senior offensive lineman Joel Foreman and others, as well as the graduation of three starters, put the offensive line behind to begin.

Sophomore running back Le’Veon Bell of the White team had the best day running, as he finished with eight rushes for 46 yards. Bell showed some of the explosiveness that aided him last season, but was one of the few bright spots.

Juniors Edwin Baker and Larry Caper combined for just 20 yards for the Green team, while senior wide receiver Keshawn Martin had a few carries out of the Wildcat formation and finished with 16 yards.

Nevertheless, the offensive line will have the summer to develop and heal and come back ready to anchor the offense next season.

“Just coming in with people they might not have worked with during the whole spring … I think they did a great job,” Bell said. “They got better from Day 1 until Day 15, they got better and jelled a little better.”

Sims stars
After being suspended in September 2010 and missing the rest of last season, sophomore tight end Dion Sims did not miss a beat Saturday.

Sims caught two touchdown passes from senior quarterback Kirk Cousins that served as the difference in the game in the Green team’s win.

He also had two more catches to finish with 63 yards and made a nice move to get extra yards on one catch. Sims will add depth to a loaded tight end position that saw senior Garrett Celek finish with two catches for 28 yards.

“Dion is an exceptional athlete,” Staten said. “It’s nice to have him back out there. When you’re running down there at 270-275 (pounds), moving like he moves, it’s a nice thing.”

Lippett
Redshirt freshman two-way player Tony Lippett received much attention this spring for his athletic ability and ability to play wide receiver and cornerback.

He showed flashes of his ability Saturday, making a 57-yard catch from Cousins for the Green team and also having three tackles and a pass breakup on defense.

Lippett showcased his running ability by making a defensive player miss in the backfield on his only run of the game, which went for two yards, and had an impact in his team’s win.

“He’s obviously a guy that can make plays, you saw him go deep and make a play for us,” head coach Mark Dantonio said. “He has Keshawn Martin ability in terms of being able to make plays for us. We’ve got good skill but we need to use that good skill.”