Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith and his coaching staff have had plenty of difficulties since arriving in East Lansing. In addition to revamping the team’s roster after many players entered the transfer portal earlier this offseason, Coach Smith and his coaching staff eventually formed a formidable transfer portal class. 

Coach Smith’s ability to quickly make up for lost ground in the transfer portal was arguably the best example of the difficulties he and his coaching staff have faced this offseason. Michigan State’s eventual success in the transfer portal gives Michigan State a chance to be competitive this season. However, as his first season at the helm approaches, Coach Smith arguably has a more challenging obstacle: Michigan State’s schedule.

During his first season at Michigan State, Coach Smith will likely not face a more significant challenge than successfully navigating the team’s schedule. While his experience at Oregon State has prepared him for some of what to expect, he is undoubtedly facing more of a challenge in East Lansing than in Corvallis.

Grant Hughes of 247Sports recently ranked the hardest schedules in the Big Ten. Coach Smith and Michigan State had the fourth-most challenging schedule in the conference. The only teams Hughes ranked with a more difficult strength of schedule than Michigan State were Illinois, Washington, and Purdue.

Michigan State has home games against Ohio State, Iowa, Purdue, Indiana and Rutgers. It will also play Boston College, Maryland, Oregon, Illinois and Michigan on the road. Michigan State’s schedule is undoubtedly one of the toughest in the Big Ten and the country. 

Hughes noted that Michigan State plays three teams ranked in the preseason top five, which puts into perspective how difficult its schedule is this upcoming season. Not only does Michigan State play three teams ranked in the preseason top five, but they play those teams in five weeks.

“New head coach Jonathan Smith will face a trial by fire,” Hughes said. “Michigan State faces three of the four best teams in the Big Ten next season, and two of those games (Oregon and Michigan) are on the road. The Spartans could face upwards of five conference losses before the calendar hits November.”

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As the kids say, it’s mock draft SZN (season).

Okay, technically the bulk of mock draft season happens in the 100 or so days between the end of a college football season in mid-January and the NFL draft in late April. But that has never stopped early speculation before.

With the college football season fast approaching, it’s never too early to take a look at what the next crop of prospects will look like. The good news for Michigan football is ESPN’s Matt Miller released his first mock draft ahead of the 2025 NFL draft (which will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin) earlier this week, and the Wolverines were well represented, with three picks mocked in the first half of the first round.

The first U-M star off the board? Cornerback Will Johnson at No. 3 to the Denver Broncos, which comes as no surprise. After his freshman season, Johnson appeared in the top 10 of some mocks that were drafting the best athletes available, not just those who were draft-eligible.

In the meantime, Johnson has developed into one of the most NFL-ready cornerback prospects of the past decade and could be a clear fit for Denver, which Miller said could well be in “best player available” territory.

“Johnson’s tape from his first two seasons at Michigan is some of the best cornerback tape I’ve seen,” Miller wrote. “The 6-foot-2 playmaker’s closest comparison as a college prospect is Pat Surtain II, whom he’d be lined up opposite in this scenario.”

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Johnson, a former five-star product from Grosse Pointe South, was named an All-American as a sophomore and was a consensus All-Big Ten first-teamer. With 25 games played (16 starts), Johnson was named defensive MVP of the January’s College Football Playoff title game, finishing his second year with 27 tackles (including one for loss), four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown).

If this holds, it would make Johnson the highest-drafted Wolverine since Aidan Hutchinson went No. 2 to the Lions in the 2022 draft and the highest-drafted U-M cornerback since Charles Woodson came off his Heisman Trophy campaign during the 1997 national championship season and was selected No. 4 overall (Oakland Raiders) in 1998.

According to Miller, U-M won’t have to wait all that long to hear its next name called. Mason Graham, the star defensive tackle who former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh called “a gift from the football gods” upon his arrival in Ann Arbor, was pegged to go No. 7 and reunite with J.J. McCarthy on the Minnesota Vikings.

“The interior of the defensive line should get a big look next year, and Graham is a legitimate contender for the class’ top overall prospect,” Miller wrote. “His stats won’t blow you away, thanks to Michigan’s defensive line rotation and assignments — he had three sacks in 2023 — but Graham’s explosion and power jump off the tape.”

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At 6 feet 3 and 318 pounds, the Anaheim, California, product was named a second-team All-American last season after he appeared in 13 games (13 starts) and recorded 36 tackles, which included 7½ for loss, and three sacks to go with three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

The final U-M prospect mocked in the first round was not Graham’s running mate in Kenneth Grant, nor was it running back (and cover athlete of EA Sports College Football 25) Donovan Edwards or safety Rod Moore, who was pegged as a late first-rounder before he suffered a knee injury in the spring.

Instead, it was Colston Loveland, perhaps Michigan’s top offensive weapon this season. Miller had him going No. 14 overall to the Indianapolis Colts. Loveland is widely regarded as the nation’s top tight end as he comes off a monster sophomore season that saw him catch 45 passes for 649 yards (14.4 yards per reception) and four touchdowns.

Loveland had 10 games with at least three receptions and seven games with at least 55 receiving yards, despite playing in a run-first offense that had the most decorated running back the program has ever seen, as well as two receivers who were taken in the NFL draft.

“Who could resist the temptation to give Anthony Richardson more playmakers?” Miller wrote. “Tight end remains one of the team’s few offensive question marks and Loveland will be a top-10 player on my preseason board thanks to his ability as a receiver and expert run blocking.

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“The 6-5 junior has elite agility and speed in the open field as a receiving option.”

Though it’s a stretch, given he will be working with a new quarterback, Loveland is now just 763 yards away from passing Jake Butt’s Michigan record (1,646 yards) for career receiving yards by a tight end.

Although the Wolverines set a program record this past spring with 13 NFL draft picks — second-most by one program in a single draft — it came with just one first-round pick, in McCarthy. Baring something unforeseen, Michigan can expect to have at least a trio of first-rounders next spring — and possibly more.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (WNDU) – Today 16 News Now spent time checking on Fourth of July celebrations all across Michiana.

Near the beach in Michigan City people from all walks of life came together to celebrate the nation’s birthday.

Ci Claudia Almaraz, a two-time Miss Teen Indiana Latina, has strong feelings about the importance of Independence Day.

“As Latino, as a Mexican I love that Americans celebrate our culture, so now it is our turn to give it back to them and celebrate the USA. My dad migrated here 21 years ago so we’re here celebrating why the main reason my dad made that sacrifice and to just celebrate and spend time with the family, have a cookout, have some carne asada, and just enjoy the time and the fireworks later on tonight,” said Almaraz.

Tomorrow Michigan City will be hosting a firework fundraising party for the non-profit organization, ‘Save the Dunes’.

The event takes place at the Sunset Grill Rooftop Cantina from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The costs for adults to attend are $30 while children 12 and up is $20.

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