Western Michigan's Darius Phillips has monster day in loss at Michigan State

EAST LANSING - It's a good time to buy NFL stock in Western Michigan do-everything cornerback/returner Darius Phillips.

The Broncos' senior had a monster game against Michigan State on Saturday, but the Spartans' potent rushing attack was too much for Western Michigan to overcome in a 28-14 defeat.

Here are five takeaways from the game:

PHILLIPS A SPECIAL TALENT

Phillips had a career-high three pass breakups and an interception - in the first half alone. It was the 10th career pick for the Detroit native and his second of the season after intercepting Heisman hopeful Sam Darnold of USC in Week 1.

As he has done in his four years for Western Michigan, the reigning Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year impacted the game a variety of ways.

Phillips' forced fumble and return for a touchdown were the first points of the game for the Broncos. Then, for the second time in his career, he took a kickoff 100 yards to the house against the Spartans. It was his second 100-yard kick return in as many weeks and his fifth career kick return for a score.

For the day, Phillips had four kick returns for 181 yards and a score.

"I just came out here to try to do everything I could do to help this team and keep us in the game, whether that be on special teams or defensive," Phillips said. "I went out there and gave it my all."

A receiver his freshman year, he has now scored five different ways in his Broncos' career - receiving, kick return, punt return, fumble recovery and interception.

BRONCOS PASSING GAME A WORK-IN-PROGRESS

For the second week in a row, Western Michigan redshirt sophomore Jon Wassink completed 11 passes. Against the Spartans, he threw for just 79 yards with an interception.

"No doubt I missed a few throws that obviously I would look to have back, but we just didn't make enough competitive plays," Wassink said. "I have to put the ball in the right spot, and the receiver has to go up and get the ball. We just didn't make enough of those plays tonight."

Sophomore receiver D'Wayne Eskridge was Wassink's favorite target with four catches - including a couple of fourth-down grabs on the Broncos' final possession - with a team-best 42 yards. 

MORE:Michigan State's stifling defense leads stampede over Western Michigan football

As Western Michigan struggled to generate push at the line of scrimmage, its three-headed rushing attack never really found a rhythm. Unable to sustain drives via the run, Wassink was under duress much of the game, getting sacked four times.

"We have to play good defense, special teams and run the ball while we're developing our passing game," said Western Michigan coach Tim Lester. "That's going to be the story of the year. As we develop our passing game, we could be a really good team. Today was a day we needed it, or we didn't have a chance. We hung around, but that's not the goal."

INJURIES POTENTIALLY BIG BLOW TO WMU DEFENSE

The Broncos' defense played admirably against the Spartans, holding MSU to a 14-0 halftime lead and giving their offense a chance late in the game.

But the unit suffered a pair of major losses, first when redshirt sophomore safety Justin Tranquill left the game with a leg injury in the first quarter, then with junior defensive end Eric Assoua getting taken out with a leg injury early in the fourth quarter. 

Tranquill had a team-high eight stops in the season-opening loss at USC, while Assoua had four tackles including a sack against the Trojans. Both starters have been projected to be key pieces to the Broncos' defense for the 2017 season, and losing them for any significant time would be a big blow for the team.

4TH AND 1 OR 3RD AND 16?

On the play Assoua was injured, the Spartans were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Michigan State would either face a fourth-and-1 on their own 45, or a third-and-16.

The Broncos' opted to decline the penalty, hoping MSU would punt the ball to Phillips. Instead, the Spartans went for it, and LJ Scott picked up 44 yards. Four plays later, Scott scored on a 2-yard run to put his team up 28-7.

"Obviously since they got it, I wish we would have taken it," Lester said. "As a staff, we really felt like he'd kick it and we wanted to get the ball into Darius' hands ASAP. But hindsight - that's the way it works."

WHAT THEY SAID...

"We fought down to the wire," Lester said. "This is going to be a good thing for us. I told them at halftime, 'The best way for us to come together is to come through some shared adversity - and now we're in it, finally.'"

Nick Buckley can be reached at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley