Michigan State Hosts Nebraska on Senior Day at Spartan Stadium

Game 9: Michigan State (2-6, 0-5) vs. Nebraska (5-3, 3-2)

Date: Saturday, Nov. 4
Kickoff: 12:03 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Stadium: Spartan Stadium (74,866)
Surface: Natural Grass

►GAME DAY INFORMATION
Game Day Information (Parking/Tailgating/Timeline): msuspartans.com/gameday
Please note that beginning this season, Michigan State University is introducing walk-through metal detectors at Spartan Stadium. This new addition adds to the university's already-existing expansive safety and security portfolio. Guests are encouraged to arrive at Spartan Stadium early to expedite their entry. When entering the stadium, guests will not have to initially remove items from their pockets unless the metal detector alarms. In this case, guests will be checked individually with a security wand. For more information, please visit dpps.msu.edu

Parking: Lots open at 7 a.m.

Game Day Updates: Fans can sign up to receive game day updates from MSU Police and Public Safety this season by texting SPARTANFB23 to 888777. Updates will include safety information, potential game delays, traffic suggestions, etc.

►BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: FS1
Streaming/Mobile: FOX Sports app | Watch Live
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Spencer Tillman (analyst)
Live Stats: msuspartans.com | Live Stats

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. 108/196), SiriusXM app (Ch. 958)
Pregame Show: Begins at 10:30 a.m.

►SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 9-3
Series in East Lansing: Tied, 2-2
Series in Big Ten Games: Nebraska leads, 4-3
Last Meeting: MSU 23, Nebraska 20, OT (2021 in East Lansing)
Current Series Streak: 1 by MSU

►HEAD COACHES
MSU Interim Head Coach: Harlon Barnett
MSU Record: 0-6 (first year)
Overall Record: 0-6 (first year)
Record vs. Nebraska: First meeting

Nebraska Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Nebraska Record: 5-3 (first year)
Overall Record: 52-46 (eighth year)
Record vs. MSU: First meeting

►FIRST-AND-10
• Michigan State plays host to Nebraska in the final game of the 100th anniversary season at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 4 at noon. The game will be broadcast on FS1 with Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst) on the call.

• Michigan State (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) fell on the road at Minnesota last Saturday, 27-12, while Nebraska (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) won its third straight game with a 31-14 home win over Purdue.

• Saturday's game marks the 13th meeting between Michigan State and Nebraska. The Huskers lead the all-time series, 9-3, but the series is tied 2-2 at Spartan Stadium, including two straight wins by MSU in East Lansing (2014, 2021). Michigan State is 3-4 against Nebraska in Big Ten games. In the last meeting on Sept. 25, 2021, the Spartans rallied to beat Nebraska in overtime, 23-20, as Matt Coghlin's 21-yard field goal sealed the comeback win.

• Michigan State will recognize its 2023 Senior Class on Saturday. Nov. 4 marks the earliest calendar date Michigan State has finished its home season since Oct. 27, 1900. In collaboration with the Big Ten Conference and the conference's broadcast partners, Michigan State will close the 2023 regular season by hosting Penn State at Detroit's Ford Field in a primetime showcase on NBC on Friday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

• Two of those seniors playing in their final home game in Spartan Stadium will be offensive linemen J.D. Duplain and starting center Nick Samac. Duplain has been an anchor at left guard for the Spartans, starting 38 consecutive games at the position, and the four-year letterwinner has a started a total of 43 games in his career while playing in 50 overall. Samac, who was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, started all 12 games at center last fall and has 29 starts overall in his career while playing in a total 46 games the past five seasons (2019-23).

