No. 14/11 Michigan State Welcomes Akron to Spartan Stadium on Saturday
9/6/2022 5:14:00 PM | Football
Game 2: No. 14/11 Michigan State (1-0) vs. Akron (1-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 10Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. EDT
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Stadium: Spartan Stadium (74,866)
Surface: Natural Grass
Tickets: msuspartans.com
Live Stats: msuspartans.com | Live Stats
Game Day Information (Parking/Tickets/Tailgating): msuspartans.com/gameday
Parking: Lots open at 7 a.m.
TV: Big Ten Network
Mobile: FOX Sports app
BTN GameFinder: Please note: There are multiple games on BTN at 4 p.m. on Saturday. For those out-of-market, please visit https://btn.com/btn-gamefinder/ to find the game in your area.
Announcers: Chris Vosters (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst), Audrey Dahlgren (sidelines)
Radio: Spartan Media Network | Affiliate Listings
Play-by-Play: George Blaha
Analyst: Jason Strayhorn
Sidelines: Steve Courtney
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. 83), SiriusXM app (Ch. 83)
Pregame Show: Begins at 2:30 p.m.
All-Time Series: MSU leads, 2-0
Series in East Lansing: MSU leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: MSU 75, Akron 6 (1914)
Current Series Streak: 2 by MSU (1913-)
COACHES:
MSU Head Coach: Mel Tucker
MSU Record: 14-7 (third year)
Overall Record: 19-14 (fourth year)
Record vs. Akron: 0-0
Akron Head Coach: Joe Moorhead
Akron Record: 1-0 (first year)
Overall Record: 53-25 (seventh year)
Record vs. MSU: 0-0
FIRST-AND-10 –
• No. 14/11 Michigan State plays host to Akron in just the third meeting in series history on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m. in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Chris Vosters (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst) and Audrey Dahlgren (sidelines) on the call. The Spartans opened the 2022 season with a 35-13 win over Western Michigan last Friday, while the Zips began the Joe Moorhead era with a 30-23 overtime victory at home against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Thursday, Sept. 1. Following the Week 1 win, MSU moved up to No. 14 in The Associated Press Poll and No. 11 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
• Saturday's game marks the first meeting between the two schools since 1914. Michigan State beat Akron 41-0 in 1913 in East Lansing and also won the next season at home, 75-6. George E. "Carp" Julian scored a school-record seven touchdowns in the 1914 victory over the Zips.
• Michigan State is riding a seven-game home winning streak, dating back to last season. The Spartans went 6-0 in Spartan Stadium in 2021 and beat Western Michigan in the 2022 home opener. Third-year head coach Mel Tucker is 8-3 overall in East Lansing.
• MSU is looking to build off the momentum from last season's school-record turnaround, as the Spartans posted a nine-game improvement from 2020 (two wins) to 2021 (11 wins), won a New Year's Six bowl game over No. 12 Pitt in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and finished No. 8 in the AFCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll and No. 9 in The Associated Press Poll. Dating back to last season, the Spartans have won 12 of their last 14 games.
• In his first game as a Spartan, senior transfer defensive end/linebacker Jacoby Windmon recorded four sacks against Western Michigan, tying for the second most in school history in a single game. Windmon, who played his first three seasons (2019-21) at UNLV, also had seven tackles overall to earn Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors. The 6-2, 250-pound product of New Orleans posted 169 career tackles, including 18.5 TFLs and 12 sacks, during his time with the Runnin' Rebels. Windmon's four sacks were the most by any FBS player in Week 1.
• Redshirt junior quarterback Payton 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), Keon Coleman (41 yards) and Tre Mosley (43 yards). Thorne and Connor Cook are the only two Spartans to throw four TDs in a single game four times in a career.
• Redshirt sophomore running back Jalen Berger, a Wisconsin transfer, earned the start in his Spartan debut in Week 1, and delivered with a 16-carry, 120-yard rushing performance against the Broncos. On fourth-and-goal late in the fourth quarter, Berger scored his first touchdown wearing the Green and White, plunging in for the 1-yard score. Fellow running back transfer Jarek Broussard (Colorado) also played his first game wearing the Green and White and averaged 5.4 yards per carry (54 yards on 10 carries).
