‘Frustrating’ issues on offense, defense persist as Michigan State heads to No. 6 Oregon

EAST LANSING – Aidan Chiles admits the mistakes coach Jonathan Smith called “self-inflicted” have been “frustrating.”

Particularly after Michigan State football showed, at least for four drives, the ability to counterpunch with Ohio State’s juggernaut offense. And after a couple near-stops on defense tilted momentum the other direction.

It becomes equally tantalizing and maddening for Chiles to think about the what-ifs of how Saturday’s 38-7 loss to the third-ranked Buckeyes might have gone had a few different things happened on both sides of the ball.

“We know we can compete with all these teams,” the sophomore quarterback said Tuesday. “We just gotta execute. And we haven’t been able to do that so far.”

Michigan State Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles (2) is stripped of the ball after a face mask isn’t called by the referees during the second quarter the NCAA football game against Ohio State University at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.

For Chiles and the offense, it came down to getting stuffed on the Spartans’ first drive of the game and two fumbles lost in ensuing possessions, all coming at or inside Ohio State’s 20. One came from Chiles, who lost the ball as his facemask was grabbed and went uncalled. Another came on a long pass to tight end Jack Velling after MSU’s first touchdown.

“It crushes you,” offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said Tuesday. “I just think if we’re able to push some of those in, then it’s a totally different game coming out of half. You never know.”

Instead of seven points, Chiles felt, it could have been 28 – or at least getting a few field goals to lessen the disparity.

“Too close,” said Chiles, who was 8-for-11 for 115 yards in the first half but threw his eighth interception of the season in the third quarter. “I…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/frustrating-issues-offense-defense-persist-101033785.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2024-10-02 10:10:33

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