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Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith pumps brakes on overreacting to opening win

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Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith pumps brakes on overreacting to opening win


EAST LANSING – Tanner Miller snapped the ball and then created a massive opening up the middle at the left hash.

Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams took the handoff and sprinted through the hole for a 63-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give Michigan State a 16-0 lead.

That brought Spartan Stadium fans to their feet, at least those who already found their seats. Inclement weather resulted in a delay opening gates to spectators and lines outside the stadium remained – especially for the student section – until late in the first half. Those who weren’t inside when Lynch-Adams crossed the goal line didn’t witness a single point scored by the home team.

Michigan State topped Florida Atlantic 16-10 on Friday night in a stressful opener under first-year coach Jonathan Smith.

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“Game ones, you’re going to learn a lot about your team and we’ve got a lot to work on,” Smith said. “What I did learn and was pleased with is that there’s a response in this group. We are going to play for four quarters. You win the game in the fourth quarter and we were able to do that.”

Season openers can be sloppy and that was the case for the Spartans, with a new staff and schemes and 61 first-year players on the roster. Michigan State committed three turnovers, 12 penalties for 140 yards and was a mess in the red zone. It was far from a clean performance but Smith, now in his seventh season as a head coach, pumped the brakes.

“I do think a little bit about Week 1 is kind of overreaction Saturday,” he said late Friday night. “The first impression, right, this is the first time that team’s out there. Well, then you begin to label, oh, they’re good on this side, they’re not good on this side. These guys can go to the playoff, these guys are out. It’s overreaction Saturday. We go back to work.”

So, no panic. That’s the measured approach but doesn’t quiet concerns about the product on the field. It was a shaky debut for quarterback Aidan Chiles, who completed only 10 of 24 passes for 114 yards, two interceptions and rushed for a score.

“I’m taking full responsibility for everything that happened today,” Chiles said amid frustration. “You always want to come out and play good football and do what you’ve got to do and I felt like I tried to do that and didn’t do what I’m used to doing. I play football for a living and I didn’t come out and perform to my best today.”

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Chiles showed flashes of his talent but wasn’t sharp in his first college start. Amid an attempted revival for an offensively starved program, the sophomore needs other playmakers to stand out.

“He wants to play better,” Smith said of Chiles. “Well, I think the other 10 guys on offense want to play better. We’ve got to help the guy out.”

Smith’s Oregon State squad had the No. 1 red zone offense in the nation last season, scoring on 41 of 42 trips. The Spartans finished 1-for-4 in the red zone on Friday with a pair of turnovers while struggling to pound the ball inside the 20. Wipe out Lynch-Adams’ 63-yard score, he and starting running back Nathan Carter combined to average just 3.1 yards per rush.

“We’ve got to be able to run the ball and make the thing physical,” Smith said. “That will help red zone offense.”

On the other side of the ball, Michigan State’s defense keyed the season-opening win under new coordinator Joe Rossi. The Spartans limited the Owls to 248 yards and 3-for-13 on third down.

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“We talk about response all the time,” defensive back Angelo Grose said after a team-high 12 tackles with an interception. “When things ain’t going our way, how are we going to respond, how are we going to go out there and still do what we need to do? I feel like we really emphasized that and that’s what we went out there and did.”

Although Michigan State’s defense got the stops needed to secure a win, penalties were a major problem. Starting safety Malik Spencer was disqualified for targeting and linebacker Jordan Turner avoided the same outcome after a review for his hit on Florida Atlantic quarterback Cam Fancher. And there were other errors to correct.

“We want to play with some aggression, but we’ve got to have some technique at the same time,” Smith said. “It’s not just, oh, it was a late hit. We got a horse-collar here, we’ve got to be smart around the sideline.”

Michigan State accomplished its overall Week 1 goal by picking up a win but needs to regroup quickly for the start of Big Ten play. The Spartans hit the road to face Maryland, which rolled to a 50-7 victory against UConn in the opener.

“We’re probably going to go in there with disgust,” Chiles said of watching film from the season opener. “We don’t want to go in there and watch that. We didn’t do what we were supposed to do, we didn’t do what we know we can do. It’s a new week, we get another opportunity. We won the game, go us, and we get to come back and do it again.”

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Michigan 89-58 Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec 22, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN

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Michigan 89-58 Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec 22, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN


DETROIT — — Tre Donaldson had 16 points and six rebounds to lead No. 24 Michigan to a lopsided 89-58 victory over Purdue-Fort Wayne at the Crisler Center on Sunday.

Michigan (9-3) needed less than 15 minutes to take a 20-point lead and led by 30 in the first minute of the second half. Vladislav Goldin added 13 points for the Wolverines, who had five players in double figures. Danny Wolf had four points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

Jalen Jackson led all scorers with 27 points for the Mastodons (9-5), but Purdue-Fort Wayne didn’t have another scorer with more than six points.

Takeaways

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Mastodons: Forward Eric Mulder, who came into the game shooting 83.7% (46-55) on 2-pointers, made his only shot before leaving the game late in the first half with an ankle injury.

