Michigan State football: Alex VanSumeren shining in fall camp

First-year Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith had some praise for sophomore defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren.

Haven’t heard the name Alex VanSumeren in a while? I don’t blame you, but I expect you’ll be hearing his name more very soon.

Michigan State football opened fall camp last week and reports are coming out about players who are standing out as we approach the season opener. We are less than four weeks from the 2024 season’s kickoff against FAU. News trickling out from camp now has potential to translate onto the field this season.

Interestingly, Jonthan Smith shared praise for sophomore defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren.

Smith says RS-sophomore DT Alex VanSumeren has been a long time coming… says transfer Ben Roberts has been a big addition as well.

— Kenny Jordan (@Kenny_Jordan5) August 5, 2024

Coachspeak this time of the year should still be taken with a grain of salt. That said, if a coach talks about a player unprovoked, you better listen.

VanSumeren, a redshirt Sophomore, is one of those players standing out at the beginning of fall camp. The defensive tackle was the crown jewel of Mel Tucker’s 2022 recruiting class and was ranked in the top 250 nationally. Originally committed to rival Michigan, Michigan State was able to flip his commitment. Moving from Ann Arbor to East Lansing tends to run in this family (see: Ben VanSumeren).

As a freshman, VanSumeren was shut down after just four games to protect his redshirt status. A strategic moved typically used on trench players to give them time to add the size required to play in the Big Ten. He played 21 snaps and recorded three tackles.

During his redshirt freshman season, a leg injury forced him to miss the entire year. Fast forward to his third year with the program, VanSumeren is finally healthy and ready to realize his potential.

Defensive tackle was the position hit hardest by this portal this offseason. With the departures of Derrick Harmon and Simeon Barrow, the new coaching staff had to pivot on who their defensive tackle personnel would be. The opportunity is there in 2024 for VanSumeren to become a key contributor on the Spartans’ defense.

As it stands today, Michigan State football expects to run a full committee out there to fill the gaps lost to the portal. Key additions like Ben Roberts from Oregon and D’Quan Douse from Geiorgia Tech should help. However, the defense will still need home-grown talent like Maverick Hansen and VanSumeren to take the next step if this team wants to make a bowl game.

As I write this, we are 24 days away from playing FAU. I can’t wait to see what this new team looks like, especially if guys like VanSumeren step up.