Previously: Michigan State Offense Yesterday we covered the MSU offense and its ongoing QB fiascos. Today we pivot to the defensive side of the ball and take a look at a unit that was eviscerated by Washington but has since leveled out to a description of possibly being "okay"? Let's take a look: The Film: Though I imagine many would want me to do the Washington game, given that they are the most comparable opponent to Michigan in terms of opponent quality, I felt that it was not a proper evaluation for MSU considering the scope of the season. The Spartans have not had any other defensive performances in that ballpark and considering the chaos leading up to that game (it was the week Mel Tucker was removed from his post), it is probably best to put that aside and look at the rest of the body of work to get a better feel. The second-best offense MSU has played is Maryland, clearly better than either Rutgers or Iowa, so that is the game that I opted to go with. A team with a functional QB and okay passing game, even if they're not world beaters. Personnel: Click for big. Michigan State's defensive line was a relative strength of their team last season, particularly at the defensive tackle position. Simeon Barrow is the headliner at this position in my view, a player with a good bit of get-off and the most dangerous organic pass-rusher on the entire line (not saying much but). He's the Dangerman for this piece but I do think he's still a weaker star, relatively speaking, and probably a cut below what Jacob Slade was when healthy in 2021. The other DTs are okay, with Derrick Harmon getting the start next to Barrow. I think he ought to be move-able by Michigan's vaunted IOL, but has made enough plays in what I've seen of him to avoid the cyan. The same could be said for the third DT, Maverick Hansen. While the DT spot is a three-man rotation, EDGE is a much more wide open equation. Zion Young is close to an every-down starter at one EDGE spot, a true sophomore who was pressed into duty far too soon last season and was a major sore spot. This season I'm starting to see some flashes, but Young is not yet an impact piece. Opposite him there are a number of players who have rotated in, starting with Brandon Wright, a 5th year EDGE who was the nominal starter last season. I didn't think much of Wright then and I didn't think much of him in his 19 snaps in the game I charted either. He's been rotating with hyped Texas A&M Tunmise Adeleye who has been injured and underwhelmed when healthy, committing several costly penalties against Maryland to earn the cyan. Avery Dunn and one-time Florida transfer Khris Bogle are still around too as "meh" players, though Dunn did not play against Rutgers last week. At linebacker, Michigan State still has ole Cal Haladay, still not wearing gloves and as Brian loves to say, still not covering anyone. Haladay is their most used LB and he is what he is, reduced from that promising 2021 campaign but not a total bum. Next to him is either true freshman Jordan Hall or one-time Miss State transfer Aaron Brule. Hall was a prized recruit, inside the top 250, and his talent level got him on the field right away, especially after the injury to Jacoby Windmon. Hall has had the lumps that come with being a true freshman LB but didn't stand out to me as particularly egregious and PFF is a fan. Brule is a bit of a versatile piece, capable of being more of a HSP in a 4-3 alignment next to Hall and Haladay, or he can play ILB when they take Hall off the field. On a very blitzy defense, all three of these players play significant roles in rushing the passer. Problems in coverage defined each of the past two seasons for the Michigan State defense and so far it's been hard to tell, due to few opponents having a functional passing attack. That said, I wasn't aghast at the showing of the secondary against Maryland. There's quite a bit of stability at corner, Chance Rucker and Dillon Tatum forming a very young outside corner tandem, Rucker being a true freshman and Tatum a true sophomore. Tatum's move to corner is a bit surprising for a player who was considered more of a safety coming out of West Bloomfield, but he's hanging in there. I thought Tatum was better than Rucker against Maryland, for what it's worth. The nickel when they go 4-2-5 and take Brule off the field is ex-safety Angelo Grose, who was woeful last season. At a new position, Grose has surprisingly been okay. The true safeties are both different from last season with Grose at a new position and Xavier Henderson having moved on. A pair of true sophomores, Jaden Mangham and Malik Spencer, have joined the starting lineup. Spencer has seemed iffy in coverage but looked very good in the game I charted at coming down to help stuff the run, with sure-tackling. As for Mangham, he's the deep safety and didn't have many chartable plays against the Terps so I don't have a ton to say. PFF thinks he's not great. [AFTER THE JUMP: Meh]