Leading OFF
Michigan State is plenty tough; is Ohio State too tough a test?
EAST LANSING, Michigan – A rolled ankle wouldn’t stop Kenneth Walker III from taking on a significant workload.
A bad back couldn’t keep Ronald Williams II from diving and extending full reach to knock down a fourth-down pass.
A demotion didn’t prevent Noah Harvey from being ready to return to a starting role.
With everything Michigan State built in the first two months of the season at stake last weekend – the top-10 ranking, the chance to stay in the hunt for a Big Ten title, the chase of the school’s first Heisman Trophy – the Spartans summoned up the intestinal and physical fortitude needed to keep winning.
The end result: Michigan State 40, Maryland 21. The ultimate takeaway: a show of strength needed to someday become a championship program. Maybe this year.
“Toughness is not an issue with this ballclub. That’s not a question in my mind. That’s never been a question,” Michigan State coach Mel Tucker said through sniffles from an afternoon spent coatless on the sideline in the cold. “I admire the way our guys play, and I respect the way they play, because they do play with effort and they do play with toughness – mental and physical toughness.”
Start with Walker, who midway through the third quarter received a heavy white wrap over his shoe after rolling his left ankle that became a target for Maryland defenders. He even needed to retreat to the bench after one foot-twisting tackle.
Walker missed just one play after hobbling to the sideline, and the white tape vanished when he returned on the next drive. The junior, who entered the game leading the nation in
rushing yards, pounded out 60 more yards after that. He ran a career-high 30 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns, the last of which a bruising 3-yard steamrolling of Maryland linebacker Gereme Spraggins to plow into the end zone.
“If I can play through pain and things like that,” Walker said, “I’m gonna play if it’s not a serious injury.”
That’s the same mindset of both Williams and fellow cornerback Marqui Lowery; both were hobbled in the previous week’s 40-29 loss at Purdue. Lowery tied for the team lead with seven tackles, while Williams made a stop and broke up two passes – one of them a 4thand-4
slant intended for Maryland receiver Carlos Carriere early in the fourth quarter deep in Michigan State territory.
Same with kicker Matt Coghlin, who sat out a Nov. 6 Purdue loss and looked limited in warmups. He booted the first PAT, watched freshman Stephan Rusnak miss the second, then returned to make the Spartans’ next two extra-point kicks.
“That’s where you get the power of a team – guys rallying around each other, playing for each other, guys stepping up,” Tucker said. “We’re not just relying on one guy here, one guy there . ... Everybody’s got to be ready to pitch in and give us
what they can.
“In some situations, if guys can’t go, they can’t go. The guys that can go are going. And they’re giving us what they have, whether it might be a couple plays here or it could be a full game. That’s what it is this time of year.”
The ones who couldn’t were significant. But their replacements produced.
No Jalen Nailor? How about a 52-yard touchdown catch from Montorie Foster.
No Jarrett Horst? How about AJ Arcuri moving to left tackle and MSU’s offensive line producing 194 rushing yards while allowing just two sacks.
No Quavaris Crouch? How about Harvey shaking off a pass interference call in the end zone to pick off Taulia Tagovailoa on the next play and knocking the Terps quarterback out of rhythm with intense secondhalf pressure.
“Football is such a physical sport, you know you’re gonna lose some people, God forbid. But we’ve talked about that before, and it’s just next man,” safety Xavier Henderson said. “Even if you’re second-, thirdstring, you’re not just out there. The coaches won’t, the players won’t let you just be out there just half-assing practice and whatnot. So you’re forced to get better, no matter where you’re playing.
“And we’re confident in the guys we put out on the field.”
Now comes perhaps the ultimate test of toughness, one that very few of the current Spartans understand. Going to Columbus to face No. 4 Ohio State, in front of nearly 105,000 fans, trying to unseat the four-time defending Big Ten champion, with a chance to advance at stake.
“On our side of the division, in order to get to Indianapolis,” quarterback Payton Thorne said, “you have to go through Columbus.”
The winner will emerge with destiny within reach. The loser likely will be out of the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff pictures, potentially needing help to get the consolation prize of a Rose Bowl visit.
Ohio State has been in this position before. Tucker and his version of the Spartans have not, but he believes he has a team “that is not entitled.”
“Everything that we’ve gotten to get to this point, we’ve earned,” Tucker said. “They’re going out there, they’re prepared when they go out there on Saturdays and lay it on the line for each other. And everybody knows that we’re coming in here to win games.”