Max Bullough's return home was celebrated by every Spartan fan this offseason. Bringing back a player from that Rose Bowl and Big Ten champion team in 2013 to coach the defense was probably the smartest move that Pat Fitzgerald could have made. The energy is back on that side of the ball.
Bullough returned to the program that he called home for his entire life after watching his dad, grandpa, and younger brothers after him suit up for the green and white.
However, there's one stain on an almost-perfect Michigan State resume that has stuck with him but he's never actually answered publicly.
Bullough was suspended for the 2014 Rose Bowl game after a going 12-1 after the Big Ten championship, and the reason for Mark Dantonio holding his captain back from the biggest game of his life has never been revealed. There have been plenty of rumors about it, but he's never explained why he was suspended.
And after Tuesday's spring practice, I can bet that he won't be asked about it again.
During the media session after practice, Bullough was asked about that suspension and if he'd comment on what happened and the new co-defensive coordinator kind of laughed it off and said that his focus is on the current team, his family, and the future of the program.
This was Michigan State co-defensive coordinator and former linebacker Max Bullough's full response to the question about the 2014 Rose Bowl suspension. https://t.co/rjwtGVAROp pic.twitter.com/LycW91bWxu
— Owen Oszust (@Owen_Oszust) April 14, 2026
Honestly, great answer to a question that he knew was going to come one day. Instead of dredging up the past, Bullough is full steam ahead and he's focused on the program and not past mistakes.
That situation can stay between Bullough, Dantonio, and that 2013 team.
Max Bullough is the right guy to bring the defense back
Some people won't like his answer to that 2014 Rose Bowl question, but it's best to move forward and not focus on something that has no impact on the current team nor his life.
Moving forward means bringing Michigan State back to the top of college football, at least in regards to the defensive side of the ball. He's been called one of the brightest defensive minds that Mike Vrabel has ever been around and he rose through the ranks at Notre Dame, becoming the linebackers coach after excelling as a grad assistant.
Now he's joining forces with Joe Rossi to help bring the defense back to where it belongs, and I think these are the two perfect guys for the job.
Bullough's got the defensive mind, he can relate to players, and he's got recent experience at the college level while Rossi is a veteran coach with a proven track record.
The defense should be fun to watch in 2026.
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