Spartans Face No. 16 Illini Saturday in Champaign

Game 9: Michigan State (3-5, 1-4 Big Ten) at No. 16 Illinois (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten)

Date: Saturday, Nov. 5
Kickoff: 3:40 p.m. ET/2:40 p.m. CT
Location: Champaign, Ill.
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (60,670)
Surface: FieldTurf
Live Stats: Click here: Live Stats

TV: Big Ten Network
Mobile: FOX Sports app
Announcers: Cory Provus (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst), Elise Menaker (sidelines)

Radio: Spartan Media Network | Affiliate Listings
Play-by-Play: George Blaha
Analyst: Jason Strayhorn
Sidelines: Jehuu Caulcrick
Broadcast Host: Will Tieman
Website/Mobile: msuspartans.com/MSU Spartans app/Tune In radio
Flagship Stations: Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM)/WJIM (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)
Affiliates: 24 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite: Sirius/XM (Ch. 385), SiriusXM app (Ch. 975)
Pregame Show: Begins at 2 p.m.

All-Time Series: MSU leads, 26-19-2
Series in Champaign: MSU leads, 13-10-1
Last Meeting: Illinois 37, MSU 34 (2019)
Current Series Streak: 2 by Illinois (2016, 2019)

COACHES:
MSU Head Coach: Mel Tucker
MSU Record: 16-12 (third year)
Overall Record: 21-19 (fourth year)
Record vs. Illinois: 0-0

Illinois Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Illinois Record: 12-8 (second year)
Overall Record: 109-66 (14th year)
Record vs. MSU: 3-4

►FIRST-AND-10
• Michigan State heads to Champaign, Illinois, for the first time in six years as the Spartans and Fighting Illini will meet on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 3:40 p.m. ET/2:40 p.m. CT in Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Cory Provus (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst) and Elise Menaker (sidelines) on the call. MSU enters the contest with a 3-5 record (1-4 Big Ten) after falling at No. 4/4 Michigan last Saturday, 29-7, while Illinois (7-1) leads the Big Ten West Division with a 4-1 league record following its 26-9 victory at Nebraska. The Fighting Illini were ranked 16th in the first College Football Playoff rankings released on Nov. 1 and are also ranked 13th in the AFCA Coaches Poll and 14th in the AP Poll.

• Saturday's game marks the 48th meeting between Michigan State and Illinois and the first in Memorial Stadium since 2016. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 26-19-2, including a 13-10-1 record in Champaign.

• Michigan State has won 12 of the last 15 meetings in the series, although Illinois has won the last two matchups (2016, 2019). The Fighting Illini rallied for a 37-34 victory in Spartan Stadium on Nov. 9, 2019, in the last game between the two schools.

• Sophomore wide receiver Keon Coleman had a career-high 155 receiving yards on just five catches at Michigan last Saturday. Coleman made a leaping 26-yard grap in the end zone in the first quarter and also had a 51-yard reception in the fourth quarter. Coleman leads the team in receiving yards (548) and touchdown catches (6) and is tied for first with 36 receptions. Those numbers also rank among the Big Ten leaders (tied for fourth in TD catches; seventh in receiving yards per game at 68.5; 14th in receptions per game at 4.5).

• Sixth-year graduate senior punter Bryce Baringer, a Ray Guy Award candidate, continues to lead the FBS with a 50.0-yard average (34 punts for 1,701 yards). Baringer led the Big Ten and set an MSU single-season record in 2021 with a 48.4-yard average; that mark was also the second best in conference history, trailing only Iowa's Reggie Roby, who had a 49.8-yard average in 1981. Seventeen of Baringer's 34 punts this season have been for 50-plus yards, including five of 60-plus yards, and he has placed 13 inside the 20-yard line. Baringer was named the Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week after averaging 48.9 yards per punt against Ohio State (seven punts for 342 yards); he also tied a career high with five punts placed inside the 20. Named a first-team midseason All-American by The Associated Press, Baringer redshirted at Illinois in 2017 before transferring to Michigan State.

• Fifth-year graduate senior Daniel Barker, who transferred from Illinois to Michigan State over the summer, leads the Spartan tight ends with 14 catches for 145 yards and one touchdown. A four-year letterwinner at Illinois (2018-21), Barker had 64 receptions for 827 yards and 11 touchdowns in 44 games at Illinois, including 21 starts at tight end. He left Illinois with the most TD catches (11) of any tight end in Fighting Illini history.

• Fifth-year graduate senior wide receiver Jayden Reed, a 2021 first-team All-American as an all-purpose player, is rounding back into form after missing time with an injury that sidelined him in Week 3 at Washington. Reed recorded season bests in receptions (9) and receiving yards (117) against Wisconsin on Oct. 15 and accounted for both touchdowns in the double-overtime win – he threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman on the first play of overtime, then caught a 27-yard pass from Payton Thorne on third-and-12 in the second overtime that clinched the victory for the Spartans. Reed is tied for the team lead with 36 catches, ranks second with 390 receiving yards, and is tied for second with three touchdown receptions. He is also second in all-purpose yards with 476 (390 receiving, 49 punt return, 20 kick return, 17 rushing).

• Redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne, who has started 22 consecutive games for the Spartans, is 153-of-238 passing (.643) for 1,714 yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions through the first eight games. He ranks tied for sixth in the Big Ten with 12 passing touchdowns. Eight of Thorne's 12 TDs are for 25-plus yards, and seven of those were thrown downfield for 20-plus yards (tied for third in the Big Ten and tied for 16th in the FBS).

• Two key starters returned on defense for the Spartans against Wisconsin on Oct. 15 after missing extensive time due to injuries. Fifth-year graduate senior safety Xavier Henderson, who entered the season with 33 consecutive starts, left the Week 1 game against Western Michigan in the first half and missed five straight games before returning to the starting lineup vs. Wisconsin. Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jacob Slade, a second-team preseason Walter Camp All-American, was also out for four games prior to coming back against the Badgers. Henderson and Slade helped the Spartans combine for their best defensive effort of the Big Ten season, limiting Wisconsin to 283 yards of total offense (152 rushing, 131 passing). Henderson and Slade both started for the Spartans at Michigan.

• Through eight games, Michigan State has forced 12 fumbles, which is tied for fourth most in the FBS. The Spartans have recovered nine of those fumbles, which is tied for eighth in the FBS. Last season, Michigan State led the Big Ten and ranked tied for seventh in the FBS with 15 forced fumbles and ranked tied for 16th in the FBS with 10 fumble recoveries.

LAST TIME OUT: NO. 4/4 MICHIGAN 29, MSU 7

►OFFENSE
• Redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne was 17-of-30 passing for 215 yards and one TD pass . . . Thorne now has at least one TD pass in the last four games as part of at least one TD in six of the eight games this season and in 19 of 25 career games played . . . Thorne now has 42 career TD passes and is now tied for No. 8 on MSU's career TD passing list with Drew Stanton (2003-06) . . . with the 215 passing yards, Thorne now has thrown for 200-plus yards in six of the eight games this season.

