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Published Mar 25, 2022
Developmental Update: Youngsters getting a lot of run with the o-line
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Jim Comparoni  •  Spartans Illustrated
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East Lansing, Mich. - Mel Tucker and Chris Kapilovic might not have inherited any NFL offensive linemen when they arrived at Michigan State, but the year two yields were pretty good.

Michigan State made use of a deep lot of experienced players, albeit players with backgrounds of injury.

The Spartans added a starting left tackle from the transfer portal last year, Jarrett Horst, and the results were the leading Power 5 rusher in the country, the second most passing yards in school history, and a QB who set a school record for most passing TDs in a single season. The Spartans ranked No. 3 in the Big Ten in scoring offense and No. 4 in the Big Ten in sacks allowed (21).

Dynamic tailback Kenneth Walker III had a lot to do with amplifying those numbers, but the Spartans had effective blocking up front on a consistent basis.

Now, Michigan State must replace starting center Matt Allen, starting right guard Kevin Jarvis, and starting offensive tackle A.J. Arcuri.

Horst (6-6, 305, Sr., Middleton, Wis.) started the first eight games last year, but was absent for the last four of the regular season. He dressed for the Peach Bowl but did not play.

Horst is back full-go with the Spartans this spring, repping with the first string at left tackle.

“That’s an important piece to the puzzle,” Johnson said of Horst on Thursday. “Jared came in and did some great things and then struggled a little bit with some injuries there at end. But we are excited to have him back. I’m excited about Jarret and what he can bring to the table. That helps us. Then hopefully we get (Matt) Carrick back.”

Carrick started at right guard in 2020 when Jarvis moved out to right tackle.

Carrick played 211 snaps as a back-up right guard in 2021 when Jarvis moved back to right guard. Carrick actually looked better as a back-up last year than he did as a starter in 2020. He played in the first seven games and then missed the last six with a knee injury.

Carrick (6-5, 325, 6-Sr., Minerva, Ohio) underwent ACL surgery and is planning to play next fall as a COVID sixth year senior. He is not in pads in the spring as he continues to recuperate.

J.D. Duplain (6-4, 305, Sr., Strongsville, Ohio) is back at left guard with 23 career starts.

Nick Samac (6-4, 310, Sr., Mentor, Ohio) has 10 career starts and has played in 27 games. He wasn’t able to overtake Allen in the past two years and needs to step it up as a senior in 2022.

Michigan State has a transfer portal commitment from Brian Greene (6-3, 300, R-Sr., Yakima, Wash.). He played guard and center at Washington State and is expected to compete with Samac for the starting center job. He will arrive at Michigan State in early May. Michigan State coaches aren’t yet allowed to comment on Greene.

When Jarvis was unavailable for the Peach Bowl, seldom-used sophomore Spencer Brown got the call at right tackle in the Peach Bowl. Brown played an excellent game against one of the best pass rushes in the nation in the Pitt Panthers.

Now, Brown (6-6, 320, R-Jr., Commerce Township/Walled Lake Western) brings a level of experience and confidence to 2022 that he and Michigan State wouldn’t have had if Jarvis had not gone down with a bowl practice injury.

“One of the things that is hidden is we had to force feed Spencer Brown at the end, and that’s going to pay huge dividends for us,” Johnson said. “If you had told me that at the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have known (if Brown could do that). But now, we had to force feed him and what he did there at the end, particularly in the bowl game, is very exciting.

“Between those two (Horst and Brown), I’m hoping that can be a stabilizing factor.”

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The true area of growth for the offensive line this spring needs to be with the next group of rising underclassmen. These five are getting a lot of run this spring:

* Kevin Wigenton (6-5, 330, R-Fr., Colts Neck, N.J./The Hun School).

* Geno VanDeMark (6-5, 325, R-Fr., Lodi, NJ).

* Brandon Baldwin (6-7, 315, R-Soph., Detroit/Southfield A&T).

* Dallas Fincher (6-4, 300, R-Soph., East Kentwood).

* Ethan Boyd (6-7, 315, R-Fr., East Lansing).

Boyd and Baldwin are getting time at offensive tackle with the second string. Boyd on the right side and Baldwin on the left.

Wigenton is working at left guard and VanDeMark is playing right guard.

Fincher is playing interior positions.

“Those young guys now, they are getting anything and everything,” Johnson said. “They are getting it all.”

It’s not going to be pretty while they’re learning.

With Carrick out, VanDeMark has been getting a lot of playing time with the first string at right guard.

Wigenton has been spotted getting reps with the first string at left guard, with Duplain getting some rest.

“I think it’s challenging probably for us right now with those guys,” Johnson said. “They are getting a ton of reps this spring. But boy, I think come August it’s going to pay huge dividends for us. We need them to come along.

“We were blessed with the Luke Campbells, the Kevin Jarvises, the Matt Allens that had been here for so long and played so much ball. Now those young guys are going to have to be ready to roll.”

Are any of them beginning to stand out and separate themselves?

"I see it but they’re all really young," Johnson said. "It’s a little hard to say right now because they’re all getting reps because of our numbers situation, and then we’ll have some newcomers coming in, in the fall.

"You’ve got Geno VanDeMark, you’ve got Kevin Wigenton, Dallas Fincher, all those young guys. I mean they are going non-stop and getting all those reps. And then Ethan Boyd from here in East Lansing and Brandon Baldwin. So all of those guys were really on the scout team and now they’re thrust into taking about every rep.

"I’m excited because they all have potential. We are not anywhere close to where we need to be yet, but I think with what they’ve shown, it’s exciting."

The Spartans will do some extensive scrimmaging on Saturday as they work toward the spring game on April 16.

SpartanMag’s projected two deep for the fall of 2022:

First String

LT: Jarret Horst

LG: J.D. Duplain

C: Nick Samac or Brian Greene

RG: Matt Carrick

RT: Spencer Brown

Second String

LT: Brandon Baldwin

LG: Kevin Wigenton

C: Brian Greene or Nick Samac

RG: Geno VanDeMark

RT: Ethan Boyd

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