Evan Jones ready for ‘his time’ on MSU’s defensive line

8:53 AM ET

Michigan State defensive end Evan Jones has patiently waited, and now in his final year with the Spartans he has an opportunity to seize.

Jones’ time in East Lansing has followed the path that head coach Mark Dantonio and his staff prefer to prescribe: take a redshirt year, experiment at a couple of positions, work your way onto the field on special teams and in a backup role and then be ready to take over a starting spot as a senior. Jones has ticked off all of those boxes on his way to the top of the depth chart on the team’s new-look defensive line this spring.

“That’s the rule rather than the exception,” said co-defensive coordinator Mike Tressel. “You pay your dues and you learn what we’re all about, about Spartan toughness. When your time comes, you roll. It’s great to have guys that have been in the program for a while that can remind the young guys that this doesn’t come easy.”

The list of exceptions might be longer this season up front, where the Spartans have to replace three starters from a year ago and just lost two potential contributors for personal reasons earlier this week. Potential All-American Malik McDowell has played since his freshman year. Redshirt freshman Raequan Williams is turning heads this spring. And the incoming freshman class — a group Dantonio said might add up to his best crop of defensive linemen yet — will likely …

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