SPARTAN COACHING STAFF Mike Tressel is in his seventh year as the linebackers and special teams coach at Michigan State.
MIKE TRESSEL LINEBACKERS/SPECIAL TEAMS SEVENTH SEASON
The impressive play of the linebackers is one of the main reasons why Michigan State has led the Big Ten in rushing defense and total defense the past two seasons. In addition, the Spartans are one of just three NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Schools, along with Alabama and Florida State, to rank in the Top 10 nationally in total defense, rushing defense and scoring defense in 2011 and 2012. MSU ranked fourth in the FBS in total defense (274.4 ypg.), eighth in rushing defense (98.6 ypg.) and ninth in scoring defense (16.3 ppg.) last season.
Junior Max Bullough, a two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection, led the Spartans in tackles for the second year in a row with a career-high 111 stops, which ranked ninth in the conference. Bullough was also second on team and tied for ninth in the Big Ten with 12.5 tackles for loss (45 yards). Junior Denicos Allen picked up honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades after ranking second on the team in sacks (3) and third in tackles (79) and tackles for loss (10). Bullough, who has started 27 straight games, enters his senior year with 223 career tackles, while Allen has started in 26 consecutive games and already ranks 10th in school history in sacks (14) and 11th in tackles for loss (29.5). Tressel also oversees a successful special teams unit that has been one of the best in the Big Ten since his arrival. Placekicker Dan Conroy, a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2010, set a MSU single-season record with 23 field goals last season, including the game-winner with just 1:01 remaining against TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. He finished his career ranked among MSU’s all-time leaders in scoring (fourth with 283 points), field goals (fourth with 55) and PATs (sixth with 118). In addition, Conroy closed out his career with a school-record 80 straight PATs, which is the 10th-longest streak in Big Ten history, including all 25 in 2012. Punter Mike Sadler earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches after leading the Big Ten and ranking 21st in the FBS with his 43.3-yard punting average. Sadler, who also led the Big Ten with 19 punts of 50-plus yards, finished with 3,422 punting yards, good for second most in a MSU single-season. He ranked second in the conference with 31 punts downed inside the 20. The past six years, MSU has had two first-team All-Big Ten placekickers (Conroy and Brett Swenson), two first-team All-Big Ten punters (Sadler and Aaron Bates), and has featured conference leaders in both kick returns (Devin Thomas) and punt returns (Keshawn Martin).
Ken Mannie is in his 19th year as Michigan State’s head strength and conditioning coach for football, while additionally directing and overseeing the strength and conditioning programs for all men’s and women’s sports. His “Fourth Quarter” offseason conditioning program has been a significant reason for Michigan State’s success in the Coach Mark Dantonio era, as the Spartans have earned a schoolrecord six consecutive bowl bids. Mannie is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), the National Strength KEN MANNIE and Conditioning Coaches Association (NSCA) and HEAD STRENGTH & holds an honorary certification with the International CONDITIONING COACH Association of Resistance Trainers (IART). In May 19TH SEASON 2002 at its annual conference in Salt Lake City, the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association awarded Mannie the title of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) in recognition of his credentials, professional contributions, mentorship, expertise, and longevity in the field. He is also a professional member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), and the American Association for Health Education (AAHE). In both 2006 and 2007, Mannie was named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in recognition for his numerous and ongoing educational efforts in the field of strength and conditioning and in bringing awareness to the anabolic drug abuse problem in sports. He has been recognized and is widely-published on his adamant stance against performance-enhancing drugs. In June, 2007, the Varsity S Club inducted him as an honorary member. He has written over 300 articles and four book chapters on the various aspects of strength/conditioning, speed/power development, sports nutrition, motivation, athletics, and the anabolic drug abuse issue. Since 2000, Mannie has written the monthly column “Powerline” for Coach and Athletic Director, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious coaching publication. He is also a frequent contributor to the Championship Performance newsletter. He also serves on the advisory boards for the National Strength Professionals Association (NSPA), the information-based Athletic Strength and Power (ASAP) website, and the Ultimate Strength and Conditioning website. Mannie has coached numerous All-Americans, as well as a host of players who went on to have highly successful NFL careers.
In 2011, Michigan State led the Big Ten in rushing defense (100.5 yards per game) and total defense (277.4 ypg.) en route to winning the Big Ten Legends Division title. For the first time since 1990, all three of MSU’s starting linebackers garnered All-Big Ten honors. Allen, who ranked second in the Big Ten in sacks with 11 and fourth in tackles for loss with 18.5, was named second-team all-conference by the media. Bullough picked up second-team accolades from the coaches after leading the Spartans with 89 tackles and junior Chris Norman was named honorable mention after recording career highs in tackles (76) and tackles for loss (6.5).
Additionally, he has served as a consultant to several NFL teams on training equipment, program design, and the organization and administration of testing protocols.
Tressel arrived at Michigan State following the 2006 regular season, as he was one of eight assistants to follow Dantonio to MSU from Cincinnati.
For Mannie’s complete bio, please visit msuspartans.com.
Prior to his arrival at Michigan State, Mannie spent nine years in a similar capacity at the University of Toledo (1985-94). He worked for Nick Saban in 1990 when the Rockets won a share of the Mid-American Conference title and finished 9-2. He served as a graduate assistant along with Mark Dantonio at Ohio State in 1984, working with the Buckeyes’ Big Ten championship football team.
For Tressel’s complete bio, please visit msuspartans.com.
THE TRESSEL FILE YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: Seventh. Joined staff on Dec. 1, 2006, from Cincinnati. PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College – Graduate assistant coach at South Dakota (1996-97); offensive line coach (1998-2000) and offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach (2001) at Wartburg (Iowa) College; graduate assistant linebackers coach at Ohio State (2002-03); linebackers and special teams coach at Cincinnati (2004-06).
76
THE MANNIE FILE YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: 19th. Joined staff on Dec. 8, 1994, from Toledo. PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College — Graduate assistant at Ohio State (1984); head strength and conditioning coach at Toledo (1985-94). Also coached and taught at the high school level for ten years.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Cornell (Iowa) College in 1996; master’s degree in sports administration at South Dakota in 1998.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Akron in 1974; master’s degree in health and physical education with an emphasis in exercise science from Ohio State in 1985.
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College – Four-year starter in the secondary at Cornell (Iowa) College (1992-95).
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College — Three-year letterman and two-year starter at offensive guard at Akron (1971-73).
POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE: Coach – 1999 NCAA Division III Playoffs, 2003 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fort Worth Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl, 2012 Outback Bowl, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
BOWL EXPERIENCE: Coach — 1985 Rose Bowl, 1995 Independence Bowl, 1996 Sun Bowl, 1997 Aloha Bowl, 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl, 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic, 2003 Alamo Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl, 2012 Outback Bowl, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
2013 MICHIGAN STATE SPRING FOOTBALL