Wolverines: Michigan had gone 1-2 in its past three games with all three decided by two or fewer points. After beating Iowa 85-83 on Dec. 7, they lost 89-87 to Arkansas and 87-86 to No. 14 Oklahoma.

Key Moment

Michigan didn’t waste any time taking control of the game, taking a 23-4 lead in the first eight minutes. Eight Wolverines scored as they hit nine of their first 11 shots while holding the Mastodons to 2-12 (16.7%).

Michigan coach Dusty May rotated his lineup throughout runs of 7-0 and 13-0, using 10 players in the stretch.

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Key Stat

Michigan shot 75% (9-12) on 3-pointers in the first half while Purdue-Fort Wayne went 2-17 (11.8%). Sam Walters missed two of his four attempts while his teammates made 7 of 8.

Quinton Morton-Richardson (1-7) and Rasheed Bello (0-3) combined to shoot 10% from the 3-point line and 1-13 (7.7%) overall in the half.

Up Next

Both teams return to action on Dec. 29. The Mastodons have a Horizon League game at Green Bay while Michigan hosts Western Kentucky.

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WATCH: Michigan State’s Coen Carr Speaks After Career Game

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WATCH: Michigan State’s Coen Carr Speaks After Career Game


EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State sophomore forward Coen Carr put on quite the show in the Spartans’ 86-69 victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday.

Carr posted a career-high 17 points and also recorded eight rebounds. He had several dunks in the win and also made his first-career 3-pointer. He added a block and a steal as well.

Carr addressed the media after the game.

You can watch some of his media availability below:

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Below is a partial transcript from Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s opening statement of his postgame press conference:

Izzo: “Man, nothing’s easy. I really like that team. We said it on film. We actually did a pretty good job on a couple guys. [Baba] Miller, one. The big kid inside got in some foul trouble, did a decent job with him. I thought Jeremy [Fears Jr. ] did a hell of a job on [Leland] Walker. I really like Walker, too. But Miller is a good player. We did not do a good job on [Tre] Carroll. He was really good. And I think he is really good. I think that team has a chance to win a lot of games. This will probably be a good test for us. It wasn’t good when you’re going home for Christmas, because there was a couple sleepless nights on these guys. I told some of you I thought they were good. And yet, we started out the second half 4-of-17. Missed a gazillion layups — putbacks for Szymon [Zapala] and Jax [Jaxon Kohler], of all people. And they really — 4-of-17, I don’t know how we. I’m trying to figure out how we scored 86 points. But again, we shot pretty well from the free throw line. We offensive rebounded, we didn’t turn it over too much. I mean, it was a good win for us; I didn’t like the way it was played at all the time. I thought we got stagnant with the ball. But I was really impressed with Jeremy. And Coen [Carr] will probably never shoot another 3, so he can leave the history of Michigan State — it will be 100%. … I appreciate our fans appreciating him. And you saw our players. Last time I saw an eruption like that was when Steven [Izzo] hit a shot. That was pretty cool. I think that tells you a lot about how they feel about each other. And that was really important to me and, I think, to our coaching staff. So, Coen, no doubt, was the star of the game. Jaden came around the second half and did some good things.”

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.



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Michigan State Sophomore Turns in Career Game Against FAU

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Michigan State Sophomore Turns in Career Game Against FAU


Sophomore guard Coen Carr delivered a breakout performance for Michigan State basketball in its 86-69 victory over Florida Atlantic, scoring a career-high 17 points while pulling down eight rebounds. It was a game that showcased Carr’s developing offensive game and his continued growth as a versatile and impactful player for the Spartans.

Carr’s 17-point effort was the result of a well-rounded offensive game that included a variety of scoring methods. While Carr has long been known for his athleticism and ability to contribute on the defensive end, this game highlighted his increasing ability to make an impact on offense. Perhaps the most notable moment came when he hit his first career 3-pointer, a smooth shot from beyond the arc that not only earned him a standing ovation but also signaled his expanding skill set.

Up until that point, Carr had been more known for his athletic ability and transition play, but this 3-pointer showed that he is working to develop a more complete game, which will be crucial for Michigan State’s offensive versatility going forward.

In addition to his scoring, Carr’s 8 rebounds were crucial in helping Michigan State dominate the glass. His length, athleticism, and motor allowed him to clean up missed shots and secure key offensive and defensive boards. His presence on the boards allowed the Spartans to control the pace of the game, pushing the tempo and limiting FAU’s second-chance opportunities. Carr’s ability to contribute in multiple areas — particularly on the boards — shows his increasing comfort with his role on the team and his willingness to contribute wherever needed.

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Carr’s all-around performance demonstrated his potential to become a more significant part of Michigan State’s rotation as the season progresses. His confidence on offense, particularly with the three-point shot, gives the Spartans another weapon to rely on. Meanwhile, his ability to impact the game with his rebounding and defensive play remains one of his strongest assets.

For Michigan State, Carr’s career-high outing is a promising sign of what’s to come. With his athleticism and improving offensive game, Carr has the potential to grow into a key contributor for the Spartans, providing them with much-needed depth and versatility as they look to make a run in the NCAA tournament. This performance against FAU is just the beginning for Coen Carr, and it suggests that he could play a pivotal role in Michigan State’s success this season.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.



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