Michigan State HC Jonathan Smith: Outset of fall camp ‘pretty competitive’

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State’s first preseason camp under new head coach Jonathan Smith reached another stage on Thursday when shoulder pads went on for the first time.

On Monday, full pads will be worn for the first time, as Smith and his staff continue to take inventory of what they’ve assembled for the 2024 football season. 

“We’ve got 118 in camp,” Smith said earlier this week. “It’s the first time this group is totally together. This is a lot like spring ball, there’s a lot of install, there’s a lot of teaching. So these guys are learning, playing a little bit slower. 

“Now, it’s the second or third time hearing it, for a lot of the guys, not all of them, but a lot of the guys that have been through spring ball, the expectation is that it’s going to be pretty competitive.”

The 118 includes 20 incoming freshmen – nine of which took part in spring practice. There are 23 incoming transfers – 10 of which participated in spring practice. It all, there are 43 first-year scholarship Spartans who have been filtering their way into the depth chart. 

“New faces. There’s no question that there’s teaching,” Smith said. “They did get the advantage of some summer (workouts). They met through the summer, getting around the coaches and things. We try to do a thorough job explaining what practice should look like and how we should be going about it. And then they have to go out and experience it.”

Michigan State will open the season on Friday, Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic (7 p.m, BTN).

On Tuesday, after the first practice of fall camp, Smith said day one looked good.

“To me, you didn’t notice a bunch of new guys out there,” Smith said. “There’s some build-up. I keep going back to this word excitement. Excited to get started, and finally getting the group.”

Of the post-spring transfers, SpartanMag unofficially projects cornerback Ed Woods (Arizona State), safety Nikai Martinez (Central Florida) and running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams (UMass) in the two-deep. Cornerbacks Jeremiah Hughes (LSU) and Lejond Cavasos (North Carolina), and rush end Anthony Jones (Indiana) will be in contention as well. Offensive lineman Luke Newman is regarded as a near-lock for first-string status, most likely at right guard.

Winter transfers such as defensive end Quindarius Dunnigan (Middle Tennessee State), defensive tackle D’Quan Douse (Georgia Tech), and linebacker Wayne Matthews (Old Dominion) angled their way into the two-deep while Oregon State transplants Aidan Chiles (QB), Jack Velling (TE) and Tanner Miller (center) are locks as first-stringers.

“You’re not taking anything for granted, so everything is new and we’re trying to make sure we’re always on the same page, and over-explaining what we’re coaching or how we’re teaching it,” Smith said. “It’s a fun new adventure, not just for me, but our coaches in trying to put this thing together.

“As a coach you spend time with guys and you recognize where they’re at, capabilities, and you can kind of study a group and kind of see where they’re at. And that’s what we’ll do through August.”

Jonathan Smith photo by Dane Robison for SpartanMag.com.

The offensive line is a microcosm of the Michigan State roster as a whole, with a winter transfer, a post-spring transfer and three long-term Spartans unofficially projected by SpartanMag.com as first-stringers. SpartanMag’s projected first string includes, at left tackle, Brandon Baldwin, a junior college transfer who is in his third year in the program; left guard Kristian Phillips, an original Michigan State signee who is in his third year as a Spartan; Miller at center, fresh from Oregon State; Newman at right guard, via Holy Cross; and Ashton Lepo, an original Michigan State signee who is in his third year in the program. 

Mixes like that are commonplace across the depth chart.

“Getting them learning, counting on guys who have played a lot of college football, guys that have been around here for a minute, to continue to try to teach them and bring them along,” Smith said. “We try to do that heavy in the first week, week and a half, kind of force the issue on reps, especially for newcomers, to try to see where they’re at.”

Nine of Michigan State’s incoming freshmen enrolled early and participated in spring practice: LB Brady Pretzlaf, offensive linemen Mercer Luniewski, Charlton Luniewski, defensive backs Jaylen Thompson, Justin Denson, running back Brandon Tullis, wide receiver Nick Marsh and quarterbacks Alessio Milivojevic and Ryland Jessee. 

Eleven other incoming freshmen are getting acclimated to their first practices as Spartans: offensive lineman Payton Stewart, Rakeem Johnson and Rustin Young; wide receivers Austin Clay and Jaylan Brown; defensive linemen Kekai Burnett and Mikeshun Beeler; tight end Wyatt Hook; defensive backs Keshawn Williams and Andrew Brinson; and running back Makhi Frazier. 

Marsh is expected to be part of the playing group, and potentially a starter.

Michigan State’s offensive line will be young and inexperienced on the second string, with true freshmen such as Charlton Luniewski, Mercer Luniewski and Andrew Dennis (a transfer from Illinois) possibly having the ability of competing for a role with the second unit. 

Smith was asked what he is expecting of all freshmen at this point.

“For them to buy in and work hard,” Smith said. “A few of them might bring some things to the table earlier than others, which is kind of normal in a freshman class. Work hard and be contributors.”

Smith said he wants a constant state of improvement, from week one of camp, through week four, and throughout the fall.

“The installs keep piling on and we want to keep improving on that,” Smith said. “Details of techniques and schemes, all of that we want to be improving. So we want to be looking way better in week four than we are in week one.”

Smith is also getting acclimated to being the big boss of Michigan State football. The buzz of being hired eight months ago hasn’t worn off. 

“It’s a new adventure, a new challenge and opportunity that I’m still excited about,” Smith said. “Also recognize this opportunity comes with … this is a big operation. There’s a lot of people involved; coaches and players. Big mantra in talking to the team (the night before practice began) is all of us in this thing together.”

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