What Michigan State is getting in new DC Joe Rossi

New Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith made a big move with his new staff this week, bringing in Joe Rossi from Minnesota to serve as his defensive coordinator. It’s the same position Rossi held with the Gophers for a number of years.

And the new hire brings a lot to East Lansing, particularly in terms of immediate recruiting returns. On3’s Andy Staples and SpartanMag’s Jason Killop discussed how the addition of Rossi can impact the Spartans.

The most immediate impact has been setting up the potential flip of Gaylord (Mich.) High School linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, who was committed to play for Rossi at Minnesota up until recently.

“Joe Rossi, for the recruiting side of things, he immediately got to work on the recruiting trail. Michigan State was actually hosting a Minnesota commitment, four star linebacker Brady Pretzlaff out of Gaylord, Michigan. He was on campus over the weekend and he’s committed to Minnesota at the moment. He has a very close relationship with Joe Rossi and, as you mentioned, Joe Rossi is an experienced defensive coordinator and a guy that Pretzlaff sees himself fitting in his defense well. So Pretzlaff decommitted from Minnesota last night and that’s obviously something to watch for Michigan State as signing day approached, Dec. 20, he wants to have a decision then,” Killop said.

Pretzlaff, rated four stars by On3, is a three-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking. And specific star rating aside, he’s a coveted prospect with Stanford, Michigan and Illinois also getting in the race for Pretzlaff.

But with Rossi on board in East Lansing, the Spartans are looking like the favorites to pick up the 6-foot-3, 215 pound linebacker.

Recruiting wins aside, Rossi has also shown an aptitude for getting results with his players. Minnesota has featured some of the best defenses in the Big Ten during his tenure as coordinator there, and he helped produce NFL players like Antoine Winfield Jr. Three times Minnesota’s defense ranked among the top 10 in FBS in total defense under Rossi, doing so in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

With more potential recruiting wins and a track record of development, things could be ticking up soon in East Lansing with Rossi in tow.

“So, having Rossi in East Lansing helps with [Pretzlaff],” Killop said. “But it’s not just one recruit, of course. So as he gets settled in East Lansing, he’ll continue to work with guys out of the transfer portal and things to that effect.”