Michigan
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.
“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.”
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.
“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
Life-threatening beach conditions expected on Lake Michigan through Labor Day
![Life-threatening beach conditions expected on Lake Michigan through Labor Day Life-threatening beach conditions expected on Lake Michigan through Labor Day](https://media.nbcchicago.com/2024/05/lake-michigan-beaches.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=1200%2C675)
On a long holiday weekend, it’s not surprising to see scores of people at Chicago and Northwest Indiana beaches, and dozens of boats anchored just off the shore.
However, beachgoers and boaters might want to think twice this Labor Day.
According to a beach hazards statement issued by the National Weather Service, “life-threatening” waves and currents are expected at Lake Michigan beaches throughout the Chicago area until Monday evening.
The NWS advises staying out of the water, and avoiding going out on to piers, break walls or other shoreline structures.
“It’s a very hazardous day to be going into the water for wading or swimming,” said Dave Benjamin, the co-founder of the non-profit Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. “It’s highly advised you’re not entering the water at your beaches.”
Lifeguards at Ohio Street Beach Sunday pulled everyone out of the water once the conditions became too dangerous.
Benjamin said there have been 77 drownings across the Great Lakes in 2024, and 57 percent of them were in Lake Michigan.
A guide to beach conditions and flag warnings from the Chicago Park District can be found here.
Michigan
Michigan Football: Top performers against Fresno State
![Michigan Football: Top performers against Fresno State Michigan Football: Top performers against Fresno State](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2400,h_1350,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/wolverine_digest/01j6q6pb7vv63wxaf31b.jpg)
The No. 9 Michigan Wolverines kicked off the 2024 season in the Big House on Saturday night with a primetime matchup against Fresno State. Although there are still some things that need to improve heading into the massive Week 2 matchup against Texas, there were also some things to feel pretty good about.
Here are the top offensive and defensive performers from Michigan’s Week 1 victory over Fresno State:
Kalel Mullings, RB: 15 carries for 92 yards
Although Donovan Edwards has received most of the attention among the running backs during the off-season, it was veteran Kalel Mullings who had the most production on the ground Saturday night. After a relatively slow start in the running game, Mullings found his groove in the second half and helped put the Wolverines in scoring position late. At 6-2, 233 pounds, Mullings is more than just a short-yardage back who can move the sticks if needed. He’s surprisingly quick and shifty, and we saw that on display in Michigan’s season-opener.
Colston Loveland, TE: 8 receptions for 87 yards and 1 TD
It’s clear that Loveland is going to be a major factor in Michigan’s passing game this season. Whether lined up at tight end, in the slot or out wide, the 6-5, 245 pound target is a matchup nightmare. Loveland’s catch radius and athleticism is one of the reasons why he’ll likely be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. As the season progresses, the Michigan offense will need every bit of what Loveland has to offer.
Dominic Zvada, K: 12 points, 3/3 on FGs (45, 53, 55)
The Arkansas State transfer put 12 points on the board for the Wolverines in their 30-10 victory, including field goals from 45, 53, and 55 yards in Michigan’s season-opener. Although you’d like to be able to finish drives in the endzone, having a reliable kicker with a big leg is certainly a luxury that can be the difference maker on fall Saturday’s.
Will Johnson: 2 tackles, 1 INT (Pick-Six)
The nations best corner was tested multiple times on Saturday night, but you can only poke the bear so many times before you pay the price. On a Fresno State first-and-goal play with just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Johnson snagged an 86-yard pick-six that extended Michigan’s lead to 20. Although he finished the evening with just one interception, Johnson was inches away from notching three on the evening. He did get beat a couple of times, but I’ll chalk it up to Week 1 rust and expect that to improve in the weeks ahead.
Zeke Berry: 2 tackles, 1 INT
The junior defensive back got the party started on the Bulldog’s first drive of the game, snagging an interception as defensive tackle Kenneth Grant forced a bad throw from Fresno State QB Mikey Keene. Berry is a guy who had to pay his dues behind Michigan legend Mike Sainristil, but it’s clear the junior DB is ready for his moment and that he’ll continue to be a solid piece in the secondary moving forward.
Josaiah Stewart: 5.0 tackles, 2.0 sacks
The veteran edge rusher notched 5.5 sacks during the 2023 season (good for No. 2 on the team), and it looks like he’s poised to surpass that mark by a decent amount in 2024. His combination of speed and power is a nightmare to defend against, and he was able to get to the quarterback twice on Saturday night. Top to bottom, the Michigan defense is going to be a problem for any opposing offense in 2024.
– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –
Takeaways: Michigan takes down Fresno State with a rather lackluster offense
Michigan players of the game in 30-10 win over Fresno State
What the national media is saying about Michigan’s performance against Fresno State
Michigan
2 shot, 1 killed at Michigan State Fair in Novi, police say
![2 shot, 1 killed at Michigan State Fair in Novi, police say 2 shot, 1 killed at Michigan State Fair in Novi, police say](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/e9ddb10b989290ecf32ffc6349daa95358f93044/c=0-207-2692-1721/local/-/media/2018/02/27/DetroitNews/B99633928Z.1_20180227172528_000_G121T0TS8.1-0.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Two people were shot, one fatally, at the Michigan State Fair in Novi Saturday, according to police.
This was an isolated act and there’s no threat to the community, Novi police said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The two victims were taken to the hospital, where one of them died. Novi police did not give any information about the victims.
Novi police did not say if anyone had been arrested and did not respond to requests for further comment.
The state fair runs through Monday at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
kberg@detroitnews.com
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