• Sophomore wide receiver Keon Coleman topped the 100-yard mark in the second quarter, with 104 yards on four catches in the first half alone, finishing with five receptions for a career-high 155 yards . . . the 155 receiving yards were the third most by a Spartan against Michigan . . . it was Coleman's second 100-yard outing of the season, joining 116 yards on nine catches at Washington (9/17/22) . . . Coleman has five receptions in each of the last two games, as part of 17 catches in the last four games, as part of his sixth game with four or more receptions . . . Coleman snared his third TD in the last two games after a pair of scoring catches last game vs. Wisconsin (10/15/22) as part of his sixth of the season and seventh of his career with his first-quarter TD reception . . . Coleman's 26-yard TD catch was his fifth TD of 20-plus yards, which is tied for the most in the Big Ten.

• Graduate senior wide receiver Jayden Reed had four catches, as he has now had at least two catches in all seven games played this season . . . Reed also has at least one reception in 27 consecutive games, which is No. 21 among active FBS players, and is all 27 games of his MSU career, as part of 39 of 40 career games played.

• Redshirt junior wide receiver Tre Mosley snared two receptions, as he has registered multiple catches in all eight games this season and in his last nine games played going to back to last season and in 23 total games of his career . . . Mosley now has a streak of at least one reception in 13 straight games dating back to last season and has at least one catch in 30 of 32 career games played.

►DEFENSE
• Redshirt sophomore linebacker Cal Haladay registered a career-high 13 tackles for his fourth double-digit tackle outing this season and eighth of his career.

• After missing the Wisconsin game with an injury, senior defensive back Kendell Brooks had a smashing return to action as he recorded a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss, topping his previous career-high of 0.5 vs. Minnesota (9/24/22) . . . Brooks finished with 11 tackles for double-digit stops for his second straight game played and for the third in the last four games played.

• Graduate senior defensive back Xavier Henderson registered his first forced fumble of the season and third of his career with the force in the first quarter . . . Henderson finished with eight tackles, including 1.0 TFL as he has back-to-back games with TFL with 2.0 for the season and 15.5 for his career.

• Graduate senior defensive lineman Dashaun Mallory registered his second fumble recovery in as many games and as many stanzas, after one in the second OT of Wisconsin game (10/15/22), setting up MSU's game-winning drive.

►SPECIAL TEAMS
• Graduate senior punter Bryce Baringer, the Ray Guy Award Watch List member and three-time Ray's 8 honoree, punted four times for a 39.8 ypp average with a long of 50 yards and one inside the 20 . . . with the long of 50 yards, Baringer has had at least one punt of 50 yards in each of the eight games this season and in the last nine games dating back to last season, and Baringer has 17 punts this season of 50-plus yards and 57 for his career . . . Baringer has had at least one punt inside the 20 in the last four games as part of in seven of the eight games this season, as part 12 total for the year.

**Sophomore Keon Coleman leads Michigan State with six touchdown catches this season.**

►STAT LEADERS
Michigan State:
Rushing – R-So. Jalen Berger (89 carries for 384 yards, 4.3 avg., 5 TDs, 48.0 ypg)
Passing – R-Jr. Payton Thorne (153-of-238, .643, 1,714 yards, 12 TDs, 8 INTs, 214.3 ypg)
Receiving – So. Keon Coleman (36 catches for 548 yards, 15.2 avg., 6 TDs, 68.5 ypg)
Tackles – R-So. LB Cal Haladay (71 tackles; 25 solo, 46 assists; 4 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 FR, 1 FF)

Illinois:
Rushing – Jr. Chase Brown (224 carries for 1,208 yards, 5.4 avg., 5 TDs, 151.0 ypg)
Passing – Sr. Tommy DeVito (158-of-218, .725, 1,594 yards, 12 TDs, 2 INTs, 199.3 ypg)
Receiving – So. Isaiah Williams (56 receptions for 439 yards, 7.8 avg., 3 TDs, 54.9 ypg)
Tackles – So. DL Jer'Zhan Newton (39 tackles, 18 solo, 21 assists; 9.0 TFLs, 5 sacks, 1 FR)

►A QUICK GLANCE AT NO. 14/13/16 ILLINOIS (7-1, 4-1 BIG TEN)
• The Illini have won their last six and are ranked No. 14/13 coming off a 26-9 win at Nebraska last Saturday to improve to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big Ten action to lead the West Division. Illinois has been ranked for three straight weeks, the Illini's first time in the AP Top 25 since 2011, and the 7-1 record has already passed their win total of five victories from last season. The Fighting Illini were ranked 16th in the first College Football Playoff rankings released on Nov. 1.

• With a 7-1 start, Illinois is tied for its best start to a season since the 1951 season when the Illini were 7-0-1 through eight games. Overall, this is the fourth 7-1 start to a season in Illinois history since 1951, along with the 1983, 1989 and 2001 seasons.

• Entering Saturday's game at UI's Memorial Stadium, the Illini are on their first six-game home winning streak since 2001-02.

• Following a season-opening 38-6 win over Wyoming (Aug. 27), Illinois suffered its lone defeat of the season thus far with a 23-20 loss at Indiana (Sept. 2) in its Big Ten opener. The Illini bounced back with 24-3 and 31-0 wins over Virginia (Sept. 10) and Chattanooga (Sept. 22), respectively. UI led off October with a 34-10 win at Wisconsin (Oct. 1), then edged Iowa, 9-6 (Oct. 8), before beating Minnesota, 26-14 (Oct. 15), prior to last week's win over the Cornhuskers.

• After Nebraska took a 9-6 lead early in the second quarter, Illinois reeled off 20 unanswered points for the 26-9 win on the road in Lincoln. The Illini posted 367 yards of total offense, with 188 on the ground and 179 through the air, while the Illinois defense limited Nebraska to 248 yards of total offense, with 188 passing and just 60 yards rushing, posting two sacks and six tackles for loss. The Illinois defense also had three interceptions and one fumble recovery, in addition to limiting Nebraska to just 2-of-12 on third-down conversions.

• Illini junior running back Chase Brown rushed for 149 yards on 32 carries with one TD, adding three catches for 13 yards and another score. Senior quarterback Tommy Devito completed over 90 percent of his passing, going 20-of-22, for 179 yards and two TDs, one to Brown and one to sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Williams, part of nine catches for 93 yards.

• Chase Brown's twin brother, senior linebacker Sydney Brown, led the UI defense with six tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and had two interceptions, returning them 47 yards. In the second quarter, Brown returned the first oskie 37 yards to the Nebraska 11, setting up the Illini go-ahead TD and they never trailed again. He snared his second pick of the game in the third quarter, returning it 10 yards and setting up the Illinois offense's march for a TD to go up 23-9.

• Junior placekicker Caleb Griffin was 2-for-2 on field goals, making from 36 and 41 yards, and made both PATs. Griffin also had six kickoffs, with four going for touchbacks.

