Evanston, Ill. — How’s that for a debut?
Michigan State didn’t have a single rushing touchdown by a running back last season, so coach Mel Tucker knew he needed to upgrade the ground game heading into 2021. One of the first moves Tucker made was to secure a commitment from Kenneth Walker III, the Wake Forest running back who scored 13 touchdowns last fall.
It took 13 seconds for that move to pay dividends as Walker took the first handoff of the season from quarterback Payton Thorne and raced 75 yards for a touchdown, putting the Spartans on the board before anyone had settled into their seats at Ryan Field.