3 quick takes on MSU football and Tom Izzo hiring Saddie Washington

1. MSU football fans may never again enjoy recruiting the way they did just two years ago

In Michigan State football, two years seems almost like an eternity.

Two years ago this week, I ran my column with the following assessment of the MSU program and coaching staff:

“It is definitely too early to consider Mel Tucker a $95 million deal. But it’s this type of recruiting that could get him there one day.

And a few charts later…

“Tucker and his staff have, in a short period of time, created a recruiting momentum that is beyond anything this program has ever experienced. This is not hyperbole.”

Maybe that’s not hyperbole. It just hasn’t aged well. It didn’t last. He wasn’t worth it.

The Tucker era crashed and burned last September. But the peak of this situation lasted from Miami in September 2021 to about this week in 2022. And while nine four-star high school prospects ultimately signed with MSU the following December — and five of them remain with the program (offensive lineman Cole Dellinger and Stanton Ramil, linebacker Jordan Hall, linebacker Brennan Parachek and defensive lineman Jalen Thompson) – It’s hard to imagine that MSU fans would ever be as excited about a football recruiting team as they were two years ago in June, as one after another high-profile prospects posed at Spartan Stadium with fancy cars and flashy equipment.

The weakening hype over the following months and years, combined with the changing world of college sports, killed June for MSU football fans – and many college football fans. The sport has also changed on Tucker. His brilliant recruiting style could work when the Lamborghinis were on display, and it didn’t have to be a post-signup gift. These days, pride is less important than the cold, hard collective NIL cash that MSU wasn’t quite ready for when it became the currency of college football.

I still don’t know if the Tucker era wouldn’t have worked at MSU if it had started in, say, 2017 – and if he had made at least one decision differently.

However, if you’re going to spend money on coaching and staff these days, you’re better off selecting a coaching staff that maximizes the talent on the roster and creates a culture that persists in a more transactional landscape. The recruiting process is as much about managing your schedule and having the resources to pay for it as it is about attracting potential candidates to campus. This is the challenge facing Jonathan Smith and Co.

They have commitments from seven three-star recruits for 2025 – including two added last week. Some of them may become important players in the coming years. But given the fluidity of rosters, the lure of the transfer portal, the recklessness of the recruits involved, and the scars of lost hope from two June ago, I’m not sure anything in the recruiting space could move the MSU fanbase right now. At least not in June.

2. History suggests that MSU’s first year under Jonathan Smith was a rewarding one

If you’re looking for optimism for this football season – in the first year under Smith, coming off a disastrous 4-8 season – look no further than most of MSU’s modern football history.

When Mark Dantonio replaced John L. Smith after a 4-8 season in 2006, Dantonio’s first team won seven games and reached the bowl game. When John L. Smith replaced Bobby Williams’ staff after a 4-8 season in 2002, his first team won eight games. When Nick Saban replaced George Perles after the program lost and had a 5-6 season in 1994, Saban’s first regular-season team went 6-4-1 and provided the thrill and moments of hope that I think he’s counting on most fans This fall.

No one in their right mind expects the MSU football team to compete. People count on competence and competitiveness and a few flashes that will make the world take notice.

At a place like MSU, where previous staff are rarely allowed to completely rebuild, the energy and focus that comes with new staff has often been enough to lift the squad to a level that is largely satisfactory for Year 1.

3. The hiring of Saddie Washington should provide Izzo with a fresh perspective and an experienced recruiter

It would be a shame if his eight seasons at Michigan somehow prevented Saddie Washington from being on Tom Izzo’s staff at MSU. Shame on Washington, who has deep roots in Lansing and the state and whose family feels comfortable here. And it’s a shame for Izzo and MSU, who probably wouldn’t do better than someone with Washington’s experience and pedigree.

First, if you’re interested in competing, understand that Washington is the son of MSU’s all-time champion, the late Stan Washington. He is a Lansing Sexton graduate who went on to become Western Michigan’s all-time leading scorer and coached under Greg Kampe in Oakland for a decade before joining Jon Beilein’s staff at Michigan. His roots are too diverse to be described as a Michigan man.

The fact that he worked under three different and distinct coaches in Kampe, Beilein and Juwan Howard should give Washington an experienced perspective that a younger hire wouldn’t have. His experience with Izzo’s coaching and recruiting program should also provide valuable insights. He was instrumental in building the program in Oakland, and at Michigan he recruited the likes of Isaiah Livers, Hunter Dickinson and Kobe Bufkin.

I understand that Washington will be working with MSU’s most important players, as well as Austin Thornton, who has been promoted to assistant coach. This group of players could use fresh dynamics in their development.

The timing of Howard leaving Michigan and making Washington available was perfect for MSU.

Contact Graham Couch at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.

3 quick takes on MSU football and Tom Izzo hiring Saddie Washington

1. MSU football fans may never again enjoy recruiting the way they did just two years ago

By meerna

You Missed

Atlanta vs. DC United, Orlando vs. Montreal

Southwest Baltimore shooting leaves 14-year-old injured, police say

9-year-old track star set to represent Louisville at Junior Olympics with family support

Oops Southern Baptist Agency Announces Layoff of Its…

3 quick takes on MSU football and Tom Izzo hiring Saddie Washington

1. MSU football fans may never again enjoy recruiting the way they did just two years ago

By meerna

Related Post

Atlanta vs. DC United, Orlando vs. Montreal

Southwest Baltimore shooting leaves 14-year-old injured, police say

9-year-old track star set to represent Louisville at Junior Olympics with family support

You Missed

Atlanta vs. DC United, Orlando vs. Montreal

Southwest Baltimore shooting leaves 14-year-old injured, police say

9-year-old track star set to represent Louisville at Junior Olympics with family support

Oops Southern Baptist Agency Announces Layoff of Its…