• Illinois leads not just the Big Ten, but all of the FBS in scoring defense, limiting the opposition to just 8.9 points per game, and it also leads the conference and country in total defense, holding opponents to just 224.5 ypg, including first in the Big Ten and second in the FBS in both passing yards allowed (148.9 ypg) and rushing defense (75.6 ypg). The Illini defense also tops the nation in interceptions (15) and passing efficiency defense (77.9), while ranking second in the conference and third in the country in third-down conversion percentage defense (.255).

• Offensively, Illinois is ninth in the league in scoring offense at 26.0 ppg. UI is also seventh in the B1G in total offense (409.8 ypg), ranking third in the conference and 27th in the country in rushing offense (197.6 ypg) and 11th in the league in passing offense 212.1 ypg.

• Chase Brown leads the nation in rushing yards with 1,208 total, topping the conference and ranking second in the country in rushing yards per game (151.0). He also is first in the Big Ten and third in the FBS in all-purpose yards (166.0 ypg), as well as 11th in the conference in rushing TDs (5). The 1,208 yards has come on 224 carries (5.4 ypc).

• Devito is 158-of-218 passing for 1,594 yards (199.3 ypg) with 12 TDs and just two INTs, ranking second in the Big Ten and third in the FBS in completion percentage (.725), as well as sixth in the conference in passing TDs, 10th in passing yards per game and 14th in passing yards per completion (10.1). Devito also has 88 rushing yards on 46 attempts with four TDs.

• Williams is second in the Big Ten and 10th in the FBS in receptions per game (7.0), in addition to ranking tied for 12th in the conference in receiving TDs (3) and 14th in the league in receiving yards/game (54.9). He has a total of 56 catches for 438 yards (7.8 ypc).

• Sophomore defensive lineman Jer'Zhan Newton leads the Illinois defense with 39 tackles, including a team-lead sharing 9.0 tackles for loss and a team-best 5.0 sacks. Newton is tied for third in the Big Ten and tied for 38th in the FBS with the 9.0 TFLs, along with fourth in the league and tied for 44th in the nation with the 5.0 sacks.

• Senior defensive back Jartavius Martin and junior defensive back Devon Witherspoon are tied for the conference lead and tied for seventh in the country with 12 passes defended (1.5 pg). Martin has nine pass break-ups and three interceptions, while Witherspon has 11 PBUs and one interception. Sydney Brown is close behind with 10 total passes defended on seven pass break-ups and three interceptions, ranking sixth in the league and 20th in the nation with 1.2 pg.

• Griffin is second in the B1G and 19th in the FBS in field goals per game (1.5), making 9-of-13 with a long of 48 yards, and is 20-for-20 on PATs. Redshirt-freshman placekicker Fabrizio Pinton is 7-of-7 on FGS and 2-of-3 on PATs.

• Redshirt freshman punter Hugh Robertson has 37 punts for a 39.0 ypp average with a long of 52, one of three of 50+, with 11 inside the 20.

• Illini head coach Bret Bielema is in his second year leading Illinois, posting an 11-8 record, which is the best start for an Illini head coach since John Mackovic started 12-6-1 in the 1988-89 seasons. Overall, Bielema is in his 14th season as a head coach, logging a 108-66 ledger.

►MSU/ILLINOIS SERIES NOTES
• Saturday's game marks the 48th meeting between Michigan State and Illinois and the first in Memorial Stadium since 2016. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 26-19-2, including a 13-10-1 record in Champaign

• Michigan State has won 12 of the last 15 meetings in the series, although Illinois has won the last two matchups (2016, 2019). The Fighting Illini rallied for a 37-34 victory in Spartan Stadium on Nov. 9, 2019, in the last game between the two schools.

►SPARTANS FROM ILLINOIS
• Michigan State's 2022 roster features four players from the state of Illinois: defensive lineman Dashaun Mallory (Bolingbrook), wide receiver Cade McDonald (Naperville), wide receiver Jayden Reed (Naperville) and quarterback Payton Thorne (Naperville).

OFFENSE

►QUARTERBACKS
• #12 Katin Houser (Fr., 6-3, 213, Anaheim, Calif./St. John Bosco)
(1 game, 1-for-2 passing (.500), 2 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs)

• #14 Noah Kim (R-So., 6-2, 185, Centreville, Va./Westfield)
(4 games, 14-for-19 passing (.737), 174 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs)

• #10 Payton Thorne (2L, R-Jr., 6-2, 205, Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central)
(8 games/8 starts, 153-of-238 passing (.643), 1,714 yards, 214.3 ypg, 12 TDs, 8 INTs; 40 carries for 15 yards)

►PAYTON THORNE BACK AFTER RECORD-SETTING SEASON IN 2021
• After a record-setting season in his first year as the starting quarterback, redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne is back for the Spartans in 2022. He has started 22 consecutive games (14-8 record). Thorne set a school single-season record with 27 touchdown passes in 2021, surpassing Kirk Cousins, who previously held the record with 25 TDs in 2011. Overall in his first year as the starting quarterback, Thorne was 234-of-388 passing (.603) for 3,233 yards, 27 TDs and 10 interceptions.

• An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media in 2021, Thorne was especially effective at throwing the ball downfield, ranking tied for sixth in the FBS with 14 TD passes of 20-plus yards and tied for ninth with eight completions for 50-plus yards. He threw for 200-plus yards in eight games and 300-plus yards in three games, including a career-high 354 yards in MSU's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl victory over No. 12 Pitt. He has 15 career games of 200-plus yards passing and five with more than 300 yards.

• The Naperville, Illinois, native was named one of four captains last season and will also be counted on for his leadership for the Spartans this fall. He has been named a game captain in three of MSU's eight games.

• Through eight games this season, Thorne is 153-of-238 passing (.643) for 1,714 yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He ranks tied for sixth in the Big Ten with 12 passing touchdowns. Eight of Thorne's 12 TDs are for 25-plus yards, and seven of those were thrown downfield for 20-plus yards (tied for third in the Big Ten and tied for 16th in the FBS).

• Thorne surpassed the 5,000-yard passing milestone in the Ohio State game and is now ninth in Michigan State history with 5,529 career passing yards. Thorne is also tied for eighth in MSU history in career touchdown passes (42), ninth in passing completions (435) and 11th in passing attempts (711).

• In Week 3, Thorne completed a career-high 30 passes against Washington on 42 attempts for 323 yards and three touchdowns (7 and 33 yards to Keon Coleman; 26 yards to Tre Mosley)

• In the first game of the season, Thorne tied his career high with four touchdown passes against Western Michigan in Week 1. Thorne was 12-of-24 passing for 233 yards overall, including scoring strikes to Germie Bernard (44 yards), Daniel Barker (13 yards), Coleman (41 yards) and Mosley (43 yards). Thorne joins Connor Cook as the only Spartans to throw four TDs in a single game four times in a career.

