MSU's Cooper on Benefit of Having Spartan Great on Staff

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Apr 6, 2009; Detroit, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Goran Suton (14) rebounds against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Tyler Hansbrough (50) during the first half of the championship game of the Final Four in the 2009 NCAA mens basketball tournament at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Michigan State made an underrated move this offseason by bringing former Spartan center Goran Suton to the staff as a graduate assistant.

Suton was a four-year letterwinner at Michigan State and was vital to the team's run to the national championship game in 2009 when it fell to North Carolina. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team for that run and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Regional.

Now, Suton is back in East Lansing, and he's working with the Spartan big men, which is going to be crucial as this team gears up for another center-heavy Big Ten conference. And he's already having a positive effect.

"He brings that whole center presence that we need," said Michigan State senior center Carson Cooper. "And as a GA, it's someone who we can relate to a lot with being coached by Izzo and playing the same position. And he was a really good player back in the day, so for us, it's someone we can look up to, someone we can relate to on a personal level, especially with our position and stuff."

Cooper knew Suton before the former Spartan big man was added to the staff.

"He's been around a lot for 'Grind Week' and all of that, so we made a good connection the past couple of years, and now it's just continuing to grow that connection and figuring out how we can work together," said Cooper.

Suton was named a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in his final season at Michigan State and led the conference in rebounding with 8.4 boards per game. He totaled 1,081 points and 887 rebounds in his career as a Spartan. He ranks eighth in program history in career rebounds.

It seems fitting that Suton has rejoined the program when he has, as the Spartans, of course, come off their own deep tournament run and will be looking to get back to the Elite Eight and beyond this coming season. Perhaps Suton will get to experience what it's like to be on the other side of a national championship defeat.