Michigan State Football News: Spartans’ Home Crowd Outshines Big House, says FAU Coach Tom Herman

Florida Atlantic head coach Tom Herman is gearing up for a challenging season opener against Michigan State this Friday at Spartan Stadium. With a background in the Big Ten, Herman understands the intensity of playing in East Lansing.

Herman, who previously served as an assistant at Ohio State, is familiar with the atmosphere that Spartan Stadium offers.

“It will be fun to take this team into a hostile environment,” Herman said on Monday. “I certainly respect the heck out of Michigan State and their tradition, their fan base. It’s going to be a really, really difficult place to play.”

He acknowledges the difficulty of competing in such a loud and passionate environment, emphasizing the challenge it presents for visiting teams.

“I just remember – this is no offense to their brothers in Ann Arbor but that stadium in Ann Arbor holds 40,000 more people,” Herman said , “and I thought the one in East Lansing was significantly louder and more disruptive for an offense.”

Last season, Herman led Florida Atlantic to a 4-8 record in his first year as head coach. As he prepares for this season, he is focused on integrating a roster that features many new transfers, many of whom have experience playing in tough stadiums.

“We’re going to have our hands full when it comes to playing in that environment week one … but the good thing about having a lot of transfers,” Herman said , “is a lot of these guys have played in environments like that too.”

The upcoming game will be a significant test for Herman and his team as they look to establish themselves in a competitive landscape.