• Secondary coach Harlon Barnett, who is in his 15th year overall on the Spartan coaching staff, was named acting head coach by MSU Vice President/Director of Athletics Alan Haller on Sunday, Sept. 10. Barnett came back to East Lansing in 2020 after spending two seasons (2018-19) as the defensive coordinator at Florida State. He previously spent 11 seasons (2007-17) as the secondary coach at Michigan State, including three seasons as the co-defensive coordinator (2015-17) and one as the associate head coach (2017), before departing for FSU. Barnett has coached in four New Year's Six/BCS bowl games with the Spartans (2014 Rose, 2014 Cotton, 2015 CFP Semifinal, 2021 Peach) and has been on staff for three Big Ten Championship teams (2010, 2013, 2015).

• Graduate senior Tre Mosley ranks second on the team with 28 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He has caught at least one pass in 25 consecutive games, which is the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten. The Pontiac, Michigan, product ranks tied for 17th in school history with 126 career receptions and 28th with 1,464 receiving yards. One of the most active members on the team in the community, Mosley has been nominated for both the AFCA Good Works Team and the Wuerffel Trophy for his work off the field.

• Sophomore safety Jaden Mangham ranks tied for second in the Big Ten and tied for 17th in the FBS with three interceptions. He recovered a fumble in the first quarter at Minnesota last Saturday and picked off his third pass of the season during the third quarter. Mangham also recorded interceptions against Washington and Rutgers. For the season, Mangham, who has seven starts at safety, also has 32 tackles and two pass break-ups.

• Redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter ranks third in the Big Ten and 49th in the FBS averaging 76.1 rushing yards per game (609 total). He also ranks second in the conference in carries (141) and sixth in all-purpose yards (698; 87.3 ypg), and leads the team with four rushing touchdowns. The UConn transfer has rushed for 100 yards in three games, including a season-high 113 yards on 18 carries in his debut against Central Michigan in Week 1. He had 111 yards on 19 carries vs. Richmond in Week 2 and ran for 108 yards on a season-high 20 carries at Iowa in Week 5. Carter became the first Spartan since Jehuu Caulcrick in 2007 to score three touchdowns in a single quarter after running for three scores (2 yards, 44 yards, 6 yards) in the third quarter of the 45-14 win over Richmond in Week 2. According to PFF, Carter has rushed for 363 yards after contact (60 percent), which ranks fourth most in the Big Ten.

• Redshirt junior linebacker Cal Haladay leads the team and ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 7.4 tackles per game (59 total). In addition, he ranks tied for second on the team with five tackles for loss. He has 275 total for his career in 37 games. Haladay led the Big Ten in tackles per game last season (10.0 avg.; 120 total). During the third quarter at Iowa, Haladay tied a school record with the third defensive touchdown of his career as he returned a fumble 42 yards for a scoop-and-score in the third quarter against the Hawkeyes. He had two interception returns for touchdowns in 2021 (30 yards vs. Indiana and 78 yards vs. Pitt in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl). Haladay is the fourth Spartan in school history to score three defensive touchdowns, joining RJ Williamson (2012-15), Shilique Calhoun (2012-15) and T.J. Turner (1997-2000). Haladay was named to preseason watch lists for the Butkus Award, the Bednarik Award and the Nagurski Trophy.

• Michigan State's schedule currently ranks the second toughest in the FBS, according to the NCAA (opponents with a .737 winning percentage; 42-15 record). The Spartans have played two Top-10 teams (No. 2 Michigan, No. 5 Washington) and seven teams overall with winning records (Richmond, Washington, Maryland, Iowa, Rutgers, Michigan, Minnesota).

Sam Leavitt vs Minnesota — **Sam Leavitt threw his first career touchdown pass last Saturday in the fourth quarter at Minnesota.**

LAST TIME OUT: MINNESOTA 27, MSU 12

►SUMMARY
• Michigan State fell at Minnesota, 27-12, before a crowd of 47,392 at Huntington Bank Stadium last Saturday afternoon.

• The Spartan defense caused three turnovers, but Minnesota outgained MSU, 400-299, including a 200-109 advantage on the ground, and held the ball for 36 minutes and 15 seconds en route to the victory.

