Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

What Position Group MSU's Smith Thinks Will Be Most Improved

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 1:02 PM ET

Michigan State is about to enter a crucial 2025 season.

The Spartans have to have an improved year, at that means, at the very least, winning just one more game than last season. Michigan State was right on the brink of making a bowl game last season, but a number of factors prevented the team from reaching its full potential.

One of the glaring issues was the offensive line, which struggled to give quarterback Aidan Chiles the protection he needed and couldn't open up a consistent run game. If this year's team is going to get better, as with any team, it's going to need to have a solid offensive line.

But fans should feel encouraged, as this is the area that coach Jonathan Smith feels will be the most improved.

"We're shooting to improve in all of them," he said at Big Ten Football Media Days on Thursday. "I think a couple of areas we have to, it starts with the line of scrimmage offensively and that offensive line. We want to create more competition in that room. We have four transfers that came in in January that have had college snaps before.

"So that room in particular with the four, yeah, additions to the competition. We've got some returning players at the offensive linemen and then continuing to take a step in their game."

The Spartans landed one of the top offensive linemen in the transfer portal with Conner Moore, who came over from a Montana State team that made the FCS National Championship.

They also found who will likely be their new center in Matt Gulbin, who transferred in from Wake Forest. And they also brought in Luka Vincic, who knows most of this staff, including Smith and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, from his first two seasons at Oregon State.

Michigan State also returns an experienced Stanton Ramil, who is expected to take that next step. The same goes for Ashton Lepo and Kristian Philips, who went down with a season-ending injury early on last year.

On paper, one would think this room will be better. And especially with the guidance of a great coach like Michalczik, it should be.

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