Michigan State Football Players Excited To Play In New Offense

In an offseason of change, the Spartans are excited to be a part of a new offensive scheme under head coach Jonathan Smith, offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren...

One of the most frustrating parts of Michigan State football over the last several years was having to watch former offensive coordinator Jay Johnson's offense week in and week out.

Outside of the occasional trick play thrown in here and there, which diminshed in effectiveness as the years went on, Johnson's offense was mostly predictable and ineffective (outside of when the Spartans had a generational tailback in Kenneth Walker III.)

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise then that the current offensive players at Michigan State are excited to play within a new offensive scheme under head coach Jonathan Smith and coordinator Brian Lindgren. The Spartans' running backs should be particularly excited, as Smith and Lindgren put an emphasis on a tough, physical, downhill running attack to set up the play-action pass and keep defenses honest.

"I think these guys are excited about the offense," Michigan State RB coach Keith Bhonapha said earlier this spring. "We're able to do some stuff in pre-practice and things like that. It will be a lot more enthusiastic around here in another week when we put in most of the install and now guys are having some retention and now getting some confidence in the plays that we're running, and going out there really being able to run full speed. Because you can tell when guys are still thinking at times out there on the field."

Bhonapha described his meeting rooms with Michigan State's running backs as "energetic", and said his players are coming along with the offensive install this spring.

"Depending on the level where guys are at — some are 300 level, some are 100 level — I think these guys are retaining pretty well," Bhonapha said. "We've just got so much stuff we're still trying to build, from protection, to the run game, to where we want these guys in the route concepts and things like that. I'm just trying to make sure there knowledge of understanding the offense-slash-football is good."

Michigan State has now conducted two scrimmages behind closed doors this spring, and Spartan fans will get a glimpse of what the new scheme will look like on April 20 when MSU hosts its first "Spring Showcase" of the Smith era.

The Michigan State Spartan Football Spring Green and White Game (Spring Showcase) will be held at the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, on April 20, 2024, at 2 p.m.

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