Michigan State University Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Spring Football Update: Coordinator Quotes
4/11/2019 10:31:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Mike Tressel and offensive coordinator/running backs coach Brad Salem met with the media following Tuesday's practice to talk about how the Spartans have looked so far this spring.
The annual Green-White Spring Game, presented by McLaren Health Plan, is set for Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. in Spartan Stadium. Admission is free.
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Mike Tressel
On the goal of the spring…
The goal is to develop 22 starters, that's what we said. It's surprising how many seniors we lost from our second team and how that knowledge really benefitted us. We feel good about our first group. There is a lot of experience for us there. The second group and third group was a really big focus this spring and they've been coming along. Actually today I saw them jump up in the team periods quite a bit. That's been a focus and they've been coming. We have a lot of talent, but not a lot of experience in the back end. We had a team meeting the other day and I said if you're on the second defense stand up, about 12 or 13 guys stood up, which is good, we want them all to believe that. Then I said stay standing if you've played 30 snaps of football at Michigan State University, and there were only two still standing. So, there's talent and not a lot of experience.
On replacing talent in the secondary…
Josh (Butler) has a lot of experience and Shakur (Brown) and Tre (Person) have really done a great job this spring. We feel like they're playing like starters. David Dowell has really done a good job of replacing Khari's (Willis) leadership, his football IQ, his ability to do what I call a "Max Bullough" and know exactly what every single person needs to know on the field and be able to communicate that. David and Xavier (Henderson) together have been able to put that puzzle together, but there's still room to match Khari.
On Dominique Long…
I'm excited about him…this back half of this spring it's finally like he's said "I got this, I got this." We've been able to use him at corner, at safety, he's played a variety of positions in our nickel and dime stuff, so I think he's finally to the point where those talents you have can finally shine.
On the MIKE linebacker position…
We've repped a lot of guys at MIKE and that's been something we're still trying to figure out exactly what's right. I'll tell you something, Tyriq Thompson has played an awful lot of MIKE and even Antjuan Simmons and Noah Harvey have played some MIKE. Dante Razzano has played some MIKE. That's definitely something we don't have the answer to yet.
On the experience of the defensive tackles…
If the two tackles in the middle are great players, yes, it makes everything a lot easier. We know in our 4-3 cover four, corners and safeties are critical positions, but if you have two D tackles and a MIKE with experience and the ability to be dominant football players you're going to be pretty good against the run.
On competition in practice…
I think what it does is make the older guys, the veterans, hold people accountable. They're quick to say "that's not how we do things around here." We also talk an awful lot, and I mean the players, that it doesn't just happen. We need to start over and have the mentality that why we play good defense isn't because we're Michigan State Spartans. It's because of how much we get after it, how hard we work and that starts fresh every year.
On adding assistant head coach to his title…
It's a big deal. It's an honor. Working for Coach Dantonio for as many years as I have, I have the utmost respect for that man. And to be a part of this program in any role is awesome. But, yeah, to be the assistant head coach is a big deal, and there are some added responsibilities, so hopefully I can step up.
On if there is one thing he could add to this year's defense that he didn't have last year…
I think we need more negative plays. We were very, very consistent in not giving up many explosive plays, or not giving up that big play, but we need to make more tackles in the backfield. More sacks, more run-throughs and putting people behind the sticks.
Michigan State Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Brad Salem
On what the offense is working on…
Every day coach has got a situation for us, so we did a lot of short yardage things today and got some of the two-back personnel and tight end stuff in, and then third down situations.
On what players were making plays on Tuesday…
Darrell Stewart had a good day, and Cody (White) and Jalen Nailor. You're seeing guys making plays with one-on-one opportunities.
On the potential of the 1-2 quarterback punch with Brian Lewerke and Rocky Lombardi…
It's exciting. You always talk about experience and how there's value in it, so for Rocky to play last year and get that game experience under his belt, and a guy that started as a sophomore (Brian Lewerke). So obviously we're excited to get those two guys back.
On wanting to show off what the team has been working on offensively…
You have to play to your people, so this has been a really good spring. We've done, I mean really a lot of football. You look at how many plays, team plays that we get in. We're fortunate too, I think we've 102 players (this spring) so at times we're doing three-spot full team. We're getting over 100 team reps in a practice. Guys are getting valued reps because it's really about lining up, knowing what to do, and how to do it.
