Jonathan Smith looking for consistency throughout his roster following MSU’s win over Western Michigan

The fans were still finding their seats when the Spartan Marching Band blasted out the Star Spangled Banner, the crowd roaring their approval as two planes flew over ahead and the newly installed pyrotechnics shot fireworks up into the late August sky.

Things felt a little different. A little new.

New concessions were being sold, Munn Field had tailgating once again – and a brand new beer garden – while the stadium was striped (for the most part), and the student section was packed to the top. It all set the stage for the Spartans to begin year two under head Jonathan Smith with a decent enough 23-6 win over Western Michigan.

“I thought our crowd was great tonight,” Smith said. “Energy, student section packed. I mean, it was a great atmosphere and always appreciate Spartan Nation supporting us like that.”

Smith was clear that, while there were inconsistencies, the team’s effort was still something to be proud of.

“I’m proud of the team, finding a way to win a game,” Smith said. “Obviously, kind of a tale of two halves offensively, defensively throughout the night, the effort they played with.”

Special teams played an early role in setting the tone and Smith highlighted punter Ryan Eckley in his opening statement after the game.

“That was effective play out of our punt group there,” he said.

Offensively, Michigan State leaned on a revamped running game. Sophomore backs Brandon Tullis and Makhi Frazier carried the load, both averaging over seven yards per carry.

“Especially the first half, I thought the O-line set a tone in the run game. (Frazier) had a great game. (Tullis) early with his touchdown run,” Smith said. “The stats show the physicality and what we want to be able to do in the run game.”

While the first half showed strong production, Smith emphasized the need for consistency in the second half, both in the run and pass game.

The offensive line featured multiple rotations and untested combinations, with tackles rotating to give younger players experience while keeping starters fresh throughout the game.

“Overall, I was pleased when you got two backs with that kind of average yards per carry,” Smith said.

Quarterback Aidan Chiles faced a new defensive coordinator across from him, and Smith said the game plan was to simplify early reads and let him work through progressions.

“We didn’t want to chase ghosts. We got him on to play the first couple series and find out exactly what it was going to look like,” said Smith. “Just trust in your eyes. Recognize the coverage, one high or two highs.

Make it kind of simple early on to see what they were going to look like. He had some good reps tonight,” Smith said.

The focus moving forward will be on improving timing, protection, and consistency in the passing game.

Despite a strong offensive start – 205 yards and three scores in the first half – Michigan State managed just 52 yards in the second half. Smith credited Western Michigan for adjustments and defensive pressure.

“Give them some credit. They got some good coaches over there and made some, maybe it’s halftime adjustments. They did a nice job on our tackles a couple of times. We had a couple deep shots open. We just couldn’t get the ball off,” he said.

Defensively, the Spartans limited explosive plays and showed depth across the roster. The secondary responded well to challenges, including an early deep ball.

“Even on that first drive, right, they hit the early deep ball kind of down the sideline. There was no panic defensively. Kind of regrouped,” Smith said.

He praised defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and the staff for adjusting pressures and coverage, while also noting the role of the crowd.

“Crowd helped us with the crowd noise. I thought we got around the quarterback a little bit. He had to get the ball out, and that definitely helped the secondary.”

Individual defensive performances were strong, particularly from Jordan Hall and Wayne Matthews III.

“I thought both Wayne and Jordan played really well. Communication. Flying around. Jordan Hall, you saw him. Great job hitting the quarterback, not always sacking him, but those guys getting home on pressures. So there’s a lot to like defensively,” Smith said.

Rotations along the defensive line kept players fresh, with multiple defensive linemen entering the game almost every other play.

“A lot of guys playing, a lot of snaps, different rotations. Packages coming in, d-linemen rotating almost every other play. Some of that’s strategic, but we feel like we got some depth on that side and they play really hard together,” Smith said.

Time of possession was another key factor, with the Spartans holding the ball for nearly 37 minutes.

Smith explained, “That’s a total advantage. Offense possessing the ball, defense getting off the field. At the same time, I’m not shy to say we’d love to score from 60 yards out and it turns into a quick series – if we can get some of that going.”

Special teams contributed further with kicking and coverage. Blake Sislo handled extra points reliably, while Eckley attempted longer kicks.

“I was obviously happy with Blake. He bangs them through on the extra points. He would have been our guy with the one field goal, Eckley attempts a little bit longer. We felt like he gave us the best chance on that, but if it had been closer, Blake can go,” Smith said.

Kickoff coverage was effective as well, helping establish field position and momentum early in the game.

Late in the game, Smith described the decision-making process after the defense got a stop with two minutes remaining:

“At that point we felt like, you know, taking a knee and the game was in hand. I’m really just disappointed in the previous drive. We’d want to find a way to get a couple first downs and just call it then … we got to be more effective on first, second down, so we don’t put (back-up QB) Alessio (Milivojevic) in that spot on third-and-medium.”

Looking at the bigger picture, Smith reflected on the first-game performance and its role in building toward the season.

“It’s good, especially for game one. We’re talking about just a small sample size in your first game to see some of that,” he said. “But it’s going to be a long road, a long season, finding ways to keep that going. We’ve got to keep on improving.”

He emphasized the need to develop more explosive plays offensively, improve timing and execution, and maintain defensive discipline while limiting explosive plays.

Michigan State’s opening win provided a clear sense of the team’s strengths: a seemingly deep, rotating roster, a physical and effective running game, disciplined defense, and special teams that contributed in multiple ways. While there are certainly areas for improvement and consistency, the performance showed that there is groundwork for the Spartans’ development over the season.

Friday night, though, from the student section to the Spartan Walk, fireworks, and flyovers, the team and fans shared a memorable first night of the season. As Michigan State turns its attention to Boston College and next Saturday’s prime time game, the focus will be on cleaning up details, finding more consistency, and building on the foundation established in this opener.