Contact was the order of business Friday for the MSU football team’s first day of practice in full pads this summer. After four days of fall camp in shorts or half-pads, the team dressed for collisions Friday and ran about 35 to 40 live plays, head coach Mark Dantonio said.
“Our guys are approaching this with a lot of discipline and toughness and we try and make it as realistic as we can with refs and clocks and everything that goes along with that,” Dantonio said. “I’m very encouraged by some of the things I’ve seen out there.”
The practice was the first full-contact day at MSU for most freshmen after a summer of strength and conditioning work.
Freshman defensive end Tyler Hoover called the practice intense, fun and “spiritual.”
Highly-touted freshman wide receiver Fred Smith said he shook off the contact rust during a half-pad practice Thursday when junior safety by Roderick Jenrette crunched the rookie and said, “Welcome to the Big Ten.”
“Once you get that hit, you say, ‘It’s not that bad,’” Smith said.
Quarterback tryouts
Two unfamiliar faces participated in a center-quarterback snapping drill Friday.
Walk-on freshman Charlie Snow, a standout at Leslie High School, and freshman defensive back Mitchell White joined quarterbacks Brian Hoyer, Kirk Cousins and transfer Keith Nichol under center.
Quarterbacks coach Dave Warner spent the most time during the drill with White, a Livonia Stevenson product. Snow also practiced during passing and offensive drills and wore a red jersey with Hoyer, Cousins and Nichol.
Punter Aaron Bates has also been discussed as a possibility to back up Hoyer and Cousins.
Receiver reads
Freshman wideout Keshawn Martin, a 6-foot Inkster native, drew praise for his early performance from Dantonio and offensive coordinator Don Treadwell.
Martin and a bevy of young receivers are competiting for playing time. Senior Deon Curry and sophomore Mark Dell are sure starters, but who will play in the slot and back up the two experienced receivers is up in the air.
Freshman Fred Smith, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound Detroit Southeastern product, has the most size among those competing, but Martin, redshirt freshman B.J. Cunningham and freshman Chris D. Rucker each could see the field.
“Hopefully with there’s competition, you step up,” said Cunningham, whose height rivals Smith. “The coaches are trying to see who steps up when there’s something on the line.”
Each receiver will have one less competitor for playing time as sophomore Chris L. Rucker has been moved to cornerback full time. Rucker played the first half of last season in the secondary before an eye injury cut his season short.
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