• Michigan State led the Big Ten in sacks in 2021 and was right back at it in the 2022 season opener, recording seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss against Western Michigan. The seven sacks tied for the most in a single game under Mel Tucker (Nebraska, 2021). Jacoby Windmon led the way with a career-high four sacks, while two other Spartan transfers delivered sacks in their Spartan debuts (Khris Bogle, Florida; Aaron Brule, Mississippi State). Chester Kimbrough, a 2021 transfer from Florida, recorded two half sacks for the Spartans.
• In just his second year in East Lansing in 2021, Mel Tucker led MSU to an 11-2 record, a Top 10 ranking, and a win in the New Year's Six with a victory over ACC Champion and No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Tucker was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year by multiple organizations, including the American Football Coaches Association, the Paul Bear Bryant Awards, the Football Writers Association of America and the Maxwell Football Club. He was also named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the coaches and media and the AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year. Tucker became the earliest Spartan coach to win double-figure games in a season (previous: Mark Dantonio with 11 wins in his fourth season at MSU in 2010).
• Michigan State will induct nine members into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 9. The Class of 2022 includes: Herb Adderley (football), Kathy DeBoer (volleyball/women's basketball), Joan Garety (women's golf), Draymond Green (men's basketball), Laura (Heyboer) Heethuis (women's soccer), Greg Jones (football), Kalisha Keane (women's basketball), Karen Langeland (women's basketball/administration) and Bob Steele (men's track and field). The annual "Celebrate State" Weekend also includes the 12th-annual Varsity Letter Jacket presentation on Thursday, Sept. 8. The Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will also have a special recognition at halftime of the MSU-Akron game on Saturday.
LAST TIME OUT: MICHIGAN STATE 35, WESTERN MICHIGAN 13
â–ºSERIES/TEAM
• With the 35-13 win over Western Michigan last Friday night in Spartan Stadium, Michigan State is now 15-2 all-time vs. WMU, including a 14-2 mark in East Lansing.
• The Spartans are 8-0 in home Friday night games since 2011 and 10-0 overall in Friday night games during that same time span . . . all of those Friday night games were in season openers for the Spartans.
• Michigan State is now 86-37-3 all-time in season openers, including a 21-3 record in its last 24 games. In addition, the Spartans are 104-22 all-time in home openers, including victories in 23 of the past 24 years.
â–ºOFFENSE
• MSU junior quarterback Payton Thorne tied his career-high with four TD passes, which also tied for the No. 2 spot on MSU's single-game passing TD list, just behind the school record of five by Drew Stanton vs. Illinois in 2005 . . . Thorne finished 12-for-24 for 233 yards . . . the four TD passes was Thorne's fourth game with four scores, joining Maryland (11/13/21), Miami (9/18/21) and Youngstown State (9/11/21) from last season . . . Thorne's four TD passes was his third straight game with multiple TDs after two vs. Penn State (11/27/21) and three vs. Pitt (12/30/21) in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, as part of five in his last six and ninth overall career game with multiple TD passes . . . Thorne's 233 yards passing was his 10th career game with 200-plus yards passing . . . Thorne also rushed four times for 22 yards to finish with 255 yards of total offense.
• Michigan State's five TDs were scored by five different players, including three Spartans scoring their first TDs in their Green & White debuts in freshman wide receiver Germie Bernard, graduate tight end Daniel Barker and junior running back Jalen Berger.
• Tight end Daniel Barker, a graduate transfer from Illinois, caught his first reception as a Spartan for a 13-yard TD in the second quarter on a one-handed grab in the south corner of the end zone.
• With 120 yards on 16 carries, junior running back Jalen Berger (Wisconsin) became the second straight MSU running back transfer to rush for 100 yards in their Spartan debut, joining Kenneth Walker III with 264 yards in the opening game of the 2021 season at Northwestern . . . Berger scored on a 1-yard TD plunge in the fourth quarter . . . his longest rush of the night was a 50-yard scamper in the fourth quarter, which was the longest offensive play of the night for the Spartan offense.
• Sophomore wide receiver Keon Coleman snared career highs of four catches for 84 yards and one TD . . . Coleman's previous career-high for receptions and yards was three catches for 27 yards last season at Ohio State (11/20/21), in the same game in which he caught his only other previous TD reception.
