Michigan State football stock watch: Another brutal game by Scottie Hazelton's defense

EAST LANSING — Here are the Michigan State football players who helped or hurt their stock in the Spartans’ 41-7 loss to No. 8 Washington on Saturday:

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S Jaden Mangham: Even though MSU’s secondary gave up 536 passing yards, the sophomore safety recorded his first career interception late in the fourth quarter near the goal line against Huskies backup quarterback Dylan Morris to prevent another touchdown. That was the first interception for a Spartan defensive back since Charles Brantley’s pick-6 against Ohio State last season and just the third from MSU’s secondary in its past 20 games (Justin White vs. Ohio State in 2021 had the other). Mangham also had a career-high eight tackles and a pass breakup.

QB Katin Houser: The backup is always the hottest commodity when a starting quarterback struggles, and the redshirt freshman made a case to get more playing time. Houser entered early in the fourth quarter and received two drives, the first of which was a three-and-out that lost 2 yards. His second try started at MSU’s 1-yard line, and Houser proceeded to complete 2 for 4 passes for 72 yards, including a 61-yard completion that Christian Fitzpatrick ran 29 yards after the catch. Houser capped the long march by going around the left side and absorbing a big hit as he scored a 4-yard touchdown run. The 11 plays, 5:25 of possession time and 99 yards were the most in each category this season for the Spartans’ offense. It came against the Huskies’ second- and third-string defenders with the game already out of hand, but Houser’s feat is worth considering should Kim continue to struggle.

Beer vendors: The first game with alcohol sales at Spartan Stadium couldn’t have come at a better time, on the heels of head coach Mel Tucker’s suspension and just before Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. decimated MSU’s secondary for the fourth time since 2019. It could be a very, very long fall for fans in the stands, but at least those 21-and-older (please drink responsibly) can now have a cold brew or two while watching it unfold.

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Scottie Hazelton: It was a disaster of a day for the fourth-year defensive coordinator. Washington’s 713 yards are the most ever allowed in MSU program history, the eighth time in the Spartans’ last 24 games they have allowed 500 or more yards and ninth time since Hazelton arrived in 2020. He now owns two of the three worst games in program history, including the 655 yards allowed against Ohio State in 2021 that are the third-most allowed. Penix went 27 of 35 for 473 yards and four TDs, and the Huskies’ 536 passing yards allowed are tied with the 2021 loss at Purdue for the second most in MSU history. The Spartans have given up 300-or-more yards passing 13 times since 2020, including nine games with 350 or more yards allowed through the air.

QB Noah Kim: The first-game jitters the junior showed against Central Michigan in the opener went away. He shrugged off a slow start against Richmond. But as the schedule moved into Power Five play, Kim looked shaken and skittish all day as Washington sacked him twice and hit him hard on a number of occasions among its eight QB hurries. Kim’s throws even when he wasn’t under pressure sailed high and wide of intended targets, including one nicely designed rollout screen to running back Nathan Carter that had big-play potential, and he finished 12 of 31 for 136 yards with a badly-telegraphed interception in the second quarter.

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Linebackers: It was a rough day all around for Cal Haladay, Jacoby Windmon and Aaron Brule. In coverage, Washington tight end Jack Westover caught three of Penix’s four touchdown passes — two against Haladay and one through a missed tackle by Brule. On the ground, former Spartan receiver Germie Bernard took a jet sweep around the left side and both outraced and stiff-armed Haladay for the Huskies’ first touchdown. To add salt to the wounds, freshman Jordan Hall’s well-timed leaping tip of a Penix pass ended up caught for a 30-yard TD as Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk weaved through the defense that missed at least three tackle attempts. While Haladay had seven tackles, Windmon and Brule each made just two stops apiece and Hall had three.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football stock watch: Another brutal game from defense