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EAST LANSING – Aidan Chiles barked out the signals from the shotgun, a critical third down and a hard-charging defense in front of him waiting to attack. He scanned the deep middle of the field quickly.
Tight end Jack Velling released from the line and flared toward the sideline. His quarterback spotted him breaking open into the flat and delivered a pinpoint, in-rhythm toss for a walk-in 10-yard touchdown.
That sent Oregon State’s home crowd into hysterics and helped spark the Beavers to a win over UCLA last season. And it is a scenario Michigan State football fans hope will be on repeat this fall from the new quarterback and his playmakers.
“I think it’s gonna be a really explosive offense,” Velling said at Big Ten media days last month. “We’re gonna score a lot of touchdowns, we’re gonna throw a lot of points on the board. It’s gonna be fun to watch. We’re gonna run the ball like crazy, and then we’re gonna throw it 50 yards over your head.”
Michigan State’s Jack Velling catches a pass during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
And the tight ends, especially Velling, will be critical to both components – setting the edge with blocks in the run game and making catches from Chiles.
Velling last week was named to the watch list for the Mackey Award that goes annually to the nation’s top tight end. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound junior from Seattle arrives after two standout seasons with the Beavers, having worked with new MSU coach Jonathan Smith, offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren and tight ends coach Brian Wozniak there to emerge as a play-making downfield threat.
In 23 games over the past two years, including 18 starts, Velling developed into a major red-zone target as well, with 11 of his 45 catches going for touchdowns. He scored eight last season, which…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-football-jack-velling-101137510.html
Author : Detroit Free Press
Publish date : 2024-08-14 10:11:37
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