When the coronavirus pandemic canceled his pro day and left him without a gym to train at, former Michigan State football cornerback Josh Butler turned man’s best friend into man’s best workout partner. In an effort to stay in shape for prospective NFL teams ahead of this month’s draft, Butler has been doing daily workouts — sometimes three a day — with his dogs, Roxy and Remi.
Source: Detroit Free Press
This is the second installment of an occasional series of draft diaries from Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes. Willekes had 49 tackles for loss and 23.5 sacks — including 10 in the 2019 season — over four seasons at Michigan State.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Wil and Matt are joined by Kenny Willekes as he preps for the NFL Draft. They talk bout Michigan State’s road win over No. 7 Michigan in 2017.
There used to be a phrase that was heard often around the Michigan State football program. “Pound, green, pound.” It described the way the Spartans intended to win games, by running the ball down the throat of their opponent. From George Perles to Mark Dantonio, Michigan State wanted to control the game on the ground, eating up the clock and putting pressure on the opposition.
Source: Detroit News
Dwayne Stephens Sr., the father of Michigan State men’s basketball associate head coach Dwayne Stephens, died Wednesday after contracting COVID-19.
Source: Detroit News
Conner George and his classmates each took time to say farewell to the Spartans following the conclusion of the 2019-20. The letter from George is the second of three this week.
A new coaching staff faces the same dilemma Michigan State football’s previous regime struggled with for two years. How can the Spartans begin to run the ball better and produce more points on offense? Mel Tucker brought in Jay Johnson and Chris Kapilovic to try and fix what Mark Dantonio’s staff couldn’t due to extensive injuries up front in consecutive years. It will be the third straight year the Spartans will have a new offensive coordinator and different offensive line coach.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Michigan State’s pro day, which was scheduled for March 19, was supposed to give Spartan football players such as Matt Seyfert, Tyler Higby, and Josh Butler – who did not receive invites to February’s NFL Combine – a chance to make an impression in front of league scouts, either to be drafted or signed as undrafted free agents. But with the cancellation, players have been forced to get creative with A) how to get workouts in with most venues shuttered and B) getting their numbers from various agility drills in front of NFL teams.
Source: Lansing State Journal
It has now been three weeks since almost all sporting events in the United States have come to a halt, but that hasn’t stopped the Michigan State football program from doing as much as they can to prepare for the upcoming season, assuming it takes place.
Source: The State News
There’s plenty of uncertainty in a typical year in the NBA draft, as prospects must showcase themselves for 30 teams, see their draft stocks rise and fall with millions of dollars in salary on the line.
Source: mlive.com
With a new coaching staff in place, there’s plenty of uncertainty about what Michigan State will look like this season.However, new wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins is confident Jayden Reed will be a standout in his first season on the field with the Spartans. “I think Jayden is going to be a huge surprise for Spartan nation,” Hawkins said. “The kid can play.”
Source: mlive.com
Time has a way of clouding the memory. Like a fog slowly blanketing the landscape, details can get fuzzy as the years pass. Twenty years after Tom Izzo took his Michigan State team to a second consecutive Final Four, a trip that ultimately ended in the school’s second national championship, there are moments that aren’t quite as clear as they used to be.
Source: Detroit News
Michigan State baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr. gives fans a recap of each of his 12 seasons at the helm of the Spartans and some of his favorite highlights from each campaign. The weekly series starts off with Coach Boss’ first year with the Spartans, 2009.
Cassius Winston was selected to the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team™ by the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Wednesday night. This is the second-straight year that Winston has been named a Wooden Award All American Team™ member.
Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins answered questions from reporters on a media teleconference on Wednesday afternoon. Hawkins talked about his transition to collegiate coaching, his initial thoughts on the Spartan wide receivers, and how past players welcomed him back to East Lansing.
Michigan State offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Kapilovic answered questions from reporters on a media teleconference on Wednesday afternoon. Kapilovic shared his philosophy on offensive line play, his initial thoughts on the Spartan offensive line, and his relationship with head coach Mel Tucker.
There isn’t much Courtney Hawkins hadn’t accomplished on the football field. He was an All-Big Ten wide receiver at Michigan State, won a Big Ten championship under coach George Perles and his name still dots the program’s record books. After a nine-year career in the NFL, Hawkins returned to his hometown of Flint and led his alma mater, Beecher High, as its football coach and athletic director for 14 years.
Source: Detroit News
Cole Chewins’ college football career is over. The offensive lineman has elected to not pursue a sixth year of eligibility and has instead moved forward with his life, an MSU spokesperson said.
Source: Spartan Tailgate
Wil and Matt are joined by Travis Trice to discuss MSU’s run to the 2015 Final Four and win over Louisville in the Elite Eight