• Redshirt junior wide receiver Tre Mosley had two catches for 51 yards and a 43-yard TD catch, the longest TD reception of his career . . . Mosley now has at least one TD catch in three of his four seasons as a Spartan and five total for his career.
• Freshman wide receiver Germie Bernard snared his first catch as a Spartan in the first quarter and it went for a 44-yard TD pass play for MSU's opening TD of the night for a 7-3 Spartan advantage, a lead they never relinquished.
• Graduate senior wide receiver Jayden Reed had two catches for 31 yards, and also drew a pass interference penalty on another targeted pass to earn a first down for the Spartans in the third quarter in a drive that resulted in a missed field goal.
• Junior running back Jarek Broussard, a transfer from Colorado, had 10 carries for 54 yards in his Spartan debut.
â–ºDEFENSE
• In his Spartan debut, UNLV transfer linebacker/defensive end Jacoby Windmon recorded four sacks, tying for the second most in school history (school record: five by Travis Davis vs. Ohio State in 1987) . . . it marked the most sacks by a Spartan since Matthias Askew had four in 2003 in a game also against Western Michigan . . . Julian Peterson (Ohio State, 1998), Kelly Quinn (Northwestern, 1984) and Rich Saul (Iowa, 1969) are the only other Spartans to record four sacks in a single game . . . Windmon also posted seven tackles and one of the sacks he was also credited with a forced fumble.
• Michigan State recorded seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss in the game.
• Graduate senior linebacker Ben VanSumeren posted a career-high 11 tackles, including an 8-yard tackle for loss . . . it marked his second career start as a Spartan (at Rutgers, 2021).
• Junior safety Angelo Grose tied for the team lead with 11 tackles, his second most as a Spartan (career-high 16 vs. Western Kentucky in 2021).
• In his second career start, sophomore cornerback Charles Brantley had a career-high 10 tackles to go along with a pass break-up.
• Redshirt sophomore linebacker Cal Haladay had 10 tackles, marking the fifth time in his career with double-digit tackles.
• Senior nickelback Chester Kimbrough had six tackles, including a 6-yard sack, and also broke up two passes and recovered a fumble.
• Senior safety Kendell Brooks delivered five stops, his most as a Spartan, while forcing a fumble in the second quarter.
• Transfers Khris Bogle (Florida) and Aaron Brule (Mississippi State) both had sacks in their Spartan debuts.
â–ºSPECIAL TEAMS
• Ray Guy Award candidate Bryce Baringer averaged 50.5 yards per punt on four punts (202 yards) . . . 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.
â–ºSTAT LEADERS
Michigan State:
Rushing – R-So. Jalen Berger (16 carries for 120 yards, 7.5 avg., 1 TD)
Passing – R-Jr. Payton Thorne (12-of-24, .500, 233 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT)
Receiving – So. Keon Coleman (4 catches for 84 yards, 21.0 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles – Gr. LB Ben VanSumeren (11 tackles)/Jr. S Angelo Grose (11 tackles)
Akron:
Rushing – R-So. Cam Wiley (21 carries for 84 yards, 4.0 avg., 1 TD)
Passing – R-Jr. DJ Irons (24-of-39, .615, 276 yards, 2 TDs)
Receiving – Sr. Shocky Jacques-Louis (9 receptions for 122 yards, 13.6 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles – R-Sr. DL Victor Jones (8 tackles, 2 TFLs)/R-Sr. LB Bubba Arslanian (8 tackles, 1 TFL)
â–ºA QUICK GLANCE AT AKRON (0-0)
• Akron comes into Saturday with a 1-0 record after the Zips won their 2022 season opener with a 30-23 OT triumph over Saint Francis (PA), Thursday night.
• After Saint Francis scored with 3:30 let in the game to tie it up and force overtime, Akron had the ball first in the extra stanza and scored on its possession. The Zips then got an interception in the end zone to seal the win. It was a back-and-forth ballgame, with Saint Francis leading, 13-10, at halftime, before Akron took a 23-16 lead with 5:42 to go.
