Games in the Big Ten are typically won and lost in the trenches. Looking at Michigan State’s rushing offense last year, which averaged 113 rushing yards per game (No. 111 in FBS), it was pretty obvious to see why the Spartans finished with a 5-7 record, among other reasons.

This year, assistant head coach/offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Kapilovic and the MSU players are making it a priority that the run game needs to improve.

Kapilovic said to the media that the run game starts with the offensive line, but it takes the whole offense to have a good rushing attack.

“That’s the thing about offensive football, if you have 10 guys doing a great job and one dude that does a poor job, especially in the O-line, you’re going to have a bad play,” Kapilovic said on Wednesday. “Defense, you could have 10 guys go wrong and one guy make a hell of a play, and you could have a hell of a play.

“It starts with us, but it really does take all 11 (players) to be great."

Part of the reason why MSU lacked a rushing attack last season was the injuries on the offensive line. MSU didn’t have productive practices at this time last year due to the injuries. Kapilovic feels that his unit is ahead of where they were last year in fall camp.

“I do feel like we are quite a bit ahead with all the reps that we’ve gotten and the way we’ve been able to practice and really push them,” Kapilovic said.

The offensive line is pretty healthy at this point of fall, and the depth in the offensive trenches has improved as new players were brought in and returners are another year experienced.

The only true injury concerns on the offensive line known as of now have been regarding returning starting center Nick Samac and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Gavin Broscious.

Kapilovic told the media that he expects Samac to be ready for the season. Samac, who also spoke to the media on Wednesday, confirmed that he suffered an upper body injury before fall camp, but he is on track to play Week 1 on Friday, Sept. 1 against Central Michigan.

Broscious suffered a knee injury in the spring and is unlikely to be available this fall.