►NOAH KIM, KATIN HOUSER BACKING UP THORNE
• Redshirt sophomore Noah Kim serves as the back-up quarterback and is 14-of-19 passing (.737) for 174 yards and three touchdowns in four games. He was 2-for-2 passing for 22 yards against Akron in Week 2 and was 6-of-7 for 70 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to Germie Bernard, vs. Minnesota. On his first official passing attempt of his career against the Zips he threw a 16-yard touchdown to Tre Mosley. Kim was 6-of-10 passing for 82 yards, including a 25-yard TD to Montorie Foster Jr., vs. No. 3 Ohio State.

• The Spartans also welcomed in freshman Katin Houser as an early enrollee in January and he participated in spring practice. Houser was rated a consensus four-star prospect and was an Elite 11 finalist last summer. He played six snaps in his collegiate debut vs. Akron.

• Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson is in his third year coaching the quarterbacks for the Spartans.

►RUNNING BACKS
• #8 Jalen Berger (R-So., 6-1, 215, Newark, N.J./Wisconsin)
(8 games/7 starts, 89 carries, 384 yards. 4.3 avg., 5 TDs, 48.0 ypg)

• #3 Jarek Broussard (Gr.-5, 5-9, 195, Dallas, Texas/Colorado)
(8 games/1 start, 44 carries, 191 yards, 4.3 avg., 2 TDs, 23.9 ypg)

• #24 Elijah Collins (3L, R-Sr., 6-1, 215, Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit)
(8 games, 37 carries, 168 yards, 4.5 avg., 4 TDs, 21.0 ypg)

• #2 Harold Joiner (1L, R-Sr., 6-4, 220, Birmingham, Ala./Auburn)
(8 games, 1 carry, 1 yard, 1.0 avg., 0 TDs, 0.2 ypg)

• #22 Jordon Simmons (2L, Jr., 5-11, 195, Marietta, Ga./McEachern)
(8 games, 4 carries, 9 yards, 2.3 avg., 0 TDs, 1.1 ypg)

►TRANSFER JALEN BERGER LEADS SPARTAN RUNNING GAME
• The Spartans featured an explosive and resurgent rushing attack last year thanks to unanimous first-team All-American Kenneth Walker III, who had one of the best seasons in Michigan State history en route to winning the Doak Walker Award, the Walter Camp National Player of the Year and the Big Ten Running Back of the Year. Walker ranked second in the FBS with 1,636 rushing yards and his 18 rushing TDs ranked tied for eighth in the nation.

• Redshirt sophomore running back Jalen Berger, a Wisconsin transfer, leads the Spartans in carries (89), rushing yards (384) and rushing touchdowns (5). Berger rushed for a career-high 120 yards and one touchdown in his Spartan debut against Western Michigan, and followed that effort with a career-high three touchdowns and 107 yards vs. Akron in Week 2. Berger is 17th in the Big Ten in rushing (384 yards; 48.0 ypg) and tied for 10th in the conference in rushing TDs (five).

• Berger was rated a four-star prospect out of high school before attending Wisconsin for two years (2020-21). He rushed for 389 yards and three TDs in seven career games with the Badgers, including a team-leading 301 yards on 60 carries in just four games as a true freshman during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The Newark, New Jersey, native enrolled at MSU in January and made strong gains toward the end of spring practice.

• Fellow running back transfer Jarek Broussard (Colorado) ranks second on the team with 44 carries for 191 yards and two TDs. He scored his first two touchdowns as a Spartan in the Week 2 win over Akron and had 15 carries overall for 81 yards against the Zips. Broussard, who joined the program in May from Colorado, rushed for 1,556 yards and seven TDs the past two seasons (2020-21) in just 17 games for the Buffaloes. He was named the 2020 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 895 rushing yards and five touchdowns in six games during the pandemic-shortened season, and followed up with 661 yards and two TDs last fall.

• Redshirt senior Elijah Collins ranks second on the team with four rushing touchdowns. He has seen his workload increase the last four games, including a season-high 14 carries for 43 yards and one TD in the victory over Wisconsin in Week 7. Collins nearly rushed for 1,000 yards (222 carries for 988 yards) in 13 games, including 12 starts, during his redshirt freshman season in 2019. He had 41 carries for 90 yards in 2020 and 18 carries for 102 yards in seven games last season while battling an ankle injury. Collins ranks third on the team in rushing (168 yards) and third among running backs in carries (37).

• Effrem Reed, who was an offensive analyst the past two seasons, was promoted to running backs coach in the offseason.

EAST LANSING, MI - OCT 15: Michigan State Football V Wisconsin (Photo by Rey Del Rio) — **Jayden Reed is tied for the team lead with 36 receptions.**

►WIDE RECEIVERS
• #5 Germie Bernard (Fr., 6-0, 200, Henderson, Nev./Liberty)
(8 games/1 start, 7 catches, 128 yards, 18.3 avg., 2 TDs, 16.0 ypg)

• #0 Keon Coleman (So., 6-4, 215, Opelousas, La./Opelousas Catholic)
(8 games/8 starts, 36 catches, 548 yards, 15.2 avg., 6 TDs, 68.5 ypg)

• #16 Christian Fitzpatrick (R-So., 6-4, 218, Southfield, Mich./Louisville)
(5 games, 2 catches, 17 yards, 8.5 avg., 0 TDs, 3.4 ypg)

• #83 Montorie Foster Jr. (2L, Jr., 6-0, 185, Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward)
(6 games, 6 catches, 82 yards, 13.7 avg., 1 TD, 13.7 ypg)

• #85 Cade McDonald (2L, R-Jr., 5-11, 195, Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central)
(7 games, 3 catches, 31 yards, 10.3 avg., 0 TDs, 5.2 ypg)

• #17 Tre Mosley (2L, R-Jr., 6-2, 198, Pontiac, Mich./West Bloomfield)
(8 games/6 starts, 25 catches, 234 yards, 9.4 avg., 3 TDs, 29.3 ypg)

• #1 Jayden Reed (2L, Gr.-5, 6-0, 190, Naperville, Ill./Western Michigan)
(7 games/7 starts, 36 catches, 390 yards, 10.8 avg., 3 TDs, 55.7 ypg)

►RETURNING ALL-AMERICAN JAYDEN REED LEADS TALENTED WIDE RECEIVING CORPS
• Fifth-year graduate senior Jayden Reed, who earned first-team All-America honors as an all-purpose player by the American Football Coaches Association as a junior in 2021, leads a talented wide receiving corps for the Spartans. Reed's explosiveness was one of the main reasons for MSU's school-record turnaround season last year – he not only led the Spartans with 59 catches for 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he also ranked first in the Big Ten in punt returns (19.8 avg.; 12 returns for 238 yards) and tied for the FBS lead with two punt returns for touchdowns (62 yards vs. Nebraska, 88 yards vs. Western Kentucky). His 10 TD grabs were sixth most in an MSU single-season and his 1,026 receiving yards ranked ninth most.

• Reed is rounding back into form after missing time with an injury that sidelined him in Week 3 at Washington. Reed recorded season bests in receptions (9) and receiving yards (117) against Wisconsin on Oct. 15 and accounted for both touchdowns in the double-overtime win – he threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman on the first play of overtime, then caught a 27-yard pass from Payton Thorne on third-and-12 in the second overtime that clinched the victory for the Spartans. His performance against the Badgers landed him on the Paul Hornung Award weekly honor roll.

