Michigan State Spartans Preview: Mel Tucker Looks to Return to 2021 Success
TLDR: Mel Tucker was supposed to be Sparty’s saving grace. Although, that may not be a fair evaluation. Tucker was hired away from Colorado and given an ungodly amount of money despite not having a track record of success as a head coach. Sure, he’s orchestrated some great defenses in his time as a coordinator, but that doesn’t always translate to success running a program. Tucker enters year 4 as the head coach at Michigan State with an 18–14 record that includes a 12–13 Big 10 performance. It’s also worth noting that 11 of those 18 wins came in the 2021 season. Michigan State needs to improve significantly this year. A losing record just can’t be considered acceptable.
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Floor: 4–8, Ceiling: 8–4, Projection: 6–6
The Spartans were not particularly good on either side of the ball last season, and in 2022 they only averaged 19.8 points per game in conference play. Michigan State averaged 353 yards per game, ranking them 97th nationally. The Spartans will have to deal with replacing quarterback Payton Thorne who transferred to Auburn after spending 2 years as the starter. In addition, the Spartans lost their best wide receiver in Keon Coleman who is now with Florida State. And as if that wasn’t enough, Sparty’s #2 receiver, Jayden Reed, was drafted in the second round. Tre Mosley returns as the lead receiver with just 359 yards on 35 catches. Jalen Berger returns at running back after a 678 yard season. He’ll look to be more of a feature in 2023 with the heavy losses in the passing game. The Michigan State offensive line was middle of the road by most measures. They gave up 13 sacks last year, good for 5th best in the Big 10. They return 4 linemen who played at least 400 snaps last year, so I expect this group to take a step forward in 2023 and make life easier for whoever wins the quarterback job.
The Spartans employed a bend but don’t break defense in 2022 and actually had some success with it. They gave up 417 yards per game (101st), but their scoring defense came in at 27.4 points per game (74th). However, that number did creep up to 30.8 points per game in conference play, which was 3rd worst in the Big 10. The Spartans return 5 of their 6 interior/edge players who had at least 300 snaps last season, and this is a big reason why I expect this defense to be better in 2023. The pass rushers return 15 sacks, including Jacoby Windman who had 6 last year. A lot of these guys are seniors (Windman included) so it is crucial for them to have a big year. Michigan State played 3 different linebackers for more than 300 snaps last year, and 2 of them return in 2023. Cal Haladay anchor the defense after leading in snap count last year. He finished 2022 with 121 tackles and 2 sacks and will be one of the best linebackers in the Big 10 this year. The safety position loses a key contributor in Kendell Brooks, but Angelo Grose and Jaden Mangham return. Mangham saw over 200 snaps last year as a true freshman and will likely play an even bigger role in 2023. The cornerback spot also sees a big loss with Ameer Speed off to the NFL, but Charles Brantley was a solid player as a sophomore last year. In year 4 of Mel Tucker’s scheme, and given the talent returning in the front seven, I think it’s safe to say this will be a better defense in 2023.
Recruiting has gotten better under Mel Tucker and the 2023 class finished ranked 23rd in the country. The Spartans got a huge pickup with edge defender and former 4-star recruit Tunmise Adeleye from Texas A&M. They also added two more defensive lineman who will play with Deandre Butler from Liberty and Ken Talley from Penn State. The Spartans’ top 2 recruits from the high school ranks are also edge players with Bai Jobe and Andrew Depaepe, both 4-star guys. They also added IMG Academy linebacker Jordan Hall.
Mel Tucker’s 2023 recruiting class gives a glimpse of what is possible for Michigan State. The Spartans are bringing in tons of talent on the defensive line, and if Tucker gets that group going this could turn into a scary defense. While I do not believe his 10-year, $95 million extension was warranted in year 2, there is a good chance he ends up earning it in the long run. Michigan State fans just have to remain patient, and the problems on the offense need to be solved. The Spartans stand to gain a lot with the loss of divisions in the Big 10. While 2023 may not be the year that fans want, 2024 has a shot to be better.
