Ohio State graduate quarterback Will Howard (18) is tackled by the Michigan State defense at the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes held in the Spartan Stadium on Sept. 29, 2024. Despite a competitive first half, the Spartans fell 38-7 to the Buckeyes.
Entering the 2024 college football season, MSU's running game was trending in the right direction. Players and coaches thought it could be a consistent force, the type of ground attack the Spartan offense hasn't seen since it had Kenneth Walker III.
With returning starter junior running back Nate Carter and 1,000-yard rusher last year in transfer running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, MSU seemed to put together the right pieces in the backfield to make a difference from the past two seasons.
Through six weeks of this season, Michigan State's running game has struggled. The rushing numbers — yards, touchdowns and even rush attempts — point to major deficiencies in that category.
Despite transferring to back up Carter, Lynch-Adams has become the go-to back for MSU with 58 carries for 306 yards and one touchdown. Carter, experiencing an underwhelming start, has 53 carries for 234 yards and one touchdown.
Michigan State ranks 97th in the nation for rushing yards per game.
"I think it comes down to execution," Carter said Saturday after a 38-7 loss to Ohio State. “We’re not executing to the best of our ability, so once we get to that point where we’re consistent at executing plays, then we’ll be able to score points, then we’ll be a much better team."
There is no building a college football powerhouse without some semblance of a formidable rushing attack. Even some of the most pass-centric teams that went on to win a national title have had a strong ground game, such as LSU in 2019 with Clyde-Edwards Helaire.
Every national champion of the past 23 years gained 2000 yards on the ground or more during the season.
MSU's most successful eras and teams have featured a rushing identity: the 1980s with Lorenzo White, the '90s with T.J. Duckett, the early 2010s with LeVeon Bell and Jeremy Langford and Walker in 2021.
Historically, the recipe for success has come on the ground. That doesn't bode well for an MSU team that hasn't found a rushing identity. The frequent injuries to its offensive line have also played a part in its stumbling start.
Despite shaping up to be an improved MSU offensive line with a mix of transfers and developed returners, injuries, lack of execution and leakage in the backfield has limited its potential and ability thus far. Carter and Lynch-Adams haven’t had the space nor the time to develop runs and hit holes.
"A missed assignment here or a really bad technique here," MSU offensive line coach Jim Michalczik said before the Ohio State game. "And that's one of the core things of our run scheme, we don't want negative plays. And we've had way too many of these this year."
The lack of a run game has caused MSU to rely more on 19-year-old quarterback Aidan Chiles, who has struggled to hit a rhythm thus far. Throughout five games he has thrown seven interceptions.
In their Friday night battle against No. 6 Oregon, a team ranked 37th in the nation in rushing defense, the Spartans' hopes of an upset are contingent on ground productivity.
If not, the entire weight of the offense will shift to Chiles, which hasn't yet gone well for MSU.
The Spartans will face off against the Ducks at 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4 in Eugene, OR. The game will be aired on FOX.
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