• Reed is tied for the team lead with 36 catches, ranks second with 390 receiving yards, and is tied for second with three touchdown receptions. He is also second in all-purpose yards with 476 (390 receiving, 49 punt return, 20 kick return, 17 rushing).

• Reed has started all 27 Michigan State games he has played in since 2020 and has at least one catch in every one of those games. He started 12 games as a freshman at Western Michigan in 2018 and earned Freshman All-America honors for the Broncos before sitting out the entire 2019 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Reed currently ranks tied for eighth in MSU history in touchdown catches (16), 15th in receptions (128) and 16th in receiving yards (1,823). His 15.6-yard career punt return average ranks second among active FBS players.

• Last season, Reed was named one of five finalists for the Paul Hornung Award – given annually to the nation's most versatile player – after averaging 18.0 yards per play (1,674 all-purpose yards on 93 total plays), which led the Big Ten and ranked tied for seventh in the FBS. Forty-two of Reed's 59 catches (.712) went for either a first down or a touchdown, and he led MSU with 32 explosive plays (20-plus yards), including 20 receptions, nine kick returns and three punt returns. In addition, seven of his 10 TD catches were from 25-plus yards.

• Sophomore wide receiver Keon Coleman had a career-high 155 receiving yards on just five catches at Michigan last Saturday (31.0-yard average). Coleman made a leaping 26-yard grap in the end zone in the first quarter and also had a 51-yard reception in the fourth quarter. Coleman leads the team in receiving yards (548) and touchdown catches (6) and is tied for first with 36 receptions. Those numbers also rank among the Big Ten leaders (tied for fourth in TD catches; seventh in receiving yards per game at 68.5; 14th in receptions per game at 4.5).

• Coleman showed flashes of his athleticism as a true freshman in 2021 and is now a full-time starter for the Spartans. The 6-foot-4-inch, 215-pound Coleman recorded a career-high nine catches for 116 yards and two TDs in Week 3 at Washington, and he also caught two two-point conversion passes.

• Coleman matched his two-TD game against the Huskies with two touchdowns in the Week 7 win over Wisconsin, including a leaping 25-yard catch on the first play of overtime that was thrown by Reed. The Opelousas, Louisiana, product had five catches for 79 yards overall vs. Wisconsin; he also had a 27-yard TD grab in the fourth quarter.

• Coleman spent last winter with the basketball team, playing in six games, to earn letters in both football and basketball as a true freshman in 2021-22.

• Redshirt junior Tre Mosley (R-Jr.) has been consistently productive for the Spartans throughout his career and recorded career highs in catches (35), receiving yards (530) and TD receptions (3) last season while earning nine starting assignments. Mosley is tied for second on the team lead with three touchdowns in the first eight games and has 25 catches for 234 yards overall. He has 88 catches for 1,051 yards and seven TDs in his 31-game collegiate career, including 19 starts. Mosley surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving milestone for his career in the Ohio State game with a season-best six catches for 40 yards.

• True freshman Germie Bernard has seven catches for 128 yards (18.3 avg.). He made an immediate impact in his first game as a Spartan, catching his first pass and racing 44 yards to the end zone in the first quarter against Western Michigan. He also caught a 27-yard TD pass vs. Minnesota from Noah Kim. Bernard joined the Spartans in January and competed in spring practice.

• After missing the first two games of the season due to an injury, junior Montorie Foster has played in the last six games and has six catches for 82 yards and one TD.

• Courtney Hawkins is entering his third season as the wide receivers coach for the Spartans.

►OFFENSIVE LINE
• #53 OT Brandon Baldwin (R-So., 6-7, 315, Detroit, Mich./Independence CC, 5 games/1 start at LT)

• #58 OT Spencer Brown (1L, R-Jr., 6-6, 315, Commerce Twp., Mich, Walled Lake Western, 8 games/8 starts at RT)

• #56 RG Matt Carrick (4L, Gr.-6, 6-5, 320, Minerva, Ohio/Perry, 8 games/8 starts at RG)

• #67 LG J.D. Duplain (3L, Sr., 6-4, 300, Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville, 8 games/8 starts at LG)

• #50 OG/C Brian Greene (Gr.-6, 6-3, 300, Yakima, Wash./Washington State, 8 games)

• #79 LT Jarrett Horst (Sr.-5, 6-6, 300, Milddleton, Wis./Arkansas State, 8 games/7 starts at LT)

• #59 C Nick Samac (3L, Sr., 6-4, 300, Mentor, Ohio/Mentor, 8 games/8 starts at C)

►SPARTANS FEATURE 130 COMBINED CAREER STARTS ON OFFENSIVE LINE
• The Spartans lost eight lettermen from last season's offensive line, including four starters (center Matt Allen, guard Blake Bueter, tackle AJ Arcuri, guard/tackle Kevin Jarvis), but assistant head coach/offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Kapilovic still returned plenty of experience in 2022.

• Although Allen started every game at center in 2021, senior Nick Samac split time with Allen during the season and is now the full-time starter at center. Samac has 18 career starts under his belt and has played in 35 collegiate games.

• Senior J.D. Duplain, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree last season by Pro Football Focus, is back for his fourth consecutive season starting games at left guard. Duplain earned five starts at left guard as a true freshman in 2019 and five more as a sophomore in 2020 before starting every game at the position last season while helping pave the way for Doak Walker Award winner and unanimous All-American Kenneth Walker III. Duplain has started a team-best 26 consecutive games for the Spartans at left guard and has 31 career starts overall.

• At right guard, sixth-year graduate senior Matt Carrick brings 26 career starts and 46 games of experience to the table. Carrick rotated at right guard in the first seven games last season, but missed the second half of the year with an ACL injury. He returned to the starting lineup in the season opener against Western Michigan. Carrick started all seven games at the position in 2020 and 11 times in 2019.
• Redshirt junior Spencer Brown, who still has three years of eligibility remaining, earned his first career start in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl victory over No. 12 Pitt, playing in all 89 snaps at right tackle against the Panthers. Brown has started the first eight games of the season at right tackle.

• Fifth-year senior Jarrett Horst, who transferred to MSU in 2021 after starting two years (2019-20) at left tackle at Arkansas State, started the first eight games of last season at left tackle during the Spartans' 8-0 start. Although he missed the last five games of the year, Horst still earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades by the coaches and media in playing a total of 317 offensive snaps. Horst returned to the lineup in a reserve role at left tackle against Western Michigan in Week 1 and was back in the starting lineup for Week 2 against Akron, earning co-offensive player of the week honors for the Spartans. He has seven starts this season and 35 for his career (20 at Arkansas State, 15 at MSU).

• Another experienced transfer joined the Spartans over the summer, as Brian Greene landed in East Lansing from Washington State. A sixth-year graduate senior, Greene has played in 37 career games overall, including 10 starts at center for the Cougars (four in 2020, six in 2021). He has rotated at guard for the Spartans in 2022.

