Redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne, 10, rushes the ball during the game against the Buckeyes on Oct. 8, 2022.
Redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne steps up to the podium, still wearing his jersey and cleats. He’s visibly upset after suffering a fourth straight loss, this time at the hands of the mighty Ohio State Buckeyes.
“I’m frustrated, upset with how things are going,” Thorne says. “I hate losing a lot. To lose four games in a row — that’s not something I feel like I’ve ever done in any sport.”
It was a rough afternoon for the Spartans starting quarterback. Thorne threw for just 113 yards, a touchdown and an interception against Ohio State’s impressive defensive unit. The Buckeyes front-seven bullied Michigan State’s offensive line all day, sacking Thorne four times and notching five TFLs. The Spartans finished with just seven rushing yards, averaging 0.4 yards per carry.
“All we can do is show up tomorrow with the right attitude and move forward together,” Thorne says. “But you know, it’s not easy. It’s not easy.”
That’s not the first time this scene has unfolded this season. After four straight losses, opening a post-game press conference with a dejected Thorne almost feels obligatory.
When a football team is struggling, the fan base typically directs its ire at two figures: the starting quarterback and the head coach. After a month of losing, Michigan State’s fan base is doing just that. The calls to promote redshirt sophomore Noah Kim to starter have gotten much louder, especially on Twitter.
“Payton is his biggest critic,” redshirt junior wide receiver Tre Mosley said. “Being a quarterback, you always get the glitz and glamour when things are going well, but when things aren’t going well you get the most hate and criticism.”
Thorne would be the first person to tell you this season hasn’t gone as planned. However, placing the blame for this team’s poor performance solely on the quarterback would be completely unfair.
The most obvious hindrance to Thorne this season has been the abysmal running game. As it stands, Michigan State is averaging just 107.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks 114th in the nation. Last year, MSU averaged 176.5 yards per game, thanks in large part to Kenneth Walker III's presence in the backfield.
That lack of a running game this year has made Michigan State’s offense painfully one-dimensional, forcing plenty of pressure on Thorne and his receivers. It has also limited opportunities for a play action passing game that was extremely effective a season ago.
“Defensively, if you can make a team one-dimensional, take away the run and they have to throw the ball, you basically have them where you want them,” Head Coach Mel Tucker said.
And, of course, the defense has been terrible. Opponents rarely have to utilize the punting unit against Michigan State, controlling time of possession, and converting on third downs. MSU’s defense currently ranks 113th in college football, allowing 445.5 yards per game.
When the opponent is constantly scoring points, the offense is pressured to keep up. Again, a good chunk of that falls directly on Thorne’s shoulders.
An injury might also explain why Thorne’s been inconsistent this season. During this week’s player availability, Thorne revealed that he has not been fully healthy since Week 1 against Western Michigan.
“My body hasn’t been necessarily 100% since week one,” Thorne said. “My running has not been the same as it always is.”
Last year, Thorne finished with 181 rushing yards and a touchdown on 82 attempts. Through six games this season, he has just 22 yards on 32 attempts. While Thorne has never been known as a really mobile quarterback, he has shown he can put his head down and run for the first if need be. This year, he’s rarely been able to do that.
Now, after properly contextualizing things, let’s be honest: Thorne has been very inconsistent this season.
At times, he’s been turnover prone (he has seven interceptions and a fumble lost this season) and can’t seem to stretch the field vertically. At others, his chemistry with receivers like sophomore Keon Coleman and redshirt senior Jayden Reed has created explosive plays for the offense.
Michigan State’s 39-28 loss to Washington was a great example this year's inconsistency. After putting just eight points on the board in the first half, the Spartan offense came alive in the second half, racking up 20 points and making the Huskies’ home fans sweat a little bit.
Thorne finished with 323 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. With the help of Coleman, he essentially willed the Spartans into a competitive game. However, that impressive performance was not enough to overcome a stagnant showing in the first half (and the team’s awful performance on defense).
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
As a whole, the Spartans offense has been choppy all year. Thorne’s lack of consistency is simply of a reflection of that.
If Michigan State wants to turn the season around, an improvement in play from Thorne is essential. But for that to happen, the Spartans have plenty of problem areas to fix.
