Spring gridiron with the G-Men

Mickey Joseph may have just reached 100 days on the job as head coach of the Grambling State football team, but he’s already establishing clear standards for the G-Men in spring practice.

After two-straight seasons with the most penalties in the FCS and lapses in communication under the previous regime, Joseph has laid out the foundation for how he wants his Tigers to operate.

No more half measures or second-guessing. If you want to play for Joseph’s G-Men, you better know your X’s and O’s. Spring ball, even if installs of scheme are still taking place, is no exception.

“We’re big right now on mental errors and loafs because we still think the game comes down to blocking and tackling,” Joseph said in a one-on-one with the Leader. “We really are zoning in on the kids to do their job, know their assignments and play fast. The only way they can play fast is if they know what they’re doing.”

With seven practices down and three more to go before the Tigers’ spring game on April 20, Joseph said the process is still focused on getting new coaches to guide players and give as fair an evaluation as they can in spring ball.

Joseph knows from the outside looking in, establishing a new culture for a program that hasn’t had a winning record since 2019 might seem like it requires drastic overhaul, whether it’s roster or infrastructure.

And while the onfield results remain to be seen, Joseph said it’s hard for kids to buy into a vision when they’re more worried at the start of the process about being cut rather than being taught and given a fair shake to make it or not.

Joseph and his staff have been direct since the start of spring ball.

“We could have easily come in here and cut them all. But I didn’t think that’s fair,” Joseph said. “ I don’t think that’s fair that you come in and cut them all because you don’t know what they’re going through and what type of kid they are. But the pressure of being a college football coach is, ‘Let me get my guys in here.’ If it doesn’t work people will say, ‘Why didn’t you get rid of them.’ I think we need to give the kids the opportunity and if they don’t check the box then we make a decision.

“But you have to give them the opportunity. My thing is, how can you make a decision on a kid when you haven’t even evaluated him? I wanted to make sure I wasn’t running a kid out the door before evaluating him and bringing in a kid that isn’t as good as him,” Joseph continued. “I wanted to make sure I was crossing every T and dotting every I.”

And while evaluation is ongoing, Grambling has already reloaded key positions with transfers that are looking for a fresh start and real opportunity including former instate talents that started their collegiate careers elsewhere.

After losing running backs Floyd Chalk (704 yards, 9 TD) and Chance Williams ( 865 yards, 6 TD) to the transfer portal, Joseph acted quickly to bring in fresh faces to a position group that helped GSU be the only SWAC school with two of the top five rushing leaders in the league last year.

Jordan Johnson, a running back from Hawaii, comes in with 46 career carries and 267 yards, while former Memphis, Mississippi State, and Ruston High running back Ke’Travion Hargrove returns to Lincoln Parish as well.

“Jordan is standing out. And Bull ( Hargrove) from right here in Ruston from Memphis,” Joseph said. “Physically, they’re gifted. They wouldn’t be here if they couldn’t play but I think coach (Dre’) Fusilier is doing a really good job, especially on pass protection. That’s the downfall for a running back that you have to take him out on third down because of pass protection but coach Fusilier has done a good job with both of them.”

Hargrove spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Mississippi State after his prep career at Ruston but appeared in only five games. From there, the former fourstar prospect appeared in 12 games as a redshirt sophomore for Memphis in 2023, finishing with 43 yards and a touchdown.

Joseph spent most of his introductory presser back in December telling fans he’d work to bring back Louisiana talent to Grambling. Between Hargrove and Baton Rouge native Jacoby Bellazar, a wide receiver from Mississippi State that’s caught the attention of staff in spring practice, Joseph has lived up to his promise so far.

“That’s our philosophy around here when we go into the portal is to try and bring Louisiana kids back,” Joseph said. “I think that’s an easier adjustment for them because they’re not really coming home but they’re coming to a familiar environment, and it helps them with the transition.”

A bright spot that returns on offense for GSU is quarterback Myles Crawley, who finished second in the SWAC in passing (2,313) and touchdown passes (16) in 2023. Joseph has liked what he’s seen from Crawley but hopes he can continue to grow stronger in the new system under offensive coordinator Eric Dooley.

“I think his potential can be through the roof,” Joseph said. “Myles has to get out of his own way and slow himself down. It’s a new system for him and he’s still learning it. I like where he’s at, don’t love where he’s at. I think he can do much better because he’s probably one of the brightest quarterbacks I’ve been around with this system. We had Joe Burrow in this system and Joe picked it up the same Myles is picking it up. We’re trying to not get him into forcing things. My thing is: take care of the football and make good decisions. That’s all you need to do. Get the ball to your playmakers. He doesn’t have to do it by himself.”

Defensively, GSU will be without much of its pass rush and tackling production from the last two seasons, with Sundiata Anderson, Lewis Matthews, and Javon Carter among the big names out of the picture. That means the Tigers will have to replace 27 of their 64 tackles for loss and 11 of their 24 sacks from 2023.

Joseph brought in UTEP transfer Jalen Rudolph to help the defensive line after he played in 31 career games with 7 tackles for loss and a sack for the Miners, but he said it’s mostly going to be up to the G-Men getting the most of what they already have.

“We lost some guys that are going to play on the next level. But I think now it’s about evaluating the guys that are in the room right now and give them the opportunity to see if they can check the boxes,” Joseph said. “I don’t think this staff is looking for the same thing the last staff was looking for. We all have different philosophies. We have to do things differently and we’re trying to find out who can get the job done mentally. They’re all talented but how much can they retain on that side of the ball? I think coach (Jason) Rollins is doing a good job getting them all to where we want them to be.”

Grambling State’s spring game is set for April 20 at 2 p.m. at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.