As we gear up for Year 3 of the Mel Tucker era in East Lansing,Spartan Nation will be taking closer looks at every position group on the Spartans' depth chart and pointing out one thing we like, one thing we don't and something to keep an eye on. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onMichigan State Spartans and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. But it is a crowded backfield. Even as that season was abbreviated due to COVID-19, yards on the ground were very hard to come by for the Spartans, as Simmons only tallied 219 yards without a score as a the lead back. Mel Tucker struck gold last offseason when he nabbed Kenneth Walker III out of the transfer portal. [1] He attended Arlington High School and played for their football team, where he rushed for 3,485 yards with 41 touchdowns. He made 10 starts in 30 career games while playing primarily at center but also has experience at right and left guard. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). My best guess would be as a potential pass-catcher out of the backfield, as Primm has good speed an burst in open space. In two seasons in Madison, Berger carried the ball 84 times for 389 yards and three touchdowns. The Spartans get redshirt senior Elijah Collins back, who had a breakout season in 2019 when he rushed for 988 yards on 222 carries and five touchdowns. "It has been a true honor to represent Michigan State University and wear the Green and White," Walker posted to Twitter. If Michigan State doesn't have that run threat that every defense has to respect, that could put boundaries on how high the Spartans' ceiling is on offense.
There's certainly talent to tap into here, but there were also reports that Berger did not handle losing carries to his fellow Badger teammates very well at all.
After the 2020 season, Walker transferred to Michigan State University.
Michigan State junior running back Kenneth Walker III announced Thursday that he's entering the NFL draft and will forgo playing in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 30. Langford also finished his career with a program-record 16 consecutive 100-yard rushing games. ", Spartans RB Walker to skip bowl, enter NFL draft, Source: Cards, Murray agree to $230.5M deal, Who are the NFL's highest-paid players at every position?
Them.
His physical attributes are evident, though, as he stands at 6-feet-4-inches tall and 215 pounds. So when I see lists that have Michigan States running backs ranked 7-8 in the Big Ten, I just shake my head in disbelief. Both head coach Mel Tucker and offensive coordinator Jay Johnson mentioned redshirt freshman Davion Primm unprompted, by name, this spring when talking about players who had stood out in spring practice. Its hot out and we desperately need football back. Duplain, center Nick Samac, right guard Matt Carrick, who is coming off a leg injury last year that kept him out this spring, and right tackle Spencer Brown. Our offense is going to change a little bit, and the play might not change, but the way we execute might change.. Well get to that guy in a bit. Barker gives the Spartans a veteran at the position and they have additional options. [9], "Arlington star Kenny Walker is scoring touchdowns at a breakneck pace, and more takeaways from Friday night", "Michigan State lands running back Kenneth Walker III, transfer from Wake Forest", "Running back Kenneth Walker III, transferring from Wake Forest, announces his destination", "Kenneth Walker III could be 'home run' threat Michigan State needs at running back", "Kenneth Walker III runs wild as MSU tramples Northwestern in opener", "Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III feels no pressure for encore to monster debut", "Kenneth Walker III shatters expectations for everyone but his Michigan State teammates: 'I've never had a game like this', "Spartans RB Walker to skip bowl, enter NFL draft", "Kenny Walker III Draft and Combine Prospect Profile", "Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State, RB, 2022 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenneth_Walker_III_(running_back)&oldid=1099578587, Players of American football from Tennessee, Wake Forest Demon Deacons football players, Short description is different from Wikidata, Seattle Seahawks currentteam parameter articles, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 July 2022, at 14:19. The Colorado transfer running back has made the preseason watch list for the prestigious award.
Maybe there is a world where Javon Ringer reaches the number one spot, but given how prolific he was, theres no shame in being second. He initially declared for the NFL draft but on Jan. 18 announced he was pulling his name out and entering the portal, then committed to the Spartans on Jan. 31.
For a program that has been defined by physicality and toughness, hard-nosed runners always earn soft spots in the heats of the green and white faithful. Michigan State on Monday afternoon announced tight end Daniel Barker (Illinois), running back Jarek Broussard (Colorado) and offensive lineman Brian Greene (Washington State) are enrolled in the first summer session of classes, which began Monday. With experience at all three interior spots on the line, Greene said he was learning all three ahead of joining the program.
Ringer also is Michigan State's all-time leader with 5,426 all-purpose yards.