• The Zips had 374 yards of total offense, with 276 yards passing and 98 yards rushing. Saint Francis out-gained Akron in total offense with 436 yards, with 247 passing and 189 rushing.
• Redshirt junior quarterback DJ Irons was 24-of-39 passing for 276 yards with two TDs and no interceptions, but was sacked six times for 49 yards lost. Irons had 12 total rushes for 14 yards, and had a 31-yard scamper.
• Redshirt sophomore running back Cam Wiley, a Minnesota transfer, was the Zips' only other rusher with 21 carries for 84 yards and two TDs, a 7-yard score in the fourth quarter that gave the home team a 23-16 lead. Wiley also scored the Zips' TD in overtime, going in from 1-yard out. Additionally, Wiley caught three passes for nine yards.
• Senior wide receiver Shocky Jacques-Louis, a Pitt transfer, led eight different Zips with a reception, with nine catches for 122 yards and one TD, a 41-yard reception in the third quarter. Redshirt senior wide receiver Daniel George added four catches for 73 yards. Sophomore tight end Tristian Brank had Akron's other TD catch, a 9-yard catch that tied the game at 10-all in the second quarter.
• The Zips defense was led by the redshirt senior duo of defensive lineman Victor Jones and linebacker Bubba Arslanian with eight stops apiece. Jones made two tackles for loss and had one QB hurry, while Arslanian had one TFL.
• Sophomore linebacker Antavious Fish logged Akron's only solo sack, while redshirt senior defensive lineman Zach Morton and redshirt junior defensive lineman Logan Hawkins paired up to share another sack, as the Zips' defense had 2.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss on the night.
• Sophomore cornerback Tyson Durant had the game's lone interception, coming in the end zone to deny Saint Francis on its game-tying effort in OT. Â
• Redshirt junior placekicker Cory Smigel was 1-for-2 on field goals with a 25-yarder in the first quarter to open the Zips' scoring, but missed from 39-yards out in the second stanza. Smigel also converted on three PATs, but had one other PAT blocked in the fourth quarter.
• Senior punter Noah Gettman had seven punts for a 47.1 yards per punt average with two inside the 20, and a long of 62-yards.
• Akron has two Michigan State transfers in redshirt junior linebacker Jeslord Boateng and sophomore running back Anthony Williams Jr., who both transferred from MSU to Akron after the 2020 season. Boateng led Akron's defense in 2021 in total tackles (80), solo tackles (39), assists (41) and tackles for a loss (7.5). He had two tackles and one pass break-up in Thursday's win. Williams rushed for 207 yards on 56 carries and one TD, while adding seven catches for 74 yards last season. Williams did not record a carry or a catch Thursday night.
• The Zips are led by first-year head coach Joe Moorhead, who spent the previous two seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Oregon. Moorhead was also on the Akron coaching staff from 2004-08, including serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2006-2008. After winning his Akron head coach debut Thursday night, Moorhead now has an overall record of 45-25 in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach.
â–ºMICHIGAN STATE-AKRON SERIES NOTES
• Saturday's game marks the first meeting between the two schools since 1914. Michigan State beat Akron 41-0 in 1913 in East Lansing and also won the next season at home, 75-6. George E. "Carp" Julian scored a school-record seven touchdowns in the 1914 victory over the Zips.
â–ºSPARTAN COACHING STAFF
• A new era of Spartan football began in 2020 as Mel Tucker started his head coaching tenure in East Lansing. Tucker, a 26-year coaching veteran with championship experience, was named Michigan State University's 25th head football coach on Feb. 12 following Mark Dantonio's retirement on Feb. 4. Tucker signed an updated contact on Nov. 24, 2021, that expires on Jan. 15, 2032. Tucker's contract includes non-performance related compensation of $9.5 million per year, including a $5.9 million base, $3.2 million in supplemental compensation for media and personal appearances, plus a $400,000 contingent annual bonus. The contract was approved by the MSU Board of Trustees on Dec. 17, 2021.
• In just his second year in East Lansing in 2021, Tucker led MSU to an 11-2 record, a Top 10 ranking, and a win in the New Year's Six with a victory over ACC Champion and No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Tucker was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year by multiple organizations, including the American Football Coaches Association, the Paul Bear Bryant Awards, the Football Writers Association of America and the Maxwell Football Club. He was also named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the coaches and media and the AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year.
