If you're a Michigan State football fan, you know better than to hype yourself up over fall camp quotes and positive updates from the coaching staff and players.
For years, we've heard about how the team was improving rapidly and it would take that next step, and for years, Spartan fans have been let down. Michigan State is going on year six or seven of hearing that the offensive line might be the most improved unit on the team, and Smith reiterated that notion during Big Ten Media Days.
Is this the year that actually comes true?
It feels like the pieces are there, and there's definitely no shortage of options in the trenches, but should we expect vast improvement from a disappointing first year on the offensive line under Smith?
Well, the head coach doubled down on his notion that the line is improving, stating that the depth there is something that Michigan State hasn't seen in years.
Jonathan Smith: “We are still going through close to 10 guys on the offensive line, there’s no starting five.”
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) August 11, 2025
Smith said that he's going through about 10 guys on the line to try and select a starting five. Some might find that worrisome at this point in camp that there's no starting five listed, but I find this as a positive development. To me, this sounds like 10 guys are standing out as starting-caliber linemen and he's just trying to figure out who will get the nod.
And when you look at the roster, it makes sense. The quality depth is there.
You have guys like Matt Gulbin, Rakeem Johnson, Cole Dellinger, Conner Moore, Payton Stewart, Stanton Ramil, Ashton Lepo, Luka Vincic, Kristian Phillips, Rustin Young, Gavin Broscious, Andrew Dennis, and the Luniewski twins who could all crack that regular rotation.
That's some serious depth -- and it's mentioning only half the group.
For the first time since probably the Mark Dantonio era, I'm starting to buy into the idea that the offensive line is going to take a massive step. Smith only furthered that notion on Monday.