It’s no secret that Michigan State and Western Michigan have plenty of connections. However, MSU coaches and players alike are focused on their own sideline, not their opponents.
As a true freshman, Coleman’s first year in East Lansing was relatively quiet. He recorded seven receptions for 50-yards and a touchdown in 10 games played. With the basketball team, he notched five points in 10 minutes played. The highlight of Coleman’s 2021 campaign was a 12-yard touchdown catch in the Spartan’s 56-7 loss to Ohio State.
Although there’s now some insight into the quarterback depth chart, Johnson says nothing is official yet.
“My biggest challenge with him is going to be to keep him quiet,” Michigan State tight ends coach Ted Gilmore said. “If you’ve been around, you know what I’m talking about.”
The route starts out the front of the Skandalaris Football Center and around to the opposite side of the Spartan Stadium, in the tunnel attached to the side of the Earvin and Cookie Johnson Pavilion on the north end of the stadium. However, “There’s no excuse,” Tucker said.
Depth is the main concern for the Spartans going into this season.
Michigan State, while certainly trending in a positive direction, may still take a step back in the win-loss column.
It’s been five long years since Michigan State has had any doubt at its kicker position. That’s how great Matt Coghlin was. Consistent, clutch and, mostly, durable.
I’m here to help you. Not out of the kindness of my heart, but selfishly as I want you all to be on your best behavior and for us upperclassmen not to immediately be able to pick you out as you awkwardly stand there with your phone in your hand as the alma mater starts to play.
We’re exactly one month away from Michigan State’s opening matchup versus Western Michigan, with training camp opening this week. Here are six essential questions to investigate with the season on the horizon.
Henderson’s return was a welcome sight for MSU who gets back one of its strongest leaders on the team. It also wiped away the potentially cloudy future of Michigan State’s safety position.
“We were not very good last year and we know that,” Tucker said. “It is up to us to figure out a way to be more consistent to give our football team a chance to beat good teams.”
Reed said on the field is not where he feels he has made the best strides this offseason. It’s in his confidence and with his own inner peace.
“Someone's got to confront that and so if it's not one of the players, it's going to be a coach,” Tucker said. “Once you get the players doing that, especially your quarterback, now you're cooking with gas.”
In this world of college football, it’s survival of the fittest and the Big Ten has moved forward with ensuring its survival.
Keeping it plain and simple, it was a rough go for Michigan State’s cornerback group in 2021.
The Midseason Watch List will be released on Oct. 25, when voting will begin. The field will be narrowed down to the final 16 candidates on Nov. 8, and then dwindled down to three finalists who will be announced on Nov. 21.
The hope is the added depth to the room can stabilize the position a bit more while also allowing special personnel packages to be used in certain situations. Defending against the pass is one area the Spartans must improve.
Michigan State’s defensive line was by no means a weakness of last year’s team. On the surface level, the line looks like it excelled both against the run and pressuring the quarterback. The Spartans led the Big Ten in sacks while also ranking 18th in the country in rushing yards allowed per game. If you ask MSU coaches though, it’s nothing worth celebrating.
Michigan State athletics has announced it will now allow Spartan football fans to tailgate earlier on game days and bring clear bags into the stadium, a reversal of the previous policy. The new policies will go into effect for Saturday games during the 2022 football season.