• Going from two wins in 2020 to 11 wins in 2021, MSU completed the biggest turnaround in school history (previous: seven-game improvement from 2016 to 2017) and finished the season ranked No. 8 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 9 in The Associated Press Poll. Tucker is the earliest Spartan coach to win double-figure games in a season (previous: Mark Dantonio with 11 wins in his fourth season at MSU in 2010).
• Tucker's resume, which began as a graduate assistant at Michigan State under Nick Saban, has an impressive track record of success. The journey that led him back to East Lansing included a head coaching position at Colorado (2019), five seasons as a defensive coach in the Southeastern Conference (2000; 2015-18), 10 seasons in the NFL (2005-14), and four seasons at Ohio State (2001-04). He was a defensive coordinator in the NFL for seven seasons and 11 seasons overall in his coaching career.
• In 163 games as a full-time coach in the FBS, Tucker's teams have collected a 120-43 (.736) record, including 11 postseason bowl/playoff games (2000 Peach, 2002 Outback, 2003 Fiesta/BCS National Championship, 2004 Fiesta, 2004 Alamo, 2015 Cotton/CFP Semifinal, 2016 CFP/National Championship, 2016 Liberty, 2018 Rose/CFP Semifinal, 2018 CFP/National Championship, 2021 Peach), three conference championships, three national championship games and two national championships (2002 with Ohio State, 2015 with Alabama). Tucker also coached 160 games in the National Football League (64 with Cleveland, 64 with Jacksonville, 32 with Chicago).
• Seven of MSU head coach Mel Tucker's 19 wins as a head coach have come against AP Top 25 opponents (2021: No. 24 Miami, No. 6 Michigan, No. 13 Pittsburgh; 2020: No. 11 Northwestern and No. 13 Michigan; 2019: No. 25 Nebraska and No. 24 Arizona State at Colorado). Tucker is 7-5 overall against AP Top 25 opponents (2-2 at Colorado; 5-3 at MSU). He became the first Spartan head coach to defeat a ranked team (AP No. 11 Northwestern) in his first home win.
• Michigan State has three new assistant coaches for the 2021 season. Effrem Reed, who served as an offensive analyst the past two seasons, was promoted to running backs coach. Brandon Jordan, who has specialized in training elite defensive linemen the past few years, including more than 200 players on NFL rosters, was hired in January as a pass rushing specialist. In February, Marco Coleman joined the Spartan coaching staff as the defensive line coach and run game coordinator. Coleman played 14 seasons in the NFL and spent the past three seasons coaching the defensive ends and outside linebackers at Georgia Tech.
• Chris Kapilovic, who is in his third season as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Michigan State, was promoted to assistant head coach in January 2021. Kapilovic, 53, joined Tucker's staff in East Lansing in February 2020 after spending the 2019 season as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator in Colorado. Kapilovic has more than 30 years of coaching experience, including roles as an offensive coordinator and/or run game coordinator at Southern Mississippi (2008-11), North Carolina (2012-18) and Colorado (2019). He has coached multiple NFL players, first-round draft picks and record-setting offenses during his career. Last fall, the Spartan offensive line was named one of 13 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to the nation's top offensive line.
• Jay Johnson, a 2021 Broyles Award nominee for the nation's top assistant coach, is in his third season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Michigan State. Johnson, 52, is a veteran coach and administrator of 27 seasons, including 12 as an offensive coordinator at five FBS schools (Michigan State, Colorado, Minnesota, Louisiana, Southern Mississippi) in addition to coaching quarterbacks, running backs and tight ends as a position coach. Johnson arrived to East Lansing after serving as the offensive coordinator at Colorado for one season (2019) under head coach Mel Tucker.
• A 26-year coaching veteran with stints at all levels of collegiate football and the NFL, Scottie Hazelton is in his third season as the Secchia Family Defensive Coordinator. Hazelton arrived in East Lansing after spending one season as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Kansas State in 2019. He will also coach the linebackers for the Spartans in 2022.
