Michigan State University Athletics
Preseason Camp Update: Spartans Practice in Full Pads for First Time
8/11/2021 5:06:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State football team held its first practice in full pads on Wednesday morning outside the Duffy Daugherty Building. It marked the sixth overall practice of preseason camp for the Spartans.
"We challenged our players this morning to have a more physical practice, and to give extreme effort, and we did that, so I feel like we got better," said MSU head coach Mel Tucker. "It's good to see guys in full pads and playing real football out there. It was a good day's work, we gained some ground today, and feel good about it. We'll watch the film, and get ready for the next one."
The Spartans will return to the practice field on Thursday.
POST-PRACTICE QUOTES:
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker
On the limited number of days of full contact with full pads and spacing them out...
We have them spaced out with full pads like we had today, and we also have practices where we just have the shoulder pads and helmets, and then we have practice where have helmets and just the spiders, and we have them spaced out. We're following the rules and trying to keep our players fresh as possible.
On building the intensity and hitting for the upcoming first scrimmage...
We have a plan for that and how long we practice, how many live periods we're having, and how many scrimmages we have, how much hitting. Then we use our sport scientists to gauge their workloads and their speeds and things like that, so we analyze that every day and sometimes we adjust our practices based upon the numbers that we hit, and we have 80-plus guys on our roster with the GPS units on.
Without much hitting the first week, if found that the players were ready to hit today...
We did some hitting before today, we just weren't in full pads…So, we've been hitting, we just need to be more physical today because the name of the game is hit, and it's technique, fundamentals, smart, fast, and physical, that was what we needed today, and we got that.
Michigan State assistant head coach/offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Kapilovic
On what he sees and what he likes so far...
I see first of all, just what they were able to do in the weight room this summer and offseason, and actually get a chance to meet with these guys, as opposed to this time last year when it was chaos. And so you see an understanding of the scheme, so now we're able to kind of move into understanding what it takes to be a physical offensive line, just the mentality that effort, all the things that go with it. It's still an up and down process, but you're seeing flashes of it, so now it's about that consistency.
On seeing AJ Arcuri and Jarrett Horst at the tackles and if that's in flux or if one is more comfortable on one side or the other...
I think right now that's going into camp as a starting point, and both those guys can play on both sides, and (Kevin) Jarvis can also play inside and outside. So at the end of the day, you're really looking for that combination of the best five, so Jarvis gives us some flexibility with that and with those tackles being will play both sides, it also adds flexibility for that. So really, it kind of increases your competition, and I'm hoping with the group we have and some of the veterans we have back, we're going to be able to rotate some guys in the season. They don't always like that, but if you're going to play 40 snaps instead of 70, then you can you can play at a high level 40 snaps, that's a plus for all of us.
On the center position with Matt Allen coming back for a sixth year and what the position battle is between him and Nick Samac...
It's a really good battle right now, they both have their strengths, right, and I don't want to say weaknesses, but things they're working on. Matt's more of a veteran, Nick had a year under his belt, Nick played a little bit the year before, but Matt's been around for a long time, he's got brothers that played here, he's got a brother that's starting in the NFL. So I mean, most kids go home and they've got nobody to talk to you, while Matt can go home and call his brother that's playing for the Rams and really get extra work there. So it's a really good battle. I like where Matt's at right now, mentally, he's doing some really good things, and physically he's working on that. Going back to Nick, and Nick's very athletic, and so Nick getting that confidence and understanding what he's seeing, kind of like Matt is, that's what we're at, so again, I expect that to be a really good competition and it may go through the year.
On calling guys out today on their technique and telling them that had to do that because to hold them accountable and how they responded to that...
That's not new, so they're used to it now, right, so they know that I'm a little different off the field than I am on the field, just like they have to be, right. You can only play this game one way up front, and there is no plays off up front, it's not like you're on the outside and you're going to run the ball the other way and you can kind of coast or something. Everybody's got a critical role in every play, and so it's really, as I always talk about, like mental warfare in the sense that you have to push yourself every snap, and it starts in drill work: if you take a play or rep off in drill work, you're going to do the same thing when you get tired out in the field, so that's the job of an O-line coach, we've got to be great teachers, but then we have to push them in every snap. If you let it slide, then it will become habit. So they respond, and they understand that when I'm getting on them, it's for a reason. What we're trying to get to, is we get some of the players doing it as well, don't be just the coach-led group, let's be a player-led group and then we're going to really have something.
On his philosophy with having a true starting five or if it's to keep guys fresh and can interchange six, seven, eight guys...
