The Spartans Opened the Playbook Against Illinois—and Got Too Cute at the Worst Time

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The Spartans Opened the Playbook Against Illinois—and Got Too Cute at the Worst Time

EAST LANSING, MI - OCTOBER 10: Michigan State Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) leaves his feet to pass during a college football game between the Michigan State Spartans and Illinois Fighting Illini on October 10, 2026 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Darin Radatz · SB Nation

Wed, Oct 14, 2026 ·

12 min read

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Coming into this game, Michigan State had lost three straight and was dealing with injuries all over the roster. The Spartans played like a team with their backs against the wall, and I loved seeing it, even in a 38-37 overtime loss.

Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan wasted no time getting creative, opening the game with a flea flicker and keeping his foot on the gas for all four quarters. From double passes to double reverses, there was no holding anything back. When your team is struggling this much, what's the point of saving plays for later? Special teams also got into the action with an onside kick so good it looked illegal.

I thought this was Alessio Milivojevic's best performance of the season and a much-needed bounce back from previous weeks. Gone was the hesitant quarterback whose confidence seemed to waver at times. Instead, we saw Alessio throwing darts and hitting receivers right in the numbers.

He finished 22 of 26 for 196 yards and two touchdowns. From my initial film review, most of those incompletions looked more like missed opportunities by the receivers than bad throws from Alessio. That certainly hasn't been the case in previous weeks.

This game was also a coming-out party for Ferris State transfer Carson Gulker, who played all over the field. With backup quarterback Cam Fancher injured, Gulker gave the Spartans a change of pace as both a runner and a passer.

The creativity gave Michigan State opportunities, but execution remained a problem. In overtime, the Spartans went back to the tricks with the game on the line. I loved the aggressiveness of going for two and the win. I hated the play design.

Let's dive into the film.

Opening the Playbook: Alessio and the Flea Flicker

One of my biggest criticisms of Alessio this season has been his predictability. Too often, he's looked like a statue in the pocket, locking onto his first read and failing to take advantage of his athletic ability. Defenses have picked up on those tendencies, making him vulnerable to tipped passes and pressure.

But a lot of that comes down to inexperience. Being a quarterback isn't just about knowing the playbook and making the right reads. It's about adjusting on the fly and learning to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

Against Illinois, what stood out wasn't just Alessio's accuracy. It was his movement and confidence in the pocket. I counted multiple instances where he moved off his original throwing platform, used subtle pump fakes or slid a step or two to create a better throwing lane. He even pulled out a jump pass, something I don't remember seeing from him earlier this season.

He's still got plenty to learn, but those adjustments felt like real progress. The opening flea flicker gave him a chance to make a big play. A missed block kept it from happening.

Play 1: The Flea Flicker That Almost Was

The Spartans lined up in 12 personnel, with two tight ends, one running back and a receiver on each side of the formation.

Jaziun Patterson (No. 4) took the handoff before flipping the ball back to Alessio (No. 11). Fredrick Moore (No. 6) ran an in-breaking route on the left, while Bryson Williams (No. 14) ran a beautiful double move on the right. Williams sold the outside route, getting the Illinois defensive back to bite before blowing right past him. The defender was left grabbing air and eventually fell to the turf.

Williams was wide open downfield, and Moore was another option in the middle. Unfortunately, Alessio never got the opportunity to deliver the football.

Illinois defender James Kreutz (No. 10), who appeared to have responsibility for Patterson in coverage, recognized that Patterson was staying in and rushed the quarterback. Patterson saw him too late and barely got a fingertip on Kreutz, who brought Alessio down for the sack.

I saw Alessio taking some criticism for this play, but I'm putting more of the blame on Patterson. If he makes that block and gives Alessio another second to step into his throw, Williams has a legitimate opportunity for a touchdown.

The best teams win on the details. They execute the little things, stay disciplined and make opponents pay for their mistakes. Sometimes the difference between a touchdown and a sack is nothing more than a missed block. This play was a perfect example.

Carson Gulker: A New Wrinkle in the Offense

Gulker brings real quarterback experience to this package, having played four seasons at Ferris State and started games at both quarterback and tight end. When he steps in, it's more than a gimmick. That cowboy collar makes him look like he's played tight end his whole career, though.

I'm surprised Michigan State hadn't used him more in this role before now. He's comfortable running and throwing the football, which gives the offense a different look and forces defenses to account for both possibilities.

Some of that might reflect the other options Michigan State had available. But I also think it's part of the growing pains of a team with so many new faces. It takes time for coaches to figure out what guys do best and how to put them in positions to succeed.

Then there's the desperation factor. Michigan State needed a win badly, and Sheridan wasn't holding anything back. The Spartans might have discovered something worth keeping in the playbook.

Play 2: The Gulker Bulldozer

Michigan State puts Gulker (No. 12) at quarterback, with two other tight ends in the backfield. Alessio stays on the field, split wide left alongside another receiver, with a receiver to the right. I like that wrinkle because Illinois can't identify the package simply by watching the starting quarterback leave the field.

Illinois has five defenders on the line of scrimmage, with two outside linebackers flanking the three down linemen. On the snap, the linebackers recognize the run and come downhill.

The offensive line does a great job getting a hat on a hat, and there are a couple of blocks worth highlighting. Tight end Kai Rios (No. 88) blocks a linebacker, while right guard Luka Vincic (No. 70) pulls to his left, outside the tight end, and takes out another linebacker on the edge.