• Ted Gilmore coaches the tight ends for the Spartans. Gilmore, who has coached 27 years, has experience at the FBS and NFL ranks and has developed numerous NFL players, draft picks and All-Americans during his ccareer. He was named the 2011 FootballScoop Wide Receivers Coach of the Year after mentoring consensus All-American Robert Woods and 2011 Freshman All-American Marqise Lee at USC. Gilmore, 55, previously spent five seasons (2015-19) as the wide receivers coach at Wisconsin.
• Former Spartan great Courtney Hawkins is in his third season as the wide receivers coach. Hawkins oversaw one of the best wide receiver rooms in the Big Ten in 2021 as redshirt juniors Jayden Reed and Jalen Nailor formed a potent duo that fueled MSU's big-play offense that ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring at 31.8 points per game. Reed and Nailor both ranked in the top 10 in the conference in several categories, including receiving yards per game and yards per catch.
• With more than three decades of coaching experience, Ross Els is in his third season as the program's special teams coordinator. In addition, after coaching the linebackers his first two seasons in East Lansing, Els will help assist the nickelbacks in 2022. Els, 55, has previous experience in the Big Ten, serving as the defensive coordinator at Purdue in 2016 and four seasons at Nebraska under Coach Bo Pelini from 2011-14.
• Harlon Barnett, who is in his 14th season overall on the Spartan defensive staff and third with Tucker, coaches the secondary. Barnett has coached four All-Americans, nine first-team All-Big Ten selections and 10 NFL Draft picks during his time at MSU (2007-17; 2020-).
OFFENSIVE CAPSULE
â–ºQUARTERBACKS
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.
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. Thorne also ranked among MSU's single-season leaders in total offense (third with 3,414 yards), passing yards (third with 3,233), passing yards per game (third with 248.7), passing efficiency (sixth with 148.1 rating), pass completions (tied for sixth with 234) and pass attempts (seventh with 388). 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, 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.
In addition, Thorne showed he can be productive on the ground – without sacks, he gained 362 yards on 61 carries (5.9 avg.), including 20 for first downs and four TDs. 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.
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), Keon Coleman (41 yards) and Tre Mosley (43 yards). Thorne joins Connor Cook as the only Spartans to throw four TDs in a single game four times in a career.
Redshirt sophomore Noah Kim serves as the back-up quarterback. 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.
Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson is in his third year coaching the quarterbacks for the Spartans.
â–ºRUNNING BACKS
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, earned the start in his Spartan debut in Week 1, and delivered with a 16-carry, 120-yard rushing performance against the Broncos. On fourth-and-goal late in the fourth quarter, Berger scored his first touchdown wearing the Green and White, plunging in for the 1-yard score.
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) also played his first game wearing the Green and White and averaged 5.4 yards per carry (54 yards on 10 carries). 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.
Three returning letterwinners – Elijah Collins (R-Sr.), Harold Joiner (R-Sr.) and Jordon Simmons (Jr.) – will also compete in the backfield for carries during the season.
Collins is looking to regain the form he showed during his redshirt freshman season in 2019, when he nearly rushed for 1,000 yards (222 carries for 988 yards) in 13 games, including 12 starts. 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.
Joiner, an Auburn transfer, primarily played on special teams and in third-down situations during his first season with the Spartans in 2021. He recorded 43 rushing yards on 13 attempts and also had five catches for 35 yards.
Simmons led the Spartans in rushing as a true freshman in 2020 with 219 yards on 56 carries in five games, but saw a more limited role as a sophomore with the emergence of Walker. Simmons still ranked second on the team with 278 yards on 70 carries last season and earned the start in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl after Walker opted out of the game. He recorded his first 100-yard rushing game with 121 yards on 16 carries in the win over Youngstown State in Week 2.
Effrem Reed, who was an offensive analyst the past two seasons, was promoted to running backs coach in the offseason.
â–ºWIDE RECEIVERS
Wide receiver Jayden Reed, who earned first-team All-America honors as an all-purpose player by the American Football Coaches Association, is back for his senior season at Michigan State. 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.
Named one of five finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, given annually to the nation's most versatile player, Reed averaged 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.
