SpartanMag LIVE! Comparoni discusses the latest on Michigan State football including Keon Coleman and more

East Lansing, Mich. – In the latest edition of the SpartanMag LIVE! podcast, SpartanMag publisher Jim Comparoni discusses the latest smoke signals and rumors surrounding the portal status of Michigan State’s Keon Coleman and Payton Thorne. 

Other questions discussed:

* If Coleman and Thorne leave, what are Michigan State’s percentage chances of earning a bowl bid?

* Which wide receiver would benefit the most if Coleman leaves, in terms of targets and impact?

* Is the Michigan State fanbase being fair to Mel Tucker?

* What are the post-spring expectations of the Michigan State defense?

*** Sign up for premium access to SpartanMag.com and the On3 Network for only $29.99***

* What would be the starting trio of wide receivers if Coleman does not return to Michigan State? 

* If Tucker has a losing season, is that equivalent of John L. Smith’s start?

* What is the probability of Coleman and/or Thorne returning to Michigan State? 

* Comparoni also goes in-depth on the state of the young Spartan defensive backfield, and where the Spartans could be strong on the defensive side of the ball. 

* Players discussed include: Malik Spencer, Jaden Mangham, Dillon Tatum, Caleb Coley, Charles Brantley, Malcolm Jones, Keith Bogle, Tunmise Adeleye, Zion Young and more.

* Comp on the outlook for the Michigan State defensive line, before going off on a tangent:

“I came out of spring practice thinking the defense will be okay. Michigan State’s team defense has been ranked outside of the national Top 100 for the past two years, so merely being ‘okay’ would be a big step in the right direction. 

“But I think it’s going to be okay. Can’t have injuries like last year. But square number one, from a foundational standpoint, the defensive line is going to be pretty good, or quite good. I don’t know if there are going to be the pure edge pass rushers but, first things first, Mel Tucker wanted improvement in setting the edge versus the run, or  – as Mark Dantonio used to say – in the C-gap area. Taking on the tight end, taking on the strong side, having a defensive end who can take on a tight end and defeat a tight end and defeat a tight end/tackle double-team, setting an edge. That’s what they brought Tunmise Adeleye to Michigan State to help with. 

“Khris Bogle, I thought, was pretty good against the run last year before being lost for the year with an injury in September. He’s been productive here and there in the pass rush at Florida, but we didn’t get to see a lot from him last year before he got hurt. But he’s back and he’s eager to be a starter or compete to become a starter, and he’ll be good against the run. Adeleye will be good against the run. Zion Young was forced to become a starter at defensive end last year as a true freshman because of injuries and other things, and that’s a big, young guy out of Florida who was a really good evaluation in the previous recruiting class. He is looking good, to the point that I had a conversation with Ron “Big Moobie” Armstrong about it, that Zion Young looked to the point that Michigan State is going to have to play defense on him – meaning they are going to have to work to keep teams away from trying to get Zion Young, the way they are trying to keep teams away from Keon Coleman right now. In the days, weeks, months and years ahead, they are going to have to do that with Zion Young. That’s a Georgia kid and he’s going to play well and teams are going to come after him.

“By the way, regarding Keon Coleman, I said that on this podcast and other shows that you would be naive to think that other programs weren’t going to come after him. So we shouldn’t be surprised by that. And that’s what you should hope happens if you go down South and get a good, underrated three-star who comes to Michigan State and plays well. You hope that they play well and two or three years later LSU and Tennessee are coming to try to steal him from you. You hope they play that well. And if you’re a real program, you’ve got the money to play defense. Some people are uncomfortable with that but that’s the way the game is going to be played now and if you are going to be committed to the entire enterprise, that’s what it’s going to require.”