• Redshirt sophomore Brandon Baldwin earned his first career start at left tackle in Week 1 against Western Michigan and played 41 snaps vs. the Bronocs. Baldwin transferred to MSU in 2021 from Independence Community College but did not see game action last season.

• The Spartans have featured the same starting combination on the offensive line the last seven games.

►TIGHT ENDS
• #9 Daniel Barker (Gr.-5, 6-4, 250, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Illinois)
(8 games/2 starts, 14 catches, 145 yards, 10.4 avg., 1 TD, 18.1 ypg)

• #6 Maliq Carr (1L, R-So., 6-5, 255, Inkster, Mich./Purdue)
(8 games, 7 catches, 129 yards, 18.4 avg., 0 TDs, 16.1 ypg)

• #97 Tyler Hunt (4L, Gr.-6, 6-3, 248, Gobles, Mich./Gobles)
(8 games/8 starts, 12 catches, 91 yards, 7.6 avg., 0 TDs, 11.4 ypg)

►TIGHT ENDS SEE A PROMINENT ROLE IN SPARTAN OFFENSE
• Although the Spartans lost Connor Heyward, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Steelers after a successful season in 2021, there are still plenty of intriguing options at tight end for third-year coach Ted Gilmore.

• Former walk-on Tyler Hunt, who began his Spartan career as a punter, is in his sixth season in 2022. Hunt posted career highs in receptions (14) and receiving yards (136) in 11 games last season, including four starts, before missing the last two games with an injury. He made the transition from a specialist to a tight end during preseason practice in 2020. Hunt has started the first eight games and has 12 receptions for 91 yards this season.

• The program welcomed transfer Daniel Barker (Gr.-5) from Illinois during the summer, an experienced player who owns the Fighting Illini record for most touchdown catches by a tight end with 11. Barker racked up 64 receptions for 827 yards in 44 games at Illinois from 2018-21, including 21 starting assignments. That production has carried over to East Lansing, as he leads the Spartan tight end room with 14 catches for 145 yards and one TD. In his Spartan debut against Western Michigan, Barker made a one-handed 13-yard touchdown grab in the left corner of the south end zone in the second quarter. In Week 3 at Washington, he had a career-high seven catches for 69 yards.

• Redshirt sophomore Maliq Carr showed plenty of promise during his first season with the Green and White in 2021 and expects to contribute more to the offense this fall. Carr had seven receptions for 128 yards in the last six games of 2021 and had eight receptions for 135 yards overall in 12 total games, including a start in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against No. 12 Pitt. Carr has seven catches for 129 yards through seven games, leading the Spartans with an 18.4-yard per catch average after his career-long 72-yard reception vs. Wisconsin, which was MSU's longest pass play this season.

DEFENSE

►DEFENSIVE LINE
• #8 DT Simeon Barrow (1L, R-So., 6-3, 290, Grovetown, Ga./Grovetown)
(8 games/7 starts, 25 tackles, 5.0 TFLs for 12 yards, 2 sacks for 9 yards, 1 FR)

• #2 DE Khris Bogle (Sr., 6-4, 245, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Florida)
(4 games/1 start, 11 tackles, 3 TFLs for 3 yards, 1 sack for 1 yard)

• #98 DE Avery Dunn (R-So., 6-4, 245, Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights)
(5 games, 11 tackles)

• #5 DE Michael Fletcher (R-Jr., 6-6, 260, Flint, Mich./Carman-Ainsworth)
(5 games/2 starts, 7 tackles, 0.5 TFL)

• #97 DT Maverick Hansen (2L, R-Jr., 6-4, 300, Farmington Hills, Mich./Harrison)
(8 games/1 start, 27 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 1 yard, 1 FR)

• #41 DT Derrick Harmon (R-Fr., 6-5, 320, Detroit, Mich./Loyola)
(8 games/5 starts, 22 tackles, 1.5 TFL for 8 yards, 1.5 sacks for 8 yards, 1 FR, 1 PBU)

• #99 DT Jalen Hunt (R-Jr., 6-4, 320, Belleville, Mich./Belleville)
(4 games, 1 tackle)

• #94 DE Dashaun Mallory (R-Sr., 6-2, 280, Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook)
(5 games, 6 tackles)

• #47 DE Jeff Pietrowski Jr. (2L, Jr., 6-2, 250, Medina, Ohio/St. Edward)
(3 games/3 starts, 6 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 2 yards)

• #64 DT Jacob Slade (3L, Gr.-5, 6-4, 305, Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy)
(4 games/2 starts, 7 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 1 yard)

• #91 DT Alex VanSumeren (Fr., 6-3, 300, Bay City, Mich./Garber)
(4 games, 3 tackles)

►SPARTANS BATTLING INJURIES ALONG DEFENSIVE LINE
• Due to a combination of injuries, the Spartans have utilized six different starting defensive ends and four defensive tackles this season.

• At defensive end, redshirt junior Michael Fletcher has earned starting assignments the past two games. He tied his career high with four tackles at Michigan on Oct. 29 and has registered seven stops in five games this season.

• Junior Jeff Pietrowski Jr. started the first three games at defensive end, but has missed the last five games due to an injury he suffered in Week 3 at Washington. He has six tackles, including a half tackle for loss, in three games of action. Pietrowski was productive in his second season with the Spartans in 2021, ranking tied for second on the team with 5.5 sacks and third with seven tackles for loss in 13 games and three starts. He played a total of 483 snaps on defense and also ranked tied for second in the Big Ten with three forced fumbles.

• Two-year letterwinner Dashaun Mallory, who has played defensive tackle throughout his career, has also played on the edge this season for the Spartans. Mallory has 34 tackles, including 3.5 TFLs and two sacks, in 24 career games. The Bolingbrook, Illinois, native has six tackles in five games in 2022.

• The Spartans added impact transfer Khris Bogle from Florida to bolster the pass rush in 2022, but he has missed the last four games due to an injury. Rated a four-star prospect in the Class of 2019, Bogle was ranked one of the top 100 overall players in the nation coming out of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Bogle played three seasons (2019-21) with the Gators, collecting 69 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 35 career games, including seven starts. He enrolled in January and participated in spring practice for the Spartans to get a head start for the 2022 season; he has 11 tackles, three tackles for loss (3 yards) and one sack (1 yard) in four games.

• First-year coach Brandon Jordan, who was hired in January as a pass rush specialist, works with the defensive ends, along with fellow first-year defensive line coach and run game coordinator Marco Coleman.

• The Spartans are loaded with experience and talent along the interior of the defensive line with five returning letterwinners, including both starters from 2021 (Simeon Barrow; Jacob Slade), but unfortunately injuries have shuffled the rotation much of the 2022 season. Barrow and Slade started the first two games of the season, but didn't start alongside each other again until Oct. 29 at Michigan.

