Maryland will look to move to 2-0 for the fourth consecutive season under head coach Mike Locksley when they welcome the Michigan State Spartans to SECU Stadium for a 3:30 PM kickoff on Saturday.
Led by first-year head coach Jonathan Smith, the Spartans revamped their roster this offseason after adding 61 new players to the roster, the most in the Big Ten and second-most among Power Four teams behind Colorado. This weekend will also serve as a homecoming for one Spartans assistant as special coordinator coordinator Chad Wilt, who served as Maryland’s defensive line coach in 2014 and 2015.
We take an early look at the Spartans and what to know ahead of Saturday:
Offense
Key players: QB Aidan Chiles, RB Nathan Carter, WR Montorie Foster Jr.
Points: T-106th among FBS teams (16 points)
Passing: T-119th (114 yards)
Rushing: T-60th (179 yards)
Chiles headlines the Spartans offense as one of five new additions to the quarterback room this offseason, but it was a debut to forget for the Oregon State transfer. The sophomore opened the game with an interception and finished just 10-of-24 for 114 yards with two picks. The 114 passing yards marked the fewest among any Big Ten team in week one.
Nathan Carter anchors the Spartans’ backfield despite averaging just 2.5 yards per carry in Friday’s win, though he’s coming off a season where he ranked eighth in the Big Ten with a career-high 798 yards on 185 carries. One of the reasons for the Spartans’ underwhelming rushing attack was the new-look offensive line working to find its groove in an average performance. After losing a pair of starters to graduation, they’ll look to hit their stride under Jim Michalczik, who produced former first-round pick Taliese Fuaga at Oregon State.
Foster, meanwhile, led Michigan State in catches (43), receiving yards (576) and touchdown catches (3) in 2023, all new career highs for the Ohio native. He won’t be alone as athlete Antonio Gates Jr. looks to free, but Foster will look to lead the way again after finishing with a team-high three catches in Friday’s win. Head coach Jonathan Smith noted Alante Brown is dealing with a long-term injury, likely sidelining him this weekend. Still, the Spartans will look for improved results in week two after failing to amass 300 yards of offense, finishing 3-for-13 on third downs and totaling three giveaways, including two in the redzone.
Defense
Key players: DL Khris Bogle, DL Maverick Hansen, LB Cal Haladay, LB Jordan Hall LB Wayne Matthews
Points: T-41st (10 points)
Passing: 27th (116 yards)
Rushing: 76th (134 yards)
The defense accounting for seven of the team’s ten penalties is an obvious red flag heading into week two, but the Spartans’ pressure was a big reason for their success after registering five QB hurries and seven sacks while holding FAU to under three yards per carry. FAU also finished the game just 2-of-14 on third downs to along with a pair of turnovers, putting together what should be a good early test for Maryland’s offense.
The Spartans have depth in the trenches, though veteran lineman Avery Dunn was ruled out ahead of Friday’s opener. DL Khris Bogle is among the returners in the trenches after finishing with five tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks on Friday, while sophomore Jalen Thompson looks to build off a productive year one in East Lansing. Graduate senior Maverick Hansen, who is in his sixth year of eligibility, anchors the unit after totaling 90 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and five sacks in 41 career games.
The linebackers are a strength for the Spartans as Cal Haladay leads the way after leading the Spartans defense in tackles in three consecutive seasons. He’s coming off a 91-tackle season, tied for the seventh-most in the Big Ten during the regular season, but he isn’t alone with Jordan Hall stepping into his second season with the program. Wayne Matthews, a former Flowers High School (MD) star who began his college career at Old Dominion, is another productive thumper of a linebacker where he ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference with 135 tackles in 2023.
Defensive back Angelo Grose led Michigan State with a game-high 11 tackles in the win, while former four-star cornerback Charles Brantley is back in 2024 after suffering a season-ending injury in the first month of the 2023 season.
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