The Michigan State football program is now seven practices into its 2025 spring practice schedule, and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren likes the progress he sees from the Spartans.
MSU began spring ball on March 18 and is practicing three days per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) through April 19.
"We've got great energy out there," Lindgren said. "I love the schedule. We're going three days a week, with a day off in between. I feel like we get a lot (of) fresh bodies out there. But great energy today. I mean, really competitive, put us in the red zone today and both sides (were) making some plays, and (there was) some talking and some excitement out there. So, it was good. A lot of good things to learn from and teach off of the film."
As Michigan State is now in its second season under head coach Jonathan Smith, Lindgren reflected on how things have changed since the spring of 2024 and where the program is at currently.
While there are several new faces on the roster between the transfers and freshmen, many players from the 2024 roster have returned to MSU for 2025 and are familiar with the schemes and process under the current staff.
"Just, I think so much — talking to (defensive coordinator/linebackers coach) Joe (Rossi) about it — just so much further along, I think on each side of the ball," Lindgren said when reflecting on last spring versus this spring. "A lot of guys now that know the offensive system, have been doing it for a year. And (most of) the staff (has) been together for that amount of time as well, and just program-wise, I think, as well. And then you bring in some talented new players that we kind of brought in from the portal or some of the freshman guys that we brought in — some talent, some guys that have some production at the college level — kind of adding to that. It's just, obviously (we're) very optimistic. It's been fun teaching the new guys the system."
With seven of the 15 total practices down thus far, Michigan State is around the halfway point of its spring schedule. Lindgren explained that the Spartans focused on third-down situations for much of last week. Then on Saturday, the coaches "let them put the ball down and play a little bit" in "live periods" with tackling. On Tuesday, MSU mostly worked on the red zone. The Spartans will prepare for their first full team scrimmage this coming Saturday.
One position in which the Spartans brought a lot of new players in via the transfer portal is the offensive line. MSU added four transfer offensive lineman this offseason: tackle Conner More (Montana State) and interior offensive linemen Caleb Carter (Western Carolina), Matt Gulbin (Wake Forest) and Luka Vincic (Oregon State).
Lindgren praised the job of the recruiting staff and offensive line coach/run game coordinator Jim Michalczik for their ability to bolster the trenches. He also complimented Vincic — who played for Smith, Lindgren, Michalczik and other current MSU coaches while he was with the Beavers — for his "energy" and approach.
"Some of those new faces are experienced, but they're still learning techniques, some of the differences in what we do," Lindgren said about the new guys along the offensive line. "It's been awesome Those guys have had a great attitude about it, and I feel like they could be pretty good."
Another group on offense that had a bit of an overhaul was the wide receivers room. Nick Marsh returns as Michigan State's projected No. 1 wide receiver, but the Spartans' new-look group of wideouts now also includes transfers Omari Kelly (Middle Tennessee State), Chrishon McCray (Kent State), Evan Boyd (Central Michigan) and Rodney Bullard (Valdosta State). The Spartans also saw true freshmen and three-star prospects Braylon Collier and Charles Taplin enroll in January, and they are both now going through spring ball.
Lindgren mentioned the experience and production of Kelly, and said he has been "really impressed" with the Middle Tennessee State transfer. Kelly has been working mostly at the "Z" wide receiver position. Bullard "brings some speed," according to Lindgren, and "has done some good things." Bullard "can play inside or outside." McCray is being used mostly in the slot, and is "dynamic with the ball in his hands." Boyd is a "big, physical guy" who is working at the "X" position and he "creates separation" on underneath routes. Taplin also has caught the attention of Lindgren.
Lindgren also was asked about a few specific players, including quarterback Aidan Chiles, Marsh and running backs Brandon Tullis and Makhi Frazier. He praised the growth of each of those athletes, and mentioned that being in the second year now at Michigan State helps with their comfortability within the system.
When asked further about Chiles, Lindgren went into detail about how the Spartans' quarterback has progressed since last fall and throughout the spring.
"I think last year was a great learning opportunity for him," Lindgren said about Chiles. "I think things just didn't go as smoothly and (he didn't) have as much success as he was hoping for. But I think he's had an awesome attitude of like, hey, he's hungry, (or) 'Hey, these are the areas I've got to really improve on.' Some of the pieces we brought in up front and on the perimeters, some of those experienced guys on the outside that have some productivity, I think are gonna help him, along with Nick (Marsh) and some of the returners that we've got going. So (the offense) being better around him (will help).
"But, yeah, Aidan, we've really been on him as far as understanding of defenses — being able to ID these defenses and understand where the weaknesses are, how to attack them. I think that helps as a quarterback, moving into your second year, helps things slow down for you a little bit that way. And then his clock, like his footwork, timing his feet into the routes. I think last year he was a little bit off at times, and that that really affected some of the accuracy and the timing of things. And then his subtle movement in the pocket. Sometimes he was a little extreme, and if the first read wasn't there, he got himself in not a very good position where he wasn't able to get to the second or third read in his progression. He was just bailing out and scrambling too quick, and we missed out on some opportunities that way.
"So, he's seen that stuff on film and, and I just love the attitude that he's had moving forward. I'm excited for him. I feel like he's gotten a lot better through the first seven practices."
Interestingly, Lindgren finds himself in a little bit of a different position than he is used to. In 2024, he served as both Michigan State's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In fact, he has had both roles throughout the majority of his coaching career. However, there is a new dynamic with the coaching staff now.
MSU hired Jon Boyer as its quarterbacks coach in January. Smith, Lindgren and many of the current MSU coaches worked with Boyer while they were at Oregon State. The Spartans also recently promoted Aaron Pflugrad to passing game coordinator.
While Michigan State had the traditional number of on-field coaches in 2024 with 11, a recent rule change in June of 2024 by the NCAA Division I Council removed restrictions regarding countable coaches who are allowed to provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes during practice and competition for football. This allowed for Boyer to take the new role, and for the Spartans to still hire safeties coach James Adams and promote other coaches as well.
It's been an adjustment for Lindgren, but he is enjoying the new setup and works well with Boyer. Now with Boyer on staff, Lindgren is able to spend more of his focus on the offense as a whole.
"It's a little bit unique," Lindgren said about the new coaching setup. "I mean, in my career I've never had that, and they tweaked the (countable coaches) rule a little bit. But Jon (Boyer) and I have been working (together for a while). At Oregon State, we were five years together, and talked a lot last year.
"(Boyer is) a really knowledgeable coach. It's been awesome because it's got really two guys focused and he's been able to dive into a lot of the technique — spend really a lot of time breaking it down, working with those guys extra. I think about Aidan (Chiles) with his footwork and we're talking about the subtle movement with his clock. And then there's some things mechanically with some of our younger guys that he's been really able to dive into that sometimes as the coordinator you just didn't necessarily have as much time to be able to do that because you were worried about the scheme and the whole offense.
"And I think it's also allowed me to be around and touch bases with some of the other position groups, and be around some of those other guys better, a little bit more. And, I've enjoyed it so far. It's been a little bit different, but it's definitely helped being around somebody that I've worked with for five years. We've worked QBs together, I trust and I have a great respect for his knowledge of the game and his quarterbacks. It just makes it a lot easier."
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