EAST LANSING — It isn’t just the departures of Payton Thorne, Keon Coleman and Jayden Reed that will impact Michigan State football’s passing offense this fall.
Yes, Thorne delivered historic numbers over the past two seasons at quarterback. Yes, Coleman and Reed showed game-breaking ability and a knack for clutch catches.
But while Coleman (now at Florida State) and Reed (now in the NFL) formed the bulk of what the Spartans will need to replace in the receiving game, they aren’t the only ones whose absence will be felt.
MSU lost eight players at wide receiver, tight end and running back from last year’s 5-7 team; they caught 177 passes combined for 2,071 yards and 16 touchdowns.