Kenny Willekes is ‘the motor’ behind Michigan State's revamped defense

EAST LANSING — Kenny Willekes is still getting used to the spotlight.

A former walk-on, Willekes was a relative unknown during his first two seasons at Michigan State. Racking up four sacks, 15 solo tackles and recovering a fumble in back-to-back wins over rival Michigan and Minnesota changed all of that.

His coaches rave about his effort level, relentlessness and intensity. It’s been on full display for the fans in all six of his starts this season. Whether it’s shoving a Bowling Green running back after the whistle or hushing the Big House with his right pointer finger in front of his lips after a big sack, Willekes’ emotions are rarely contained.

This isn’t news to the MSU coaches. 

In 2015, during his redshirt season, Willekes was named scout team player of the week six times. He knew he wasn’t suiting up on Saturdays — he didn’t even have a solidified position — but that didn’t stop him from bringing extreme effort in practice. When he wasn’t busy lining up at tight end or linebacker, he even carried the ball.

His starring role came that December when he mimicked Alabama running back Derrick Henry in preparation for the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Henry won the Heisman Trophy that season.

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“We are seeing the same guy,” defensive tackles coach Ron Burton said. “… He was doing that from the start here. He just needed to get bigger, faster and stronger, but he has always had that leadership. We are proud of what he is doing.”

The big question is — where does his drive come from?

The answer is an easy one for Willekes.

“Growing up, my dad always instilled hard work in me,” Willekes said of his father Charles, a heart surgeon. “He has to go in and work late nights all the time and barely gets any sleep. He is always working as hard as he can every day to help others. He taught me to never give up and give everything you’ve got from a young age.”

Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 244 pounds, Willekes has grown into a destructive force on a Spartan defensive line that entered the season with numerous question marks. Fellow defensive end Demetrius Cooper led MSU in sacks in 2016 with 2.5. The entire defense managed only 11.

This year, Willekes already has four sacks through six games. The defense has 16.

“Well, there's a reason he's playing,” Mark Dantonio said Tuesday during his weekly press conference.  “Everybody says, ‘Well, you got a walk-on guy playing at defensive end.’ There's a reason behind it. He's a good player. He plays with a great deal of enthusiasm and toughness, and he's relentless. You've seen that in the last couple of games and the season, thus far.

“That's contagious,” he continued. “That type of play affects everybody. When people see people playing that hard, it's infectious a little bit. That's been a positive for us.”

Willekes was lightly recruited out of NorthPointe Christian High School in Grand Rapids. Only Wayne State and Ferris State offered. Minnesota came to the party late.

He already had his heart set on MSU.

NorthPointe coach Tim Swore said Willekes didn’t receive a ton of exposure in high school because he didn’t attend Sunday combines and summer camps. He was busy working and spending time with his family.

It was a controversial decision inside his inner circle to take a preferred walk-on spot. Friends thought he was making a mistake. There were no guarantees waiting for him in East Lansing.

Swore, who has been coaching at the private school in Grand Rapids since the program’s inception 10 years ago, said he knew MSU was the right decision for Willekes. Dantonio and past coaches have a track record of turning walk-ons into starters. Jack Conklin and Blair White are just a couple examples of that success.

“He has the look of a kid that belonged,” Swore said. “And they want kids who will put in work. All you want is someone who will give you effort.”

When he got on campus in 2015, proving people wrong became his primary focus.

“It plays a huge part each and every day when I come to work,” Willekes said. “I want to prove other people wrong, other teams wrong. They made the wrong choice.”

His intelligence and work ethic came from his father, but his toughness can be attributed to his seven siblings. Willekes is No. 5 in the pecking order between four boys and four girls.

“A little bit here and there,” he joked about getting roughed up by his older brothers and sisters. “I handed out some, too.”

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Another attribute Willekes has shown, Swore said, is his compassion and respect for others. When the defensive end comes home to visit, Swore said it is no surprise to see him talking with students and current players. Whether they are in elementary school or senior football players, his former coach said that he is not too good for anyone.

“He has a big heart,” Swore said. “Little kids flock to him.”

Swore laughed when he talked about Willekes silencing the crowd in Ann Arbor after a sack. He said his players are having fun with it. The coach in him cringed.

“I would’ve chewed him out,” he chuckled. “I told him in high school, ‘You knock people down and help them up.’ Kenny did a lot of helping people up. His hand was extended almost every play on Friday nights.”

Surrounded by cameras and reporters Tuesday, Willekes engaged and joked about his assent to one of the top linemen in the Big Ten. He isn’t surprised to see results this early.

Neither is linebacker Joe Bachie.

The second Willekes’ name was brought up, a smile creased Bachie’s face. He had plenty of praise for his fellow sophomore. He called him a leader, a “bell cow” of the defense. He talked about the chip on his shoulder and his determination on the field.

“He’s a great guy,” Bachie said. “He’s a guy you want out on the practice field every day. His work ethic is unmatched. That’s Kenny for you.”

Bachie said one thing most people don’t know is how bright Willekes is. He issued a warning though: “Don’t let the hairdo fool you.”

“He’s a very smart kid,” Bachie joked. “I don’t know if people see it with that haircut, but he is very smart.”

Willekes, a chemistry major, sports a mohawk of sorts — long on top with a ponytail in the back, shaved on the sides — but Swore agreed: don’t let his looks fool you.

“One day he will be an engineer and be building stuff,” Swore laughed. “He takes time to do his homework, too.”

The Spartans currently boast the No. 5 team defense in the country, allowing only 263 yards per game. The pass defense is ranked 13th, the run stoppers come in at No. 8. It’s a testament to depth. A 3-9 season in 2016 has served as a motivator.

Willekes played in only one game last year. He was in on four defensive snaps. He knocked down a pass in a 49-0 blanking of Rutgers. That only left him hungry for more.

His campaign of silencing doubters continues this week when Indiana pays a visit to Spartan Stadium.

He hopes the Hoosiers are overlooking him, too.

"Obviously, that’s my goal each and every game, each and every play, is to make a difference,” Willekes said.

Contact Cody Tucker at (517) 377-1070 or cjtucker@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @CodyTucker_LSJ.