Michigan State is set to promote graduate assistant Antjuan Simmons to assistant defensive line coach, sources tell Spartans Illustrated. Justin Thind was first to report.
Simmons spent the 2024 season working with MSU's defensive linemen under defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Joe Rossi. He spent 2023 working with the linebackers under then defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Scottie Hazelton.
In 2025, he will have a similar role to his 2024 job in helping to coach the defensive linemen, but will now have some additional responsibilities.
Of course, Simmons also played linebacker for the Spartans during his collegiate career and was a four-year letterwinner from 2017 through 2020. He played for head coaches Mark Dantonio and Mel Tucker.
Following his graduation from Michigan State in May of 2021 with a degree in human development and family studies, Simmons gained experience coaching in the Michigan high school ranks. He spent time at his alma mater, Ann Arbor Pioneer, and also coached at Westland John Glenn.
With Simmons' contract ending at the end of January and his eligibility as a graduate assistant set to run out, Michigan State offered him a promotion to stay on staff.
The decision to promote Simmons to assistant defensive line coach comes just after the Spartans have made several other moves with the coaching staff. Michigan State has recently hired Jon Boyer as quarterbacks coach, hired James Adams as safeties coach and promoted offensive analyst Aaron Pflugrad to passing game coordinator. Of note, the Spartans lost cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin in December, as he took an assistant coaching job with UCLA.
A recent rule change in June of 2024 by the NCAA Division I Council removed some restrictions on countable coaches allowed for football. While Michigan State worked with the traditional 11 on-field coaches in 2024, the Spartans are now taking advantage of the new rule, and currently have 13 on-field coaches for the 2025 season. However, the NCAA still limits how many staff members are permitted to recruit off campus, which is 11.
In Simmons' first season working with Michigan State's defensive linemen in 2024, the Spartans allowed 125.1 rush yards per game, which ranked ninth in the 18-team Big Ten, and just 3.7 yards per carry.
Throughout his short time on Michigan State's staff coaching the defensive linemen thus far, Simmons has helped to recruit several defensive linemen out of the high school ranks, including three-star 2024 defensive tackle Mikeshun Beeler, four-star 2025 defensive tackle Derrick Simmons and three-star 2025 defensive end Cal Thrush. He also helped to bring in several transfer defensive linemen, including Ru'Quan Buckley, D'Quan Douse, Quindarius Dunnigan, Ben Roberts and Jalen Satchell ahead of the 2024 season, and Grady Kelly ahead of the 2025 campaign.
During his playing career with the Spartans, Simmons appeared in 46 games, including 20 consecutive starts at linebacker to end his time in East Lansing. He recorded 231 career tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defended, one forced fumbled and three fumble recoveries. He earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition in 2020 and honorable mention All-Big accolades in 2019. He was also a team captain for the Spartans in 2020.
