SpartanMag LIVE! Breaking down Michigan State QB recruiting target Leo Hannan and what went wrong against Iowa
East Lansing, Mich. – In this week’s edition of SpartanMag LIVE!, SpartanMag publisher Jim Comparoni takes a closer look at Michigan State’s 78-71 upset loss to Iowa, and also breaks down quarterback recruiting target Leo Hannan of Long Beach, Calif. and Anaheim Servite High School.
Comparoni takes the opportunity to go over film of Iowa’s pivotal 15-1 run late in the first half of Tuesday’s game and points out examples of what Tom Izzo referred to as his players struggling to move in “quicksand.”
Comparoni examines reasons as to why this problem – which Jud Heathcote used to refer to as the “dog days of the season” – affected the Spartans on this occasion.
Michigan State’s problems with some quick-hitting Iowa screen/curl plays and flare screen plays are also examined, with Jaden Akins, Tyson Walker, Tre Holloman, AJ Hoggard and Xavier Booker each experiencing issues at key moments during defensive lapses.
“I think this is a one-off,” Comparoni says. “Michigan State has lost plenty of other games this season for various reasons, but I think the timing of things caused Michigan State to be due for an adrenalin dump. Tom Izzo mentioned that he may have underestimated the mental fatigue that his team has been experiencing, and for good reason. This team has been under extreme pressure since the first week of December, after losing two early Big Ten games way back then. They painted themselves into a corner, and were behind the eight ball and any other cliché you want to use for basically two-and-a-half months. To use another cliché, they fought their way off the ropes, won eight out of 10, finally appeared to be gaining traction, and then the axiom of the Jud Heathcote dog days seemed to catch up with them right when an improving Iowa team with a slick offense came to town and caught Michigan State on a lethargic night.”
Comparoni gives credit to Iowa’ Fran McCaffery outmaneuvering Michigan State at various checkpoints of this game, and says it shouldn’t be a surprise that Iowa has now won five of its last six against the Spartan, coming off of recent seasons in which Iowa was buoyed by Luka Garza and first-round picks Kris and Keegan Murray.
Comparoni rants about Iowa basketball having been superior to Michigan State for most of the 18-year period from 1980 to 1998 and for anyone who thinks Iowa is a second-rate program doesn’t know their history.
SpartanMag LIVE! dips into the mailbag and addresses questions pertaining to:
* The reception Michigan State football coaches are receiving from high school coaches on the recruiting trail.
* Expectations for the 2025 Michigan State football recruiting class.
* Michigan State basketball’s perceived problems against zone defenses.
* Potential changes coming to Spartan Stadium and the campus in relation to the 2050 plan, which was leaked to last week.
* Where Michigan State stands among national blue bloods in basketball and whether making the Sweet 16 should be considered the annual floor for the program.
* A SpartanMag mailbag question asked Comparoni to break down 2025 three-star QB prospect Leo Hannan of Servite High School in Anaheim, Calif.
In this edition of SpartanMag LIVE!, Comparoni rolls film of Hannan and offers some opinions.
“He looks like a four-star quarterback to me,” Comparoni said.By comparison, Comparoni was complementary of the two quarterbacks Michigan State signed for the 2024 class – Alessio Milivojevic and Ryland Jesse but never said they deserved four-star billing.
