JD PicKell: Evaluating what's going on at Michigan State under Mel Tucker

It’s been a turbulent few days for Michigan State and coach Mel Tucker, with the news that two of his top players have entered the NCAA transfer portal to seek a new destination for the 2023 season.

Quarterback Payton Thorne and receiver Keon Coleman are headed out, the team’s starting quarterback and leading receiver a year ago.

Is it time to panic in East Lansing?

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“I want to be very clear about this. Here’s what’s not happening at Michigan State. Michigan State is not imploding,” On3’s JD PicKell said in breaking down the latest. “The operation has not gone off the rails. Mel Tucker is not in over his head. These are just two separate issues for two separate individuals. It’s not like the program is just sinking.

“You had a bad year last year, it happens. The year before they were singing his praises, he had an 11-win season. So let’s kind of use some context here, let’s use some perspective. Had one really good year, had one not so good year. You’ve got two players in the portal for reasons that I don’t believe have anything to do with the success or lack thereof in 2022.”

In Thorne’s case, the move seems relatively straightforward.

The Spartans opened up the quarterback competition in the spring and fellow contender Noah Kim was impressing to the point that it looked like he might lead for the job.

“It’s a tough situation, man,” PicKell said. “Coaches across the country are dealing with it, have dealt with it. It’s tough to keep two good quarterbacks on the roster and it’s hard to blame either party here.”

Thorne had a bit of an up-and-down season a year ago, throwing for 2,679 yards but with a sort of ho-hum 19-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

It’s hard for anyone who feels they might be losing grasp of their job, especially at quarterback.

“If I’m Payton Thorne I know I can play whether it’s Michigan State or somewhere else,” PicKell said. “I know I can play college football, I’ve proven that. If you’re Mel Tucker, you’re saying, ‘Listen, if a quarterback derby is the reason why Payton Thorne is not here it’s tough but that’s the cost of doing business.’ That’s just what college football is right now.

“It’s tough to keep two good quarterbacks, but I’ve got to play the best quarterback that gives me a chance to win games, whether that was Payton Thorne or whether it was Noah Kim.”

The impending transfer of Coleman, who recorded 58 catches for 798 yards and seven touchdowns, was a bit different.

Coleman was under no threat of losing his starting job at Michigan State under Mel Tucker.

“The issue around Keon Coleman is the NIL ducks being in a row,” PicKell said. “The concern would be your ducks aren’t in a row to keep one of your top players, if you’re Michigan State, this will not be the last time this happens. You’ve got to have the funds to keep elite talent in East Lansing. If you don’t, this issue will continue to bite you and will continue to hamstring you in the reality that that’s what modern college football is right now.”

So the Spartans are dealing with two top players heading elsewhere.

“There’s not much you can do if you’re Mel Tucker,” PicKell said. “You’re sort of in a rock and a hard place situation.”