MSU Football's Cal Haladay on Candidates For Helmet Communication, 'Mike' Position
The Michigan State Spartans will run a new defense under their new defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, considered by many to be one of the best defensive minds in all of college football.
Rossi has shown his prowess on the recruiting trail, and he has a proven track record of development -- one of the NFL's best safeties, Antoine Winfield, played for Rossi. Tyler Nubin, the top safety in the draft, was taken by the New York Giants early on.
Rossi's defense is a 4-3 that looks like a 3-4 because of his use of the "rush end" position -- think of how the modern 3-4 outside linebacker is used as a pass rusher. Rossi utilizes two off-ball inside linebackers.
Spartans linebacker Cal Haladay, the team leader in tackles over the last three seasons, helped elaborate on how the defense has been working so far. He spoke to the press after the Spartans' first day of training camp on Tuesday.
Haladay said that there will be one Mike linebacker and one Will linebacker and that there were players working at each spot specifically so far.
What will be intriguing is which player will get the helmet communication. The Mike linebacker is often calling plays and captain of the defense. Will the Mike receive the helmet communication? And if so, who will be designated as the Mike linebacker?
Haladay was able to give some of that information, without giving away too much, about the current state of helmet communication and its relationship to the inside linebackers.
"I had [the helmet communication] in the spring, but they have a different system now," Haladay said. "I'm assuming I'll get it at some point during camp ... [Jordan Turner], [Jordan Hall], and I think Marcellius [Pulliam] did? I think those three guys were the ones that had it [today]. Those were the guys that were getting calls from the sideline."
Turner was one of the big transfer portal additions that Jonathan Smith and Co. were able to bring in. Haladay described Turner as a "very physical player" and "very good." Pulliam, a true sophomore from Miami, is one of the more intriguing linebackers in the room. Pulliam is young but very athletic.
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MICHAEL FRANCE