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Michigan State's graduate assistant roster adds former Spartan LB Antjuan Simmons

On3 imageby:Jim Comparoni•03/07/23•

JimComparoni

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Antjuan Simmons, shown here during Mel Tucker's introductory press conference in February of 2020, has returned to the program as a graduate assistant. (Photo by Dane Robison for SpartanMag.com).

East Lansing, Mich. – Mel Tucker has been around as head coach at Michigan State just long enough that some of his former Spartan players are starting to come back to the program in a support capacity. 

Antjuan Simmons, who played linebacker for the Spartans during Tucker’s first season at Michigan State in 2020, has taken a position as a graduate assistant with the Michigan State football program. 

Michigan State has yet to release news of Simmons’ assignment, and the football program has never issued a press release on graduate assistant hirings in the past, but Simmons’ return is a noteworthy addition to the football support staff.

Simmons, of Ann Arbor, was second-team All-Big Ten (by media) as a linebacker in 2020 and third-team by the coaches. 

He finished his career with 20 consecutive starts and ranked No. 26 in school history with 26 tackles for loss. 

Simmons could have returned for a COVID year of eligibility in 2021, but opted for the NFL Draft. He went unselected. 

Simmons recently served as a linebackers coach at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School. 

Simmons was a human development and family studies major. 

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Simmons became a de facto spokesperson for the team and program during the 2019 season, Mark Dantonio’s final year at the helm, and into the spring of 2020 when Tucker was hired.

At Tucker’s introductory press conference as head coach, university officials selected Simmons to be the lone member of the Michigan State football team to speak at the podium on behalf of the Spartan players in welcoming Tucker back to East Lansing.

“We will play hard for you,” Simmons told Tucker while addressing media and the audience.

Now, Simmons will be tasked with working to make sure the current generation of Spartans play hard for the fourth-year head coach – especially in his area of expertise, on the defensive side of the ball.

Simmons’ arrival corresponds with the departure of former defensive backs graduate assistant, Gerren DuHart. DuHart announced his departure from Michigan State on Feb. 8. DuHart was hired as an assistant to the defensive backs coach at Ohio State on Feb. 15. DuHart served as a graduate assistant at Michigan State for two seasons.

Michigan State’s graduate assistant roster in 2023 is expected to include: 

* Bo Els, who worked as a defensive backs graduate assistant last year after spending 2021 as a quarterbacks G.A.

Els, a native of Lincoln, Neb., had 165 receptions in his final two seasons for NAIA National Champion Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. He is the son of Michigan State special teams coach, Ross Els.

* Jacob Lail, who worked as a graduate assistant to the Spartan offensive line last year. 

Lail served as a G.A. at Wayne State in 2020 and 2021 before moving to tight ends coach for the Warriors in the spring of 2022.

Lail, a native of Racine, Wis., played for three years at the University of Wisconsin from 2014-16.

* Tino Smith II, who be a graduate assistant to the wide receivers coach at Michigan State. 

Smith, of Carmel, Ind., served as assistant head football coach and recruiting coordinator at Albion College last year. He previously served as wide receivers coach.

Smith played quarterback and wide receiver at Savannah State University. 

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