Inside Spring Football: Addition of QBs coach Jon Boyer already having an impact at Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. - When the NCAA lifted restrictions on the roles of analysts and off-field coaches, Jonathan Smith, Brian Lindgren and Michigan State were ready to pounce. Michigan State responded by hiring Jon Boyer as quarterbacks coach in January. MSU players and assistant coaches have already felt the benefits from adding Boyer, who previously worked with Smith and Lindgren at Oregon State. “Handcuffs are off,” Smith said. “Every position now gets multiple eyes, multiple hands on, the meeting side, the contribution is great.” Boyer had served as a quality control coach and senior advisor for Smith at Oregon State from 2019-24. He was not part of the nine-man, on-field coaching staff at Oregon State. Previous rules prevented or restricted the ability of support staff coaches from providing hands-on instruction, on the practice field or during gamedays. When those rules were lifted last summer, Michigan State sought to bring Boyer east during the off-season “He's comfortable with that offensive staff, the scheme already, and he had some relationship with Aiden (Chiles),” Smith said of Boyer. “So that stage was kind of set.” Boyer went to work with Chiles, and other quarterbacks, during winter conditioning. It’s carried over to a constructive spring. “I think the addition of Coach (Jon) Boyer, in regard to having a second voice with Coach Lindgren with the offense, has helped,” Smith said. Boyer’s arrival has allowed Lindgren to branch out, with confidence. (MORE INSIDE)