Well, first of all, you would love to be able to play more than five guys, if it's warranted. So you've got a backup that's even, you want to be able to play with both of those guys, they've got to know that's going to have guys practice harder also, and if there's a little bit of a drop off, then maybe it's 60-40 or 70-30, but if there's a major drop off, you're going to play the starter, or you're going to ride him till you have to. This is a unique situation with the COVID year, we have nine guys in our (O-line) room if you count (Jarrett) Horst that have started games. So, in one hand, everybody's like, well that's great, yes, it's great that you have that experience, and we have great competition, but how do they handle that mentally, because at the end of the day there's only going to be five that are going to walk out there for the first snap against Northwestern, so there's going to be four guys whose pride is going to be hurt. So they have to understand that they're competing against the defense every day, they're not competing against each other, and at the end of day, who moves it the best and who stops them the best is going to get on the field, and if they keep that mindset, then I think we're going to be in good shape.
On all the different starting lineups with all the injuries last year and feeling how their strength and conditioning has improved over the course of the last year with their strength, endurance and durability...
That's a big part of what Coach (Head Coach - Strength and Conditioning for Football) Jason Novak and that crew does, it's more than just the power aspect of it. (Coordinator of Sport Science) Coach Burghardt in the science part of it, with the kids, sometimes you have a great lift, you're tired and sore, right, and that's fine sometimes, but ideally they want to feel better when they leave the weight room or at the end of a phase and if you feel that way and they're saying those things. So I think that's going to pay off, that's going to be big because last year we didn't have that, right. So that's going to be huge for us, last year we were watching guys lifting water jugs and cinder blocks at home. But we're not the only ones, so everybody's going to be better, so we've got to understand that as well.
On how his responsibilities changed in the spring, offseason and fall camp with his promotion to assistant head coach...
Not dramatically, it's do what I do, but I think the biggest thing is I'm involved with some meetings that maybe I wouldn't have been involved with, with Coach Tuck, and I really appreciate his trust in me. And so I may be a sounding board for him on some things, and I feel comfortable that I can go to him if there's some things I see but for the most part, my day-to-day job is about trying to coach this O-line to be the best O-line that they can be, so there's little things here and there, but probably more in the offseason it affects me more than in season.
Sixth-year senior center Matt Allen
On difference in camp this year compared to his previous camps during his time here…
I mean, yeah, it's definitely a lot different from how Coach D (Dantonio) did things in the past, but there's still a ton of similarities as well. We're still hitting a ton, trying to get better every day, working as hard as we can, trying to be relentless, just like Coach Tucker says, and we're coming in here every day to work and that's the exact same way it was with Coach D. But there's a couple things that have changed, just when it comes to things like stretching, we're stretching a ton more in the weight room, we're doing a couple different type of exercises just to help lengthen our muscles a little bit and help us feel fresh for once we go back out on the field. And then we also have walk-throughs late at night, which I think have helped the younger guys, as well as myself, a ton just with improving and fixing the mistakes from earlier that day.
On not being able to play much last season and then getting the chance to come back this year and when he knew he was going to be able to do that and if any doubt in his mind if he was going to come back...
Definitely not, I mean I found out the news like right after the Rutgers game. I was walking around on my foot for, like most of camp and it was kind of hurting and running through drills and stuff, and then when I finally got the X-ray, they told me that it was the fifth metatarsal fracture and I mean it was tough news and it was hard to deal with at first but I mean, I just asked God, 'God, I know that you have a bigger plan for me and that you have a bigger purpose for me as well, so if this isn't your plan, I'll do whatever you want me to do.' Then as soon as I found that news out, I was right away thinking I was going try and come back next year, just as long as Coach Tucker let me. So as soon as I was able to, I talked to Coach Tucker and asked if I would be able to come back next year and he said yes and I was ecstatic, and from that point on I was just excited for the opportunity this upcoming fall to compete.
On how he's better as a player from last time he started a game for Michigan State...
I would just say I've tried to improve on all aspects, definitely in the run game, just focusing on moving my feet through contact, getting guys off the ball vertically compared to laterally, and then pass-setting wise, just trying to move my feet faster and stay with the defender as long as possible, stay in front of them, engaging my hands. I mean, I wouldn't say I'm a crazy amount better, but I'm trying to work hard every day, getting better in every little aspect, whether that's footwork or using my hands the correct way or keeping my head out of pass sets, just little things like that I just try and focus on every single day.
On improvements with strength and conditioning that he's done with Coach Novak...
Most definitely, Coach Novak is a great strength and conditioning coach, and I believe in everything that he's done for us, and I've seen a ton of improvement with the numbers in the weight room and I'm excited to see all my teammates compete on the field this year and show what they've got and show what they worked on this whole offseason.
