Michigan State Young Defensive Backs Primed for Improvement
Michigan State football has a buzz around the program. Different from this time last year, but there is still a confidence among the program. Head coach Mel Tucker believes this team is “deeper and more competitive at more positions than we’ve been. So, the arrow is up.”
One position group that is going to be much deeper is defensive back. Both cornerback and safety rooms added depth this offseason, and the Spartans also added a cornerbacks coach, Jim Salgado. With veteran safeties coach Harlon Barnett and Tucker being a former defensive backs coach, there is a lot of experience to mold this young MSU secondary.
Salgado brings over 30 years of coaching experiencce in college and the NFL, most recently with the Buffalo Bills. Under his direction, Michigan State’s corners have the opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start fresh after a couple of difficult seasons. MSU’s pass defense ranked No. 87 in the country last season in yards allowed per game, after finishing dead last (out of 131) the year prior. Salgado can give a new perspective on how to get things fixed in 2023.
Tucker feels better about his cornerbacks for this upcoming season than he did heading into the last two years.
“We’re going to be young at that position, but very talented,” the head coach said. “We do have some guys who have transferred in who are going to help us.”
Junior corner Charles Brantley and senior nickelback Angelo Grose are the only two players with more than a season of playing experience. The Spartans added seven defensive backs in the 2022 recruiting class, and four of them got meaningful playing time last season.
Sophomore Dillion Tatum played both nickel and cornerback. Sophomores Malik Spencer and Jaden Mangham are both projected to start at the two safety spots. And redshirt freshman corner Caleb Coley also played at the end of last season, and has the chance to start this season.
From the transfer portal, Michigan State added former Wisconsin cornerback Shemar Melvin, and former Cincinnati safety Armorion Smith. Both played last season at their previous schools, but are looking for larger roles with the Spartans this fall. Melvin has one season left of eligibility while Smith has three seasons left.
Tucker believes his defensive backs are flying under the radar. Is this the season Michigan State’s secondary begins to perform as well as the ones from years ago?
“Some of the players in those positions our fans don’t know about yet,” Tucker said. “But, I think throughout camp and as the season starts, I think you’ll start to recognize that we have more players than maybe what people think that we have."
