WATCH: Three Observations From Michigan State Football Practice
Michigan State football had a portion of Monday morning’s practice open to the media in which we got to see position coaches working with their units in drills.
The energy in the building was high throughout the session, and being on the field with players and coaches confirmed what head coach Mel Tucker says at press conferences about the Spartans practicing with intensity.
Here were the three biggest takeaways from MSU’s Monday practice:
1.) Excellent focus among Michigan State O-lineman
Michigan State’s offensive lineman were locked in during drill sessions. Each of the players were engaged when offensive line coach Chris Kapalovic was talking and instructing. Players were rotating positions on the line and on scout defense quickly, and it’s clear that Kapilovic wants to get as many reps in as possible during these sessions. As stated before, the practice is fast-paced, so if you aren’t engaged at all times you will be left behind. The Spartans have a lot of weapons on offense, particularly at wide receiver and tight end, but MSU’s offense will only be as good as the O-line allows it to be. This is the key position on that side of the football in 2022, and there was a sense of urgency among the group.
2.) Special attention given to Defensive Backs
Every position group has their main position coach, as well as offensive or defensive analysts who help with instruction. However, Michigan State’s cornerbacks seemed to garner the most attention on the defensive side of the football. There were more coaches observing and coaching the cornerbacks than any other position, including Tucker. After having the worst pass defense in the country last season, the head coach has made it his personal responsibility to fix this issue, and it was easy to see that Michigan State is making every effort to improve that unit. Only time will tell how much the corners have improved, but there are a lot of coaches doing their utmost to making sure last year doesn’t repeat.
3.) Coaches working as hard as players
When Tucker says his coaching staff won’t let players get comfortable, he absolutely means it. Every coach was running from drill-to-drill, with some even running with players in drills. You could hear the coaches voices over the whistles and pads-popping, barking out techniques, instruction and corrections to their players. What stood out the most was the attention to detail that every position coach preached to their groups. Instruction was clear and concise, as was any correction that needed to be made. Tucker has talked about having a neutral-thinking thought process, and that was on full display, not just with him and the cornerbacks but amongst all position coaches. Players who needed to receive corrections did so without a poor attitude or body-language.
Final Thoughts
Even with only 15 minutes of practice available for us to observe, the intensity and sense of urgency could be felt. Position coaches and players have talked repeatedly about the culture Tucker has brought in, and seeing a practice first hand reveals how imbedded the culture really is into the program. The attention to detail and player engagement is the key to any football program’s success, and the Spartans clearly have it.
With less than two weeks until the season kicks off, Michigan State’s goal of going 1-0 every week is about to be tested. Based on the way they practice, the Spartans appear ready for the challenge, and the ultimate goal of competing for championships seems within reach.
