Michigan State football vs. Central Michigan: What to expect at QB for Spartans

Looking ahead to Michigan State football’s 2023 season opener against Central Michigan on Friday in East Lansing:

Next up: Central Michigan Chippewas

Matchup: Michigan State (5-7 in 2022) vs. Central Michigan (4-8 in 2022).

Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday; Spartan Stadium, East Lansing

TV/radio: FS1, WJR-AM (760).

Line: Spartans by 14½.

Know the foe

Fifth-year CMU coach Jim McElwain was an assistant at MSU from 2003-05 under John L. Smith before embarking on his head coaching journey. That has included stops at Colorado State (2012-14) and Florida (2015-17) before arriving in Mount Pleasant in 2019. (He also spent 2018 as receivers coach at Michigan.) Like the Spartans, McElwain's Chippewas will be breaking in a new quarterback, though Jase Bauer and Bert Emmanuel Jr. each got a start last season behind Daniel Richardson (who transferred Florida Atlantic). Both are dual-threat QBs, with sophomore Bauer throwing for 435 yards and running for 312 in six appearances and Emmanuel rushing for seven touchdowns and 496 yards on 96 carries while throwing just eight passes in his four games to preserve his redshirt.

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CMU also lost star running back Lew Nichols III to the NFL (as a seventh-round pick by the Green Bay Packers); the former Detroit Cass Tech star edged Kenneth Walker III for the Football Bowl Subdivision rushing title in 2021. That will bring a major offensive reset for the Chippewas, who struggled to move the ball last season while averaging just 367.2 yards (84th in FBS) and 24.8 points (tied for 86th) per game. They also were 107th in time of possession (28:14) and among the nation's most penalized teams and worst offenses in the red zone. On defense, CMU returns a veteran secondary led by cornerback Donte Kent and experience throughout the front seven with defensive tackles Jacques Bristol and Robi Stuart as the anchors for a unit that allowed 374.3 total yards per game, 61st in FBS. The Chips were in the top 70 against both run (69th, 152.4 yards) and pass defense (69th, 221.9). However, they gave up 28.2 points a game to rank 79th and finished 129th out of 130 FBS teams in turnover margin.

3 things to watch

The QB question: MSU’s competition between junior Noah Kim and redshirt freshman Katin Houser has been the most discussed aspect of Spartans preseason camp. Who will replace transferred two-year starter Payton Thorne likely won’t be revealed until game time, but expect both to get a chance at some point Friday. Their performances could dictate the plans for Mel Tucker and his staff in the rest of the nonconference schedule. Kim took 38 snaps last season to Houser’s six, and true freshman Sam Leavitt is expected to be the Spartans’ third quarterback. How offensive coordinator Jay Johnson divvies up those reps during the game should prove interesting as well, particularly for Houser and Leavitt, both four-stars recruited by Tucker; Kim is the final quarterback signed by Mark Dantonio in the 2020 class he left for Tucker.

Running men: The transfer additions of Nathan Carter (Connecticut) and Jaren Mangham (South Florida/Colorado) adds depth and competition for carries with returning starter Jalen Berger, who joined the Spartans last year as a transfer from Wisconsin. Carter appears to be the front-runner for the starting job after impressing coaches in the spring and again during preseason camp. MSU also still has homegrown running backs in senior Jordon Simmons (the team’s leading rusher during Tucker’s debut season) and sophomore Davion Primm, along with lightning-quick freshman Jaelon Barbarin. Their quest, which will rely heavily on better blocking in front of them, is to improve MSU’s program-worst time of possession a season ago; that mark of 26:13 a game ranked 127th out of 130 FBS teams while the Spartans' average of 113 rushing yards a game was 110th.

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Different defense: Speaking of transfers, Tucker and defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton have raved throughout camp about the difference in talent and depth along the defensive line. The Spartans will get their first chance to show what defensive end Tunmise Adeleye (Texas A&M) and defensive tackle Jalen Sami (Colorado) can do with their mammoth frames and prodigious power. It also will be the first time MSU fans will get to watch the potential difference-makers of the 2023 class, defensive ends Bai Jobe, Andrew Depaepe and Jalen Thompson, plus 2022 four-star transfer Ken Talley (Penn State). They join a group that includes returning defensive end Khris Bogle and a veteran interior with Simeon Barrow, Derrick Harmon and Maverick Hansen that should be the Spartans’ strength.

Follow Chris Solari: @chrissolari.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football: What to watch vs. Central Michigan