It's a new week of fall camp for Michigan State football and that means we get to hear from different coaches after practice to get some key updates on the team.
On Monday, it was Jonathan Smith and defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa who spoke to the media.
And both provided some great updates.
I wrote earlier in the day about an update to the receiver room. Smith revealed who the team's top two receivers are (Nick Marsh, Omari Kelly) and said that there's a strong battle for that third receiver. That's a position group that could be the best on the team when the season begins.
On the flip side, the defensive line has a ton to prove this year after one of the worst sack-less droughts in recent memory a season ago. Suiaunoa knows he needs to get more out of his guys, but he followed the trend of other coaches, praising one of his newcomers: Derrick Simmons.
Suiaunoa: “Derrick Simmons is not a normal freshman. He’s really physically gifted.”
— SpartanMag.com (@TheSpartanMag) August 11, 2025
"Derrick Simmons is not a normal freshman."
You know what, that quote would be hanging in my locker throughout my career if I were Simmons. That's the type of praise that a player gets before he breaks out during his freshman season. This is just more high praise for the freshman defensive lineman from Frankenmuth, Mich., after Joe Rossi and Smith have both spoken highly of him in recent weeks.
Simmons feels like a guy who could turn into a Derrick Harmon type up the middle on the defensive line, causing problems and living in the backfield. He was a four-star coming in and it's clear that he's living up to that ranking with all the praise he's been receiving.
The freshman from Frankenmuth may just crack the starting lineup this season.