Spring Scrimmage Viewing Guide & Depth Chart Projections: Michigan State offense

East Lansing, Mich. – When Michigan State takes the field for Saturday’s Spring Showcase scrimmage, the Spartans will unveil portions of new schemes on both sides of the ball, with new transfer starters at quarterback, center, tight end, plus new looks in other areas.

SpartanMag’s projected depth chart on offense, and things to look for (the following is not an official depth chart):

2 Aidan Chiles (6-3, 213, Soph., Long Beach, Calif.)

10 Tommy Schuster (6-0, 204, 6-Sr., Macomb Twp)

14 Alessio Milivojevic (6-2, 220, Fr., Naperville, Ill.)

16 Ryland Jessee (6-4, 206, Fr., San Diego)

5 Nathan Carter (5-10, 200, R-Jr., Rochester, NY)

8 Jalen Berger (6-1, 210, R-Sr., Newark, NJ)

1 Jaren Mangham (6-2, 241, 6-Sr., Beverly Hills, Mich.)

24 Davion Primm (6-0, 205, R-Jr., Detroit)

4 Jaron Glover (6-1, 209, R-Soph., Sarasota, Fla.)

7 Antonio Gates Jr. (6-2, 194, R-Soph., Detroit)

31 Jack Yanachik (6-3, 191, R-Fr., Warren, Mich.)

3 Montorie Foster (6-0, 185, R-Sr., Cleveland)

11 Aziah Johnson (6-0, 175, R-Fr., Richmond, Va.)

80 Zach Gillespie (6-2, 205, R-Sr., East Lansing, Mich.)

0 Alante Brown (5-11, 189, R-Sr., Chicago)

15 Nick Marsh (6-3, 208, Fr., River Rouge, Mich.)

9 Jaelen Smith (6-2, 190, R-Fr., Houston)

85 Grant Calcagno (6-0, 190, Soph., Rochester, Mich.)

12 Jack Velling (6-5, 246, Jr., Seattle)

81 Michael Masunas (6-5, 255, R-Soph., Tucson, Ariz.)

87 Jack Nickel (6-4, 255, R-Soph., Milton, Ga.)

83 Ademola Faleye (6-7, 248, R-Jr., Brockton, Mass.)

UA (Unavailable): Brennan Parachek (6-5, 254, Soph., Dexter, Mich.)

53 Brandon Baldwin (6-7, 327, R-Sr., Detroit)

69 Jacob Merritt (6-6, 286, R-Soph., Northville, Mich.)

UA: Luke Newman (has not yet enrolled)

68 Gavin Broscious (6-5, 288, R-Soph., Surprise, Ariz.)

71 Kristian Phillips (6-4, 315, R-Soph., Conyers, Ga.)

61 Tanner Miller (6-2, 297, 6-Sr, Valencia, Calif.)

54 Cooper Terpstra (6-4, 308, R-Fr., Holland, Mich.)

(Dallas Fincher)

UA: Cole Dellinger (6-4, 304, R-Fr., Clarkston, Mich.)

74 Geno VanDeMark (6-5, 329, R-Jr., Lodi, NJ)

72 Dallas Fincher (6-4, 315, R-Sr., Kentwood, Mich.)

79 Mercer Luniewski (6-6, 320, Fr., Cincinnati)

66 Ashton Lepo (6-7, 296, R-Soph., Grand Haven, Mich.)

65 Stanton Ramil (6-7, 312, Soph., Alabaster, Ala.)

75 Charlton Luniewski (6-5, 289, Fr., Cincinnati)

UA: Ethan Boyd (6-7, 326, R-Jr., East Lansing, Mich.)

W2W4 AT QUARTERBACK

Aiden Chiles is the draw and the chief curiosity. He was Jonathan Smith’s prized recruit at Oregon State, and made the trip to East Lansing with him. Smith likes the way Joe Rossi’s new defense has made reads challenging for Chiles and all the quarterbacks. Chiles has arm talent for days, and terrific foot speed and agility. He’s the most talented first-year QB Michigan State has had in a long, long time. Now, can the talent begin to show itself at scrimmage speed in a game-simulated environment?

Michigan State’s defense has been ahead of the offense throughout the spring. Pass protection might be spotty for Chiles. So there’s a chance his completion percentage on Saturday won’t be as shiny as his 68.6 rate on 35 throws last fall at Oregon State. But the talent will flash.

“I think his style is fun, competitive,” Smith said. “He has a strong voice and makes it competitive on the offense vs defense type thing. His experience in the offense allows him to communicate with receivers, tight end and backs on exactness of routes and where he expects them to be and vice-versa.”

As for Chiles as a blossoming leader, Smith says the rising sophomore is doing well.

“He is not trying to overdo it,” Smith said. “I think he is just being himself. I understand the position that he plays, but he is being genuine. He’s got some influence within the team and he’s not alone. We’ve got a bunch of guys that influence this team in a big way that have been here for the last couple of years.”

Smith described Chiles’ performances in the first two scrimmages as “solid.”

“They were pretty similar in regards to his production and decision-making,” Smith said. “He had a couple of runs that were probably explosive plays if we had live tackling.”

There won’t be live tackling on Saturday, for the quarterbacks.

Tommy Schuster is a crafty veteran of 42 starts at North Dakota. It was nearly impossible to get an experienced, mature QB out of the transfer portal to come to Michigan State to compete behind Chiles, but Michigan State got it done with Schuster. Smith said he was 9-of-10 in last Saturday’s closed scrimmage. He has disappointed no one.

