EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State showed its opponents nothing by showing everything in its spring game Saturday.
The Spartans emptied out all the trick plays in front of a school-record spring-game crowd of 48,000. Center Jack Allen scored the only touchdown in the first while moon-lighting as a fullback. Shilique Calhoun, Lawrence Thomas and Montae Nicholson played both sides.
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“We don’t have a lot of rules in these spring games, except we don’t break out new concepts,” coach Mark Dantonio said. “Anything we’ve done in the past we can do. That book is open. Anything they can create that is new; that book is open, too.
“We’ve got football players,” Dantonio said. “We recruit good football players who can play on both sides of the ball.”
Here are three things we took away from the Michigan State spring game:
Look out for ‘LT’
Lawrence Thomas came to Michigan State as the top recruit in the state of Michigan in 2011. He’s played linebacker, fullback and defensive tackle the last four seasons.
The Spartans, however, might find his max value at defensive end. Thomas showed that pass-rushing skill by blowing past All-American tackle Jack Conklin. He later erased a fourth-and-short situation with a big hit on Madre London. Thomas even hit quarterback Tyler O’Conner a touch late in the fourth quarter.
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It’s the spring, but if Thomas can be a difference maker opposite Shilique Calhoun, who compiled 16.5 sacks the last two seasons, Big Ten quarterbacks are in trouble.
“(Thomas) has been playing like that all spring,” Calhoun said. “Actually, he has been playing better than that all spring. I think he dialed it down today. I don’t think he wanted to show out.”
Another breakout
DeAnthony Arnett also was a highly-touted recruit in 2011, only he chose Tennessee. Arnett transferred to Michigan State in 2012, but hasn’t been much more than a role player.
“He’s got ability,” Dantonio said. “We’ve sorta been waiting him for him to take off, and 2015 might be that time.”
Arnett led the Spartans with five catches for 52 yards, including a 24-yard catch on a back-shoulder fade in the first quarter. With leading receiver Tony Lippett gone, Anthony is a guy to watch for across Aaron Burbridge, who sat out with an undisclosed injury.
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Tough runners
Michigan State also is looking to fill the void left by Jeremy Langford, who rushed for 1,400-plus yards and averaged 20 rushing TDs the last two seasons.
London (9 carries, 78 yards) and Gerald Holmes (11 carries, 48 yards) might be a 1-2 tag-team for the Spartans. London ripped off a 50-yard run in the third quarter, and Holmes filled the between-the-tackles role typical of a Dantonio-led offense if Delton Williams isn’t reinstated.
"I was impressed with Gerald Holmes' ability to tough it out in there," Dantonio said. "He got some tough yards."
