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Published Sep 12, 2022
Reed's status unknown, but his importance in return game remains critical
Jake Lyskawa
SpartanMag.com

East Lansing, Mich. — Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker remained discreet today when asked about redshirt senior receiver Jayden Reed’s injury that he sustained in the second quarter against Akron on Saturday.

“He’s sore, so he’ll be ready when he’s ready,” Tucker said in his weekly press conference, Monday morning at Spartan Stadium. “Whenever that is.”

That’s become Tucker’s standard answer for any ailments, aside from season-ending injuries.

That’s how he described Xavier Henderson’s injury a week ago, following Henderson’s injury in the Western Michigan game. Henderson didn’t dress for the Akron game.

Reed was injured with :43 seconds left in the first half of Saturday’s game against Akron. Up 21-0, Michigan State had the ball on its own 38-yard line. The Spartans ran a hurry-up play on first-and-10 after moving the chains a play prior.

Reed caught a pass from quarterback Payton Thorne on a sideline route, falling out of bounds. Reed high-pointed the ball to make the catch, but was pushed slightly by Akron’s Nate Thompson on the way down. The momentum caused Reed to slide with his back facing Akron’s sideline. Reed collided, back-first, at a high rate of speed, with a portion of the Akron bench. He got up under his own power, but held his back in pain. Michigan State medical officials tended to his back as he left the field. Sideline reporters indicated that he had sustained a laceration to his back. He did not return to the game.

Reed had six receptions for 76 yards at the point of his exit. Despite not playing the second half, he finished as Michigan State’s leading receiver. He averaged 12.7 yards per reception and his longest play went for 22 yards.

What would have been Reed’s most impressive play, though, came just a few moments prior to the injury.

Reed was in as Michigan State’s punt returner and fielded a 58-yard punt at his own 14-yard line. Thirteen seconds and a couple of elusive cutbacks later, Reed had scored Michigan State’s fourth touchdown of the game and the third punt return TD of his Michigan State career - or so he thought.

The play was called back due to a holding penalty on Michigan State punt return team.

“That’s a shame because that was a really good return,” Tucker said. “Guys were playing hard, so it was just unfortunate that that got called back.”

If Reed is good to go on Saturday against Washington, he’ll be relied upon to provide his usual spark on offense and special teams. Tucker said he has been encouraged by MSU’s return game thus far, especially after emphasizing it in the lead up to Akron.

“We showed NFL punt returns for touchdowns and kickoff returns for touchdowns last week in the (team) meeting,” Tucker said. “Like, we were ready to pop. We’d be like, ‘Hey, this is the week. The practices have been good, things are starting to come together, some of the timing, guys getting on guys. So, we are encouraged with that.”

Reed was second-team All-Big Ten as a returner last year and third-team All-America by Pro Football Focus in that category. He led the Big Ten in punt return average (19.8) and was fourth in kickoff return average (23.5).

Michigan State only had one kickoff return opportunity against Akron because the Zips didn’t score in the game.

MSU’s lone kickoff return opportunity came at the beginning of the second half. With Reed out, Michigan State had Jarek Broussard and Germie Bernard positioned as the returners.

“It didn’t look like it, but we were close on a kickoff return also,” Tucker said. “It’s just that we had a mechanical issue and the off-returner was trying to catch the ball and it kind of got clogged up in there. But we had everything else kind of blocked up.”

Bernard crowded Broussard on the catch. Broussard returned the kick 17 yards.

After Reed left the game, Cade McDonald became Michigan State’s punt returner. He had three returns for 34 yards, including a 21-yarder.

When Reed left the Akron game, his legs and wheels appeared to be fine.

SpartanMag is projecting Reed to be back in the lineup on Saturday at Washington, even if Tucker isn’t willing to reveal anything.

“We just have to keep chopping on this return game because that’s huge and that’s field position,” Tucker said.

Those kinds of opportunistic plays are going to be key in a hostile road environment against Washington. Michigan State will take on the Huskies at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 17, in Seattle.

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