He’s not tall, and he’s not all that fast, but he can execute on offense with intelligence and accuracy.

Ryland Jessee and Allessio Milivojevic are mid-year enrollees. Every time they take the field is a major learning experience at this point.

W2W4 AT RUNNING BACK

If Michigan State had awarded a team MVP last year, it probably would have been Nathan Carter. And he has emerged as a team-first leader since then. He says he never considered the portal, before or after Smith was hired.

When Smith was asked on Tuesday what he has learned about the running back group this spring, he said: “I think Nate Carter is a good player, learning and watching him. Instinctive player who can catch the ball out of the backfield. He has stood out.”

Smith didn’t mention any other running backs. With Michigan State actively seeking running backs in the portal this week, it will be interesting to see what the ball-carrying pecking order looks like on Saturday.

Jalen Berger, Jaren Mangham, Davion Primm and mid-year freshman enrollee Brandon Tullis have gotten regular work this spring, along with walk-on Joseph Martinez.

Last year, Smith’s offense occasionally used a defensive tackle as a blocking back in the I-formation. It will be interesting to see if Michigan State does the same this year, beginning on Saturday.

W2W4 AT WIDE RECEIVER

Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins said on Thursday that there is no official first, second or third string at the wide receiver position. But there are some interesting storylines.

Senior Alante Brown struggled last year as a transfer from Nebraska. But teammates have mentioned him as one of the most improved players on the team. He is the fastest receiver on the team.

Brian Lindgren’s offense like to push fast receiving threats deep, and then hit intermediate routes underneath them. It works best when the defense truly has to honor a fast, deep threat. Does Michigan State have a guy like that? Maybe not. But Brown is a candidate to dabble in it.

True freshman Nick Marsh is “a special athlete,” Hawkins said. “He is going to be really good.”

How good, how soon? Saturday could give us some clues.

Montorie Foster is a proven player, with 43 catches last year. Now, Antonio Gates Jr. needs to join the party as a deep and intermediate threat.

Lindgren said Jaron Glover has flashed play-making skills this spring. He had some loud moments early last season, but tapered off as the season progressed.

Who emerges as the guy with the most targets at catches on Saturday? I would say it’s even money on all of them. There isn’t yet a great one in the bunch, but it’s an interesting mix of proven players and young risers. Meanwhile, the Spartans are looking to add one more wide receiver this spring from the transfer portal. Michigan State can rightfully advertise a chance to be a No. 1 receiver for a potentially great quarterback

WTW4 AT TIGHT END

Jack Velling was second-team All-Pac 12 last year with 29 receptions and eight touchdowns. At 6-foot-5, with excellent hands, body control and route expression, he’s a tough cover in the red zone. He said he needed to improve his blocking ability over last year, but tight ends coach Brian Wozniak says Velling is being too humble, and that his blocking has been fine.

Michael Masunas has been one of the biggest gainers of the spring. He didn’t play in 2022 and barely played in 2023, but the new coaching staff feels they can make good use of him. The former Michigan State staff claimed to be an offense that wanted to emphasize tight end play, but the Smith/Lindgren/Wozniak group actually got it done at Oregon State. The future looks good at this position.

Ademola Faleye was miles away from being ready to help last fall, but at 6-foot-7, 248 he might be rounding into a useful part this spring. He’s one to watch on Saturday, from a developmental standpoint.

WTW4 ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE

This group is the biggest question mark on the team. Tanner Miller has provided a big lift at center. He was second-team All-Pac 12 at Oregon State last year.

Geno VanDeMark looks like he is ready to take it to another level at right guard. Dallas Fincher was a back-up center last year, who with two starts. He has gotten some work at center this spring, but was seen primarily at right guard this week in practice.

Brandon Baldwin is back as a starting left tackle, but he needs to elevate his game. It will be interesting to see if transfer Luke Newman is placed at left tackle in the fall after he arrives from Holy Cross this summer. Newman starred at left tackle at Holy Cross. SpartanMag feels Newman has the goods to seriously push Baldwin at some point next fall, if he is assigned to left tackle.

Gavin Broscious and Kristian Phillips have been pretty much equal at left guard this spring. Phillips might have had a bump or a ding here late in the spring, so SpartanMag penciled Broscious in as No. 1 at left guard for today. That could change quickly. Both are unproven players, but promising young guys who might be benefitting from the change in staff and scheme.

At right tackle, presumptive first stringer Ethan Boyd has missed a lot of time this spring. He won’t be available on Saturday.

With Boyd absent, Michigan State badly needs someone to emerge at right tackle. Ashton Lepo is getting the first crack at it. How is he doing? You’ll begin to find out when I do. Right tackle is an important position to watch, as is left guard. They could be weak link areas. Michigan State needs some good developments there.

We’ve heard good things about Stanton Ramil, who was lost for the 2023 season last August with a leg injury. He’s young, and still just getting started, but has loads of potential. Mid-year enrollee Charlton Luniewski has looked like a keeper in some spring drills; it will be interesting to see how he does in a game-simulated setting against Ken Talley, Khris Bogle, Quin Dunnigan. And the same goes for Lepo and Ramil, really.

Lepo was functional in 73 snaps as a back-up left tackle last year. Now, he has a chance to hold onto a starting job. Every practice, and every scrimmage, is significant.

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