The Michigan State Spartans’ running backs room will look much different than it did a year ago. With last season’s top contributors, Nate Carter and Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, moving on to the next chapters of their athletic and personal lives, several returners are in line for a larger role in 2025.

Following Tuesday’s practice, running backs coach Keith Bhonapha addressed the media. Bhonapha offered a detailed look at his position group and laid out his expectations as a seasoned coach aiming to build on his résumé of high-profile backs.

Several players also spoke with the media after Bhonapha's remarks, offering their perspectives on the team and the upcoming season.

One Spartan expected to see a significant jump in usage is Makhi Frazier. Now in his second spring with the program, Frazier carried the ball only seven times last season. However, many of those touches came in high-profile games against opponents like Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio State. For a true freshman, that kind of experience is crucial.

“It helped us (young running backs) be able to get the experience and be able to take the next step to be better this year,” Frazier said.

He noted that this spring feels different compared to his first with the team, saying he’s improved in several areas of his game since last season.

“Just being able to adapt to the speed of the game, and being able to know what we’re doing at all times, and being able to play fast like everybody else has been able to, like the older guys,” Frazier said.

Frazier said he was always prepared last season, whether for a role on offense or special teams — where he totaled 58 plays.

“I’ve just always been ready to do my job, whatever it is, special teams or at running back," Frazier explained. "Just being able to be prepared at all times and looking at the older guys, looking at what they do, and trying to add that to my game.”

While competition for snaps is fierce, Frazier emphasized the supportive dynamic in the room. He said the running backs “help each other grow every day” to reach their “full potential,” and he spoke highly of his teammates — especially Brandon Tullis.

Frazier and Tullis go way back. Both from the same area in Texas, the two “kind of grew up together,” Frazier said. The two played youth football together before eventually reconnecting in East Lansing. When Jonathan Smith left Oregon State to become MSU’s head coach, both Frazier and Tullis flipped their commitments to the Spartans — just two days apart.

Frazier reflected on the pair's longstanding bond and what it meant as they made their college decisions.

“We’re kind of close to each other, and we just help each other handle business off the field, in the classroom, and on the field,” Frazier elaborated. “But yeah, we talked about it (Coach Smith’s departure) a lot when we were at Oregon State. Then we (Frazier and Tullis) came here with him (Smith).”

At 5-foot-10, Frazier is a smaller back, and he believes his skill set complements Tullis well.

“I feel like we’re kind of the same, but he’s a bigger back, and I’m a little bit smaller," Frazier said. "But I feel like we have the same kinds of skills.”

Don't miss out on any of our exclusive football, basketball, hockey, and recruiting coverage, not to mention our non-revenue sports coverage and subscriber exclusive forum. Sign up with Spartans Illustrated now!

Tullis also spoke about their connection and his take on the running back room.

He said the two first met when they were around “6–7 years old,” playing on the same teams. One of his favorite memories? A footrace with Frazier.

“I remember one practice we had together, we raced, and I beat him,” Tullis said, smiling. “I feel like I’ve still got it… probably by a couple of yards for sure.”

Tullis admitted that Bhonapha played a key role in his decision to come to MSU.

“I’ve known KB (Keith Bhonapha) since junior year of high school, and it’s probably the same for him,” Tullis said, referring to Frazier. “We just built that relationship up and have a pretty good connection with KB.”

As for their playing styles, Tullis sees a contrast.

He described Frazier as more of a “shifty” back, while calling himself a “hard-nosed” runner.