Official: Michigan State lands defensive coordinator from Kansas State
It’s official, Scottie Hazelton will be the next defensive coordinator at Michigan State.
GoPowerCat.com first reported the move earlier in the week, but no official deal had been agreed upon at the time. Friday, Michigan State and Hazelton made the move official. Hazelton comes to East Lansing after spending last season at Kansas State in the same role. He also coached linebackers.
“Scottie definitely has the mentality you’re looking for in a defensive coordinator,” Tucker said in a statement. “He’s a leader with an infectious personality and he’s an excellent teacher. He’s learned from some of the great defensive minds in the game throughout his career. Scottie has been a defensive coordinator multiple times, including at the Power 5 level, he’s coached in the NFL, and he’s been on a staff that won a national championship. I couldn’t be more excited about hiring Scottie as our defensive coordinator to lead our outstanding defensive staff.”
Hazelton will be the 10th assistant coach on Michigan State’s staff, which would round out the coaching search for Tucker.
Last season was Hazelton’s first at Kansas State. In addition to being the defensive coordinator, he also coached linebackers. He held both roles at Wyoming in 2017 and 2018, as well.
This would be Hazelton’s first stop in the B1G, but he did spend time with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars from 2014-16. Tucker has had to move quickly on assembling a staff before spring practice.