Gulker is first contacted about a yard beyond the line of scrimmage, but he keeps driving forward. Then you can see all those Michigan State bodies just playing rugby out there, pushing him ahead for a 4-yard gain. Good blocking fundamentals put the beefy guys to work. I like letting a guy who is almost 250 pounds use his power and take some of the abuse off Alessio.

Gulker turns 2nd-and-6 into a manageable 3rd-and-2. That's what I like about this wrinkle: putting players in good situations and keeping the offense in rhythm.

In previous weeks, a good play might be followed by a false start or a sack, leaving Michigan State in 3rd-and-long. That makes it easier for the defense to pin its ears back against a predictable pass. This team hasn't consistently shown it can overcome those situations.

Play 3: The Gulker Floater

With 2:17 left in the fourth quarter, Michigan State is down a touchdown and facing 3rd-and-4. That's a heck of a gutsy call to put the ball in Gulker's hands in such a pivotal moment. But when you're a team on a losing streak, you've got to do things like this to win games.

I also like the tendency breaker. This is Gulker's third snap at quarterback, with the first two being runs. This time, Sheridan calls a pass out of the same package.

On the snap, the offensive line moves left as if it's another run. Gulker initially goes the same way before spinning around and rolling right to throw. He has three options: short, intermediate and deep.

With Illinois defender Will Holmes (No. 24) bearing down on him, Gulker throws an absolute dime to Williams. Williams plucks it out of the air over Mac Resetich (No. 0) with a fantastic catch and somehow stays on his feet. He picks up more yardage and tiptoes along the sideline into the end zone.

Unfortunately, Moore gets a little greedy and pushes Illinois defender Xavier Scott (No. 1) right in the numbers. The block-in-the-back penalty wipes out the touchdown.

That's brutal: a gutsy call, a great throw and an awesome catch spoiled by an unnecessary block. Michigan State still gets a first down, but loses the touchdown.

The Overtime Blunder

I can't believe Michigan State took this game to overtime after looking lifeless early and falling behind 17-0. Even after the onside-kick recovery was wiped out by an offside ruling, the Spartans overcame the setbacks and scored a late touchdown to tie it up. They then scored a touchdown in overtime and went for two with a chance to win it.

PLAY 4: All Trick, No Treat

I made this clip a little longer than the others because the details before the snap matter. After they break the huddle, tight end Jayden Savoury (No. 31) appears to be asking Alessio what he's supposed to do. Then you can see Moore talking to Savoury, and there seems to be some confusion about the play. Illinois, meanwhile, looks confident and ready.

Michigan State lines up in a wildcat formation. Marvis Parrish (No. 21) takes the direct snap and pitches the ball back to Alessio. Savoury comes from the left and works behind the line of scrimmage to the right. Rodney Bullard (No. 3) is another option up top, while Moore runs an in-breaking route through the middle.

But I think this is too busy a play for this moment. You need 3 yards, and instead you've got all this motion and backtracking. Alessio receives the ball beyond the 10-yard line and retreats almost to the 15 before throwing. Illinois defender Mason Muragin (No. 18) appears to recognize where the ball is going right away and sprints toward Alessio, forcing him to throw while falling away.

The pass intended for Savoury falls incomplete, ending the game.

I think Sheridan got a little too cute on this one. With Savoury improving each game as a reliable pass catcher, I would have liked to see Alessio take the snap and look for him on a short hook route or a crosser just inside the end zone.

Maybe use a rub concept to create separation or a little play action to get the defense leaning the wrong way. You can still create misdirection without making it so complicated and moving the ball so far away from the end zone. It still has to be executed, but with only 3 yards needed, I think that would have been a better option.

This feels like a better play to call earlier in the game on 1st or 2nd down. With one play to win it, all that complexity didn't seem like the best use of what had been working.

What We Learned and What's Next

I think this team has a talent deficit and limited depth, but the Spartans are getting better at understanding their faults and finding ways to overcome them. Creativity and getting more guys involved helped against Illinois. The next step is executing those ideas without the missed blocks, penalties and confusion that kept turning opportunities into setbacks.

Beyond Gulker getting snaps at quarterback, we saw younger players take on bigger roles, including freshmen filling in for injured defenders. I also really liked what I saw from Williams. He looked like one of their best playmakers in this game, and I'm surprised the redshirt freshman hasn't already been getting more playing time or targets.

This team showed more fight than it had in previous weeks. It feels like the Spartans are building some grit and figuring out what it takes to win in the Big Ten. With so much roster turnover and transfers coming from smaller schools, I think the size and speed of these opponents have been an adjustment.

Sheridan and Alessio are still figuring things out together. Instead of drowning, they're learning to tread water a little better. I hope a lot of these guys stick around, build on this and use these losses as chips on their shoulders next season. Hopefully, those close games turn into wins and a little revenge against Big Ten opponents.

Northwestern is going to be a huge test. Chip Kelly's offense has been utilizing Aidan Chiles like we envisioned when he first came to Michigan State. He's looking more like a playmaker than a gambler.

I'm fascinated to watch this matchup and hopeful Michigan State can build on the fight it showed against Illinois, capitalize on its opportunities and find a way to win a tight one. We shall see.

If you haven't checked it out already, here's the game breakdown on The Red Cedar Rundown . We're live Sundays on YouTube, so come hang out, give us a like and subscribe while you're there.

You can also find me on X @W00dsyOwl . Comment below with what you'd like to see more of in future breakdowns, and I'll try to work it in. Thanks for your support!

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