Michigan State’s rush end room has undergone some significant changes since the team took the field in the spring.

Led by rush ends coach and co-special teams coordinator Chad Wilt, the rush end is a position in the Joe Rossi system. Rossi is in his first year as Michigan State’s defensive coordinator.

The rush end acts as a hybrid between an outside linebacker and defensive end. An ideal rush end in Rossi’s system has the ability to rush the passer, but also drop back in coverage when needed.

Some of those significant changes include transfers Tyler Gillison and Anthony Jones now in East Lansing. Both guys had connections to Michigan State, which drew them to the Spartans. Jones played for Wilt when they were both at Indiana and Gillison is the younger brother of Trenton Gillison, who played at Michigan State from 2019-2021. Fellow rush ends Avery Dunn and Khris Bogle both knew the elder Gillison.

Other names in the rush end group are Stone Chaney and James Schott.

With the new faces, it takes some time for them to assimilate into the program. However, given Wilt’s small group of rush ends, it’s easier for the new players to get acclimated.

“When you have a smaller room a little bit like I do, it’s easier for those guys to connect and to be able to buy into each other, to build those relationships,” Wilt said.

With about three weeks until MSU's first kickoff, Wilt is rotating different players in with the "ones" to see how they respond in practice. Speaking on Thursday, ahead of the team's first scrimmage on Saturday, Wilt said he feels good about three of his players, without naming specifically who.