NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
EAST LANSING — Lines of players — the offense in green and defense in white — went through stretches in preparation to shake off three months of rust. That doesn’t take long for finely trained and conditioned college athletes.
Michigan State football head coach Jonathan Smith stood watching during their calisthenics, hat on head and whistle in hand, observing every little detail. The horn sounded, ending the warmup period. Players and coaches scattered into position groups. Pads began to thump over the loud music, balls began to fly through the blue-white skies and sweat began dripping as the temperature and humidity increased.
The Spartans are back, even though many of the faces and names are different than a year ago — heck, even since the last time they practiced on this field in April. Smith and his new squad opened their preseason camp Tuesday, with his debut a month away, on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic.
Michigan State’s head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during the first day of football camp on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in East Lansing.
WHAT TO WATCH: 5 storylines for coach Jonathan Smith’s first camp with Spartans
“It’s definitely always exciting for the first day of camp and stuff,” senior wide receiver Montorie Foster said after practice Tuesday. “Last night, I really couldn’t sleep too much. But it was definitely fun today. We got there got out there to run. We got to run and play, so it was pretty good.”
Although the team spent the summer working individually and in small groups, keeping skills sharp and developing rapport with each other, the opening of camp remains a symbolic restart to football. Particularly when a new coach, namely Smith, takes over a program.
Mel Tucker was fired during last season for off-field issues and after a Title IX investigation, with the Spartans finishing 4-8…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-football-opens-camp-012022484.html
Author : Detroit Free Press
Publish date : 2024-07-31 01:20:22
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
