Looking at the depth chart in the offseason, true freshman running back Connor Heyward knew his only chance to get valuable playing time this season would be on special teams.
With experienced running backs LJ Scott, Madre London and Gerald Holmes collectively taking all the carries amongst the RBs, Heyward hasn’t recorded a single carry through six games this season, but he has hauled in two catches for 1 yard and is becoming an integral member of the Spartans’ special teams unit.
Prior to the Spartans’ win over Minnesota last Saturday, true freshman Andre Welch, who was one of MSU’s return men, did not travel with the team. Heyward, however, did travel and was ready to take over as the team’s return man for the first time this season.
In the win, which improved the Spartans’ record to 5-1 on the season, Heyward fielded three kickoffs for 115 yards and returned one punt for six yards.
Heyward admitted that he never thought in the offseason he would be given such a vital role on the team’s return unit.
“Honestly, no,” Heyward said. “I didn’t really think they’d put somebody like me on punt return. Kick return, I was the guy right in front of the deep guy, and they were like, ‘Why not just take a chance on him?”
It took until the first game of the regular season for Heyward to realize he wasn’t going to be redshirted.
“The first game, actually, I had an injury," Heyward said, “but Coach (Dantonio) pulled me aside and was like, ‘There’s an opportunity if you're able to get healthy and stuff like that.’”
Heyward, whose late father, Craig, played in the NFL for 11 seasons as a fullback, said he had been working on punt and kick returns in practice since the summer.
The Georgia native said he originally was catching the ball wrong on returns, because he wasn’t used to it.
After a couple weeks and help from his coaches, Heyward was able to understand and portray the correct technique of fielding punts and kickoffs.
With a team complete with youth, Heyward understands that mistakes will be made.
“Everybody’s going to make mistakes, and you can’t let that get to you,” he said. “And Coach D, he doesn’t really get on you if you make a mistake on the football field, because he knows if everybody’s trying to make the best of the play.”
While Heyward would like to get carries in the running game, he knows that he has to take any opportunities that are given to hm.
“If you want to get on the field, you have to find a way,” he said. “You can’t just sit back and be selfish, because that’s hurting the team. Whatever’s best for the team, you have to be willing to do, and right now, this is what I have to do, and I know my time is going to come.”
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