Michigan State DC Scottie Hazelton pleased with versatility and depth along d-line
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State coaches have lauded the teams’ improved depth this fall camp, and defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton feels the defensive line is where that depth might be most apparent.
Last year’s d-line unit contained quality pieces, especially at tackle with starters Simeon Barrow and Jacob Slade. But between the injuries those two sustained and the suspensions of key defensive end pieces midway through the year, the defensive line had a hard time living up to its potential last season.
Michigan State, however, acquired a few notable players from the transfer portal this offseason in defensive tackle Jalen Sami and defensive end Tunmise Adeleye. Those two, along with a group of healthy veterans and budding underclassmen, has Hazelton ‘excited’ about the potential of the unit as a whole.
“There’s a ton of depth up front,” Hazelton said. “It feels different with those guys. Having some defensive ends in camp, a lot of depth, guys can rotate through and stay fresh and do their jobs. And inside, man, inside we have some really good football players in there who are clogging things up. It’s making it so you can say, ‘OK, what can we run here?’ We can do some things like that because our d-line is playing really well right now.”
The players who participated in spring practice and have had a chance to improve in time for fall camp have particularly impressed Hazelton.
“The guys that we had in spring are really the guys who you’re excited about,” Hazelton said. “The guys like Jordan Hall. Jalen Sami came in, and he wasn’t here in spring, but that guy’s a ready-made football player for you. You have a guy like Tunmise and he’s going to add some toughness and quality to the edge and so some things where you’re like, ‘Jeez, that’s a guy who can beat up a tight end in a six technique.’ Having Zion (Young) back, some of the guys who you haven’t had a chance to see play a whole lot, it’s just exciting to have all of them back.”
Michigan State’s defense faced plenty of challenges due to attrition last season, but Hazelton believes the young players who stepped up in place of their teammates gained valuable experience in a trial-by-fire situation.
Hazelton noticed that certain underclassmen feel more comfortable during meetings and workouts thanks to the experience they received last season.
“When we go into the drills, (they’re like), ‘I could be doing this in a game, fast,’” Hazelton said. “So everybody’s level of competition picks up a little bit.”
Now, thanks to Michigan State’s improved depth, Hazelton has the opportunity to constantly rotate guys in and out of a game, limiting their snaps and keeping them fresh.
“When you have depth and you can say, ‘OK, Zion’s here and Brandon Wright’s here, and then the very next play you have a guy like Andrew Depaepe there, they’re all big, physical guys and to do that to a tight end or a tackle, make a few plays, you can wear guys down because usually you’re not subbing a bunch on the offensive line,” Hazelton said. “Then that, of course, when you can stop the run, then your rush becomes real because now, instead of getting bled and you get a bunch of third-and-threes, now you’re sitting at third-and-eight, and you’re like, ‘OK, now we can let the guys go hunt.’”
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