►OFFENSE
• MSU scored on its opening possession for the second time in the last three games and its second straight road game, also doing so with a touchdown at Rutgers (10/14) . . . Jonathan Kim kicked a 38-yard field goal to cap MSU's opening series.

• Redshirt freshman quarterback Katin Houser started his third straight game . . . Houser finished 12-of-22 for 117 yards . . . Houser completed a 34-yard pass to senior wideout Montorie Foster Jr. in the second quarter, which was Houser's second-longest pass of the season and longest in a starting role, as his career-long pass play was 61 yards vs. Washington (9/16) coming off the bench.

• Freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt played the final three series for the Spartans in the fourth quarter . . . he threw the first TD pass of his Spartan career, hitting sophomore wide receiver Tyrell Henry for a 9-yard TD in the fourth quarter . . . Leavitt ended the game 8-of-12 passing for 73 yards with one TD and one INT, recording season highs for completions, attempts, yards and TD . . . Leavitt also rushed six times for 52 yards with a long of 22-yards, MSU's longest rush of the day . . . the six rushes and 52 yards were also new season bests for the freshman QB.

• Graduate senior wide receiver Tre Mosley now has at least one catch in 25 straight games and in 42 of 44 career games played . . . the run of 25 straight games with a catch is the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten and 19th-longest in the nation.

• Redshirt sophomore Ethan Boyd registered his first career start on the offensive line, getting the starting nod at right tackle.

• Senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. snared a season-long 34-yard pass in the second quarter . . . it was Foster's second-longest catch of his career behind a 52-yarder vs. Maryland in 2021.

• Sophomore wide receiver Tyrell Henry snared his team-leading third TD catch of the season with a 9-yard catch from freshman QB Sam Leavitt . . . Henry now has at least one reception in the last six games as part of seven of the eight this season.

►DEFENSE
• Michigan State's defense tied a season-high with three takeaways (two fumble recoveries and an interception) . . . the Spartan defense also had three takeaways vs. Rutgers (10/14).

• Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Derrick Harmon registered his first career forced fumble in the first quarter, leading to a Spartan field goal.

• Sophomore safety Jaden Mangham collected his first career fumble recovery by collecting the fumble forced by Harmon in the first quarter . . . Mangham added an interception in the third quarter and he now leads the MSU defense with three interceptions this season.

• Redshirt junior linebacker Cal Haladay registered his second double-digit tackle outing of the season and 13th of his career with a season-high 11 tackles . . . the 11 tackles topped his previous season-best of 10 stops in the season opener vs. Central Michigan (9/1) . . . Haladay has six double-figure tackle totals in his last 13 games played dating back to last season.

• Freshman linebacker Jordan Hall recorded his first career sack and forced fumble with the strip-sack in the first quarter . . . he finished with a career-high nine tackles and two sacks.

• Redshirt junior defensive lineman Avery Dunn notched his first career fumble recovery by covering up the fumble caused by Hall's sack-forced fumble play in the first quarter, setting up MSU's second field goal of the opening quarter.

• Redshirt junior defensive lineman Simeon Barrow Jr. blocked a field goal in the second quarter . . . it was MSU's first blocked field goal since Michael Fletcher blocked a 37-yard attempt vs. Indiana on Nov. 18, 2022.

• Senior defensive back Angelo Grose logged a season-high 10 tackles, for his first double-digit tackle outing of the season and the fourth of his career . . . the 10 stops were his most since recording 11 tackles last season vs. Minnesota (9/24/22).

►SPECIAL TEAMS
• Graduate senior placekicker Jonathan Kim split the uprights from 38-yards out in the first quarter and added a 42-yarder later in the opening stanza, finishing 2-of-3 after missing a 53-yarder wide left in the third quarter . . . Kim now has at least one field goal in six of eight games, and is now 9-of-12 for the season, including 5-of-5 on field goals of 30-39 yards and 2-of-3 from 40-49 yards out . . . last Saturday was Kim's second multi-field goal outing of the season, and both coming in the last four games and both on the road, joining three field goals at Iowa (9/30).

