Senior center John Stipek holds the Paul Bunyan Trophy after the Spartans defeated U-M 34-17 on Oct. 9 at Michigan Stadium, in Ann Arbor. Stipek started as a defensive lineman at MSU, but later was moved to the offensive line where he has become the player he is today.
John Stipek is not a pouter. The senior center endured two coaches, two positions and much waiting before finally getting an opportunity to be a key player in No. 16 MSU’s 8-1 start. He’s lost close to 30 pounds in the past year and a half and cut his long hair in March.
He’s gotten his opportunity and is making the most of it.
Stipek has been a main ingredient in the Spartans’ running attack, which has been effective so far despite three average performances in the last three games, and has been a consistent performer in the Spartans’ blocking efforts.
“I’ve been really enjoying it,” Stipek said. “I’m blessed that I’m starting. … It definitely shows that hard work pays off.”
Three years ago, he was playing on the defensive line, uncertain of his role and what was next. Recruited by former head coach John L. Smith in the class of 2006, Stipek played in four games during his freshman season and recovered a fumble in the Spartans’ final game against Penn State.
Current head coach Mark Dantonio entered the next season, and Stipek learned under a new coach and style, but eventually made the switch to offensive line. It took a full season and more to transition, but eventually Stipek emerged as a starter while then-center Joel Nitchman was injured for three games last season, and now has been a key member in MSU’s offensive line.
All that experience and sacrifice has shaped him into the player he is now, and his growth in maturity has been noticed by teammates. Following a good spring, Stipek was named to the Sporting News’ all-spring football team and has won the praise of Dantonio this season.
“He’s grown as much as any player that I’ve seen here in his four years,” Dantonio said. “He’s tough, he knows exactly what to do and he’s motivated.”
Among his duties are snapping, pass protecting and communicating with the rest of the offensive line. Stipek’s crisp snapping ability has created chemistry with junior quarterback Kirk Cousins and allowed Cousins to concentrate on running the offense.
Cousins said Stipek communicates well with the rest of the offensive line and has done an outstanding job so far this season.
“He has a great personality and is a fun guy to play with,” Cousins said. “He’s done a great job for us with the direct snaps or the gun snaps in terms his accuracy with those and we have a great relationship being able to communicate.”
Patience pays off
Stipek began his career as a defensive lineman in head coach John L. Smith’s final season in 2006. He played in four games, but after having a feel for the program under Smith, he went through a coaching change.
Although he had little idea of what to expect, he found the process to go pretty well and Dantonio to be an excellent for whom to play.
“Through the recruiting process, you kind of get to know the guys a little bit before you show up,” Stipek said.
“I didn’t know much about Coach Dantonio’s staff except he was doing well at Cincinnati and rebuilt that program there. It was a little difficult at first, but you adjust because Coach Dantonio is a good guy.”
Stipek played in one game the next season, and in the bowl preparation before the Champs Sports Bowl, he talked with the coaches about making a position switch.
Stipek desired opportunities to help his team on the playing field, and Bob Stipek, John’s father, said the transition was a difficult process.
“It was hard,” Bob Stipek said. “John persevered and never gave up and had a great attitude.”
Recruited as a defensive lineman from Dakota High School in Macomb Township, Mich., John Stipek also played on the offensive line and had experience with offensive technique.
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He worked on improving his offensive skills and played in only one game during the 2008 season, but eventually he figured out how to succeed as an offensive lineman.
“It’s definitely a different style of learning,” Stipek said.
“It’s a little harder than defensive line — that’s my personal opinion — but you got to work at it and eventually it clicked and things were pretty good last year.”
When starting center Joel Nitchman was injured in the opener last season, Stipek started the next three games and gained valuable experience on the line. He’s looked like a veteran so far this season in leading MSU’s rushing attack, which averages 175.4 yards per game.
Leading the push
Stipek has led a Spartan offensive line that returned only two full-time starters from last season, but completely owned the line of scrimmage in MSU’s first six games.
The line hasn’t enjoyed that kind of success against Illinois, Northwestern and Iowa, but will look to rejuvenate the running game against three teams ranked in the lower half of Big Ten run defenses in Minnesota, Purdue and Penn State.
The task will start Saturday when the Spartans host Minnesota (noon, Big Ten Network), and Stipek said he has the utmost confidence in his teammates to step up and deliver a good performance.
“I know they’re ready to go,” Stipek said. “I think of them like my brothers. I’m not concerned about what’s going on with them or what type of a situation we are in. I have all the faith in the world.”
Stipek and Cousins have demonstrated great chemistry on the field so far, with the snaps rarely resulting in botched plays or bad readings.
“He’s a very intelligent guy,” Stipek said of Cousins. “He’s a real sharp kid and that helps a lot. There have been a lot of times where I didn’t get to see something, but he did. He definitely helped me out a couple times.”
After the Spartans’ 26-6 win against Illinois on Oct. 16, Stipek told Dantonio that he was disappointed with his performance in the running game’s ability to rush for only 93 yards that game.
Stipek expects much out of himself, which can be seen in the way he works hard on a day-to-day basis.
“I have very high expectations for myself and the rest of the offensive line, too,” Stipek said.
“A couple weeks I’ve kind of struggled and it’s been kind of disappointing. … We weren’t very happy with our performance at all, but we’re definitely keeping our heads up.”
Maturity
Weighing about 310 pounds before the 2009 season, Stipek said he didn’t like the way he looked and decided to lose weight. He now weighs in the range of 275 to 280 pounds.
“I’m not a pouter,” Stipek said. “I don’t like to pout. I always took everything and tried to figure out what I was doing wrong and how I could make it better.”
Stipek said being influenced by Coach Dantonio has helped him mature from the point when he entered the program.
“It’s taking care of day-to-day responsibilities,” Bob Stipek said.
“He never gave up and worked his guts out.”
One of 10 fifth-year seniors on the team, John Stipek will have a chance to finish his career on a positive note with three games remaining and having a realistic shot at the Big Ten Championship. He’ll try to make the most of his opportunity.
“I’m definitely a lot more mature than I was,” Stipek said. “I try to get better every day.”
