92
With the team’s
struggles
last season,
quarterbacks
coach Brad Salem
has taken over as
coordinator. Salem
is replacing a slow-
huddle, two-back
approach to a more
up-tempo one to
open up the vertical
passing game, after
the team posted
its worst scoring
average (18.7
points a game) in
12 years. Whether
senior quarterback
Brian Lewerke is
a good fit for the
system remains
to be seen. Last
season he threw
11 interceptions
to go with only
eight TDs—but he
was also battling
a shoulder injury.
Lewerke is healthy
now and just two
years removed
from throwing
for 2,793 yards
and 20 TDs. A new
system could be
just what he needs
to regain his form.X-FACTOR
THE BIG STORY Bruising
defenses have been a
Spartans staple under Markwas a walk-onKEY MATCHUP
BIGGEST GAME
SI RANKING
NOV. 23
@ RUTGERS
NOV. 30
MARYLAND
THE RUNDOWN
3
6
9
12
15
12
–^2
(B
IG^
TE
N^ C
HA
MP
S)^
3 –^9
10
–^3
7 –
6
8 –
4
Mark Dantonio is as well
entrenched as any coach
in the country, but over
the last three years his
Spartans are just 20–18.
Another lackluster season,
and he could find himself
YEAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019* on the hot seat.
*SI PROJECTION5 -YEAR TREND
7. 5
Trips to Columbus,
Madison and Ann Arbor
present big challenges—not to
mention a home date with Penn
State. The Spartans will be a
better team than they were last
year, but their win total is unlikely
to increase.FRO
M (^) L
EFT
: (^) RA
ND
Y (^) L
ITZ
ING
ER/
ICO
N (^) S
PO
RTS
WIR
E/G
ET
TY
IMA
GES
; (^) NI
LS
NIL
SEN
Michigan State