Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The Big Ten basketball season has the potential to get very wild this week.
Wil and Matt talk about the crazy weekend that was in college basketball. Then they riff on the Big Ten race and how this MSU team stacks up to previous MSU teams. Finally, Mel Tucker gets compared to a modern day baseball player and it makes sense.
You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=516986277]
Michigan State Football has seven players heading to the NFL Draft Combine and Daniel Jeremiah commented on each player’s prospects.
[jwplayer RJySF4hX]
Michigan State Football will have seven players present in the NFL Draft Combine, vying for a chance to get drafted and play at the highest level in the sport. This class features some big names in the MSU Football world. From Kenny Willekes to Raequan Williams and Brian Lewerke, some of the best players of these last few years in Spartan football will be eligible in this year’s draft. NFL Draft analysts have started weighing in on the Spartans in the draft, and Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network spoke to the media on Friday and had some interesting things to say about this MSU draft class.
Daniel Jeremiah spoke on a number of different Spartans, but like Mel Kiper Jr of ESPN, he also had Josiah Scott as MSU’s top draft prospect:
“He plays outside, I think he’s going to be a nickel, he’s got makeup speed, he can pattern read, he’s really fluid, he can find the ball,” Jeremiah said about Scott. “He just got outsized a little bit on the outside losing some of those 50-50 balls. He’s somebody that I have as (Michigan State’s) top guy. He’s probably in that fourth-round range for me.”
On Raequan Williams:
“Can play the 1 and the 3 technique,” Jeremiah said. “He’s got the ability to collapse the pocket. He’s all power and bull rush. He just doesn’t have a great get-off and he’s a little bit stiff.”
On Kenny Willekes:
“More effort than really twitch and explosiveness,” Jeremiah said of Willekes. “He kills tight ends – man, he loves to play over tight ends, does a great job against them. … He can bull rush. I just didn’t see a ton of twitch or a ton of burst with him. Although, I’ll give him credit, he did some good things down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl.”
On Cody White:
“He just has a lot of drops when I studied him,” Jeremiah said. “Thought he was more of a one-speed player.”
On Joe Bachie:
“You have what happened with him missing games. … I thought he did a good job directing traffic,” Jeremiah said. “He can float, sort and fill and make some plays there. I just thought he had really average speed and range and I didn’t anticipate he would get drafted.”
On Darrell Stewart Jr.:
“Darrell Stewart, another wide receiver who I thought was a free agent, who is good on bubbles and tunnel screens,” Jeremiah said. “He can work some in the middle of the field, I just didn’t see a lot of juice.”
He also mentioned that he did not anticipate that Brian Lewerke would be drafted.
Michigan State has a new head football coach in Mel Tucker. You can find all of his new staff hires here.
[jwplayer RJySF4hX]
The introduction of Mel Tucker as the replacement for Mark Dantonio as the new head coach for Michigan State Football has brought with it a number of coaching hires as Tucker looks to fill out his staff. Part of Tucker’s deal included an increase in salary to build out a new Michigan State Football staff with some of the best coaching talents in the country, and Tucker has been hard at work putting together a team of coaches around him that are widely respected. Here is a round-up of every new hire in the Tucker era.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
Out of all the players from Michigan State vying for an NFL Draft spot, Mel Kiper Jr. from ESPN thinks Josiah Scott is the top prospect.
[jwplayer RJySF4hX]
Michigan State Football has not had an NFL Draft go by without having a Spartan drafted, and it seems fitting that the last class that will be associated directly with Mark Dantonio will likely have a defensive back as the top Spartan drafted. After a long lineage of great MSU defensive backs that learned from Dantonio, including Darqueze Dennard, Trae Waynes, Justin Layne, and many more, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has identified cornerback Josiah Scott as the top draft-eligible Michigan State player.
Here is what Kiper told media members about Scott:
“I think Josiah Scott – he’s gonna help a secondary, whether he’s gonna help a secondary whether he’s a starter, nickel, fourth corner,” Kiper said. “He’s gonna be a guy who plays in the league for a long time, I think, as I’d say a third- to fifth-round pick… He’s 5-10, he’s about 175. He’s aggressive, he’s a willing tackler, he’s got good awareness, he was a really good recruit coming out. Played right away. He’s got pretty good ball skills, seven career interceptions. I like the tape. I like what I saw of him. I like the way he turns, I like the way he flips his hips, like his feet.”
Kiper thinks the Spartans will have a few more guys in consideration to be drafted as well:
“There’s a lot of different (MSU) players that are gonna be in the later-round discussion,” Kiper said. “Of all the players – Kenny Willekes started out the year and looked like an elite guy, and then didn’t get off to the great start then came on late.”
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
Kaidon Salter is the fourth quarterback Mel Tucker has offered in the class of 2021.
Mel Tucker and company are not wasting any time pursuing the quarterback of the future at Michigan State.
