Rakeem Johnson: The new staff is bringing Michigan State football back

Michigan State football rolled into their fourth spring practice at 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday, with a high-energy practice despite the sun not being up. Afterwards, the media got to speak with members of the program.

One of the key members of the program that was retained despite the widespread changes for Coach Fitzgerald was sophomore lineman Rakeem Johnson, who started the final four games of the season. Johnson helped pave the way for Alessio Milivojevic, and stuck the course when a lot of players left via the transfer portal.

Johnson discussed that decision, with Coach Fitzgerald winning over the Idaho native. The energy and family atmosphere is palpable, and Johnson stayed in East Lansing.

“Had a talk with Coach Fitz when he first got here, heard his plan for this program, what he wanted to bring in, how he saw this program going. I trusted in it. They hired Coach Tabacca too, he called me a lot, felt like a family aspect from these coaches so I came back here. They aren’t lying, what they said is true so, a family aspect from that. A lot of energy, just bringing Spartan football back.”

One thing that Johnson brings to the table is his versatility. Despite his smaller stature compared to other players, Johnson has experience starting at tackle, along with starting guard experience and being a center during pre-game warmups for the four quarterbacks. The staff appreciates Johnson’s versatility, and he has no qualms about any spot on the line.

“So far, they really like the versatility,” Johnson confirmed. “Still playing some guard and tackle right now, taking reps at both. I really like end of the season, where I played left guard last season, I really like guard. Tackle is still (there), I played tackle in high school, played it freshman year, played a little last year. Still really good with that. I’ve taken some snaps, too.”

What Rakeem Johnson learned last season

Johnson was asked what he learned this last year with more consistent playing time, and he was honest in his assessment. The second-year player no longer had the time to reflect during an offensive series, he was back in the very next series and could not dwell on mistakes or successes.

“I learned a ‘next play’ mentality. Freshman year, I played a little bit,” Johnson said, referring to his four games played in 2024. “It was series after series, so like I could take a break on the bench and get my mind right. Last year I just kept playing. I started the last four games of the season. It was play after play, so last year I had to have a ‘next play’ mentality.”

It was tough, seeing the staff turnover. Despite the lack of results on the field, Jonathan Smith had a high-character staff, and it was known as an overall ‘good guy’ program. That said, the staff has won over the third-year player.

“Seeing it first hand was hard, of course,” Johnson said about end of the Jonathan Smith era. “This staff, they have done the things the right way, so far. They will keep doing the right things. They’ve come out and shown what they said is true.”

There are some similarities to the staff from last year, Johnson revealed. That said, the coaching points is different, and the energy is picking up momentum, as this staff wants to change how Spartan football is viewed compared to years past.

“They all want the same thing, they all want to win,” the lineman said about similarities in the staff. “Differences is schemes. Everyone runs their own schemes, their mid-zone, their counters, but different ways of coaching it. Different coaching points. Different ‘put your head here,’ instead of here. They’re coming in, they want to win, they want to change this program. It’s either jump in the ship, get in with them, or..” Johnson let his sentence hang unfinished.

Team bonding, learning under a new coach

With all the new faces in the offensive line room, there could be some struggles to mesh. Johnson dispelled that right away, with the lineman gushing about how close the room is and the bonding they do. Them, alongside quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, have bonded quite a bit.

“We go out to eat a lot together, we just went out Sunday, actually. We golf a lot, there’s a simulator around here, they have 24/7 simulators. I’m not the best golfer, but I’ll go, like be with the o-linemen,” Johnson said, shrugging with a smile. “I love to do that. We go with Alessio (Milivojevic) a lot, too. I bet this summer we will be fishing a lot.”

When asked for restaurants, the Idaho native was quick to point out BJ’s, Pizza House, and Buffalo Wild Wings. That said, with the intensity of Friday’s workouts, the BWW famous “BOGO Thursdays” was not a part of his diet.

When asked specifically about new Michigan State football OL coach Nick Tabacca and the adjustment there, Johnson had to grin. The family atmosphere has permeated to the line room, with a ‘no phones’ rule to make the team bond. Adding in the new perspective and techniques to sharpen Johnson’s tool box, and he has given the staff full marks so far.

“He (Tabacca) has a lot of energy, which I like a lot. He’s a family guy, really likes to coach the room.  He has a rule in his room, no phones,” Johnson revealed.  “When he comes in, I think we are going to start having a basket to put our phones in. If we are playing a game on the computer, if we are watching film, at least we are doing something together. I really like that part about it.

“His technique is a lot like the same things that I started learning, but you take one thing from a coach, you learn another. I like learning new things from coach Tabacca, learning what he has to say. He’s very good at coaching, helping me out with that, too.”

The line had inside sources to help their adjustment

When news broke that Coach Tabacca was being hired, Johnson and some other offensive lineman all took to their phones and the offensive line group chat to pick Matt Gulbin’s brain on Nick Tabacca. Gulbin had positive things to say about the line coach, even dating back to media in 2025, and the NFL Draft hopeful gushed to his teammates about the hire.

“We had an o-line group chat last year, reached out to Matt (Gulbin), asked him what he thought of coach Tabacca. He said great things, only great things about him,” Johnson said. Saying he’s a great guy, great coach, helped him a lot to where he is right now.”

Another source of knowledge for Johnson and the line on Coach Tabacca ball came from senior transfer linemen Nick Sharpe. Sharpe came from South Carolina to reunite with his Wake Forest offensive line coach.

“Once we got here, one of the first people I asked about coach Tabacca was Nick Sharpe,” Johnson revealed. “(I asked) about his technique, his calls, all the stuff like that, just to try to get a heads up before we start spring ball. To see what’s new, what’s different, what I could start doing.”