Everything Mel Tucker said ahead of Michigan State's third week of spring practice

The head coach likes what he sees both from his players and coaches as spring football continues...

Michigan State football is in its third week of spring practice, and head coach Mel Tucker met with the media on Monday to discuss the Spartans' progress.

Opening statement:

“Going into our third week of spring practice, I like what I see so far. We had a chance to scrimmage on Saturday and get some live tackling in, and I thought we had a really good effort, really good intensity. Guys were moving around well, and we’re just working to get better every day. Aggregation and marginal gains – it’s every single guy just getting a little bit better every single day, and focusing on the process. So far, the attitude has been good and guys have been doing that on and off the field. The meetings have been great. We’re getting a lot of work in – situational work, special teams work – and I’m really impressed with the staff and with the players. We’re just going to keep chopping, keep working at it.”

On new players – transfers, early enrollees:

“They’re fitting in well, and it’s adding to the competition at their positions. We have more guys that are capable of having significant roles, and so there’s a lot of competition to get on the field. Which is good. It’s going to make everyone better.”

Comparing Spring 2021 to Spring 2022, first two weeks:

“Most of our players, they already know how to practice, and so we don’t have to spend as much time teaching guys how to practice in the spring. And so, we’re further ahead in that regard. We also know our players a lot better now, the guys that are returning. We’ve been through a season with these guys, and then another out-of-season conditioning program, so it just helps with our ability to coach the guys and give them what they need.”

On the intensity in practice:

“They’re always intense, and I only raise my voice in enthusiasm. But yeah…it’s intense. There’s a sense of urgency, there’s a lot of attention to detail. We’re teaching mental and physical toughness. The urgency is there to get better, and we don’t have time to waste. So, we’re getting after it. The coaches are getting after it, the players are getting after it and it’s very intense.”

On Brandon Jordan:

“B. Jordan is doing a great job, and we are getting some rush and we’re making some improvements, with the inside guys and the outside guys, with just their approach. He and Coach Coleman working together is a strong tandem there. Very good coaches, and I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. He’s a teacher, and the players are listening. He’s captured their attention.”

On NFL players on campus working w/ Brandon Jordan:

“I’m not sure how much our guys saw that, because I wasn’t down there, but we have a lot of NFL guys in here and getting work in. It’s all about the work. At every level, it’s about the work you put in to getting better at your craft.”

On hearing players use his catchphrases:

“That speaks to the buy-in, and the players are listening and they understand what we’re saying. They understand the message. It’s not just words on the wall, or slogans. For them to kind of give it back to us or repeat it to you, that means they understand it, and they understand the context of what it means and when it should be applied.”

“It’s important because that’s part of our culture. The things we talk about, that’s how we live and behave every day and that’s what I define as culture. When you have guys that have already been here, when they can all speak the same language, and also teach that to the new guys, help those guys to understand it, then those new guys, they understand it and can repeat it back, then that means the buy-in is there quickly. And then we can move forward as a team together.”

On him coaching cornerbacks:

“It’s very good competition, because no one is promised a starting job. They’re going to get what they earn, at the corner spot and everywhere else. But, they’re making each other better and they’re learning from each other, good and bad. What I like about the room is we don’t have haters in the room. Guys are working to help each other to get better, even though they are competing with one another, which is a sign of a good, cohesive unit. And, at the end of the day, we’re going to need them all, anyway, to play at a high level.”

“I like the way the group is working. Coach Barnett is doing a great job with the entire secondary, and then I’m helping out with the corners as much as I possibly can. … Coach Els is doing a great job coaching the nickels. He’s coaching all of the special teams and then he’s also coaching the nickels. The nickel position is very similar to a linebacker position, and so they’re getting very specialized coaching by position.”

On speaking about a national championship:

“Why not us? Of course it can be attained. But it’s not going to be easy and it’s going to take a lot of hard work. When you have people in the organization that have done it and knows what it looks like, then that’s helps. Because there’s certain things you have to do to get to that level and get to that point where you have an opportunity to play for a national championship, and it’s part of the process. Ameer [Speed] – he knows that process. He knows it inside and out.”

On Scottie Hazelton coaching linebackers:

“Scottie is an outstanding linebacker coach. He’s just a ball coach. He can coach any position out there, but with him coaching linebackers, I feel like that’s his wheelhouse. He’s doing a great job there. He’s got a lot of experience – he’s done it and the college level and the NFL level. So, that’s allowing us to have [Brandon Jordan] and Marco in the front, and then Coach Els – he coaches all the special teams…and then the nickels. And with his experience coaching linebackers, the nickel position has a lot of similarities, that’s a really good spot for [Ross Els].”