Reed's playmaking ability was on full display in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, as he was named the game's Offensive MVP after hauling in six passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns in the win over No. 12 Pitt, including the go-ahead score from 22 yards out with 2:51 left in the game.
Although the Spartans lost three-year letterwinner Jalen Nailor, who had a career-high 37 catches for 695 yards and five TDs last year and was drafted in the sixth round by the Vikings, MSU brings back experienced starter Tre Mosley (R-Jr.) alongside Reed. Mosley has been steady 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. He caught a 43-yard touchdown pass in the season opener vs. Western Michigan.
Junior Montorie Foster also has starting experience after filling in for the injured Nailor during the last month of the regular season. He hauled in 12 catches for 164 yards, including a 52-yard TD reception in the win over Maryland, during his second season with the Spartans in 2021.
Sophomore Keon Coleman showed flashes of his athleticism as a true freshman with seven receptions for 50 yards, one of which came on a touchdown grab at Ohio State. He spent the winter with the basketball team, playing in six games, but also participated in spring practice as he continues to compete for a starting role. In Week 1, Coleman led MSU had four catches for 84 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown in the second quarter, in his first career start.
True freshman Germie Bernard 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. Bernard joined the Spartans in January and competed in spring practice.
Courtney Hawkins is entering his third season as the wide receivers coach for the Spartans.
â–ºOFFENSIVE 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 returns 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 has earned 10 starting assignments throughout his career. Samac has played more than 1,000 snaps in 27 collegiate games his first three seasons at center (2019-21). He earned the start at center in Week 1 for MSU.
Senior J.D. Duplain, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree 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 19 consecutive games for the Spartans at left guard.
At right guard, sixth-year graduate senior Matt Carrick brings 19 career starts and 39 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 also started the season opener at right tackle for the Spartans.
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 Indepedence Community College but did not see game action last season.
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 the 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.
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 31 career games overall, including 10 starts at center for the Cougars (four in 2020, six in 2021).
The Spartans are also returning four additional players who did not see playing time on the line last season, but gained valuable experience during spring practice: OT Ethan Boyd (R-Fr.), OL Dallas Fincher (R-So.), OL Geno VanDeMark (R-Fr.) and OL Kevin Wigenton (R-Fr.).
â–ºTIGHT ENDS
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, returns for a 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 started in Week 1 against Western Michigan and had one catch for 4 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 had one grab for 6 yards in Week 1 vs. WMU.
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. 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.
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DEFENSIVE CAPSULE
â–ºDEFENSIVE ENDS
Michigan State lost both of its primary starters at defensive end to graduation in Drew Beesley and Jacub Panasiuk, but a position change for UNLV transfer Jacoby Windmon proved beneficial for the Spartans in the Week 1 victory over Western Michigan. Windmon, a linebacker, transferred to MSU in January 2022 and played linebacker in the spring and the beginning of preseason camp before moving to defensive end prior to the season opener. He responded in a big way against the Broncos, recording a career-high four sacks (17 yards), tying for the second most in a single game in MSU history, while earning Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week accolades.
Windmon, who is also still listed as a linebacker, arrived to East Lansing from UNLV, where he picked up second-team All-Mountain West recognition following his highly productive junior season with the Runnin' Rebels in 2021. The New Orleans native ranked third in the MWC and 13th in the FBS in tackles per game (9.8 avg.; 118 total) and also had 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Junior Jeff Pietrowski also started at defensive end for MSU in Week 1 and recorded three tackles and a half tackle for loss. 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.
The Spartans also added impact transfer Khris Bogle from Florida to bolster the pass rush. 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.
Senior Brandon Wright, who made the transition from running back to defensive end during spring practice in 2021, made his presence known in the last two games of the season, recording a 14-yard sack and a forced fumble vs. Penn State and then picking up four tackles, including 1.5 sacks, in the win over No. 12 Pitt in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. He had two tackles and a half tackle for loss in the season opener vs. WMU.
First-year coach Brandon Jordan, who was hired in January as a pass rush specialist, will work with the defensive ends, along with fellow first-year defensive line coach and run game coordinator Marco Coleman.
â–ºDEFENSIVE TACKLES
The Spartans are loaded with experience and talent along the interior of the defensive line with five returning letterwinners, including starters Jacob Slade and Simeon Barrow.
