EAST LANSING — Jonathan Smith promised fans who come to Michigan State’s spring showcase some real football.
Albeit not a football game in its truest form, and not for the entire two-hour window. But they will be keeping score.
Spartan Stadium opens for the final spring football practice at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, with MSU’s public unveiling under new head coach Smith starting at 2 p.m. And though the Spartans have not held a traditional split-squad scrimmage since Mark Dantonio’s final spring in 2019, Smith is planning to roll out more than his predecessor Mel Tucker did in his three open practices at the stadium (there was no spring football in 2020 due to the pandemic).
“It’ll be a little bit offense and defense,” Smith said Tuesday after MSU’s 13th practice. “But the clocks going to run, trying to create a game-like atmosphere for most of it. … We’re gonna try to get about four quarters in of 10 minutes running clock and go offense versus defense. We’re gonna let the defense start with a lead, point-wise, and then play.”
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New Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith went 25-12 over the past three seasons at Oregon State, his alma mater.
The event will air on a tape delay at 4 p.m. on Big Ten Network, with BTN-Plus streaming it live starting at 2 p.m.
Smith said he is undecided whether his assistant coaches and coordinators will operate from their soon-to-be game-day home in the press box, but he did say headsets will be used to get some work for his new staff on the communication system. It will also be a chance for MSU players to get back in front of fans for the first time on their home turf since a Nov. 11 loss to Ohio State — the Spartans’ last two games of their 4-8 season were a road win at Indiana and a…
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