Chris Kapilovic is Michigan State’s unsung hero on coaching staff
EAST LANSING, Mich. (BVM) – Michigan State’s assistant head coach/offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Kapilovic has made a couple of stops in his coaching career, and everywhere he has been, he has made impressive strides with the offensive lines and running games he has worked with.
Kapilovic rose to prominence as a coach in his time at North Carolina, where he held a few different titles, including offensive line coach, run game coordinator, co-offensive coordinator, and assistant head coach.
During his seven-year tenure with the Tar Heels, Kapilovic helped create one of the most prolific offenses in the ACC. Featuring players such as Mitch Trubisky, Ryan Switzer, Elijah Hood, and Michael Carter, the Tar Heels set numerous offensive school records. They were top 10 in the FBS in scoring offense twice in Kapilovic’s time in Chapel Hill.
When he was at the University of Colorado, Kapilovic turned what was an average Buffaloes offensive line unit into one of the best offensive lines in the Pac-12. In 2019, Colorado allowed less than two sacks per game, good for third in the conference.
Kapilovic was brought to East Lansing in 2020 when Mel Tucker was hired as head coach at Michigan State. Tucker had a strong working relationship with Kapilovic in his one season at Colorado, and believed in him enough to continue this relationship.
When he arrived in East Lansing, Kapilovic had work to do. The Spartans’ offensive line and run game were coming off an underwhelming 2019 campaign that didn’t show much promise outside of running back Elijah Collins rushing for nearly 1,000 yards and five touchdowns.
Kapilovic quickly went to work, and after a developmental 2020 season, the Spartans’ offensive attack became not only one of the best in the Big Ten, but one of the best in the nation, largely in part because of the ground game. A lot of this had to do with the Heisman-worthy performance of Kenneth Walker III, but the offensive line showed a vast improvement from 2020.
Kapilovic worked with an experienced offensive line unit, featuring players such as Jarrett Horst, Kevin Jarvis, Matt Allen, Luke Campbell, and AJ Arcuri, who all finished the season with at least 25 career starts. This unit was named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s best offensive line unit.
Kapilovic is best known for his aggressive, relentless coaching style, coaching his players hard and getting the best out of them on the field. He created the mantra “Juice” for his offensive line unit, affectionately naming his offensive line the “Juice Squad,” referring to the effort and energy level he gets out of his players, and the level that he brings himself.
Off the field, he is one of the most active coaches in the entire country when it comes to the transfer portal, constantly searching for talent to add to the Spartans’ roster. His most significant addition was Horst, who was on the Outland Trophy Watch List at Arkansas State, given to the top offensive lineman in college football.
Kapilovic received a $1 million raise this month, a reward for the work he has done transforming Michigan State’s offensive line in just two short seasons, as well as the work he has done on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal.
Kapilovic has only been at Michigan State for two years, but the improvement that the offensive line and run game have seen since his arrival has been impressive. With a good product on the field and a culture that players want to be a part of, the offensive line and run game under Kapilovic should only continue to get better.
