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Published Jul 31, 2022
With Walker and Nailor gone, where will explosiveness come from in '22?
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Jim Comparoni  •  Spartans Illustrated
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Indianapolis - Explosiveness on offense was one of the major reasons Michigan State was able to surprise the Big Ten, and the nation, with an 11-2 season in 2021, and a No. 8 national ranking in the final coaches poll.

But two key elements in that explosiveness - running back Kenneth Walker III and wide receiver Jalen Nailor - have left for the NFL.

If the Spartans are going to make a run at approaching last year’s success, they’ll likely need to find new sources of explosiveness. That won’t be easy. But head coach Mel Tucker doesn’t sound worried.

“We have guys,” Tucker said at Big Ten Media Days. “Guys are going to have to step up but I’m encouraged by what I have seen. We have recruited well. I like what I saw in spring ball out of our guys. Some of it just remains to be seen.

“I don’t stay awake at night thinking we don’t have enough good players.”

Last year, Michigan State ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 16 in the nation in rushing plays of 20 yards or more.

Walker ranked No. 1 in the FBS in rushes of 20 yards or more with 21.

Michigan State ranked No. 16 in the nation, and No. 4 in the Big Ten, in pass plays of 50 yards or more, trailing No. 2 Ohio State, No. 7 Purdue and No. 11 Michigan.

Michigan State heads into August camp on Thursday with a good idea of who will spearhead this year’s passing game explosiveness. Whether or not it can rival last year’s level remains a big question.

Led by senior wide receiver Jayden Reed (59 catches, 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns), the Spartans have an intriguing mix of experience and rising young talent in the passing game.

“(Sophomore wide receiver) Keon Coleman is a potentially good player,” Tucker said. “We see how athletic he is.”

That could be a bit of an understatement. Coleman (6-4, 210, Opelousas, La.) came to Michigan State as a major talent, flashed some big-time skill last year, and is regarded on the inside as a blossoming star.

“(Senior) Tre Mosley is a very productive player. (Freshman) Germie Bernard is very explosive, and others.”

Mosley ranked third on the team with 35 catches last year. He specializes as a tough, possession-type receiver, but he turned in a 51-yard gainer on a bubble screen at Miami last year.

Montorie Foster (6-0, 185, Jr., Cleveland/St. Edward) had 12 catches last season, including a 52-yard TD on a flea flicker against Maryland.

Tight end Maliq Carr (6-5, 245, Soph., Inkster, Mich/Oak Park High) is poised to emerge as a matchup headache for defenses. He came on strong at the end of last year and delivered a 40-yard TD in the snow against Penn State.

Tight end transfer Daniel Barker (6-4, 250, Sr., Fort Lauderdale) had 64 career catches and 11 touchdowns at the University of Illinois. The Illini loved him as a red zone target, and maybe isn’t a guy who can threaten the seam deep. But he’ll be an asset.

Bernard (6-0, 200, Fr., Henderson, Nev.) enrolled early and went through spring practice with the Spartans. He’s on schedule to be a play-maker at some point.

“At Running back, Davion Primm did a nice job in the spring,” Tucker said. “Now we have to take it to fall camp.

Harold Joiner is back. Elijah Collins is back. Jordon Simmons is back. Those guys have all played.

“And then the two transfer guys, (Jarek Brussard of Colorado and Jalen Berger of Wisconsin), they have played a lot of football. They are good players.”

Michigan State was 9-0 with Nailor in the lineup last year. He ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten in yards per catch at 18.8. Nailor missed the last four games of the regular season with a hand injury.

Nailor had four 100-yard receiving games in nine outings. He was likely on his way to a 100-yard receiving game against Michigan, with 75 yards in the first half, but missed the second half with a hand injury. He had a 40-yard catch on a fourth-and-one conversion in the second quarter of that game.

Nailor had TD catches of 63, 63 and 65 yards against Rutgers.

In that game, QB Payton Thorne, Walker and Nailor became the first QB/RB/WR trio in Michigan State history to throw for more 300 yards (Thorne) rush for more than 200 yards (Walker) and have more than 200 yards receiving (Nailor) in a single game.

After missing four games late in the year, Nailor returned against Pitt and turned in a spectacular one-handed grab for 50 yards in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

That’s the type of explosiveness Reed, Coleman, Mosley, Carr and others need to replace. If they can.

“We aren’t going to leave it up to just one guy,” Tucker said. “We are going to do it as a team.”

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