Entering the 2014 season, there was plenty of hype surrounding the No. 11 MSU offense, a group that returned seven starters from a year ago. While the offense has returned plenty of playmakers, none have been more impressive thus far than senior wide receiver Tony Lippett.
Through two games, Lippett has racked up 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 15 receptions. In MSU’s last game against No. 2 Oregon, Lippett was easily junior quarterback Connor Cook’s favorite target, reeling in 11 catches. Lippett’s three touchdowns surpass last season’s total of two, and he already has nearly half of his receiving yards production from 2013.
“Tony’s been a great player for us last year and he really responded last year and I think this year he’s really grown as a leader,” head coach Mark Dantonio said last Thursday at practice. “He has outstanding skills and he’s doing everything he needs to do.”
Lippett’s hot start has put himself among the best in the Big Ten, currently leading the conference in receiving yards per game and second in receptions per game. He also ranks third in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards per game, an impressive accomplishment considering all of his yards have come through receptions.
The road to success hasn’t always been easy for Lippett. The Detroit native went through multiple position changes early on in his career, before ultimately landing at wide receiver.
Lippett also was part of a struggling receiving core in 2012 that took a lot of flack for a number of dropped balls, but Lippett said that season served as motivation to get to where he is today.
“Going through what we did, it definitely made me stronger,” Lippett said of the 2012 season. “Made me compete better, just grind a little bit harder (and) take everything a lot more serious then I took it then.
Lippett added that this off-season he put on about five pounds in muscle to improve his ability to break tackles.
Cook said Lippett is the whole package and makes his job as the quarterback that much easier.
“You put the ball up and he’s going to go and get it,” Cook said.
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