Michigan State's special teams play sparks win over Indiana, 17-9
EAST LANSING — In a defensive grudge match, field position can be the difference maker.
Michigan State’s special teams unit held the Spartans in the game and helped set the stage for the Spartans to overcome a 9-3 deficit in the fourth quarter and score two touchdowns in the final six minutes of play Saturday to defeat Indiana 17-9.
Junior punter Jake Hartbarger booted the ball eight times, including a career-best 62-yard punt that rolled inside the Hoosiers’ 1 yard line on his first punt of the game. Freshman kicker Matt Coghlin made his sixth field goal of the season in the second quarter to put MSU on the board.
Hartbarger finished with 370 yards — compared to MSU’s 274 yards of total offense — including three punts inside IU’s 20; he also limited their punt returner, J-Shun Harris, to three returns for 10 yards.
More Spartans:
Michigan State becomes bowl eligible as focus shifts to bigger goals
MSU football keeps winning, keeps overcoming its mistakes
“I thought our special teams played very well,” coach Mark Dantonio said. “We kept (Harris) contained back there. I thought Jake (Hartbarger) had some outstanding punts.”
“There was some outstanding coverage,” Dantonio said. “I thought when we kicked off, we covered very well. We gotta put our feet on the 10-yard line with punt returns, but we have young guys out there. It was just a great team win.”
Freshmen receivers Cody White, Laress Nelson and Connor Heyward were assigned to receive punts and kickoffs — but combined for just 29 yards on five returns. White, however, broke out for six catches for 99 yards with key first down receptions in the fourth quarter.
White said it felt satisfying to finally find a late rhythm for the offense, starting with his string of catches.
More MSU:
Michigan State grades: Defense dominates, offense recovers vs. Indiana
MSU RB LJ Scott misses one series vs. Indiana after driving arrest
“We know we’re capable of more than what we were doing,” White said. “I feel like just in that 4th quarter we just started clicking and the energy started to pick up as well. We just started thriving as an offense.”
Until Saturday, MSU had not trailed in the fourth quarter and pulled out a win this season. White said he never panicked, even when the Spartans trailed.
“We’ve got a lot of grit and we know we’re all together,” White said. “So when we were down we didn’t phase it, we didn’t do anything different than we had done. We just brought that energy even more. I feel like that’s more what our team is all about.”
According to White, he didn’t know he’d be returning the bulk of MSU’s punts until just before the game but was excited for another opportunity to get on the field.
“I didn’t know I was going to get as many as I did, but it was fun,” White said, with a smirk. “I was just making sure our offense gets the ball at good field position. I want to make sure we can secure the ball and maybe get a first down — through the punt return get an extra 10 yards or even more than that.”
Linebacker Joe Bachie said the team’s ability to flip the field with solid special teams play was what kept the game competitive through most of the game. MSU’s offense struggled to produce through the first three-and-a-half quarters, but the defense was able to hold the Hoosiers to three field goals in three trips to the red zone.
It’s an asset Bachie thinks MSU can use to win more games.
“It’s huge,” Bachie said. “I think our first one was a little turnover so a sudden change situation for us. Holding them to three points is huge. As you can see at the end of the game it was a 10-9 game. Shout out to the entire defense for coming out, being ready to go, having that fire. Our offense at the end of the game came up huge. We were able to flip the field and that’s something we talk about all the time too.”