“It’s really benefitting our players, because they are getting more specialized coaching, more attention to detail, and it’s just a more focused approach to what we’re doing. They’re getting better a lot faster.”

“The nickels – they’re defensive backs, so they’ll work with the defensive back coaches. We have guys that play multiple positions. We have some corners that play nickel as well, and so there’s crossover. So we have to organize our practices, organize our meetings to make sure that no one falls through the cracks. We have a very cohesive staff, and we communicate. Sometimes Coach Els is with me – we’re meeting together with the corners, because those corners are playing nickel as well. Sometimes, we’re meeting separately. Sometimes, we meet together as a secondary. But, a lot of times, Coach Barnett has the safeties, I’ve got the corners, Coach Els has the nickels, and we’re doing that. We’re doing what we need to do based upon the install and how many corrections we have, and the type of corrections. It’s a work in progress, but I like where we’re headed.”

On the linebacker corps, new guys on campus:

“I feel good about those guys. Windmon coming in, Brule coming in, VanSumeren’s doing a good job – he had a one-handed interception in the scrimmage. He snagged the ball down in the redzone and took off like a rocket. That guy can run, he’s athletic. I like what I’m seeing at that linebacker position. Cal [Haladay], the body man, people call him like ‘John Wick’ – the guys is…and he’s still a young player. He’s getting better. It’s very competitive. The thing I like about this group though – it’s competitive, but there’s not a lot of sharp elbows. It’s hyper-competitive, but they’re all helping each other get better. We’re getting better as a team, getting better as a unit, and that’s important. We’re going to need everyone, and when you have capable linebackers that can run and hit and make plays and tackle in space, that really helps your special teams. The play of our special teams should be elevated as well.”

On players’ adjustment to D-line coach Marco Coleman:

“It’s an adjustment period – I think they are adjusting well – because he’s got a different style of coaching, he’s got a different personality, so the players have to adjust. And he’s got to learn the players as well, but he has really good interpersonal skills. He cares about the players. He’s very knowledgeable. He’s coached it at a high level, he’s played it at a high level and the players are listening. He has their attention.”

On offensive line depth:

“Coach Kap’s got his hands full, because we’re down offensive lineman. Guys have had out-of-season surgeries and stuff like that and haven’t recovered yet, so we’re low on numbers. Some of those guys up there are doing double duty and carrying a heavy load because of the numbers. The offensive line, I would say, from just having to strain and a mental toughness standpoint, they’re doing a heck of a job.”

On how lack of O-line depth could affect spring game:

“We’ll just have to see, because we still have a ways to go. But we’re going to do what we have to do. Whatever we do is going to be fast, it’s going to be physical, it’s going to be relentless whatever it is, whatever the format’s going to be. We’ll still have to see though.”

On running backs:

“Elijah [Collins], Harold [Joiner], [Jalen] Burger – [Davion] Primm is doing a good job – [Jordan] Simmons. Those guys are all in there working. Did I leave anyone out? We’ve got a stable of guys back there, and they’re all competing. We still have a lot of spring left, and we’ve got the whole summer and fall camp, so there’s not a clear-cut separation right now with the guys, as far as I’m concerned. But, the guys are competing, they’re working hard.”

“I’d keep an eye on Primm. He’s a good player. He’s tough.”

On quarterback depth:

“Guys have improved from a year ago…Noah Kim has very good arm talent. He can sling it. He’s got a strong arm, and he’s got more experience – not game experience, but he’s been in the system, he’s been coached, he’s taken a lot of reps. I see him growing.”

“Hamp Fay, the same thing, he’s been in the system. Hasn’t been in the games, but he’s gotten a lot fo reps in practice and he’s getting a lot of detailed coaching. Coach Johnson is a master quarterbacks coach. He’s coached the position for a long time, he played the position. I mean, he is one of the best that I’ve been around, if not the best. The guy can coach. I’m not just talking about the play-calling, we know he can do that, but I’m talking about coaching the details of the position.”

“[Katin] Houser – coming in new, young guy – I can see him getting better, picking up steam. If they can do it in practice, they’ll be able to do it in a game, because it’s very competitive. When you don’t have guys that have played in games, there’s always going to be some questions about what you have back there, but I like what I’m seeing in practice from those guys. It’s really heavy competition.”

On Darius Snow playing linebacker, versatility:

“He’s been doing a good job. He’s versatile and he’s physical. The first day we put the pads on, I saw him come downhill and strike a couple offensive linemen in the earhole, like a couple times back-to-back. So, he’s going to be physical in there, and then we know he can run. We want to have speed on the field, so he brings a lot to the table.”