On his brothers being here before him and what he's learned from them...
I talk to Brian and Jack both a ton, and I just talk to them about like how things are going and I'll see how they're doing with things like that, and I always just have questions for them, like when you're in this certain block and you have this certain look like, what would you do here, or like if you have this block...I use them as a resource as much as I possibly can and I know some of my teammates do as well, so they're a great resource and I use them as much as I can.
Redshirt junior running back Elijah Collins
On growing his camp mustache and what he things of that kind of thing…
Just a little bit, I mean, I've been growing this for 21 years (laughing). I mean it definitely like lightens the mood a little bit, camp is a very serious time, so a lot of people are locked in, so just to put a little wrench in and lighten the mood a little bit, give people a little giggle because when we're out there (pointing out at practice field), I mean it's all businesses. It's as serious as it's going to get.
On feeling like a fresh start for him in 2021...
Yes, it kind of does because coming off of COVID and things like that, I definitely hit a wall, but me being me, I chip down walls, when I hit a wall and I'm coming right back, I'm trying to be as resilient as possible, and getting back to the old me and doing the things that I used to do.
On different feeling around camp this year compared to last year and all the differences between then and now...
It feels more natural, yes, it definitely does, camp last year was different and COVID put a wrench in a lot of stuff but this year it feels like everything's back to normal. It feels like a lot of things are how they're supposed to be.
On Coach Tucker stressing about physicality...
We're out there and one thing that he always stresses is physicality, he loves when we run hard and run through contact because that's what it's going to take, he says it all the time 'it takes what it takes,' and at the end of the day, playing football, the game is to hit somebody, to be physical.
On energy being up today...
Oh definitely, people were ready to go, they were ready to be out there and be full on, go all out, give it their all, be physical, because that's ultimately what he wants out of our team.
On full pads making today's practice the most fun practice so far in camp...
It definitely did, we've been playing in shorts and helmets, that's football but when it comes down to it, football is in full pads head to toe, and it's running amok, we're going to battle all day long.
On Coach Tucker eluding to the chip on the shoulder, especially towards and about him, and if he feels that as much as anybody...
Oh definitely, I've been here before, I've been here many times, I've played seasons here so it's just to be able to compete. I love to compete, that's one of the biggest things that I do, whether it's stretching or doing a sprint or even special teams, I want to be the best, so I'm going to compete, I've got that chip on my shoulder every day.
"We challenged our players this morning to have a more physical practice, and to give extreme effort, and we did that, so I feel like we got better," said MSU head coach Mel Tucker. "It's good to see guys in full pads and playing real football out there. It was a good day's work, we gained some ground today, and feel good about it. We'll watch the film, and get ready for the next one."
The Spartans will return to the practice field on Thursday.
POST-PRACTICE QUOTES:
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker
On the limited number of days of full contact with full pads and spacing them out...
We have them spaced out with full pads like we had today, and we also have practices where we just have the shoulder pads and helmets, and then we have practice where have helmets and just the spiders, and we have them spaced out. We're following the rules and trying to keep our players fresh as possible.
On building the intensity and hitting for the upcoming first scrimmage...
We have a plan for that and how long we practice, how many live periods we're having, and how many scrimmages we have, how much hitting. Then we use our sport scientists to gauge their workloads and their speeds and things like that, so we analyze that every day and sometimes we adjust our practices based upon the numbers that we hit, and we have 80-plus guys on our roster with the GPS units on.
Without much hitting the first week, if found that the players were ready to hit today...
We did some hitting before today, we just weren't in full pads…So, we've been hitting, we just need to be more physical today because the name of the game is hit, and it's technique, fundamentals, smart, fast, and physical, that was what we needed today, and we got that.
Michigan State assistant head coach/offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Kapilovic
On what he sees and what he likes so far...
I see first of all, just what they were able to do in the weight room this summer and offseason, and actually get a chance to meet with these guys, as opposed to this time last year when it was chaos. And so you see an understanding of the scheme, so now we're able to kind of move into understanding what it takes to be a physical offensive line, just the mentality that effort, all the things that go with it. It's still an up and down process, but you're seeing flashes of it, so now it's about that consistency.
On seeing AJ Arcuri and Jarrett Horst at the tackles and if that's in flux or if one is more comfortable on one side or the other...
