Michigan State Football Still ‘Counting On’ TE Matt Dotson
A year after Matt Dotson tore his Achilles in a losing effort against Illinois, his availability heading into the 2020 season was in question.
However, Dotson is participating daily and working hard to get back to where he needs to be.
"Obviously, he's working hard and getting himself back into game shape," Michigan State tight ends coach Ted Gilmore told reporters on Tuesday. "Obviously, if you ask Matt, he feels he's a work in progress, but he's working hard, he's competing, and he's out there every single day."
More importantly, the Spartans need him.
"Well, we're counting on him," Gilmore said.
The three-year letterwinner has 32 receptions for 329 yards and two touchdowns through 31 career games, including seven starts.
Despite becoming the starter, Matt Seybert led the Spartan tight ends and ranked third on the team featuring a career-high 26 catches for 284 receiving yards and three scores.
Due to a knee injury, Seybert was forced to miss the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Wake Forest, so Trenton Gillison stepped in.
He caught four passes against the Demon Deacons (a career-high) for 88 yards, plus a 64-yard bomb that set up Michigan State's third touchdown of the game.
"Trent is a guy that runs extremely well, and he's a young man that we feel can really, really help us in the pass game part of it. So his challenge and his mission is to get better at the point in the run game and to become a complete player so that's something we're trying to challenge him to do and he's embracing it, he's embracing it," said Gilmore.
Though it's a bigger room than just those three players – Parks Gissinger and Adam Berghorst switched to the tight end position last year.
Alongside those gentlemen stands Max Rosenthal, who suffered a knee injury during the MSU bowl game (former fullback), Tyler Hunt (punter/kicker), and true freshman Tommy Guajardo.
They will all play an essential role in the Michigan State offense.
"It's a room that we are going to need every single one of those guys to give us some depth," Gilmore said. "Obviously, in this offense, we need those guys to be good because they factor in on every single thing we do – run and pass ... my challenge to them is to become complete players and not just look at yourself as a pass receiving tight end.
"But one that can do it all. We talk about our group as 'The Arsenals.' We got to be able to do it all. So, that's my challenge, and that's my vision for the guys."
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