Much maligned for the last two seasons, can the Spartan secondary turn things around this year?
Our position group previews continue with this third installment, featuring the secondary.
Returning Players: Charles Brantley, Caleb Coley, Dorian Davis, Philipp Davis, Caleb Gash, Angelo Grose, Khalil Majeed, Brandon Lewis, Chance Rucker, Armorion Smith, Shawn Smith, Malik Spencer, Dillon Tatum, Ade Willie
Departed Players: Sean Brown, Khary Crump, Malcolm Jones, Chester Kimbrough, Marqui Lowery Jr., Jaden Mangham, Semar Melvin, Eddie Pleasant III, Justin White
Transfers In: Lejond Cavazos, Aveon Grose, Jeremiah Hughes, Nikai Martinez, Ed Woods
Recruits In: Andrew Brinson IV, Justin Denson, DJ Kennard, Jaylen Thompson, Keshawn Williams
So the Spartans return 14 players from last year’s team while bringing in 5 transfers and 5 recruits. Nine players move on via transfer or by using up their eligibility.
The biggest name from the above lists is probably Jaden Mangham due to his transfer to Michigan which understandably seemed to rub a lot of Spartan fans the wrong way. Mangham started 10 games last year and recorded 73 tackles, 4 interceptions, 3 pass break ups, and a fumble recovery in his two years at MSU. Mangham certainly would have been expected to contribute this year but the roster is not light on DB’s. As on the defensive line, there could be a lot of competition in camp to sort out the depth chart.
Dillon Tatum represented MSU at Big Ten media days and is expected to be the leader of the secondary this year. Tatum started 9 games last year, recording 45 tackles and 7 pass break ups before missing the last three games due to injury.
Fifth year senior Angelo Grose has seen action in 40 games while Chance Rucker played in all 12 games last year, starting eight. Charles Brantley, who will always be remembered for his game sealing interception against Michigan in 2021, has started 15 games at corner. Malik Spencer, Ade Willie, Khalil Majeed, Brandon Lewis, and Caleb Coley have all seen game action.
A few of the transfer players, led by Ed Woods from Arizona State, who chose MSU over Alabama, may see significant playing time. Jeremiah Hughes (LSU) and Lejond Cavazos (North Carolina) are also expected to contribute.
Justin Denson and Jaylen Thompson are the highest rated incoming recruits and were both 3 stars. With all of the returners and talent coming in from the transfer portal, it may be tough for any of the true freshmen to see significant playing time.
In the two deep at safety, Tatum is expected to move from his previous corner position and start alongside Armorion Smith. Grose and Majeed could back them up. At corner I’ll go with Woods and Rucker in the starting spots with Cavazos and Brantley or Hughes in the second line. Willie could also see snaps at corner. Finally, Spencer, and possibly Coley, should contribute at nickel.
This group’s struggles over the past few seasons have been well documented but MSU seems to have taken significant steps through the transfer portal to improve the defensive backfield. Coach Blue Adams also came with Jonathan Smith from Oregon State and Smith was able to hire MSU great Demetrice Martin away from Oregon to coach the corners. The secondary may not be as strong as the linebacker group but hopefully several new faces and a new coaching staff can get things turned around to eventually resemble something much closer to the Dantonio era “No Fly Zone”.