RADIO RECAP: Harlon Barnett, Nathan Carter preview Michigan State-Iowa
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State interim head coach Harlon Barnett returned to his weekly radio show Thursday night to talk recruiting and preview the Spartans’ upcoming primetime matchup with Iowa on Saturday.
Iowa preview
Michigan State’s players and coaches walked off the Spartan Stadium field last Saturday with a bad taste in their mouths. The Spartans put themselves in position to win their Week 4 matchup against Maryland, but a handful of costly mistakes prevented them from doing so.
Michigan State finished the game with more total yards, passing yards and first downs than Maryland. The Spartan offense moved the ball and their defense stepped up in the second half. But Michigan State also led in some less-than-favorable categories, like penalties (six to Maryland’s four) and turnovers (five to Maryland’s one).
Ultimately, Michigan State’s lack of discipline cost them against the Terrapins. Barnett hopes that will change when the Spartans go on the road for the first time this season.
“It was a great effort by the guys,” Barnett said of the game against Maryland. “The effort isn’t the problem with our guys. We’re still working on the discipline part of it. It was turnovers that got us in this last game. Not as many penalties. We had 11 penalties in that Washington game and six this last game. So we’re still cleaning those things up, the discipline things. Hopefully this week will be the week that we get it on the track and get it rolling at Iowa against a very good Iowa team.”
Michigan State quarterback Noah Kim finished the Maryland game with 190 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 54 percent passing. Kim occasionally flashed his rushing ability and arm talent against the Terrapins, but not consistently enough to help deliver Michigan State a win.
Despite being benching Kim for backup Katin Houser in the fourth quarter, Barnett remained firm that Kim will start against the Hawkeyes.
“He (Kim) won the competition in the summer,” Barnett said. “Keep in mind, he’s a young guy and hasn’t played consistent starting football since high school. So experience-wise, in college, it’s not a lot. We wanted to have him try to push through some of those tough times because we all have to go through tough times with certain things. It’s a part of life. We changed him at the right time. Coach (Jay) Johnson and I were thinking at the same time when to pull him out.
“We still believe in Noah, he’s a really good football player. Keep in mind, just a few weeks ago, he was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. So we can’t turn our backs on him now. He’s a good player. He’s going to bounce back and he has the demeanor and the confidence to bounce back, so that’s what he’s going to do this Saturday.”
Kim, however, will have his hands full playing in what should be a raucous Kinnick Stadium Saturday night. Michigan State has prepared for the atmosphere in practice this week, according to Barnett.
“I showed the guys today in the team meeting a picture of a pee-wee football game,” Barnett said. “I said, ‘How many guys are on the field actually playing?’ ‘22.’ Then we showed a high school game. 22. Then last year’s Super Bowl, just a picture. ‘How many guys on the field?’ ‘22.’ Then we showed a night picture of Kinnick Stadium in Iowa. ‘How many guys on the field?’ ‘22.’ That’s all that matters. The fans can’t play. They can’t play. We just have to focus on playing against Iowa and doing our job and dominating the men across from us.”
Kim has been at his best this season when he’s spread the ball around efficiently. Plenty of largely-unproven offensive weapons have stepped up for Michigan State this fall, and Barnett suspects they will again when the Spartans play Iowa on Saturday.
“They’re a well-rounded group,” Barnett said of Michigan State’s receiving corps. “Plus tight ends, with Maliq Carr and (Jaylan) Franklin, we have multiple targets he (Kim) can throw it to and he knows that, and we have a great scheme. He’ll be locked in and ready to go. He’s a competitive young man, so I’m sure he’s going to have a great game this weekend.”
Michigan State has also relied heavily on transfer running back Nathan Carter this season. With fellow transfer Jaren Mangham and last year’s starter Jalen Berger both sidelined with injuries, Carter has had to carry the weight at running back so far.
“It’s definitely been a grind,” Carter said. “Not only for me, but just for the running backs in general. Obviously you have a couple guys who are banged up, but I know they’re working really hard to get back. It’s going to be amazing to have that full strength in the running back room that we had in the summer and also in the spring and the fall, so we can continue to improve as far as that in our game.
“But me personally, just taking care of my body, making sure that I’m very diligent about doing that, and very consistent as well. That’s an everyday commitment that I have to make to be able to perform for this team to be able to do out there and produce.”
Carter is confident Michigan State will be able to produce against Iowa’s defense, which is led by longtime defensive assistant and former Spartan defensive back Phil Parker.
“One of the things that we know as an offense is we know what they’re going to do defensively,” Carter said. “They’ve been doing the same thing for over 30 years now, so nothing’s changed. So our job going into the game is to be able to establish the run game to open up the passing game. We know that they’re going to play hard-nosed football and we know that’s going to be a very very electric crowd out there, and we’ve been preparing for that.
“I believe we’ve had a great week of practice since Monday for preparing for the environment. As an offense, we’ve done a great job executing. So we have to go out there on Saturday and execute just like we’ve been doing in practice. If we can do that, I think we’re going to be alright.”
Michigan State has had multiple first- and second-year players emerge on the defensive side of the ball through four games this season. True freshmen Jordan Hall and Chance Rucker joined former class of 2022 recruits Dillon Tatum, Jaden Mangham, Malik Spencer and Zion Young in the starting group last week.
Barnett has been impressed with that group’s efforts so far, and he’s excited for their future together.
“Young guys (are) now playing for us,” Barnett said. “So you’re looking at another two years at least of those guys playing together and getting better and better and better. It reminds me of how we had a couple different runs here on defense with Max Bulloguh, Darqueze Dennard, Isaiah Lewis, Kurtis Drummond, all those guys who were together for, like, three straight years.”
Honor for Maverick Hansen
Host George Blaha announced during the show that redshirt senior defensive tackle Maverick Hansen is a semi-finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors the nation’s top player in terms of his “academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership,” according to the National Football Foundation.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Hansen has accumulated a 3.77 GPA while majoring in hospitality business.
“Mav is a hard, hard worker and a great leader,” Barnett said. “The guys respect him because they know he’s going to give everything he has.”
Recruiting at Michigan State
Blaha asked Barnett during the show about recruiting as a Michigan State alum. Barnett and fellow Spartan alum Courtney Hawkins have been doing just that since they joined Michigan State’s new coaching staff in 2020.
“It’s really easy because you feel like you’re just telling the truth,” Barnett said. “You know what I mean? You know everything about the school, you love the place. Not that somebody else from outside couldn’t, but the truth is, we bleed green. That’s the best way I can say it. We bleed green and we believe in this place and know that a lot of great people are here and know that they can be great football players here and move on and fulfill all of their dreams, whatever they want to do.”
Should Barnett finish as a candidate for Michigan State’s permanent head coaching position, he’ll have the support of current players like Carter.
“Since coach B has been interim head coach, he’s definitely brought that faith aspect to the team, which I believe that we really need,” Carter said. “It’s just so important, especially in the time that we’re in, for us to be united, to be as family, and that’s something that coach Barnett really preaches. I respect him as a man, not just because of him and his faith but just because of who he is as a person. He’s just been a great coach for us and he’s going to be a great coach for us going forward to lead us to do what we need to do to be successful this season.”
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