Michigan State spring game 2018: Players and storylines to watch
1. Cody White – Sophomore, WR
White was a three-star prospect coming out of Walled Lake Western (Mich) High School in 2017. Although he was recruited as a wide receiver, he also played quarterback, defensive back, and special teams on his way winning Michigan’s Mr. Football and leading his team to an 11 win season in 2016.
At 6’3″, 1poundsuds, White is a phenomenal athlete who played three other varsity sports in high school in addition to the seven different positions he played on the football field.
After totaling only five receptions in his first four games of 2017, White broke out midway through the season with six catches for 99 yards and nine catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns in back to back games against Indiana and Northwestern. He capped his Big Ten All-Freshman season with another pair of touchdowns in Michigan State’s Holiday Bowl win.
Cody White was not an early enrollee last year so this will be his first spring game in green and white and Michigan State’s coaching staff will be counting on him to build on the flashes he showed in he showed as a freshman.
He has the playmaking ability, athleticism, and size to be a dominant receiver at the college level. White’s performance and how much the offense features him this spring will do a lot to show what we can expect out of him in 2018.
2. Theo Day – Freshman, QB
Day is a 6’5″ pro-style quarterback from Dearborn, MI and the top in-state prospect at his position in 2017. After only a few shorts weeks of spring practice, just months removed from competing in the high school state playoffs, he’s wasted no immersing himself in Michigan State’s offense, impressing coaches and teammates in the process.
In a post-practice interview, returning starter, Brian Lewerke told Matt Wenzel of Michigan Live that Day has been “dropping dimes” in practice and playing well beyond his years.
As the number one pro-style quarterback in Michigan, Day is polished with great footwork in the pocket. What set him apart as a prospect though were his athleticism outside the pocket, his ability to make accurate throws on the move, and his touch making intermediate and downfield passes.
He was also somewhat of an anomaly of a pro-style quarterback in today’s high school game, also playing both ways, starting at free safety in addition to quarterback. Between his experience playing in the defensive secondary and running a pro-style system on offense, Day has so far shown a grasp of the offense and understanding of defenses that well-exceeds what should be expected from a kid who should be getting ready for prom right about now.
With the starting job obviously locked up by Lewerke, Michigan State’s April 7 spring game will be an opportunity for fans in East Lansing to see how bright the future could be with Day under center or perhaps, how good of hands the offense might be in if any kind of injury forced Lewerke out of action.