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Published Apr 10, 2020
Spring Football: Els keeping some things quiet at LB
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Jim Comparoni  •  Spartans Illustrated
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Fans are wondering whether there will be a football season in the fall, but Michigan State coaches are doing what football coaches are trained to do - coach like there IS a tomorrow.

SpartanMag’s continuing series on Michigan State football for the spring of 2020:

EAST LANSING - Michigan State’s new linebackers coach has arguably the most versatile player in the program in his position group, but also a long list of unknowns.

Ross Els, who came aboard as MSU’s linebackers and special teams coach on Feb. 24, oversees a defensive unit which graduated Joe Bachie and Tyriq Thompson.

Rising senior Antjuan Simmons began last season at slot linebacker, moved to Mike linebacker when Bachie became ineligible, because the coaches liked his physicality and smarts. But then coaches moved him back to slot linebacker at the end of the season because they needed his speed in space.

Where will Simmons play in the new Mel Tucker/Scottie Hazelton defense?

“That’s to be determined,” Els said during a conference call on Thursday. “I’m not going to talk any scheme at all because we’re not going to give anything away.

“Let me put it this way: Antjuan can do wherever we want Antjuan to play. He can play in the box, he can play outside, he can rush the passer, he can cover. He’s a special individual - not just because he can move and he’s tough. He’s also very intelligent and a great leader.

“There’s going to be a lot of expectation on him and there already is, and he’s handling it well. But we’ll see when we get to Northwestern exactly where he’s going to line up.”

Michigan State is scheduled to open the season against Northwestern on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Spartan Stadium.

New Michigan State defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton has indicated that the Spartans will likely stick with a 40 defense (a four-man front). The roster was assembled for a 4-3 defense.

The question that might not be answered until the day of the Northwestern game is whether Michigan State will go with a standard 4-3, similar to the one employed by the Spartans under Mark Dantonio, or if the Spartans might go with a 4-2-5 with a hybrid slot LB/safety type of player.

Last year, Colorado played mainly a 30 front. Tucker says he’s coordinated defenses with success with both 40 and 30 fronts. He said he isn’t married to one particular way of doing things but instead seeks to do what his players are best-equipped to do.

Els wouldn’t give details on this year’s second level of defense, and neither did Simmons when he spoke with media last week.

“It’s different, but it’s the same in many ways,” Simmons said of Hazelton’s new scheme. “Football is football at the end of the day. Some people might be here, some people might be there. Adjusting to a new coach, it’s going to be different terminology, different ways to do things. There’s a million different ways to draw up or play off of blocks. It’s nothing, it’s just football.”

Noah Harvey (6-3, 229, Jr., Harland, Wis.) started the last five games of the season, after Bachie became ineligible. He had 14 tackles in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

A reporter asked Els about his thoughts of his linebackers, despite the fact that he has kind of had limited access to them since he arrived.

“Kind of limited to access? Oh my goodness,” Els said with a laugh. “Completely limited to access. I saw one workout, it was strength conditioning. The rest has just been game films from last year, which hasn’t been a ton.

“Obviously with Antjuan coming back, smartest guy in the room, runs the best. Tremendous leader. Glad to have him back. He was the leading tackler, so that’s obviously a good thing.

“I know Noah Harvey has had some good reps, was in a lot of plays last year. So I’m excited to see what Noah can do. And then you have a couple of other guys who were sprinkled in there - Jeslord Boateng, Chase Kline and then a whole bunch of other dudes who haven’t played yet.”

That includes redshire freshmen Marcel Lewis (6-0, 219, R-Fr., Eastpointe, Mich.) and Luke Fulton (6-2, 230, Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney). Lewis saw action in three games on special teams, including the bowl game.

Edward Warinner would have been a sophomore inside linebacker this year at Michigan State, but he transferred to Michigan, where his father is offensive line coach. Warinner struggled in the 2018 Green-White Game in his most extensive public outing in a Michigan State uniform, and missed last spring. In last year’s State of the Program Linebackers story, SpartanMag singled out Warinner as the linebacker “on the spot,” needing to prove something last August or risk being a career back-up. Warinner played in seven games last year on special teams and had three tackles.

Incoming freshmen Cal Halady (6-1, 205, Elysburg, Pa.) and Devin Hightower (6-1, 215, Twinsburg, Ohio/Hoban) will have a chance to earn a spot in the two-deep. Both were early enrollees, but didn’t get a chance to capitalize on the extra experience of spring football.

Walk-on Tanner Hallock (6-1, 226, Jr., Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Central) has a chance to get into the picture.

Els takes some solace in the fact that every program is losing out on practice time and player development.

“It’s going to be interesting, but everybody in the country is kind of in that boat,” he said. “The special situation for us obviously is that a few of us on the defensive side of the ball were not here previously so we don’t know a lot about these kids as far as playing ability.”

HELP FROM HIS (NEW) FRIENDS

MSU’s former defensive coordinator, Mike Tressel, oversaw the linebackers last year, and during all but one of his 13 years as an assistant to Dantonio. Els said Tressel and defensive line coach Ron Burton have been a big help in getting acclimated to the strengths and weaknesses of the linebacker pool.

“Those guys are outstanding and they are such team players,” Els said. “Not only Mike Tressel, but also Ron Burton and Harlon Barnett coming back after a two-year absence. Those guys are fantastic.

“From a personnel standpoint, from a scheme standpoint, advice about these (linebacker), yeah Tuck did a really good job of getting a mix of guys that he knew, of guys that he wanted and guys that were already here. I know this: In our defensive meetings and our special teams meetings, all of them have been great and I’ve really enjoyed this staff so far.”

WHEN TUCK CALLED

Els served as linebackers coach for former Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre in 2017-18. Tucker retained him as inside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator last year.

The 54-year-old Els, who rose to the rank of defensive coordinator at Purdue in 2016, was thrilled to be asked by Tucker to join him in East Lansing.

“It was quite the deal when Coach Tucker decided to leave and then I got the phone call from him saying that he wanted me to join him up here,” Els said. “It was really a great phone call to have.

“I have the utmost respect for this university at Michigan State, for the football program having gone against them a few times at Nebraska. Just a tremendous work ethic, an attitude of toughness, an attitude of doing things right.”

Els worked as an assistant at Nebraska from 2011 to 2014 under Bo Pelini, spending all four years as linebackers coach. He added special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator to his duties from 2012-14.

“So I was very excited about that and then when I saw the staff that he was putting together here, I mean it was a no-brainer to get up here,” he said.

Els is working from his family home in Colorado. He plans to move in May.

“I can’t wait until my family and I can actually move up there,” he said, “and we get back into the office eventually, and actually get to some serious football work.”

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