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New Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker builds his offensive staff with two new additions

February 17, 2020
<p>New MSU football Head Coach Mel Tucker enters the Breslin Student Events Center during an airing of ESPN’s College GameDay on Feb. 15, 2020. </p>

New MSU football Head Coach Mel Tucker enters the Breslin Student Events Center during an airing of ESPN’s College GameDay on Feb. 15, 2020.

Photo by Matt Zubik | The State News

Michigan State football Head Coach Mel Tucker and his $6 million staff budget continue to make additions. The latest being added to the offensive side of the football is the former Colorado offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson, who will be taking on the same role for the Spartans. This was first reported by BuffZone writer Brian Howell.

Earlier in the day, it was also announced that coveted Colorado offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic would be transitioning over to the Spartans in the same role he had with the Buffaloes, while also adding run game coordinator to his title. Both Kapilovic and Johnson served under coach Tucker in his one season with the Buffaloes. 

In Johnson’s one year in Boulder, he led the Buffaloes to an 83rd ranked team in total offense, and the 61st ranked passing team in the nation. Johnson also coached NFL prospect and former starting quarterback for the Buffaloes in Steven Montez, who is currently projected to be a fringe draft pick this spring. Before coaching at Colorado, Johnson had racked up 24 seasons as an offensive coach, on staffs such as Georgia, Minnesota and Louisiana Lafayette.  

As for Kapilovic, when he arrived last season Boulder, Colorado was among the PAC-12's worst in offensive line statistics, but in one year he flipped the script and turned it into the 54th ranked offensive line according to Pro Football Focus. Before his one season in Boulder, Kapilovic was the offensive line coach at Southern Mississippi University and North Carolina, where he built an offensive line around Mitch Trubisky, the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears. 

This winter, because of his quick turnaround on the offensive line, Kapilovic was offered the same position at larger schools like Auburn and Missouri, but Tucker was able to retain him. 

At this time, it remains unclear what may happen to the rest of the remaining staff that MSU has in former offensive coordinator Brad Salem and others. According to reports, Tucker was not retaining any of the former staff, but he has chosen to keep on defensive coordinator Mike Tressel and defensive line coach Ron Burton, so there is a possibility others on Dantonio’s staff may be retained in similar roles going forward. 

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