Football is a tough and hard-hitting game, even in “pajamas,” as defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton calls it. Hazelton however doesn't mean sleepwear. He's referring to the shells that the MSU football players swapped out for full pads Wednesday.
For the first time since Mel Tucker was hired, the program practiced in full pads yesterday as they prepare for Week 1 against Rutgers on Oct. 24.
And the defense, led by Hazelton, is going to be replacing some major contributors — notably Raequan Williams, Kenny Willekes, Joe Bachie, Josiah Scott and Mike Panasiuk who have all moved past their time in the green and white.
“Your first team guys who are moving up?" Hazelton said in a video conference Thursday morning. "Sure, they’re always hungry to replace three guys who go to the NFL. That’s tough duty. But you hope the guys behind them got enough playing experience that they’re ready to step up. It’s the next group.”
Hazelton, who has been coaching for the last 24 years, is excited for seniors Antjuan Simmons and Naquan Jones to step up and fill the shoes of guys who were staples of the Spartan defense for the last few years.
Even with the lack of time to prepare for the eight-game slate that has MSU heading to Ann Arbor in Week 2, Hazelton said that Tucker’s experience in the lockout years of the NFL is helping them cram in the preparation they need.
“He did a good job kind of preparing us, saying, ‘Hey let’s go through and say we have four weeks, say we have three weeks, say we have eight weeks, so for us as coaches when we dive into the X’s and O’s and do all those kind of things but we send a lot more of our summertime working on plans,” Hazelton said. “So, when we got to the point where they said ‘Hey, you guys can go,’ well we just pulled out that plan and started working that plan because it was ready and prepared.”
Hazelton, who spent last season at Kansas State as the defensive coordinator, said that the Spartan defense is still figuring things out and how they fit. He said that because of all the "great minds," on the defensive staff, the exact scheme is still yet to be nailed down.
Hazelton has previously said that a 4-3 defensive base is likely but that it just depends on how the guys they have learn as they advance toward Week 1.
Who has stuck out to Hazelton?
After a season where MSU totaled 40 sacks, the depth and youth of the roster will be key to retain the same level of play along the defensive line and linebacking corps.
Linebacker Noah Harvey, who stepped in last season when middle linebacker Joe Bachie was suspended, is a guy to watch.
But Hazelton said he was impressed with a couple of players. Specifically defensive tackle and redshirt freshman Jalen Hunt and redshirt sophomore cornerback Kalon Gervin.
“You know who’s on the up-climb right now is Jalen Hunt,” Hazelton said. “He’s doing some things and showing some flashes that you say ‘Hey, this is a reason I’m sure they recruited him.' The kid can turn into a really good player.”
Hunt, who is 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, came to MSU out of Belleville High School, where teammates sophomore cornerback Julian Barnett and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Devontae Dobbs played alongside him.
“He’s going to be a good one,” Hazelton said.
Gervin was a four-star recruit out of Cass Technical High School in Detroit. He played in 10 games with eight total tackles in 2019, but Hazelton said has been impressed thus far with the second-year defensive back.
“He’s a guy that's outside playing corner doing some really good things," Hazelton said. "He’s got really good feet (and) can stay over the top.”
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Gervin will be tasked with helping replace starting corners in Scott and Josh Butler, who both were multi-season contributors. Scott is now in the NFL playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Alongside Gervin, Barnett, Dominique Long, Shakur Brown and Tre Person will all compete for snaps at the corner spot.
