The youth movement is alive and well at Michigan State. Already, the Spartans have played 13 true freshmen this season, the most ever under Mark Dantonio in his now 11 seasons as head coach. That surpassed the previous record set last season (9) when MSU finished just 3-9.
But the Spartans have already doubled their win total with four games remaining. Nothing is going to change, they will be relying heavily on their younger players. Among them will be wide receiver Cody White.
The 6-3, 206-pound true freshman from Walled Lake Western High School has become a big target for quarterback Brian Lewerke in the last couple weeks. Through the team’s first six gams, White played sparingly in only four of the six, amassing five catches for 50 yards.
But White has broken through in the last two weeks. He set career-highs in the team’s 17-9 Homecoming win over Indiana when he hauled in six passes for 99 yards. White then responded by doubling down on that performance with a 9-catch, 165-yard showing on the road against Northwestern, notching his first two touchdown receptions as well.
Albeit in a losing effort to the Wildcats and granted it is a small sample size, White’s emergence as a threat on the outside for MSU is very encouraging to see both short- and long-term.
On a team flooded with young talent, a junior in Felton Davis and redshirt sophomore in Darrell Stewart Jr. are regarded as two of the “leaders” on offense. Davis and Stewart lead the team in catches and reception yardage through the team’s first eight games. But right behind them is Cody White, whom they both say is not as vocal but is just as effective.
“Cody is quiet,” Davis said. “He’s the silent killer.”
White is the son of former Detroit Lions interim general manager and current Michigan State executive director of player personnel and recruiting Sheldon White. The former 3-star recruit out of Walled Lake Western was more regarded as an athlete capable of playing all over the field. Cody has already seen some time on special teams for MSU lately, as the team continues to search for consistency in ball security and in the return game.
It’s that athleticism and ability to make his own plays that has allowed Mark Dantonio to play him with regularity in the last couple of games.
“I think everybody is always on a different timetable, I guess, as they mature as a player within the program,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. “He’s a quick learner, he’s got skill set. He’s made the 50-50 catches, that’s what he’s really done. He’s made catches with guys hanging on him and big plays. When you see that, you tend to give guys more opportunities.”
The personal bests set by White against Northwestern last weekend earned him a place in the record books at Michigan State (most receiving yards by a true freshman in a single game), as well as an honor from the Big Ten, being named co-freshman of the week.
White could become a huge X-factor for the Spartans on Saturday when they host No. 7 Penn State (Noon ET on Fox). The Nittany Lions are coming off a loss on the road at Ohio State, a game in which they held multiple double-digit leads. MSU will surely have to find some semblance of balance on offense to have any chance, and Cody White could be the key to an upset.
