Michigan State Football DC Joe Rossi: Whole LB Room "Can Contribute This Year" for the Spartans

Michigan State Spartans defensive coordinator Joe Rossi believes every linebacker has something to offer next season.

Michigan State's linebacker room will have the luxury of depth next season, a strength that should serve as a significant advantage for the Spartans' defense.

Spartans defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has noticed a promising trait within his linebacker room that he has not been used to in his long history of coaching.

"The thing about the room right now, to me, they are all guys that can contribute this year, which has been -- I'll be honest with you -- over my career hasn't always been the case, where you're like, every one of these guys can contribute. So, that's really good.

"Now, as we continue to recruit and be able to add some more depth to the room, I think that's certainly a positive. But the thing that I've been pleased with is all those guys have shown themselves to be contributors."

One of the veteran linebackers who will be leading the group next season is redshirt senior Cal Haladay, who led Michigan State in total tackles (91) last season, his third straight year of doing so.

"I've been pleased," Rossi said. "I think he moves well, I think he covers well, he's savvy, he's grizzled, so to speak as an older guy who played a lot of ball. And I've been impressed with him moving, and he's shown the ability to run."

Then there's the younger linebackers like early-enrollee Brady Pretzlaff, who has already caught Rossi's eye.

"I've been impressed with him," Rossi said. "He's smart, he cares, he's got length, he's athletic. He's transitioning, but me -- I think this is 24, Year 24 -- so he should be sitting in high school class right now and he's out here playing a lot of reps for us in the Big Ten. And so, he's on the right track. He's got a lot of work to do, but he's certainly on the right track, and he's got a really good future."

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