On some things he's brought to the table since becoming the offensive coordinator…
I think you always coach to your personnel and the things you've been around whether it's my dad or the people I've worked for way back with Gary Tranquill, obviously the things here I've been here for nine years. Those are things you're familiar with, but I think the biggest thing is just finding a way to get the ball to your playmakers and being able to do different things with formations and people. Really systematically having the ability for our guys to line up and play so there's less thought and guys can concentrate on making plays and the task at hand.
On advantages of not having to coach quarterbacks in addition to coordinator duties…
I think coach (Mark) Dantonio has always done that. I think there's a positive because it's such a run-pass orientated position and I was in the (running backs) room before six years ago. You really need to be in both so you know the drills you need to be in and understanding of pass protection, the run game, and what you want to do. Not that you have to run the football to win, but there's obviously that relationship with the quarterbacks from the previous six years so coach (Dave) Warner and I are bouncing back and forth.
On if Brian Lewerke is back to his 2017 form…
You feel like it. The confidence is back and the arm strength is back, so we've seen some pretty good things.
On the running back position…
We've got seven guys or eight guys that are running tailback, so we're trying to rep them all to figure out who fits. For them, just to get better with their steps, their vision, and making plays with the football. When I was in there before, it's hard to even use three; you'd like to depending on situations if you've got a third-down guy or if you can roll a fourth guy in there. Part of it too is who has the hot hand, if it's in a game or if it's for the season that'll be the guy, but you cannot play six-deep, 70 snaps at running back.
On if it's easier for freshmen to break in at running back…
We've got two coming in and one's here now in Anthony Williams who has done a great job. He has some similarities to Jeremy Langford, so he's done a really good job of learning. Obviously, he fell behind in pass protection and little nuances of the position, but since being here he's been pretty good.
On critiquing plays from last season with Connor Heyward and La'Darius Jefferson…
We even just look at the cut up of the very end of their run so that they themselves can see how they finished a play. I think when I walked into that room the first thing I said when I was in there nine years ago was 'Do you really understand the value of three feet?' One yard is a big deal, do they get it when you finish forward that's another two yards, maybe now it's a second down and four which is better than second and six. Just teaching guys how to finish and understand that value. They're seeing it, they have clips of themselves now from the previous fall and you're seeing stuff from practice.
On seeing consistency with the offensive line with guys back to full health…
Absolutely, you get your health back, get some guys back, and we have guys with experience so you're seeing the communication and seeing guys working together. We're juggling guys around right and left a little bit to see what the best fit is, as you go into the season you always try to find eight or nine guys that can play and who's the next guy in.
The annual Green-White Spring Game, presented by McLaren Health Plan, is set for Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. in Spartan Stadium. Admission is free.
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Mike Tressel
On the goal of the spring…
The goal is to develop 22 starters, that's what we said. It's surprising how many seniors we lost from our second team and how that knowledge really benefitted us. We feel good about our first group. There is a lot of experience for us there. The second group and third group was a really big focus this spring and they've been coming along. Actually today I saw them jump up in the team periods quite a bit. That's been a focus and they've been coming. We have a lot of talent, but not a lot of experience in the back end. We had a team meeting the other day and I said if you're on the second defense stand up, about 12 or 13 guys stood up, which is good, we want them all to believe that. Then I said stay standing if you've played 30 snaps of football at Michigan State University, and there were only two still standing. So, there's talent and not a lot of experience.
On replacing talent in the secondary…
Josh (Butler) has a lot of experience and Shakur (Brown) and Tre (Person) have really done a great job this spring. We feel like they're playing like starters. David Dowell has really done a good job of replacing Khari's (Willis) leadership, his football IQ, his ability to do what I call a "Max Bullough" and know exactly what every single person needs to know on the field and be able to communicate that. David and Xavier (Henderson) together have been able to put that puzzle together, but there's still room to match Khari.
On Dominique Long…
I'm excited about him…this back half of this spring it's finally like he's said "I got this, I got this." We've been able to use him at corner, at safety, he's played a variety of positions in our nickel and dime stuff, so I think he's finally to the point where those talents you have can finally shine.
On the MIKE linebacker position…
We've repped a lot of guys at MIKE and that's been something we're still trying to figure out exactly what's right. I'll tell you something, Tyriq Thompson has played an awful lot of MIKE and even Antjuan Simmons and Noah Harvey have played some MIKE. Dante Razzano has played some MIKE. That's definitely something we don't have the answer to yet.
On the experience of the defensive tackles…
If the two tackles in the middle are great players, yes, it makes everything a lot easier. We know in our 4-3 cover four, corners and safeties are critical positions, but if you have two D tackles and a MIKE with experience and the ability to be dominant football players you're going to be pretty good against the run.
