REPORT: Michigan State Football Losing Key Assistant Coach
Michigan State football is reportedly losing one of its top assistant coaches this offseason, as defensive line coach Marco Coleman is set to return to his alma mater, Georgia Tech, after one season in East Lansing.
On Wednesday night, reports from Rivals.com and The Athletic surfaced that Coleman would be joining first-year Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key's staff. Those reports have since been confirmed by Spartans Illustrated's David Harns.
Coleman was an All-American at Georgia Tech before spending 14 seasons in the NFL as a defensive end. He was eventually elected into the Yellow Jackets' Hall of Fame.
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker turned some heads on early National Signing Day (Dec. 21) when he said he didn't plan on making any changes to his coaching staff despite a 5-7 record this past season.
"I haven't planned to make any changes but there's always opportunities for guys and I'm never going to try to hold anyone back if they have an opportunity where they think they can better themselves," Tucker said on Dec. 21. "But I don't plan on making any changes at this time."
That statement wasn't well-received by much of the Spartans' fanbase, who have grown frustrated with Michigan State's lack of defensive improvement during Tucker's tenure, as well as an offensive recession in 2021.
Coleman, however, was not one of the assistants who have drawn the ire of the fanbase. After all, he's been excellent as a recruiter during his short stint in East Lansing.
While listed as a "secondary recruiter" by 247Sports, Coleman was heavily involved in Michigan State's 2023 recruiting efforts for edge rusher Bai Jobe, defensive end Andrew Depaepe and defensive end Jalen Thompson, each of whom signed with the Spartans on Dec. 21. Those three, each four-star recruits, are among the Spartans' top four prospects in the 2023 signing class.
Pass rush specialist Brandon T. Jordan is listed as the "primary recruiter" for Jobe, Depaepe and Thompson.
Tucker hired Coleman last offseason after the departure of long-time defensive line coach Ron Burton, who spent seven seasons in East Lansing under former head coach Mark Dantonio as well as the first two years of the Tucker era. Coleman signed a two-year contract with an annual salary of $350,000 per year.
