Antjuan Simmons barely could contain his excitement. The thought of Michigan State football finally taking the Spartan Stadium field again — after one of most uncertain offseasons in the sport's history — created as much enthusiasm for the MSU linebacker as the thought of finally getting to play for his new head coach:
Mel Tucker.
“He’s been everything we want in a coach,” Simmons said, “and plus some.”
The Tucker Era begins Saturday as the Spartans host Rutgers to kick off an eight-game conference-only schedule. It has been a daunting eight and a half months since Tucker was hired, filled with navigating the complexities of COVID-19 and having no spring practice.