What MSU Looked for in Winter Portal
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Michigan State football has kicked off its spring practice period, which entails 15 practices and numerous scrimmages over the next month.
Coach Jonathan Smith talked to reporters after Day 1 wrapped up and had some interesting comments regarding the transfer portal and the Spartans' strategy going in.
"Starting with what we felt like were needs, coming from the additions," Smith said. "27 new guys starting in January. Offensive line up front, we wanted to create more competition in that room, got that done.
"Secondary, we added to that position. You're playing so many DBs in this day and age, many times you're out there with five guys, we needed to create more competition in that room. The receiver position was a priority, six new guys there, so we're excited to kind of watch that play out over spring camp here at those positions in particular."
Smith talked about the considerable amount of new wideouts the program brought in over the winter and how that will change the look of his spring program.
"I can't remember this many -- especially in January," Smith said. "When I was coaching 10 years ago, a majority of new guys were coming in the summer. This is probably the most that I've been around. Knowing that, we put some thought into January, February, getting around these guys to get them a taste of the playbook and system and all of that."
Smith touched on an interesting trend that fans have started to notice, which is the number of players the Spartans have been able to grab from the transfer portal from the Division II and FCS ranks. He feels like production is the most important thing to consider when considering these players.
"Production was like, the priority, as we looked," Smith said. "When we went in, knowing the areas and positions we wanted to target, we wanted production."
Smith emphasized that snaps and starts were a major factor when considering guys from other levels. It seems that Smith and his staff are confident they brought in the right guys.
The theme of the day seemed to be competition -- newcomers and returners at each position pushing each other to be better and earn their spot in the lineup.
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Graham, the founder of High School Football Frenzy, covers high school football, hockey, and basketball across the Big Ten. He provides in-depth reports on prospects at all levels and builds strong relationships with coaches and players. Joining the On SI team as a Big Ten Recruiting Beat Writer, Graham brings extensive knowledge of the Big Ten region, recruiting prospects, and high schools.