EAST LANSING – As Michigan State looks to shore up a struggling and injury-riddled defense, personnel changes continue to be made.
The latest came with two changes to the starting secondary in last week’s 27-13 loss at Maryland as the Spartans (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) dropped their third straight game.
Angelo Grose moved from safety to nickelback and that led to true freshman safety Jaden Mangham making his first career start.
“Just trying to give us the best lineup based upon the guys who can execute, best tacklers, put guys in the best position, trying to find the best group of guys,” coach Mel Tucker said after the loss.
Grose became the third player to start at nickelback for the Spartans this season. Chester Kimbrough started the first three games but was replaced in the second half of a loss at Washington by Justin White, who started in a 34-7 defeat against Minnesota two weeks ago and struggled.
That led to Grose moving spots and he’s familiar with nickelback after starting four games there as a true freshman in 2020. He started 12 games at safety and one at nickelback last year and the first four this season at safety. Grose had four tackles, including one for a loss, against Maryland last week.
“Gelo did a nice job at the nickel spot,” Tucker said on Monday. “That’s a spot that’s good for him. He didn’t have as much work at the position as we would have liked in practice but the work that he got in maybe a practice and a half he showed what he showed in the past at that position.”
For Michigan State, chance to upset No. 3 Ohio State starts with belief
Grose was a starting safety last season when C.J. Stroud threw for 432 yards and six touchdowns as Ohio State rolled to a 56-7 win against Michigan State. The Spartans face the No. 3 Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday and Stroud leads an offense that ranks first in the nation in scoring at 48.8 points per game. Grose knows the challenge Ohio State presents and will be tested.
“That nickel position is critically important for the run game, perimeter run support, the RPO game and then also in coverage,” Tucker said. “You have to be a really good tackler and you have to be adjustable because they have a lot of shifts and a lot of motions and things like that. He has experience so it’s going to be important that we get high-level production from him at that position.”
With Grose switching spots, Mangham logged his most playing time by far last week in just his fourth appearance for the Spartans. The former four-star recruit had six tackles and played 73 of 78 total defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
“It was a good start for him,” Tucker said of Mangham. “He played hard and he was into it. I didn’t see any hesitation from him and he’s shown that in practice. His best football is ahead of him.”
The tweaks to Michigan State’s secondary – which is still missing starting safety Xavier Henderson due to injury – weren’t enough to snap the losing streak. Maryland scored three touchdowns in the first half and Taulia Tagovailoa finished with 314 passing yards and a touchdown. The Spartans improved defensively in the second half while limiting the Terrapins to a pair of field goals and coming up with a goal-line stand.
“I feel like the defense played better in the second half,” Tucker said. “I’m seeing some improvements in some areas there and I think our best football is ahead of us.”
Recruiting amid adversity
Following an 11-win season capped by a Peach Bowl victory, Michigan State had a strong summer recruiting. The Spartans brought high-level prospects to campus for visits while posing with luxury cars in photos splashed across social media. There was a buzz and they landed commitments from coveted players.
Overheard at Mel Tucker’s press conference: Easy bus isn’t coming and a tremendous challenge
Now mired in a three-game losing streak, the shine of last season’s success has worn off. However, it hasn’t negatively affected Michigan State’s recruiting yet. The Spartans have 14 players – including 10 four-star prospects – committed to a 2023 recruiting class that ranks 23rd in the nation in the 247Sports Composite and there have been no decommitments since the season began. Michigan State also picked up a commitment last week from 2024 four-star cornerback Jamari Howard.
“I think it depends on who you’re recruiting and what they’re looking for and what is their criteria,” Tucker said about the challenges of recruiting amid a losing streak. “If I’m a recruit and I’m being recruited by Michigan State, I’m saying that’s a place that’s hungry to win football games, they have a great fan base, great alumni support, it’s big-time football and I have an opportunity to go in there and contribute. If I come in here and I’m ready to play and I do what I’m supposed to do, I can be part of the build and the emergence and the surge moving forward.
“Those are the type of guys we need. We need guys that want to come in here and do something significant and do something extraordinary.”
Latest transfer addition
Tucker has used the portal to reshape the roster and the latest transfer didn’t arrive until after the season started.
Ken Talley, a defensive end transfer from Penn State, announced his commitment to the Spartans on Sept. 7 and was officially added to the roster five days later. He was a 2022 four-star prospect from Philadelphia who arrived at Penn State in the summer but his time with the program was very brief as he entered the portal in August.
“He became available and then we acted on it,” Tucker said of Talley. “That’s pretty much it.”
Talley, 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, can practice with the team but isn’t eligible to play this season, according to a team spokesman. Tucker declined to say if Michigan State applied for a waiver to gain immediate eligibility or discuss how he could fit into the defense in the future.
“I don’t have a projection for him at this time,” Tucker said. “Really focused on the guys that are available to play for us right now.”
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