Tulsa is wondering what Michigan State’s offense will look like, and Michigan State is wondering who Tulsa will have at quarterback. Both teams carry some unknowns on offense into their season-opening match-up.
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio shook up his offensive staff in the offseason, and it has made the No. 18 Spartans difficult to figure out for TU ahead of the August 30 game at 7 pm on FS1 at Spartan Stadium.
“I think they’re narrowing all that down right now and I’m sure they’re establishing their identity of what they want to be on offense,” Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery said on Thursday. “But, from a preparation standpoint, it makes it a little bit more difficult.”
Michigan State had some key injuries on offense last season and recorded some of the worst numbers in Dantonio’s first 12 seasons. The Spartans finished with a 7-6 record, causing the coaching staff shake-up that includes a new offensive coordinator.
Michigan State reportedly didn’t show much on offense during its spring game in April, and the program has not been giving away any information on the offensive changes. The Spartans return nine starters on the offensive side of the ball.
“The crazy part as you kind of go through the scenarios of it – they have all the same (coaches) yet they’re all in different spots,” Montgomery explained. “So, trying to gauge exactly what they’re going to do offensively, whether they’re going to be a heavy 12 personnel or a 21 personnel team, are they going to try to spread it out a little bit more? We’ve got to work all those scenarios in there.
“I know they've got talented and skilled guys up front and at the receiver and running back spots. Their quarterback played efficiently throughout with a lot of different concepts and looks.”
On the flip-side, Michigan State doesn’t know which TU quarterback will run out for the first series, as Montgomery is yet to name his starter. The Spartans have film of Seth Boomer from last season, but the only film on Zach Smith is from his time at Baylor, and Davis Brin is a redshirt freshman.