One of the more aggravating elements of Michigan State football over the previous several years was having to watch former offensive coordinator Jay Johnson’s offense week in and week out.

Outside of the occasional trick play thrown in here and there, which diminshed in efficiency as the years went on, Johnson’s offense was mainly predictable and ineffectual (outside of when the Spartans possessed a generational tailback in Kenneth Walker III.)

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise then that the current offensive players at Michigan State are enthusiastic to play inside a new offensive scheme under head coach Jonathan Smith and coordinator Brian Lindgren.

The Spartans’ running backs should be particularly excited, as Smith and Lindgren put an emphasis on a tough, physical, downhill running attack to set up the play-action throw and keep opponents honest.

“I think these guys are excited about the offense,” Michigan State RB coach Keith Bhonapha stated earlier this spring. “We’re able to perform some stuff in pre-practice and things like that.

It will be a lot more enthused around here in another week when we put in most of the setup and now guys are having some retention and now getting some confidence in the plays that we’re running, and going out there truly being able to go full speed. Because you can tell when guys are still thinking at times out there on the field.”

Bhonapha described his meeting rooms with Michigan State’s running backs as “energetic”, and stated his guys are coming along with the offensive install this spring.

“Depending on the level where guys are at — some are 300 level, some are 100 level — I think these guys are retaining pretty well,” Bhonapha added.

“We’ve just got so many stuff we’re still trying to construct, from protection, to the run game, to where we want these guys in the route ideas and things like that. I’m simply trying to make sure there knowledge of knowing the offense-slash-football is good.”

Michigan State has now completed two scrimmages behind closed doors this spring, and Spartan fans will get a preview of what the new strategy will look like on April 20 when MSU conducts its first “Spring Showcase” of the Smith era.

The Michigan State Spartan Football Spring Green and White Game (Spring Showcase) will be staged in the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, on April 20, 2024, at 2 p.m.