On competition in practice…
I think what it does is make the older guys, the veterans, hold people accountable. They're quick to say "that's not how we do things around here." We also talk an awful lot, and I mean the players, that it doesn't just happen. We need to start over and have the mentality that why we play good defense isn't because we're Michigan State Spartans. It's because of how much we get after it, how hard we work and that starts fresh every year.
On adding assistant head coach to his title…
It's a big deal. It's an honor. Working for Coach Dantonio for as many years as I have, I have the utmost respect for that man. And to be a part of this program in any role is awesome. But, yeah, to be the assistant head coach is a big deal, and there are some added responsibilities, so hopefully I can step up.
On if there is one thing he could add to this year's defense that he didn't have last year…
I think we need more negative plays. We were very, very consistent in not giving up many explosive plays, or not giving up that big play, but we need to make more tackles in the backfield. More sacks, more run-throughs and putting people behind the sticks.
Michigan State Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Brad Salem
On what the offense is working on…
Every day coach has got a situation for us, so we did a lot of short yardage things today and got some of the two-back personnel and tight end stuff in, and then third down situations.
On what players were making plays on Tuesday…
Darrell Stewart had a good day, and Cody (White) and Jalen Nailor. You're seeing guys making plays with one-on-one opportunities.
On the potential of the 1-2 quarterback punch with Brian Lewerke and Rocky Lombardi…
It's exciting. You always talk about experience and how there's value in it, so for Rocky to play last year and get that game experience under his belt, and a guy that started as a sophomore (Brian Lewerke). So obviously we're excited to get those two guys back.
On wanting to show off what the team has been working on offensively…
You have to play to your people, so this has been a really good spring. We've done, I mean really a lot of football. You look at how many plays, team plays that we get in. We're fortunate too, I think we've 102 players (this spring) so at times we're doing three-spot full team. We're getting over 100 team reps in a practice. Guys are getting valued reps because it's really about lining up, knowing what to do, and how to do it.
On some things he's brought to the table since becoming the offensive coordinator…
I think you always coach to your personnel and the things you've been around whether it's my dad or the people I've worked for way back with Gary Tranquill, obviously the things here I've been here for nine years. Those are things you're familiar with, but I think the biggest thing is just finding a way to get the ball to your playmakers and being able to do different things with formations and people. Really systematically having the ability for our guys to line up and play so there's less thought and guys can concentrate on making plays and the task at hand.
On advantages of not having to coach quarterbacks in addition to coordinator duties…
I think coach (Mark) Dantonio has always done that. I think there's a positive because it's such a run-pass orientated position and I was in the (running backs) room before six years ago. You really need to be in both so you know the drills you need to be in and understanding of pass protection, the run game, and what you want to do. Not that you have to run the football to win, but there's obviously that relationship with the quarterbacks from the previous six years so coach (Dave) Warner and I are bouncing back and forth.
On if Brian Lewerke is back to his 2017 form…
You feel like it. The confidence is back and the arm strength is back, so we've seen some pretty good things.
On the running back position…
We've got seven guys or eight guys that are running tailback, so we're trying to rep them all to figure out who fits. For them, just to get better with their steps, their vision, and making plays with the football. When I was in there before, it's hard to even use three; you'd like to depending on situations if you've got a third-down guy or if you can roll a fourth guy in there. Part of it too is who has the hot hand, if it's in a game or if it's for the season that'll be the guy, but you cannot play six-deep, 70 snaps at running back.
On if it's easier for freshmen to break in at running back…
We've got two coming in and one's here now in Anthony Williams who has done a great job. He has some similarities to Jeremy Langford, so he's done a really good job of learning. Obviously, he fell behind in pass protection and little nuances of the position, but since being here he's been pretty good.
On critiquing plays from last season with Connor Heyward and La'Darius Jefferson…
We even just look at the cut up of the very end of their run so that they themselves can see how they finished a play. I think when I walked into that room the first thing I said when I was in there nine years ago was 'Do you really understand the value of three feet?' One yard is a big deal, do they get it when you finish forward that's another two yards, maybe now it's a second down and four which is better than second and six. Just teaching guys how to finish and understand that value. They're seeing it, they have clips of themselves now from the previous fall and you're seeing stuff from practice.
On seeing consistency with the offensive line with guys back to full health…
Absolutely, you get your health back, get some guys back, and we have guys with experience so you're seeing the communication and seeing guys working together. We're juggling guys around right and left a little bit to see what the best fit is, as you go into the season you always try to find eight or nine guys that can play and who's the next guy in.
Players Mentioned
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