• A preseason second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Slade was named to watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award entering the season, but missed four games after suffering an injury in Week 2 vs. Akron. He returned to the lineup vs. Wisconsin in Week 7, and the Spartans responded with a victory over the Badgers.

• A first-team All-Big Ten selection by Pro Football Focus, Slade posted career numbers in 2021 with 40 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. According to PFF, he racked up 40 QB pressures, the most of any Big Ten defensive tackle and tied for 10th most in the FBS, and 33 QB hurries, No. 1 among Big Ten DTs and No. 3 in the FBS. He was named to the AP All-Bowl Team after recording a career-high two tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks, to go along with six stops overall in the victory over No. 12 Pitt in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

• Barrow has started seven games for the Spartans and is building upon his strong redshirt freshman season in 2021 with another solid performance in 2022. Barrow has 25 tackles, including 5.0 for losses (12 yards) and 2.0 sacks (9 yards). He tallied 34 tackles, four TFLs and three sacks in 10 starts last season. After missing the last three games of the regular season due to an injury, Barrow stormed back on the field with six tackles and a TFL in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win against Pittsburgh.

• Redshirt junior Maverick Hansen filled in for Barrow in the starting lineup for three games in 2021 and was equally effective during his time in the lineup. Hansen ranked fourth on the team with 3.5 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss in 13 games overall. He has 27 stops this season, most among Spartan defensive tackles.

• Promising redshirt freshman Derrick Harmon played in four games last fall to preserve his redshirt season. He has earned five starting assignments (Akron, Washington, Maryland, Ohio State, Wisconsin) and has 22 tackles overall in eight games. Harmon recorded his first career sack vs. Ohio State.

• Experienced defensive tackle Jalen Hunt (R-Jr.) has battled injuries the past two seasons, but has played in four games in 2022.

• Four-star prospect Alex VanSumeren, who was ranked one of the top overall players in the nation by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports, enrolled in January at Michigan State and gained valuable experience during spring practice. He has three tackles in four games of action.

►LINEBACKERS
• #7 Aaron Brule (Gr.-5, 6-2, 242, New Orleans, La./Mississippi State)
(8 games/1 start, 12 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 9 yards, 1 sack for 5 yards)

• #10 Ma'a Gaoteote (So., 6-1, 230, Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman)
(7 games, 6 tackles, 1 TFL for 9 yards)

• #27 Cal Haladay (1L, R-So., 6-1, 230, Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia)
(8 games/7 starts, 71 tackles, 4 TFLs for 18 yards, 1 sack for 10 yards, 1 FR for 21 yards, 1 FF)

• #13 Ben VanSumeren (Gr.-5, 6-3, 235, Bay City, Mich./Michigan)
(7 games/6 starts, 53 tackles, 1 TFL for 8 yards, 1 PBU)

►HALADAY LEADS TEAM WITH 71 TACKLES
• The linebackers, coached by Secchia Family Defensive Coordinator Scottie Hazelton, feature a strong position room, but unfortunately will be missing one of its key players this season as junior starter Darius Snow suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1 against Western Michigan. Snow played safety and nickelback last season and racked up 87 tackles before moving to linebacker during spring practice. His versatility will be missed in 2022.

• Returning starter Cal Haladay (R-So.) won the middle linebacker job as a redshirt freshman in 2021 and went on to earn Freshman All-America honors after tying for the team lead with 96 tackles. He also returned two interceptions for touchdowns, including a game-winning 78-yard return for a score with less than a minute remaining in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl victory to earn Defensive MVP honors in the game.

• Haladay leads the team with 71 tackles and has posted double-digit tackles in four of the eight games, including a career-high 13 at Michigan on Oct. 29. He ranks fourth in the Big Ten with his 71 overall stops.

• Graduate senior Ben VanSumeren started the first six games for the Spartans and ranks third on the team with 53 tackles. He has posted double-digit stops in three games, including a career-high 14 at Maryland in Week 5. VanSumeren played in a reserve role against Wisconsin and did not play at Michigan due to an injury.

• Aaron Brule started eight games and played in 12 last season at Mississippi State, recording 52 tackles, 7.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks. He brings a wealth of experience from Starkville, where he collected 141 tackles, including 17.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks, in 40 career games (19 starts) from 2018-21. Brule delivered a 5-yard sack in his Spartan debut against Western Michigan and has 12 stops overall. He started his first Spartan game in the Week 7 victory over Wisconsin.

• Sophomore Ma'a Gaoteote, a former four-star and top-100 recruit out of Bishop Gorman High School, played in nine games as a true freshman to earn his first letter and will compete for time in the rotation. He has six tackles and one TFL (9 yards) in seven games this season.

►SECONDARY
• #0 CB Charles Brantley (1L, So., 6-0, 170, Sarasota, Fla./Venice)
(8 games/8 starts, 37 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 12 yards, 1 sack for 8 yards, 6 PBUs, 1 INT for 32 yards)

• #33 S Kendell Brooks (1L, Sr.-5, 6-0, 215, Swansea, S.C./North Greenville)
(7 games/6 starts, 68 tackles, 3.5 TFLs for 7 yards, 3 FF, 1 PBU)

• #28 S Tate Hallock (2L, R-Jr., 6-4, 210, Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central)
(3 games, 4 tackles)

• #3 S Xavier Henderson (4L, Gr.-5, 6-1, 210, Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Pickerington Central)
(3 games/3 starts, 13 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 6 yards, 1 PBU)

• #12 NB/CB Chester Kimbrough (1L, Sr., 6-0, 185, New Orleans, La./Florida)
(6 games/3 starts, 12 tackles, 2 sacks for 13 yards, 1 FR for 3 yards, 3 PBUs)

• #29 CB Marqui Lowery (1L, R-So., 6-0, 180, Charlotte, N.C./Louisville)
(2 games, 2 tackles)

• #1 S Jaden Mangham (Fr., 6-2, 175, Bingham Farms, Mich./Wylie E. Groves)
(6 games/2 starts, 12 tackles)

• #6 CB Ameer Speed (Gr.-6, 6-3, 215, Jacksonville, Fla./Georgia)
(8 games/8 starts, 43 tackles, 1 TFL for 2 yards, 1 PBU)

• #9 CB Ronald Williams (1L, Sr.-6, 6-2, 195, Ferriday, La., Alabama)
(8 games, 11 tackles, 1 PBU)

►XAVIER HENDERSON RETURNS TO ACTION IN WEEK 7 VICTORY OVER WISCONSIN
• Former Spartan All-American and NFL veteran Harlon Barnett is in 14th year overall on the defensive coaching staff at Michigan State, his third under head coach Mel Tucker. Barnett was the cornerbacks coach in 2020 before returning to coaching the entire secondary in 2021. Ross Els, who is also the special teams coordinator, will coach the nickelbacks this season, while Tucker will also assist with the cornerbacks.

• At cornerback, sixth-year graduate senior Ameer Speed enrolled in January after spending his first five years at Georgia (2017-21). Speed started in three games for the National Champion Bulldogs in 2021 and played in 13 games overall, playing a total of 181 snaps with 13 tackles. He recorded six tackles in his Spartan debut against Western Michigan and had a career-high 11 stops vs. Maryland in Week 5. Speed is sixth on the team with 43 tackles through eight games.