• Redshirt freshman punter Ryan Eckley punted six times for a 42.7 ypp average with a long of 54 and tied a season-high with three inside the 20, matching vs. Iowa (9/30) . . . Eckley had two punts of 50-plus yards, a 54-yarder and a 53-yarder on back-to-back punts in the first quarter . . . the two 50+ yard punts marked Eckley's second game with multiple 50+ yard punts and the second-most behind four vs. Iowa . . . Eckley now has eight punts this season of 50+ yards and 11 inside the 20.

MSU-NEBRASKA SERIES NOTES AND STATISTICS

►STAT LEADERS
Michigan State:
Rushing – R-So. Nathan Carter (141 carries for 609 yards, 4.3 avg., 76.1 ypg, 4 TDs)
Passing – R-Jr. Noah Kim (91-of-160, .569, 1,090 yards, 218.0 ypg, 6 TDs, 6 INTs)
Receiving – Sr. Montorie Foster Jr. (29 catches for 288 yards, 11.8 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles – R-Jr. Cal Haladay (59 tackles, 5 TFLs for 15 yards, 1 sack for 11 yards, 1 INT, 1 FR)

Nebraska:
Rushing – So. Heinrich Haarberg (104 carries for 446 yards, 4.3 avg., 55.8 ypg, 4 TDs)
Passing – So. Heinrich Haarberg (64-of-124, .516, 838 yards, 104.8 ypg, 7 TDs, 4 INTs)
Receiving – Sr. Billy Kemp (21 catches for 216 yards, 10.3 avg., 30.9 ypg, 1 TD)
Tackles – Jr. Isaac Gifford (55 tackles, 5 TFLs for 14 yards, 1 INT, 7 PBUs)

►A QUICK GLANCE AT NEBRASKA (5-3, 3-2 BIG TEN)
• The Cornhuskers come to East Lansing with a 5-3 overall and 3-2 Big Ten Conference record in tow and riding a three-game win streak into Saturday afternoon's matchup with the Spartans. Nebraska has won five of its last six after starting the season 0-2. The three-game win streak comes on the heels of a 45-7 loss to No. 2 Michigan on Sept. 30 in Lincoln. The Huskers' win streak started with a 20-7 victory at Illinois (Oct. 6), then 17-9 over Northwestern (Oct. 21), and coming off beating Purdue, 31-14, last Saturday.

• In the win over Purdue, Nebraska overcame losing a fumble on the opening kickoff as part of a scoreless first quarter, before scoring two TDs in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead at halftime that was part of reeling off 24 unanswered points. Purdue broke the shutout early in the fourth quarter with two TDs to pull within, 24-14, but the Huskers scored a touchdown with 3:54 left to secure the victory.

• The Huskers' lost fumble on the opening kickoff was one of four fumbles lost on the day, as Nebraska has lost 11 fumbles, the most in FBS.

• For the season, Nebraska is sixth in the Big Ten and 21st in the FBS in scoring defense (18.6 ppg), while ranking 11th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (20.2 ppg).

• The Husker defense is also fifth in the conference and 13th in the country in total defense (298.8 ypg), including ranking second in the league and fifth in the nation in rushing defense (79.0 ypg) and 10th in the Big Ten and 58th in the FBS in passing yards allowed (219.8 ypg).

• Nebraska is also third in the conference and 15th in the country in sacks (3.12 pg).

• Offensively, the Huskers are ninth in the Big Ten in total offense (322.4 ypg), leading the league and ranking 25th in the nation in rushing offense (190.1 ypg), while ranking 13th in the conference and 127th in the country in passing offense (132.2 ypg), averaging just 20.0 pass attempts per game.
• Along with the most fumbles lost in the nation, Nebraska is 13th in the Big Ten and 125th in the FBS in total turnovers lost (19).

