3 Key Observations from Latest MSU Football Practice
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Pads are ready to go on soon for the Michigan State football team.
That begins on Tuesday, but a period of Monday's morning practice was made available for media observation. Here are a couple of different things that I noticed as I walked around the field.
Overheard "Starters" at WR
The position I've spent the most time watching thus far have been the wide receivers. There are two starting spots up for grabs, after all, and it's tough to have an effective offense without capable playmakers at that spot, and the Spartans have a lot of unproven guys there.
At one point I overheard wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins calling for the "starters" ahead of a drill. That's the only word I really made out, but it seemed like a command for, well, the starters to line up. The three who went up were Chrishon McCray (to no surprise), Charles Taplin, and then Rodney Bullard Jr.
These are the three projected wideouts I had listed as projected starters on Monday morning, but this is much more of a direct confirmation on where things currently stand in the room. It also only raises the stakes of the NCAA's looming eligibility decision on Bullard, because now a denial of his waiver very well might mean the Spartans are losing a starter weeks (maybe days, at this rate) from kickoff. Bullard has been waiting for an answer since wintertime, so it is a little ridiculous this is still going on.
I also highly doubt these starter designations, besides McCray's, are final. Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore, Notre Dame transfer KK Smith, sophomore Bryson Williams, and freshman Samson Gash all seem like players who should see the field this year, too. Gash may still be nursing a hamstring injury he suffered this summer during a track and field meet, but I bet he sees more snaps as he regains his health and as the season progresses.
A Potential Starting Offensive Line Combo
Another thing that caught my attention was seeing what may be Michigan State's starting five on the offensive line. MSU had mostly been running drills in groups of three during media periods, so it was hard to place everyone precisely where they were supposed to be, but during the final period of observation, five guys finally lined up in a traditional formation.
From left to right, you had: left tackle Ben Murawski, left guard Conner Moore, center Trent Fraley, right guard Nick Sharpe, and then right tackle Rakeem Johnson. The move for Moore from right tackle to left guard would be the biggest piece of news there, but Johnson getting the right tackle job ahead of Robert Wright Jr., who started there at Georgia Southern last season, would be a minor surprise.
Sharpe would also be moving back to right guard. He played left guard last season while he was at South Carolina, but he only ever knew playing on the right spot during his four seasons at Wake Forest. Nick Tabacca was also his offensive line coach there, so that shift wouldn't be too much of a surprise.
This starting five feels more firm than the supposed starters at wideout, but Pat Fitzgerald said there were 10-11 offensive linemen in the running for starting roles during Big Ten Football Media Days a couple of weeks ago. Wright, guard/center Luka Vincic (when healthy), tackle Rustin Young, center Drew Nichols, and maybe true freshman Eli Bickel feel like some other players who fans should expect to see this season.
Sense of Urgency Among Defensive Tackles
The vibe was certainly interesting when I went over to observe the defensive tackles for a few minutes. The group as a whole certainly didn't seem to think they were having the best day. In between drills, one player in the unit (I believe it was Mikeshun Beeler, but was too far away to know for sure) gave a spirited speech telling everybody to pick it up, while also using some phrases I can't repeat on here.
As for the players themselves, I came away impressed with Illinois transfer Eli Coenen. He looked like the fastest and the most violent player in the group while going through drills. Coenen's been one player who I'm keeping my eye on for a breakout season. He's risen up the ranks a ton during his college career, going from redshirting at Division II Bemidji State as a freshman in 2023 to being a big part of Illinois' rotation during the back half of 2025.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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