• Lining up opposite of Speed, sophomore Charles Brantley has started the first eight games of the season and leads the team with six pass break-ups, including a career-high three vs. Akron in Week 2. He intercepted a C.J. Stroud pass and raced 32 yards into the end zone for a touchdown against the Buckeyes in Week 6. Brantley played in eight games in 2021 and earned a start at Purdue on Nov. 6, but he suffered a season-ending injury in the game and had his freshman season cut short by a month. Brantley sealed the win over No. 6 Michigan last season with a one-handed interception in the final minute of the game.

• Sixth-year graduate senior Ronald Williams started nine games at cornerback in 2021 and is back for the Spartans this fall, while redshirt sophomore Marqui Lowery started twice last season.

• Senior Chester Kimbrough, who transferred from Florida last season, started the first three games at nickelback. He moved to nickelback in spring practice after starting 11 games at cornerback for the Spartans in 2021. Kimbrough has 12 tackles, including two sacks for 13 yards, and three pass break-ups.

• A 2021 team captain, Henderson had started 34 consecutive games at safety before missing Week 2 against Akron. He left the season opener against Western Michigan in the second quarter and missed five games with an injury before returning in Week 7 vs. Wisconsin. Henderson recorded career highs in tackles (96) and tackles for loss (10) last year to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors by the media.

• Henderson returning to the starting lineup and started his 35th career game in the win over the Badgers and had five tackles. In his return, the Spartans allowed just 131 passing yards to Wisconsin, the fewest by a opponent in the Mel Tucker era.

• Following Henderson's exit from the game in Week 1, Kendell Brooks (Sr.-5) stepped up against Western Michigan and posted five tackles, including a forced fumble. Since then, he has gone on to lead the Spartan secondary in tackles and ranks second on the team overall with 68 stops, although he did miss the Wisconsin game due to an injury.

• In his first career start against Akron in Week 2, Brooks caused another fumble and had seven tackles. He posted eight stops at Washington and forced a fumble in his third straight game; he ranks second in the FBS with three forced fumbles. Brooks then had a career-high 18 stops vs. Minnesota, the most by a Spartan since Eric Smith had 19 vs. Notre Dame in 2004. Brooks transferred from Division II North Greenville in 2021.

• True freshman Jaden Mangham, a four-star prospect, earned his first career start at safety in Week 5 at Maryland and collected six tackles. He played 38 total snaps at safety before playing 73 snaps against the Terrapins. Mangham started against Ohio State in Week 6, but left the game with an injury and did not play vs. Wisconsin; he returned to action at Michigan.

►SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter: Bryce Baringer is using his extra season of eligibility in 2022 and returns as the starting punter after a record-breaking season in which he set the MSU single-season record with his 48.4-yard punting average, a mark that also led the Big Ten and ranked No. 5 in the FBS. Baringer became the first Spartan punter to lead the Big Ten in punting since the late Mike Sadler in 2012. In addition, Baringer's 48.4-yard average was also the second-best average in Big Ten history, second only to Iowa's Reggie Roby in 1981 (49.8 avg.). Baringer also ranked second in the conference in punts of 50-plus yards (26), including 10 of 60-plus yards, to earn second-team all-league honors.

• A Ray Guy Award candidate, continues to lead the FBS with a 50.0-yard average (34 punts for 1,701 yards). Seventeen of Baringer's 34 punts this season have been for 50-plus yards, including five of 60-plus yards, and he has placed 13 inside the 20-yard line.

• A first-team midseason All-American by The Associated Press, Baringer ranks second among all active FBS punters with a 45.9-yard career punting average.

• Baringer was named the Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week after averaging 48.9 yards per punt against Ohio State (seven punts for 342 yards) in Week 6. He also tied a career high with five punts placed inside the 20.

• In the season opener, Baringer averaged 50.5 yards per punt on four punts (202 yards) against WMU to be named one of the Ray Guy Award's top-eight punters of Week 1. He had a game-long 70-yard punt, marking the third time he has punted a ball at least 70 yards in a game; his first punt of the game was a 67-yarder that was downed at the 4-yard line.

Placekicker: The Spartans have a new starting placekicker for the first time in five years following the departure of the school's all-time leading scorer and field-goal kicker, Matt Coghlin. True freshman Jack Stone earned the job in preseason camp; he is 15-for-16 on PATs and 1-for-3 on field goals, including making a 43-yarder vs. Akron for the first field goal of his young career. Stone is averaging 60.9 yards on kickoffs with eight touchbacks in 33 attempts (.242).

• While Coghlin battled an injury at the end of last season, Stephen Rusnak stepped in the last five games to earn his first letter. Rusnak was 4-of-5 on PATs and averaged 54.3 yards on kickoffs with four touchbacks on 21 kickoffs.

• In addition, MSU added graduate transfer Ben Patton from Auburn in August prior to the season opener. He made his first PAT as a Spartan in Week 5 at Maryland and is 6-for-6 in PATs on the season.

Long Snapper: Hank Pepper handled every snap for the Spartans as a true freshman in 2021 and is back for his second season as the starter; however, backup redshirt freshman Michael Donovan has started the past three games (Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan) for MSU.

Kick Returner/Punt Returner: Redshirt senior Jayden Reed earned first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as an all-purpose player last season thanks to a dynamic return game, as Reed led the Big Ten in punt returns (19.8 avg.; 12 returns for 238 yards) and tied for the FBS lead with two punt returns for touchdowns (62 yards vs. Nebraska, 88 yards vs. Western Kentucky). Reed also ranked fourth in the Big Ten in kick returns (23.5 avg.) and second in the Big Ten and 23rd in the FBS in combined returns (614 yards). He was selected the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week vs. Nebraska after his 62-yard punt return late in the fourth quarter tied the game in MSU's eventual overtime victory against the Huskers.

• Reed was named one of five finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, which is given annually to the nation's most versatile player. As a team, Michigan State led the Big Ten and ranked third in the FBS in punt returns (18.2 avg.). Reed's two punt returns not only tied a school record, but he became the first Spartan to ever return touchdowns on back-to-back punts (fourth quarter vs. Nebraska; first quarter vs. Western Kentucky).

• Reed has seven punt returns for 49 yards (7.0 avg.) this season; his 15.6-yard career punt return average ranks second best among all active FBS players. He has had two punt returns for touchdowns called back this season due to penalties (86 yards vs. Akron; 81 yards vs. Wisconsin).

• Redshirt junior Cade McDonald has four punt returns for 44 yards, including a 21-yarder vs. Akron.

• Freshman Tyrell Henry leads the team in kick return average (22.6; five returns for 113 yards). Jarek Broussard ranks second with five returns for 95 yards (19.0 avg.).

Game 9: Michigan State (3-5, 1-4 Big Ten) at No. 16 Illinois (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten)

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