I think right now that's going into camp as a starting point, and both those guys can play on both sides, and (Kevin) Jarvis can also play inside and outside. So at the end of the day, you're really looking for that combination of the best five, so Jarvis gives us some flexibility with that and with those tackles being will play both sides, it also adds flexibility for that. So really, it kind of increases your competition, and I'm hoping with the group we have and some of the veterans we have back, we're going to be able to rotate some guys in the season. They don't always like that, but if you're going to play 40 snaps instead of 70, then you can you can play at a high level 40 snaps, that's a plus for all of us.
On the center position with Matt Allen coming back for a sixth year and what the position battle is between him and Nick Samac...
It's a really good battle right now, they both have their strengths, right, and I don't want to say weaknesses, but things they're working on. Matt's more of a veteran, Nick had a year under his belt, Nick played a little bit the year before, but Matt's been around for a long time, he's got brothers that played here, he's got a brother that's starting in the NFL. So I mean, most kids go home and they've got nobody to talk to you, while Matt can go home and call his brother that's playing for the Rams and really get extra work there. So it's a really good battle. I like where Matt's at right now, mentally, he's doing some really good things, and physically he's working on that. Going back to Nick, and Nick's very athletic, and so Nick getting that confidence and understanding what he's seeing, kind of like Matt is, that's what we're at, so again, I expect that to be a really good competition and it may go through the year.
On calling guys out today on their technique and telling them that had to do that because to hold them accountable and how they responded to that...
That's not new, so they're used to it now, right, so they know that I'm a little different off the field than I am on the field, just like they have to be, right. You can only play this game one way up front, and there is no plays off up front, it's not like you're on the outside and you're going to run the ball the other way and you can kind of coast or something. Everybody's got a critical role in every play, and so it's really, as I always talk about, like mental warfare in the sense that you have to push yourself every snap, and it starts in drill work: if you take a play or rep off in drill work, you're going to do the same thing when you get tired out in the field, so that's the job of an O-line coach, we've got to be great teachers, but then we have to push them in every snap. If you let it slide, then it will become habit. So they respond, and they understand that when I'm getting on them, it's for a reason. What we're trying to get to, is we get some of the players doing it as well, don't be just the coach-led group, let's be a player-led group and then we're going to really have something.
On his philosophy with having a true starting five or if it's to keep guys fresh and can interchange six, seven, eight guys...
Well, first of all, you would love to be able to play more than five guys, if it's warranted. So you've got a backup that's even, you want to be able to play with both of those guys, they've got to know that's going to have guys practice harder also, and if there's a little bit of a drop off, then maybe it's 60-40 or 70-30, but if there's a major drop off, you're going to play the starter, or you're going to ride him till you have to. This is a unique situation with the COVID year, we have nine guys in our (O-line) room if you count (Jarrett) Horst that have started games. So, in one hand, everybody's like, well that's great, yes, it's great that you have that experience, and we have great competition, but how do they handle that mentally, because at the end of the day there's only going to be five that are going to walk out there for the first snap against Northwestern, so there's going to be four guys whose pride is going to be hurt. So they have to understand that they're competing against the defense every day, they're not competing against each other, and at the end of day, who moves it the best and who stops them the best is going to get on the field, and if they keep that mindset, then I think we're going to be in good shape.
On all the different starting lineups with all the injuries last year and feeling how their strength and conditioning has improved over the course of the last year with their strength, endurance and durability...
That's a big part of what Coach (Head Coach - Strength and Conditioning for Football) Jason Novak and that crew does, it's more than just the power aspect of it. (Coordinator of Sport Science) Coach Burghardt in the science part of it, with the kids, sometimes you have a great lift, you're tired and sore, right, and that's fine sometimes, but ideally they want to feel better when they leave the weight room or at the end of a phase and if you feel that way and they're saying those things. So I think that's going to pay off, that's going to be big because last year we didn't have that, right. So that's going to be huge for us, last year we were watching guys lifting water jugs and cinder blocks at home. But we're not the only ones, so everybody's going to be better, so we've got to understand that as well.
On how his responsibilities changed in the spring, offseason and fall camp with his promotion to assistant head coach...
Not dramatically, it's do what I do, but I think the biggest thing is I'm involved with some meetings that maybe I wouldn't have been involved with, with Coach Tuck, and I really appreciate his trust in me. And so I may be a sounding board for him on some things, and I feel comfortable that I can go to him if there's some things I see but for the most part, my day-to-day job is about trying to coach this O-line to be the best O-line that they can be, so there's little things here and there, but probably more in the offseason it affects me more than in season.