Less than a week after offering three different class of 2021 quarterbacks, Tucker has offered the top-ranked junior signal caller in the State of Texas Kaidon Salter.
#AGTG WOW!! Blessed to receive an offer from Michigan State University #GoGreen #tthl @Coach_mtucker @Thamannjr pic.twitter.com/KD4uWFxSSB
— ksalt (@KaidonSalter_7) February 23, 2020
Salter, out of Cedar Hills, Texas, is rated by 247 Sports as the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback and No. 89 prospect overall in the 2021 class. The 6’2 185 lb. quarterback currently boasts offers from a dozen power five schools including Auburn, Baylor, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Utah.
According to a breakdown of Salter after the latest 247 re-rank, Salter, “led the (Cedar Hill) Longhorns to a 9-3 record and a second-round playoff appearance in the Texas Class 6A Division II bracket. Salter accounted for more than 3,100 total yards of offense and 38 total touchdowns. He threw for 2,550 yards, 28 TD’s, and six interceptions on a 60.8 completion percentage. He added 616 yards and 10 scores on almost 6.2 yards per carry.”
Salter is also a standout track and field athlete at Cedar Hill.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]
Els would be the eight assistant coach on Mel Tucker’s staff.
More reinforcements for Mel Tucker’s first coaching staff are on their way from Boulder, Colorado.
According to Colorado bear reporter Brian Howell, Colorado linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Ross Els will be going the Michigan State staff.
I've had sources confirm to me that #cubuffs LB coach Ross Els is heading to Michigan State. @adamcm777 first reported Els was leaving. It appears he'll coach special teams at MSU; not sure if he'll be on defense, too
— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) February 21, 2020
As Howell alludes to their are still roles to be sorted out among the defense–most notably with former MSU defensive coordinator Mike Tressel whose role has yet to be publicly announced–but Els looks to be headed for the special teams coordinator role.
Els was the special teams coordinator under Tucker in 2019 and Colorado improved form 89th in special teams SP+ in 2018 to 43rd in 2019. Els was also ran special teams for Nebraska from 2012-2014 and those years the Cornhuskers finished 32nd, 8th, and 51st in special teams SP+.
Els has also coached special teams at New Mexico and Ohio University, in addition to being the defensive coordinator at Purdue in 2016.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]
Harris was a four-year player for Michigan State and co-captain of the 2015 College Football Playoff team.
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]
Gilmore is the fifth assistant coach hired by Mel Tucker this week
Mel Tucker’s first staff at Michigan State is rounding into form with the latest addition coming from a Big Ten rival.
The school has announced that Tucker has tabbed Ted Gilmore as his new tight ends coach. Gilmore spent the last five seasons as wide receivers coach at Wisconsin, in addition to being the Badgers’ passing game coordinator for the last three years.
“Coach Gilmore is a great teacher and excellent motivator who brings high energy,” said Tucker in a release provided by the school. “He’s a proven developer of players and a very effective recruiter. He’s a true difference maker.”
Prior to Wisconsin Gilmore was the wide receivers coach of the Oakland Raiders in the NFL. Before that he was associate head coach, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for Nebraska, spending six seasons in Lincoln. Gilmore has coached tight ends twice in his career: Kansas during the 1999 season and at Wyoming from 1994-1996.
Gilmore joins Jay Johnson (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Chris Kapilovic (offensive line coach/run game coordinator), Courtney Hawkins (wide receivers) and Harlon Barnett (defensive backs) as new additions to Tucker’s staff this week.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]
One of the most well-regarded MSU football assistants is coming back home
Wil and Matt talk about Michigan State cruising to a win over Nebraska. Then they discuss the returns of Connor Heyward and Harlon Barnett to Michigan State football.
[protected-iframe id=”bc90c471785c71e9f8cb01f5ae2d4672-142349028-156988151″ info=”https://castbox.fm/app/castbox/player/id1638365/id232933831?v=8.15.6&autoplay=0″ width=”100%” height=”500″ frameborder=”0″]
You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=516986277]
The junior running back returns to Michigan State after entering name in transfer portal last fall.
I did not have this one on my Michigan State football offseason bingo card.
Junior running back Connor Heyward has announced that he is withdrawing from the NCAA Transfer Portal and returning to Michigan State.
— Connor Heyward (@ConnorHeyward1) February 20, 2020
“It has been a long process, but I know this is home in my heart,” Connor Heyward wrote on Twitter in his return announcement.
Heyward will return to Michigan State as a redshirt junior. He suited up for four games in 2019 before announcing his intention to transfer. Heyward entered the 2019 season as the starting running back, but lost the gig to redshirt freshman Elijah Collins in week two and saw his role on the team greatly reduced thereafter.
Heyward has carried the ball 145 times for 618 yards and five touchdowns in his two-plus seasons at MSU.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]
