Michigan State O-Line Coach Jim Michalczik Confident As Rebuild Begins

In order for the Spartans to return to the top of the Big Ten and compete for championships, Michigan State football needs better play along the line of scrimmage...

In football, the most difficult position to get turned around and build consistency and depth is the offensive line. It's also the most important position to do so at.

Michigan State has struggled with this since the end of the Mark Dantonio era, and the task now falls upon new Spartans offensive line coach Jim Michalczik. The 57-year-old is considered one of the best in the business, with 32 years of experience in college football and the NFL.

Michalczik takes over from former MSU offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic, who has a good reputation among coaching circles. Kapilovic was able to recruit well during his four seasons at East Lansing, but the offensive line never really came together, speaking again to just how difficult it is to build this position. Yet, after watching film, Michalczik likes the players Kapilovic brought to Michigan State, and that's what the Spartans' new O-line coach is focused on.

"I was really not looking at what they did as much as who the players were, how they would fit what we wanted to do, and I thought that was good," Michalczik told reporters earlier this spring. "Going through it, there was guys that could fit in our system. We need guys that are a little more athletic that can move and do things, and I think we've got those guys here.

"We kind of have our scheme, and I feel really good about what we do and how we do it. So, it's more about us teaching that than looking at the other stuff."

Michalczik's immediate task is getting this group of offensive linemen that he inherted ready for the 2024 season. The bigger picture of returning Michigan State's O-line to being consistently good and building depth will take time, but Michalczik has a track record of doing that at previous stops.

"Every day is getting better, and that's what we need to do," Michalczik said. "I mean, every day we need to get better. If a kid's here four or five years, every day if he gets better they'll be pretty good. So far, it's fun to see the progress and then it's frustrating because we still have a lot more work to do."

The Michigan State Spartan Football "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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