Sixth-year senior center Matt Allen
On difference in camp this year compared to his previous camps during his time here…
I mean, yeah, it's definitely a lot different from how Coach D (Dantonio) did things in the past, but there's still a ton of similarities as well. We're still hitting a ton, trying to get better every day, working as hard as we can, trying to be relentless, just like Coach Tucker says, and we're coming in here every day to work and that's the exact same way it was with Coach D. But there's a couple things that have changed, just when it comes to things like stretching, we're stretching a ton more in the weight room, we're doing a couple different type of exercises just to help lengthen our muscles a little bit and help us feel fresh for once we go back out on the field. And then we also have walk-throughs late at night, which I think have helped the younger guys, as well as myself, a ton just with improving and fixing the mistakes from earlier that day.
On not being able to play much last season and then getting the chance to come back this year and when he knew he was going to be able to do that and if any doubt in his mind if he was going to come back...
Definitely not, I mean I found out the news like right after the Rutgers game. I was walking around on my foot for, like most of camp and it was kind of hurting and running through drills and stuff, and then when I finally got the X-ray, they told me that it was the fifth metatarsal fracture and I mean it was tough news and it was hard to deal with at first but I mean, I just asked God, 'God, I know that you have a bigger plan for me and that you have a bigger purpose for me as well, so if this isn't your plan, I'll do whatever you want me to do.' Then as soon as I found that news out, I was right away thinking I was going try and come back next year, just as long as Coach Tucker let me. So as soon as I was able to, I talked to Coach Tucker and asked if I would be able to come back next year and he said yes and I was ecstatic, and from that point on I was just excited for the opportunity this upcoming fall to compete.
On how he's better as a player from last time he started a game for Michigan State...
I would just say I've tried to improve on all aspects, definitely in the run game, just focusing on moving my feet through contact, getting guys off the ball vertically compared to laterally, and then pass-setting wise, just trying to move my feet faster and stay with the defender as long as possible, stay in front of them, engaging my hands. I mean, I wouldn't say I'm a crazy amount better, but I'm trying to work hard every day, getting better in every little aspect, whether that's footwork or using my hands the correct way or keeping my head out of pass sets, just little things like that I just try and focus on every single day.
On improvements with strength and conditioning that he's done with Coach Novak...
Most definitely, Coach Novak is a great strength and conditioning coach, and I believe in everything that he's done for us, and I've seen a ton of improvement with the numbers in the weight room and I'm excited to see all my teammates compete on the field this year and show what they've got and show what they worked on this whole offseason.
On his brothers being here before him and what he's learned from them...
I talk to Brian and Jack both a ton, and I just talk to them about like how things are going and I'll see how they're doing with things like that, and I always just have questions for them, like when you're in this certain block and you have this certain look like, what would you do here, or like if you have this block...I use them as a resource as much as I possibly can and I know some of my teammates do as well, so they're a great resource and I use them as much as I can.
Redshirt junior running back Elijah Collins
On growing his camp mustache and what he things of that kind of thing…
Just a little bit, I mean, I've been growing this for 21 years (laughing). I mean it definitely like lightens the mood a little bit, camp is a very serious time, so a lot of people are locked in, so just to put a little wrench in and lighten the mood a little bit, give people a little giggle because when we're out there (pointing out at practice field), I mean it's all businesses. It's as serious as it's going to get.
On feeling like a fresh start for him in 2021...
Yes, it kind of does because coming off of COVID and things like that, I definitely hit a wall, but me being me, I chip down walls, when I hit a wall and I'm coming right back, I'm trying to be as resilient as possible, and getting back to the old me and doing the things that I used to do.
On different feeling around camp this year compared to last year and all the differences between then and now...
It feels more natural, yes, it definitely does, camp last year was different and COVID put a wrench in a lot of stuff but this year it feels like everything's back to normal. It feels like a lot of things are how they're supposed to be.
On Coach Tucker stressing about physicality...
We're out there and one thing that he always stresses is physicality, he loves when we run hard and run through contact because that's what it's going to take, he says it all the time 'it takes what it takes,' and at the end of the day, playing football, the game is to hit somebody, to be physical.
On energy being up today...
Oh definitely, people were ready to go, they were ready to be out there and be full on, go all out, give it their all, be physical, because that's ultimately what he wants out of our team.
On full pads making today's practice the most fun practice so far in camp...
It definitely did, we've been playing in shorts and helmets, that's football but when it comes down to it, football is in full pads head to toe, and it's running amok, we're going to battle all day long.
On Coach Tucker eluding to the chip on the shoulder, especially towards and about him, and if he feels that as much as anybody...
Oh definitely, I've been here before, I've been here many times, I've played seasons here so it's just to be able to compete. I love to compete, that's one of the biggest things that I do, whether it's stretching or doing a sprint or even special teams, I want to be the best, so I'm going to compete, I've got that chip on my shoulder every day.
Players Mentioned
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