College football head coaches often invoke a familiar theory in times of crisis. It surfaced repeatedly during the press conference following Michigan State’s 28-10 loss at UCLA. In coachspeak, it’s called “next man up.” I propose an alternative name: string theory. The theory goes something like this: If an injury keeps a player from suiting up, the second-, third-, or fourth-string replacement is expected to step in and perform to the same standard as the starter. Admitting that moving down the depth chart might cause a drop-off in performance apparently violates some natural law. In my experience, though, this version of string theory remains highly theoretical, with little experimental evidence to support it. Not all those strings vibrate at the same frequency. At full strength, Michigan State likely would have been competitive in the Big Ten’s middle tier. The Spartans could have won six or seven games, reached a bowl, and demonstrated clear momentum for the program. Instead, inju...
Autumn has settled over Michigan, and the leaves are starting to turn brown. As for the Michigan State Spartans’ prospects, the sky has turned from blue to gray. The supposedly friendly confines of Spartan Stadium have been anything but over the past month. Maybe it is time a change of scenery. Maybe it is time for a trip somewhere safe and warm. How about L.A.? California. That sounds nice. Back in the summer, when Spartan fans still dreamed of a turnaround season, the late-October trip to face the UCLA Bruins at iconic Rose Bowl Stadium seemed challenging but winnable. Five straight losses have made those summer dreams feel increasingly distant. UCLA’s 6-0 start and top 10 ranking make Michigan State’s task this week even more daunting. For some Spartan fans, this meeting carries special meaning. As a college football fan growing up in the Midwest in the 1980s, Pasadena and the Rose Bowl had a special place my heart. Before the days of the College Football Playoff or even the Bo...