• Individually, sophomore quarterback Heinrich Haarberg is third in the Big Ten and 33rd in the FBS in passing yards/completion (13.09), while ranking seventh in the conference in both passing efficiency (120.6) and passing TDs (7), along with 12th in passing yards/game (104.8). He is 64-of-124 passing for 838 yards with seven TDs and four INTs. Haarberg also is ninth in the Big Ten in both rushing yards/carry (4.29) and rushing yards/game (55.8), along with eighth in rushing TDs (4), leading Nebraska with 446 yards on 104 rushing attempts.

• Senior running back Anthony Grant is 10th in the conference in rushing yards/carry (4.2) and 13th in the Big Ten in rushing yards/game (45.7), with 76 carries for 320 yards, ranking 16th in the league in rushing TDs (3).

• Senior wideout Billy Kemp IV leads Nebraska with 21 receptions for 216 yards (10.3 ypc/30.9 ypg) with one TD, but suffered an injury against Northwestern and missed the Purdue game.

• Junior defensive back Isaac Gifford spearheads the Husker defense with 55 total tackles, which ranks tied for 10th in the Big Ten, as well as tied for 10th in the conference in tackles/game (6.88). He is also tied for 21st in the league with 5.0 tackles for loss, adding 0.5 sack. Gifford also ranks tied for third in the Big Ten with seven pass break-ups, adding one INT to rank tied for fifth in the league with eight passes defended.

• Junior defensive back Tommi Hill ranks tied for second in the conference with three INTs, and is tied for 13th in passes defended (6), adding three pass break-ups.

• Freshman placekicker Tristan Alvano is 5-of-9 on field goals, with last game's 55-yarder the season long, and he is 21-of-21 on PATs.

• Junior punter Brian Buschini is ninth in the Big Ten in punting with a 42.1 ypp average on 38 punts, with a long of 60 yards, one of six punts of 50+ yards, and has 16 inside the 20, with one touchback and induced 12 fair catches.

• Nebraska head coach Matt Ruhle is in his first season at the helm of the Huskers, logging a 5-3 mark. Ruhle is in his eighth season as collegiate head coach, posting a 52-46 record.

►SERIES NOTES
• Saturday's game marks the 13th meeting between Michigan State and Nebraska. The Huskers lead the all-time series, 9-3, but the series is tied 2-2 at Spartan Stadium, including two straight wins by MSU in East Lansing (2014, 2021). Michigan State is 3-4 against Nebraska in Big Ten games.

• In the last meeting on Sept. 25, 2021, the Spartans rallied to beat Nebraska in overtime, 23-20, as Matt Coghlin's 21-yard field goal sealed the comeback win. With the Spartans trailing 20-13 in the fourth quarter, Jayden Reed returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown with just 3:47 remaining to tie the game and send it into overtime. Chester Kimbrough intercepted a pass by Adrian Martinez on Nebraska's first possession of overtime, leading to Coghlin's game-winning kick on MSU's first series in OT.

A LOOK AT THE SPARTAN OFFENSE

►QUARTERBACKS

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #12 Katin Houser (R-Fr., 6-3, 215, Anaheim, Calif./St. John Bosco)
(7 games/3 starts, 51-of-89 passing [.573], 509 yards [72.7 ypg], 2 TDs, 2 INTs)

• #10 Noah Kim (1L, R-Jr., 6-2, 185, Centreville, Va./Westfield)
(5 games/5 starts, 91-of-160 passing [.569], 1,090 yards [218.0 ypg], 6 TDs, 6 INTs)

• #4 Sam Leavitt (Fr., 6-2, 200, West Linn, Ore./West Linn)
(3 games, 14-of-21 passing [.667], 114 yards [38.0 ypg], 1 TD, 2 INTs)

HOUSER GETS STARTING NOD LAST THREE GAMES FOR SPARTANS
• Redshirt freshman Katin Houser has started the last three games for Michigan State against Rutgers, Michigan and Nebraska. Houser has completed 51-of-89 passes (.573) for 509 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in seven games of action this season. In his three starts, Houser is 42-of-73 passing (.575) for 351 yards (117.0 ypg), two touchdowns and one interception.