Well be just fine going into next year., The Only Colors, a Michigan State Spartans community, Michigan State Football 2022 Positional Preview: Running Backs, Michigan State Football: Jarek Broussard named to Doak Walker Award watch list. Theyre just teaching me all three right now., Buy Spartans gear: Fanatics, Nike, Amazon, Lids, Buy Spartans tickets: StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticketmaster, Stream Spartans games live: fuboTV, ESPN+ and Hulu + Live, After long wait, Michigan State OL signee Kristian Phillips ready to arrive at dream school, Former Michigan State RB Donovan Eaglin picks transfer destination, Michigan State footballs spring transfer portal departures down from last year, Former Michigan State CB Antoine Booth transferring to school his dad is in Hall of Fame, An early look at Michigan States 2023 NFL draft prospects. BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 6: Running back Jarek Broussard #23 of the Colorado Buffaloes rushes for a first down against the Oregon State Beavers at Folsom Field on November 6, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado. He also rushed for 268 yards against Iowa in 1966. Love.
Weve got transfers coming in, Reed said. During those two years he rushed for 1,158 yards on 217 carries with 17 touchdowns. You can find the other position groups that Spartan Nation has already covered here: (Quarterbacks, Running backs). How do the Spartans replace Kenneth Walker III's production. He is the No. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
[4][5] In his debut with the Spartans, he rushed for 264 yards and four touchdowns.
Were at a point in the offseason where the only storylines really capturing anyones attention have to do with recruiting or baseless rankings of coaches, players, position groups, and teams.
While that's not something one can expect to happen year in and year out, I do like the additions that Michigan State added to its running back room this offseason. A former Colorado Buffalo (who played under Mel Tucker in 2019, but missed the season due to injury), Broussard racked up 895 yards rushing, while averaging 5.7 per carry and scoring five touchdowns in an abbreviated season in Boulder in 2020. "I want to congratulate Ken for all of his success and thank him for taking a chance on us," Michigan State coach Mel Tucker said.
Goulbourne played for the Spartans in the early nineties and spent six years on the team thanks to two medical redshirt years. Tucker, who is generally conservative when discussing his team with the media, said Id keep an eye on Primm, when commenting on the running back position earlier in the spring. Kenneth Walker III (born October 20, 2000) is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played in seven career games with Wisconsin and had 389 yards and three scores he averaged 5.0 yards per carry on 60 touches in 2020. David Zalubowski, AP.
Jarek Broussard also presents intriguing upside out of the transfer portal after winning the 2020 Pac-12 offensive Player of the Year honors. Duane Goulbourne 1992-94, 1996 - 2,848 yards yards, 8. Weve got play-makers everywhere. This article is part of a series examining every position group on Michigan State's roster. After backing up Le'Veon Bell in 2012, Langford got starting duties as a redshirt junior in 2013. https://spartanswire.usatoday.com/lists/top-10-rushers-in-michigan-state-football-history/, 10. Maybe somebody on this roster pops and has a great season. Harold Joiner III, an Auburn transfer in 2021 and another former four-star prospect, saw mostly passing-down snaps in his first season at MSU. If that served as an indicator at the time, Berger made a strong impression in a few short months on campus.
Tucker is a prime example of a coach who fully leveraged the novel transfer portal to his advantage.
He obviously found the best available player at a position of need in Walker and just maybe pioneered a model to follow for the coming years, creating a free agent destination of sorts for talented running back transfers. MSU also has a couple veterans who provide depth in Jordon Simmons and Harold Joiner. He is yet to come into his own after transferring from his home state of Alabama, as he ran for just 43 yards on 13 attempts last season. 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Jordan Simmons headlines the experienced runners on the roster after leading the Spartans in rushing in a largely forgettable 2020 season. Jacksonville Jaguars training camp preview: Can Trevor Lawrence make jump in Year 2?
Losing the Doak Walker Award winner almost always means a drastic drop in production and a bleaker outlook but Michigan State might be an exception here.
While Jones' 2,034 career yards are not even among the 10 best in program history, they were a key factor in the Spartans winning back-to-back Big Ten titles in 1965 and 1966. He looks like a Walker-lite who could really excel at Michigan State. Michigan State football has a wealth of history at the running back position. Michigan State lost three starters from its offensive line last year, along with veteran depth. Sign up for the Spartans Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, Michigan State football is the latest power program to extend a scholarship offer to a rising talent in the 2027 class, Jayden Reed named to Biletnikoff Award watchlist, After planning to redshirt, Michigan State's Carson Cooper believes 'opportunity is definitely there' to play. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. [6][7] His four touchdowns doubled the Michigan State 2020 season total, and were the first for a Spartan running back since the 2019 season.
