New MSU Offensive Lineman Seeing Benefit in Reuniting with Michalczik

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Aug 2, 2025 6:00 AM ET

Some of Jonathan Smith's players at Oregon State trusted him and his staff enough to want to follow him to Michigan State last offseason, a move that might not get talked about enough as it should.

While it was Smith and his staff that initially recruited Aidan Chiles, Jack Velling and Tanner Miller, there's something to be said about packing up and going across the country to continue to be part of that culture, especially considering all the options placed in front of you when you're in the transfer portal.

For Michigan State transfer guard Luka Vincic, he took a chance on Oregon State's new regime and stayed behind for another season.

"Obviously when the transition happened and all of the coaches left, I was pretty bummed," Vincic said back in the spring, "and I told myself I was going to kind of stay another year at Oregon State and see how the new coaches would be under Coach (Trent) Bray."

He spoke on this decision again when he addressed the media on Thursday.

"There was just so much change that happened, and I wanted -- you don't know what's going to happen," Vincic said while discussing his decision to stay for his redshirt sophomore campaign. "Maybe the new coaching staff was going to be awesome, we would have gone undefeated and would have had a killer season, but unfortunately, we went 5-7, and I just feel like I can be pushed more, and I want to do that here."

Vincic entered the portal this offseason, with hopes that the Spartans would call.

"Thankfully they did," he said. "And now, I'm getting to play for coach M (Jim Michalczik) again, and I feel like I'm getting pushed and getting a lot better."

While it's a transition to a new program and a completely different setting geographically, the familiarity has been beneficial.

"I know this coaching staff really well," he said. "They're the coaching staff that I played for coming out of high school (that) I was able to develop a relationship with. And it's awesome being back here and being able to work with them again -- Coach M, Woz (Brian Wozniak), everyone, coach Blue (Adams), and the whole coaching staff, including the strength staff. It's really awesome to have that little bit of familiarity, especially going into fall camp."

Vinic will likely start at one of the guard positions. He said he's primarily been playing on the right side so far.

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