Michigan State made its annual appearance at Big Ten Football Media Days last week under first year head coach Jonathan Smith. Running back Nate Carter, tight end Jack Velling and safety Dillon Tatum joined Smith at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Here are five Michigan State takeaways from Big Ten Media Days:

Wide receiver Nick Marsh is a true freshman out of River Rouge, Mich., and has turned some heads during the offseason. Smith spoke highly of Marsh during media day.

“I know he’s young, but he’s got some real talent to him," he said about Marsh.

He also talked about his potential future with the Spartans, and how he can be a large factor for a long time.

“Over the long run, he can play this game at a high level,” Smith said. “He’s got talent. He’s got work ethic. Football means a lot to him. He likes spending the extra time, getting extra work in. I thought he did a good job of learning the scheme for being more or less a high school senior.”

There is no doubt that Marsh has the measurables, attributes and talent to be one of Michigan State's best receivers this season.

Spartan fans miss the physicality of the teams under former head coach Mark Dantonio. That physicality has seemed to lack in recent seasons as the defenses and lines of scrimmage have not been up to par.

“We want to establish physicality of both sides,” Smith said about what MSU's identity will be. “And again I want to be a team that plays together, that finishes, and we want to be known by that.”

Smith making it known that he wants to "establish physicality" as part of the identity of his program. Seeing that be emphasized more should provide some hope for the future of Michigan State under Smith.

Velling was a stud in his first two seasons at Oregon State, before transferring to Michigan State, following Smith and Brian Wozniak (Tight Ends Coach/Recruiting Coordinator).

At his press conference at media days, Smith spoke highly of Velling, saying he thinks that there is a chance that he will be “one of the best tight ends in the country.”

Velling reacted to that comment at media days.

“I’m grateful that he believes in me,” Velling said. “My teammates give me confidence. My coaches give me confidence. I have a great support system, family. A lot of people around me give me confidence and I’m just grateful that I have people like that.”

One of the factors that led Velling to East Lansing was Wozniak ("Coach Woz").

“I don’t know if I’d be in East Lansing if it wasn’t for Coach Woz,” Velling said. “I think he’s the best tight end coach in the nation. He’s great. He’s relatable. You can approach him about anything. I think he’s the real glue keeping that tight end room (together).”

While Velling is in a new place, there are a lot of familiar faces on the coaching staff. Expect Velling to continue his success in East Lansing.

Tatum had some interesting things to say about Michigan State's culture last season.

“I don't think we liked each other a lot,” Tatum said about last year's team.

That was evident by the 44 players that departed Michigan State via the transfer portal.

Now, it appears the culture has changed with the focus on the future and constantly improving.

“We all need to have the same goal in mind,” Tatum said. “That's winning championships here at Michigan State … We're focused on the future. Focused on learning and getting better with the guys that are here in this locker room now.”

Tatum also noted that this year's team are holding cookouts, events, and competitions to strengthen their connection as a team.

The addition of quarterback Aidan Chiles was arguably the best pickup from the transfer portal by the Spartans. Despite Chiles only being a true sophomore at 18 years old, he is already a leader on the team.

"I've seen him be a leader," Carter said. "For someone to be so young and to be 18 years old, but to (also) be so mature to be a leader for our offense is huge. He's a great guy to hang around with. He's a funny, goofy guy. Every time I see him, he has a smile on his face. That's the type of guy you want around your program and that's the type of guy you want to lead your offense."

It's not just Carter who spoke highly of Chiles. Smith brought Chiles to East Lansing from Oregon State for a reason.

“Aidan, I think athletically, he's gifted at throwing the ball, he can move his feet, but he has a deep passion for this game,” Smith said about Chiles. “He likes studying it, and I think he's got some instincts to play in the game. Yes, he's still a youngster. He had some action last year, but we're looking forward to seeing him playing full-time.”

More from Big Ten Media Days:

MSU's Coach Smith: 'I'm looking forward to building something special here'
Big Ten Media Days: Jonathan Smith on expectations, roster depth and more
Michigan State tight end Jack Velling 'anxious' to get fall camp started
Michigan State's Dillon Tatum: 'We don't care if we're an underdog’
Alan Haller on expectations under Jonathan Smith, future of college sports
Michigan State RB Nate Carter: Team is 'hungry' to prove people wrong

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