EAST LANSING ~ Despite special teams scoring half of MSU’s points towards Friday’s win, head coach Pat Fitzgerald said Monday that the group was “what I was most disappointed with in the game.”
Fitzgerald said that kicker Liam Boyd was “spectacular” in his Spartan debut, and named the fifth-year transfer the special teams player of the week. Boyd kicked five field goals, including a 51-yarder, accounting for 15 of MSU’s 30 points. But the unit gave up a blocked field-goal attempt in the third quarter due to weak edge protection. The block gave Toledo a head start to score, and the Rockets took the touchdown in the very next possession, causing MSU to lose hold of the lead.
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(CONTINUED) The coach’s concerns were more fundamental than specific, though. “I don’t think we played hard enough in special teams, I don’t think we played physical enough in special teams, I don’t think we executed the details in our special teams units,” Fitzgerald told media on Monday. He noted his frustrations centered on specialized players falling short of expectations and lacking execution in critical moments.
Fitzgerald described the mistakes as “opportunities for improvement,” and said he plans to extend special-teams roles to players who did not see the field in the opener. He explained that play time is earned in practice and performance, and said he wants more competition across all units.
The adjustments come as MSU begins its week of preparation with a sharper focus on depth and accountability across all three phases. Fitzgerald’s plan will be set to game stakes on Saturday when the Spartans face Eastern Michigan.
