It is not exactly a secret that Michigan State’s offensive line did not perform at a high enough level last fall and that the unit needs to take a step forward in order for the Spartans to have a successful 2025 campaign.

One person that envisions positive change for the upcoming season is the presumptive starter for arguably the offensive line’s most important position: redshirt sophomore left tackle Stanton Ramil.

“We're happy with how we’re looking right now (in spring ball),” Ramil said Tuesday. “It's really exciting with the new guys. Everyone's meshing together really well. Second year in the system (under the current coaching staff), it looks way cleaner, everything's more physical. It's just a really good feeling right now.”

Ramil is in his third overall season at MSU, but individually, there is some added newfound juice to his attitude. The New York native, who played his high school football in Alabaster, Alabama, missed the entirety of his true freshman season in 2023 due to a knee injury he suffered in fall camp that year. The injury was still nagging him going into a 2024 campaign that featured many new teammates, a new system and a new coaching staff.

“It kind of does (feel like my career is beginning again),” Ramil said. “Just finally being able to have an opportunity to work in the offseason and focus on things that I wasn't able to last year, just injury and all that. So yeah, it's completely different to be completely honest.

“I can clean up a lot of small things that lead to bigger things and it's kind of evident in spring ball and I'm happy with the way it’s going. I just want to continue to grind and get better every single day.”

Now, healthy and with a much stronger familiarity with head coach Jonathan Smith, offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren and offensive line coach/run game coordinator Jim Michalczik, Ramil has loftier goals for himself.

“Personally, last year was my first season after the little knee injury, so (I was) just building up the confidence throughout the season, having to get better every single game,” he said. “It was just a lot to take in, literally just trying to improve every game. That's not usually how it goes — we’re not usually working on technique in the season. But just getting through that, and now I’ve got time to focus on the fundamentals (to) really thrive.

“I feel like I'm way faster, I'm stronger, my body moves (in) ways that really weren't (there) in the season. My confidence is at an all-time high right now.”

He’s also had a successful spring with the additions Michigan State has made to the offensive line through the transfer portal. Those names include projected starting right tackle Conner Moore (Montana State), center Matt Gulbin (Wake Forest), and guards Luka Vincic (Oregon State) and Caleb Carter (Western Carolina).

“They're all really great guys, number one,” Ramil said about his new teammates. “They got into the program — right away, we clicked, we got together. It's been a really fun time, to say the least, just as people.

“As football players, they’re all really dedicated to working their craft, getting better in the weight room, getting faster on the field, working the fundamentals of O-line play, learning the system, learning the scheme.

“We've kind of just been with each other 24/7 for the last four months just really trying to be the best players, best people that we can. (We) get together all the time just to see how well we can click.”