Grading the Spartans' performance at Maryland

OFFENSE 5

MSU’s offense was fairly efficient at carrying out a smart game plan – run the football with purpose and then run some more to take the pressure off redshirt freshman quarterback Brian Lewerke and a floundering defense. The Spartans rushed 270 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry, albeit against a Maryland defense that just gave up 229 yards on the ground to Minnesota and 372 to Penn State. Lewerke was sometimes outstanding, played courageously and also like a freshman. His two under-throws of Donnie Corley near the goal line — one into the wind for an interception, the other at his feet — and a couple decisions late in the game to run instead of throw were plays he’ll likely execute differently a year from now. But the grade here mostly drops because of the penalties — holding calls, a delay of game to start a quarter, offensive pass interference — and a fumble my Monty Madaris at the 5-yard line that might have changed the outcome.

DEFENSE 2

Among the staples of the great MSU defenses was their ability to bear down after giving up a big play. One bad play never snowballed. Saturday night, it usually did. The Spartans gave up 12 plays of 15 yards or more. They allowed two running backs to combine for 220 yards on just 26 total carries. MSU was gashed repeatedly. And, ultimately, gave up two scores in the final quarter. For the season, MSU has been outscored 87-30 in fourth quarters and overtimes. The Spartans are young, with six true freshman seeing time on defense and a bevy other young players playing prominent roles. It wasn’t a winning formula Saturday. They haven’t had one in a while.

SPECIAL TEAMS 7

If not for the ridiculous fake field goal attempt and one R.J. Shelton decision not to bring a kickoff return out of the end zone late when MSU badly needed a big play, this might have been a 9. Shelton was terrific in the kickoff return game, with three for 92 yards, including a 52-yarder after Maryland’s first score. Michael Geiger hit his only actual field goal attempt, connecting easily from 34 yards, and Jake Hartbarger fared OK in a brutal wind that grabbed ahold of anything thrown or kicked high.

• COUCH COLUMN: As Michigan looms, Spartans unravel at Maryland

COACHING 4

Considering MSU was starting a redshirt freshman quarterback who had gotten a bit frazzled a week earlier, the game plan offensively was sound. MSU wasn’t going to win if it couldn’t run the football, and it did. The Spartans probably should have taken a couple more chances with the wind at their backs in the second and third quarters. But the reason for this grade — other than odd fake field goal — is that MSU is in a perpetual slide, having dropped five straight and looking less confident by the week. MSU’s coaches recruited this roster. And together, they’re having an historically bad season.

BOTTOM LINE 6

Penn State showed Saturday night that crazy results do happen, upsetting Ohio State. But Penn State has won five games and three straight. MSU has almost no chance at a similar upset against Michigan. The matchup arrives with both perfect and brutal timing. Perfect because MSU, all but eliminated from a bowl game and mid-free-fall, could use a week where it’s easy to be focused, where winning would cure a lot of ills at once. It’s brutal timing because MSU isn’t very good at football right now and the Wolverines are rolling. The Spartans are going to enter November with a record of 2 and … 6.

— Graham Couch