Ashton Lepo emerging as candidate for Michigan State’s starting right tackle job

East Lansing, Mich. – For Michigan State redshirt sophomore Ashton Lepo, this season isn’t necessarily about a fresh start for him, rather continuing where he left off last year. Lepo appeared in all 12 of the Spartans games last season, and gradually earned more playing time the last four games of the season last year.

Now, Lepo is squarely in the mix to be the starting right tackle this fall. Lepo has been repping with the ones for most of the spring.

“It’s going good right now, I’m repping with the ones, just have to keep working,” Lepo said after Tuesday’s practice. “You want competitiveness through everyone, I want the younger guys to start beating me out. It’s just how it is.”

Lepo (6-7, 300, R-Soph., Grand Haven, Mich.) logged 96 snaps at left tackle last season, including 73 in the final four games of the season for the Spartans. Lepo’s most extensive playing time came in the Spartans’ two Big Ten wins over Indiana and Nebraska with 22 in snaps in each game.

“Last year I was more left (tackle), but this year I’ve been more right but I can do either,” Lepo said.

Michigan State lost three starting offensive linemen from last season. J.D. Duplain and Nick Samac both used all of their eligibility while Spencer Brown transferred to Oklahoma for his final season of college football.

Lepo, Brandon Baldwin, Ethan Boyd, Stanton Ramil and walk-ons Andy Hartman and Jacob Merritt are the Spartans’ offensive tackles listed on the official roster at the moment. Michigan State seems to be in the market to add an offensive tackle during the spring portal period. Michigan State also has Holy Cross left tackle transfer Josh Newman slated to enroll this summer.

Lepo began the spring competing with presumptive first-stringer Boyd at right tackle. But Boyd, who played 313 snaps last year and started three games, has missed practice time this spring.

When asked about Boyd’s availability two weeks ago, Michigan State offensive line coach Jim Michalczik said, “He’s doing fine.”

Boyd is not expected to be available for Saturday’s Spring Showcase scrimmage.

Offensive line has not been an area of strength for Michigan State in recent years. Michigan State has been repping with Baldwin at left tackle, Lepo at right tackle, Oregon State transfer Tanner Miller at center, Geno VanDeMark at right guard and Gavin Broscious getting a look at left guard.

“We’re getting there,” Smith said after practice on Tuesday, when asked how the offensive line is coming along. “We have some health there. We have some position battles going. It’s so early to say right now how many guys will play but I feel confident we’ll get a good five guys out there.”

Lepo’s weight has fluctuated from 255 when he arrived in East Lansing, to 320 as a redshirt-freshman in 2022. He played at 310 last season, and is now down to 300, which he says feels like a good weight for him.

“I feel quick,” Lepo said. “Coming out of high school, I had a lot to learn. But over time with Coach Kap (Kapilovic) and Coach M (Michalczik), it’s been great.”

As Lepo transitions from the old staff to the new Jonathan Smith regime, he is hopeful that he will make the most of his opportunity as he enters his third season in the program.

“It’s a business, things change. I just had to be prepared for that,” Lepo said. “I decided to stay here and I’m glad I did.”

Coach Smith brought his offensive line coach, Michalczik, from Oregon State. The change has given Lepo a new perspective on the offensive line.

“He’s a great guy,” Lepo said. “I’m able to go up there and talk to him like any other guy and I really like that about him.”

Lepo is trying to build upon the level of play he began to establish toward the end of the 2023 season.

“I think the experience was really good,” Lepo said. “I definitely was put in some hard spots but that was great for me so I can use that and build on what I need to for this year.”

One of the main reasons Michigan State won’t have a traditional spring game is because of shortage of able bodies and depth on the offensive line. Smith said the Spartans will scrimmage for four 10-minute quarters of running time. The defensive will be spotted a lead on the scoreboard, and the scrimmaging will begin from there.

Lepo is hoping to do enough in Saturday’s scrimmage to put a positive cap on the spring and demonstrate that his slope of improvement is headed in a positive direction, possibly toward the starting lineup next fall.

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