Salem Returns To Michigan State As Running Backs Coach
February 24, 2010
In January Michigan State lost running backs coach Dan Enos when he resigned to become the head coach for the Central Michigan Chippewas. This left a glaring hole at a vital position on the Spartans team and head coach Mark Dantonio filled it with former Spartan coach Brad Salem.
Salem had been the head coach of the Augustana Vikings, a Division II school, for five years before returning to East Lansing. While at Augustana he complied 31 wins, which puts him third on the list of winning-est coaches at the school.
His Vikings won eight games in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, each tying a school record for victories in a season. Salem had also lead Augustana to back to back Mineral Water Bowl berths and even lead the team to its first Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll since the 1989 season.
Salem has enough coaching experience under his belt; in addition to a host of high school coaching positions, he even had a coaching job in the European Professional Football League. He was also an offensive graduate assistant at Michigan State during which he worked with the quarterbacks and wide receivers under coaches George Perles and Nick Saban.
Dantonio said that he is thrilled to have Salem on the team and that his Spartan background is extremely important. He went on to say, “In addition to his extensive knowledge on the offensive side of the football, Brad has five years of successful head coaching experience. He has dealt with issues at all levels of a program, and that background will be a tremendous asset to us. His Augustana teams won eight games each of his last two seasons and made back to back bowl appearances. He’s an innovative offensive coach, outstanding teacher and communicator.”
Salem will take on responsibility for the Spartan running game and will inherit running backs Larry Caper and Edwin Baker who both had very good rookie seasons. An increase in rushing efficiency is desperately needed though, as Michigan State must attempt to balance out its offense.
Salem must be able to develop these young running backs into men doing men things. He must take their rookie campaigns and build upon them so that they progress in a way that benefits both them and the team as a whole.
He won’t have a say over what plays are called or who gets the ball when, but I would hope that he would push for a platoon system between the two. Thunder and Lightning they are not, but if a platoon is implemented correctly the running game could see real growth.
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