Michigan State was able to avoid a disastrous loss to end the season, but the performance of the offense still left a lot to be desired.

The Spartans kept fighting and were able to take a late lead against Rutgers, thanks to a reverse by Cody White. The defense did the rest in securing the 14-10 victory, but it was far from a notable performance for the Spartans.

Offensively, quarterback Rocky Lombardi completed 19-of-43 passes for 173 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Michigan State’s running game was also bottled up for much of the game, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry.

A win is a win, but the Spartans dealt with many of the same issues that plagued them during back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Nebraska where the offense failed to score a touchdown. The offense was also the main culprit in losses to Michigan and Arizona State, leaving many to wonder what could have been this season.

There’s no denying the team has dealt with injuries across the board. Still, the issues offensively have led many to wonder if Mark Dantonio may consider changes to his staff. While he did not directly address any thoughts on his coaching staff, Dantonio’s comments seem to imply that he will stick by his assistants moving forward.

He indicated that coaching is about more than just calling plays while commenting that “loyalty goes both ways:”