An all-time Spartan Dawg is back to work in East Lansing.
In addition to the hiring of tight ends coach Ted Gilmore, Michigan State and Mel Tucker also announced the hiring of a few support staff members on Friday. Among them was new Director of Player Engagement Darien Harris.
.@Coach_mtucker has also announced additional staff hirings for the program:@geoffmartzen ➡️Director of Player Personnel@CCox_FBOps ➡️Director of Football Operations@DHarris_45 ➡️Director of Player Engagement pic.twitter.com/GIFJUS9Wf8
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) February 21, 2020
Harris played linebacker for Michigan State from 2012-2015 and was a captain on the 2015 team that won the Big Ten and made the school’s only appearance in the College Football Playoff.
“Darien Harris is an outstanding role model for our current players,” said Tucker in a release from the school. “He was a captain on the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff team in 2015 and has demonstrated incredible leadership and mentoring skills. He’s a very good communicator and will be able to connect with our team. He recently completed his master’s degree and is ready to mentor our players during their time here on campus.”
Harris collected 154 tackles, including 13 for losses (28 yards), in 54 career games with 25 starts; the 54 career games played is tied for the most of any Spartan player in Michigan State history.
Following his Spartan career, Harris spent time in the Canadian Football League with Ottawa and served as an analyst for the Big Ten Network while finishing his master’s degree at MSU. He has also been an assistant coach at Walled Lake Western High School in Michigan.
Michigan State also made official the hiring of Geoff Martzen as Director of Player Personnel and Cody Cox as Director of Football Operations. Martzen served in that same role under Tucker in Colorado and Cox is entering his fourth year in administrations for Michigan State football. He was the Director of Executive Football Operations in 2019 and the Assistant Director of Football Operations and Camp Coordinator from 2017-18.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]