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. Slade entered the 2022 season on watch lists for the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award; he was also named a second-team preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Barrow also proved to be a solid force up the middle in his first year for the Spartans, tallying 34 tackles, four TFLs and three sacks in 10 starts. 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 bowl win against the Panthers.
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.
Promising redshirt freshman Derrick Harmon played in four games last fall to preserve his redshirt season.
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.
â–ºLINEBACKERS
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 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.
In addition, UNLV transfer Jacoby Windmon, who joined the program in January 2022, made a late change to defensive end in preseason camp, although he still has the ability to play linebacker as well.
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 was back at it with 10 tackles in Week 1 against Western Michigan.
Graduate senior Ben VanSumeren earned the start for the Spartans in the season opener and he responded with a career-high 11 tackles against the Broncos.
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.
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.
â–ºSECONDARY
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, the Spartans brought in another transfer this season that will bolster the cornerback position as 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.
Opposite of Speed, sophomore Charles Brantley started his second career game in Week 1. 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 on Oct. 30 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 at nickelback in Week 1 and had six tackles, including a sack, two pass break-ups and a fumble recovery. Kimbrough moved to nickelback in spring practice after starting 11 games at cornerback for the Spartans in 2021.
Justin White (R-Jr.), a Division II transfer from Colorado Mesa who sat out the 2020 season, saw his playing time increase toward the end of last year, and could be in line for more reps this fall.
The Spartans will be strong in the back end as starters Angelo Grose (Jr.) and Xavier Henderson (Sr.-5) return at safety for MSU in 2022, although Henderson exited the game with an injury in Week 1.
A 2021 team captain, Henderson has started 34 consecutive games at safety and will continue to be the vocal leader of the Spartan defense as he comes back for his fifth season with the program. He recorded career highs in tackles (96) and tackles for loss (10) last year to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors by the media.
Grose started all 12 games of the regular season at safety, but returned to nickelback in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a position where he earned four starting assignments as a true freshman in 2020. He led the team with more than 1,000 snaps on defense while collecting 83 tackles and seven passes defended (one interception, six pass break-ups).
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. Brooks transferred from Division II North Greenville in 2021. True freshman Jaden Mangham, a four-star prospect, also played safety in Week 1 in his collegiate debut.
â–ºSPECIAL TEAMS CAPSULE
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.
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 will 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. 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. The Spartans also signed Jack Stone in the Class of 2022 to compete at kicker, and the true freshman earned the start in Week 1 against Western Michigan. Stone missed a 44-yard field goal in his collegiate debut, but made all five of his PATs and averaged 63.7 yards per kickoff with three touchdowns on six kickoffs. In addition, MSU added graduate transfer Ben Patton from Auburn in August prior to the season opener.
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. Redshirt freshman Michael Donovan provides backup for the Spartans at the position.
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 had one kickoff return for 20 yards and two punt returns for 21 yards, including an 18-yarder, against Western Michigan in Week 1.
â–ºTWO FOOTBALL PLAYERS INDUCTED IN MSU ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME IN 2022
• Among the nine inductees for the 2022 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class, two are football players: Herb Adderley and Greg Jones.
Herb Adderley | Football (1957-60) | Philadelphia, Pa.
• 1960 First Team All-Big Ten
• Led MSU in all-purpose yards and receiving as a junior and senior
• 1980 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, becoming the first Spartan enshrined
• 1961 NFL Draft First-Round selection by the Green Bay Packers
• Three-time Super Bowl Champion (I, II, VI)
• Seven-time All-Pro, including five-time first-team honoree
• Won six NFL Championships (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971)
Greg Jones | Football (2007-10) | Cincinnati, Ohio
• Two-time consensus first-team All-American (2009-10) – just the fourth Spartan to be a two-time consensus first-team selection
• Three-time first-team All-Big Ten (2008-10)
• 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year – led conference in tackles with 154
• Two-time MSU Alderton Male Athlete of the Year (2009-10, 2010-11)
• 2010 Team MVP
• Led team in tackles four consecutive years, finishing third in school history with 465
• Two-time team captain (2009, 2010)
• Super Bowl XLVI Champion with the New York Giants
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