Michigan State Football: Tucker teases transfer portal addition, talks June recruiting, Ford Field game and more
With his appearance at the National College Showcase football camp at Wayne State this week, we got our first public statements from Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker since the end of the Spartans' spring practice schedule back in mid-April.
The biggest question on everyone's mind was how Tucker and MSU reacted to the departures of quarterback Payton Thorne and wide receiver Keon Coleman through via the transfer portal.
However, Tucker gave some insight on a few other developments on his program as well. The head coach's full comments on each topic can be viewed below:
Mel Tucker on June official recruiting visits, new director of recruiting Mark Diethorn:
“I’m really happy about Mark. He’s done a great job so far, coming in. He has experience. He’s done it before.”
“We’ve got recruits rolling in tomorrow and every weekend this month, and throughout the week in June we’re going to have camps — prospects coming in and youth camps. It’s going to be a really busy month, but we’ve got a lot of good players who are going to be coming in. Every weekend is going to be loaded with really, really talented players and they’re coming to East Lansing for a reason. They like what they’ve seen, what they know about us, and we have to put our best foot forward and we’re certainly going to do that.”
On moving MSU's season-finale vs. Penn State to Ford Field:
“I think it’s good for us. I think it’s good for the Big Ten. It’s good exposure. I think it’s going to be great for our fans. And I think as people learn more about it and it gets a little closer, I think people will embrace it.”
On position battles, sorting out the depth chart:
“We have an eight-week program this summer, [which] just started on Tuesday. And then we have fall camp, 20-plus practices before our first game. I think we have 98 days before our first game. So, we’re going to work really hard at it. We feel good about our roster. We feel like we’re deeper and more competitive at more positions than we’ve been. So, the arrow is up.”
On Charles Brantley’s decision to withdraw from transfer portal, return to MSU:
“I like Chuck. I think he made a really good decision to take his name out and come back. Obviously, he’s still developing as a player. We really like him as a young man. We’ve put a lot of work into him, invested a lot of time into him. He’s progressing, on and off the field. I’m just really happy about the decision he made. I think it was a mature decision and a good choice.”
On MSU’s cornerback room:
“We’re going to be young at that position, but very talented. We do have some guys who have transferred in who are going to help us. There may be another guy who may pop up here in the next couple days, we’ll see. But, that’s a position where I feel like we’re going to have more depth.”
On MSU's safeties, overall team depth:
“We’ve dipped into the portal as well. So, we’re going to be very competitive there.”
“We want to make sure we’re competitive at each position, offense and defense. Not just depth and bodies, but guys who can actually go in the game and play winning football for us.”
“Some of the players in those positions our fans don’t know about yet. But, I think throughout camp and as the season starts, I think you’ll start to recognize that we have more players than maybe what people think that we have."
On MSU’s wide receiver room w/o Jayden Reed, Keon Coleman or Germie Bernard:
“Young. Talented.”
“If you look at — obviously, Tre is an excellent player, but [Jaron] Glover, Tyrell Henry’s done a great job, [Antonio] Gates is a really good player.”
On Michigan State TEs Maliq Carr, Jaylan Franklin
“We have really good tight ends on our team. Maliq Carr is a really good player. So, we have a lot of weapons in the passing game and they’re only going to get better.”
“[Jaylan Franklin is] a good player. He’s got good size, he’s a willing blocker, he’s got good hands, he’s very competitive. I like what I saw from him [in spring practice].”
On MSU’s new Tom Izzo Football Building, its progress and opening:
“[Construction was] going along pretty good when I left. They were chopping man,” Tucker said with a big smile, while performing his patented chopping motion with his hands.
“A ribbon cutting? You talking with the big, huge scissors? I don’t know. I think there might be something like that down the road. But, I mean, 98 days man before we play. So, that’s really where my focus is and it’ll be ready when it’s ready.”
Tucker, again, had a big smile after saying, “it’ll be ready when it’s ready”, which was a slight adjustment to his patented phrase when addressing injuries to his players — “He’ll be ready when he’s ready.”
On Payton Thorne, Keon Coleman, transfer portal:
“We just wish Payton the very best of luck. He’s a really good player. A better person. He’s got a really great family and we wish him well.”
[Is Keon’s transfer the ‘new normal’ in college sports?]
“I believe so, yeah. We’ve seen it, right? We’ve seen it. We’ve gotten guys out of the portal, and it’s really common. So, I don’t think it’s anything that anyone should be surprised about.”
On the current QB situation, lack of experience:
“We had a really good spring. It was very competitive, and we feel good about our situation.”
“Well, that’s the same thing people were saying about Payton a couple seasons ago. So, obviously, we feel good about our situation. Our guys are very, very competitive. We’re going to play the best players. We’re going to have a good summer and a good camp.”
On new leaders emerging in 2023:
“Leadership is always important, and I think that’s one of the more difficult, more challenging things to develop on your team. Leaders, and having a player-led team as opposed to just a coach-led team. So, that’s something that we work very hard at in the ‘out of season’ and during the season. But, we’ve come a long way in a short period of time in that regard and I feel like we’ll have the right type of leadership on our team.”
“I just think we’ve got a really good group of guys. I’m really excited about it.”
