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What Mel Tucker said as Michigan State prepares to start spring football
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Spring football season has arrived in East Lansing. This week, Michigan State will be back on the gridiron, turning its attention to the 2022 season after an incredible run last fall.
The Spartans finished the 2021 campaign with an 11-2 record, a strong showing from the program in just Mel Tucker’s second season. The year included a huge victory over in-state rival Michigan and Peach Bowl win over Pitt.
Michigan State will start spring practice on Tuesday, March 15. The team will then have practice leading up to its Green-White Spring Game on Saturday, April 16.
On Monday, Tucker met with reporters to talk about spring practice. Here’s what the third-year head coach of the Spartans had to say:
Mel Tucker presser underway. Spring practice starts on Tuesday. "We've just picked up where we left off."
— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) March 14, 2022
Mel Tucker at the podium to preview MSU spring football. Opens by asking, "Good to see everyone. Did you miss me?" Which is funny, since he has been omnipresent throughout the basketball season at games and remaking his own roster.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Tucker says he's "really excited to start spring ball" after offseason conditioning. "That's part of the process. They really didn't take much time off" after the Peach Bowl. "I want to see who can play in the spring. That's the big thing."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Tucker says MSU will use pads in Saturday's practice. "We need to develop our team." Says the new players "fit in well" and the Spartans have "a lot of competition. … No one has a job. Just because you started last season doesn't mean you'll start this season."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Tucker on Payton Thorne: "He is a leader. He's our leader on offense. He's made some tremendous strides, and he always gets better."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Tucker asked for his starting five of football players. Obvious choices are Coleman and Carr. Adds Montorie
Foster, Payton Thorne and Terry Lockett. … On Ethan Boyd, "How many fouls do you get?"— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) March 14, 2022
Tucker: "We'll have a better team coming out of spring ball, I can promise you that."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Tucker said Keon Coleman and Maliq Carr will stick with hoops until it's done. Said when Coleman "got in against the school down the road, I knew what he was doing. It wasn't a surprise."
— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) March 14, 2022
Tucker loves the spring because it's "good on good." There are no scout teams at this point. "You can make a huge jump in spring."
— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) March 14, 2022
Mel Tucker mentioned that Scottie Hazelton is now coaching the linebackers. (He is still the defensive coordinator.) Ross Els coached linebackers and special teams last year. Els is focusing on special teams this year.
— Jim Comparoni (@JimComparoni) March 14, 2022
Mel Talking about the coach changes, sounding energized, talking fast about the specifics, splitting up the D-line coaching duties, says he'll be working directly with the corners.
— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) March 14, 2022
Asked Tucker about backup QB, said the intensity of MSU's practices are what prepares guys, even those who don't have much game experience. "If they can do it in practice, they can do it in the game. … We’re not just throwing guys out there and hoping."
— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) March 14, 2022
Tucker says NFL scouts are "calling me constantly" to ask him about MSU players, as well as opponents he coached against heading into the draft. "We used to say when I was in the NFL you're trying to find reasons not to draft a guy." Feels good about Spartans who went to combine.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Interesting that Tucker says "we were 2-5 (in 2020), and then we went to whatever we were (in 2021)." Spartans were 11-2, finished in the top 10 and won a NY6 bowl game.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Tucker is in midseason form with talk of "intensity…attention to detail…sense of urgency…relentless" mantras. "It's a constant pressure cooker" for players to "get comfortable being uncomfortable."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Tucker said all of the QBs will get reps. "We need the practice reps to be as close to the game reps as they can get" to help develop Thorne's backup. None of MSU's other QBs have experience with the graduation of transfer 2021 backup Anthony Russo.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) March 14, 2022
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB