Pads are about to come on for Michigan State football, and Monday’s morning practice offered a brief look at where a few key position battles stand before things get a little more physical on Tuesday.
The clearest snapshot came at wide receiver, where the Spartans still have two starting jobs open and a lot of uncertainty behind the top names. During one drill, wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins called for the “starters,” and the group that stepped up was Chrishon McCray, Charles Taplin and Rodney Bullard Jr. McCray was expected, but seeing Taplin and Bullard in that group felt like a useful read on where the room is right now.
It also puts extra pressure on the NCAA’s pending eligibility ruling for Bullard. If his waiver gets denied, Michigan State could be staring at the loss of a starter this close to kickoff, after Bullard has been waiting for an answer since wintertime. That delay has already stretched long enough to feel absurd.
Still, those receiver spots do not look locked in outside of McCray. Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore, Notre Dame transfer KK Smith, sophomore Bryson Williams and freshman Samson Gash all look like players who will factor in this season. Gash may still be working back from a hamstring injury he picked up this summer during a track and field meet, but he should get more opportunities as he gets healthier and the season moves along.
The offensive line gave off a more settled feel. MSU had mostly been working in three-man groups during the media viewing period, so the alignment was tough to pin down for a while, but the final segment finally showed five linemen in a standard formation. From left to right, that group was Ben Murawski, Conner Moore, Trent Fraley, Nick Sharpe and Rakeem Johnson.
Moore’s move from right tackle to left guard stood out most, while Johnson winning the right tackle spot over Robert Wright Jr. would be a smaller surprise. Sharpe sliding back to right guard also fits his background; he played left guard at South Carolina last season, but he spent his four years at Wake Forest on the right side, with Nick Tabacca coaching the line there.
Even with that group looking more established than the receivers, the competition is still wide open across the line. Pat Fitzgerald said at Big Ten Football Media Days a couple of weeks ago that 10-11 offensive linemen were in the mix for starting jobs. Wright, guard/center Luka Vincic when healthy, tackle Rustin Young, center Drew Nichols and perhaps true freshman Eli Bickel are among the names that still figure to be part of the season.
The defensive tackle group brought a different kind of energy. The unit as a whole did not look like it was having its best day, and between drills one player in the room - I believe it was Mikeshun Beeler, though it was too far away to say for certain - delivered a fired-up speech telling everyone to pick it up, with a few words that can’t be repeated here.
Among the players working there, Illinois transfer Eli Coenen stood out the most. He looked like the fastest and most violent player in the group during drills, and he remains one to watch for a possible breakout. His climb has been dramatic, going from redshirting at Division II Bemidji State as a freshman in 2023 to becoming a major part of Illinois’ rotation in the back half of 2025.
In Other News...
Michigan States New Offense Is Already Raising One Big Camp Question
Michigan States offense is looking a lot different this fall, with only two full-time starters back as the Spartans try to rebuild around a new quarterback, fresh running backs, a reworked offensive line, new wideouts and first-year coordinator Nick Sheridan. That kind of overhaul always creates noise in camp, but it also creates opportunity, especially when the staff is still sorting through how the pieces fit together on the fly.
The offensive line has already been a focal point because the group is being shuffled early in camp, and the quarterback room is drawing just as much attention as the reps stack up. With a new starter in place and the depth chart still taking shape behind him, Michigan State is at the point of camp where every snap seems to say something about who is moving up, who is being protected and who is still trying to carve out a role. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States New Left Tackle Already Looks Like A Difference-Maker
Michigan State opened fall camp with a familiar need front and center: making the offensive line sturdier and more dependable after adding several experienced pieces to the room. Among the newcomers drawing attention is UConn transfer Ben Murawski, the 6-foot-7, 340-pound tackle who is projected to step in at left tackle and bring some immediate stability to a group the Spartans are counting on to improve.
Murawski arrives with real resume points, having started all 12 games for UConn last season and earning second-team Group of Five All-American honors from HERO Sports. For Michigan State, the intrigue is not just that he has been productive, but that he looks like the kind of presence that can change how the line feels from the first snap of camp, even before the pads fully come on and the real testing begins. [Read more 🡒]
Former Spartan Tre Hollomans Next Move Could Haunt Michigan State
A Colorado judges ruling has reopened the door for a handful of recent college seniors, including players from the 2022 recruiting class, and it quickly created movement for Michigan State alumni with eligibility questions hanging over them. Former Spartan Jaxon Kohler and Tre Holloman were among those who entered the transfer portal after the decision, a development that adds another layer to a roster picture the Spartans thought they had a little more settled.
Holloman, who left Michigan State for NC State, has now officially entered the portal and is looking into what a fifth year of college basketball might look like. For Michigan State, the concern is not just the loss of another familiar name from the program tree, but the possibility that this ruling could keep reshaping the market well beyond this offseason and into the 2026-27 season. [Read more 🡒]