• Making his first career start at quarterback at Rutgers on Oct. 14, Houser was 18-of-29 passing for 133 yards and two touchdowns against the Scarlet Knights. Houser threw his first career TD pass on MSU's opening drive with a 13-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. He also rushed for a 12-yard rushing TD in the second quarter part of eight carries for 27 yards..

• In the Big Ten opener against Maryland in the fourth quarter, Houser was 6-of-10 passing for 75 yards and led the Spartans into the red zone, but was intercepted to end the drive. Houser scored his first career TD on a 4-yard run against No. 8 Washington in Week 3 to cap an 11-play, 99-yard drive for the Spartans in the fourth quarter.

• A highly touted four-star quarterback and Elite 11 finalist who enrolled early in January 2022, Houser has impressed the coaching staff with his arm talent over the past year. He took reps with the offense during practices last season, but still preserved his redshirt season after making just one appearance in Week 2 in his collegiate debut vs. Akron.

KIM STARTS FIRST FIVE GAMES FOR MICHIGAN STATE
• Redshirt junior quarterback Noah Kim started the first five games for the Spartans, but has not seen game action the past three games. Kim is 91-of-160 passing (.569) for 1,090 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also rushed for 53 yards on 27 carries.

• Kim was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week following his performance in the win over Richmond in Week 2. Kim was 18-of-22 passing for a career-high 292 yards and three touchdowns against the Spiders, and completed a school-record 15 straight passes to close the game.

• Making his first career start at quarterback, Kim was 18-of-31 passing for 279 yards and two touchdowns against Central Michigan in Week 1. After a slow start in the first quarter, Kim was 9-of-16 passing for 147 yards in the second quarter, and was 8-of-10 for 134 yards and two TDs in the second half. After redshirting in 2020 and not seeing game action in 2021, Kim was 14-of-19 passing for 174 yards and three TDs last season.

• In four games of action off the bench last season, Kim was very efficient, completing 74 percent of his passes (14-of-19) for 174 yards and three touchdowns. During his two Big Ten games, Kim was 6-of-7 passing for 70 yards against Minnesota, including a 27-yard touchdown, and was 6-of-10 for 82 yards and a 25-yard TD vs. Ohio State. He has also shown the ability to move the chains with his legs, bringing an added dimension to the Spartan offense.

LEAVITT LEADS SPARTANS ON FOURTH-QUARTER SCORING DRIVE AT MINNESOTA
• The Spartans also welcomed in four-star quarterback Sam Leavitt, the 2022 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year, to the program this summer after he signed a National Letter of Intent in December. Leavitt threw 82 career touchdown passes in high school and closed his prep career by passing for 36 TDs and 3,065 yards in addition to rushing for 693 yards and eight scores as a senior.

• Leavitt has played in three games this season, all in the fourth quarter, completing 14-of-21 passes (.667) for one touchdown and two interceptions. He made his collegiate debut on the last drive of the Maryland game in the fourth quarter and was 2-of-2 passing for 9 yards while rushing twice for 7 yards. He played 15 snaps against Michigan, completing 4-of-7 passes for 32 yards and one interception.

• Last Saturday at Minnesota, Leavitt threw the first TD pass of his Spartan career, hitting sophomore wide receiver Tyrell Henry for a 9-yard TD in the fourth quarter. Leavitt ended the game 8-of-12 passing for 73 yards with one TD and one interception. He also rushed six times for 52 yards with a long of 22 yards, MSU's longest rush of the day. On Leavitt's first series of the game in the fourth quarter, he engineered an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in just 3:30.

• Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson is in his fourth season with the Spartans.

►RUNNING BACKS

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #5 Nathan Carter (R-So., 5-10, 200, Rochester, N.Y./Connecticut)
(8 games/8 starts, 141 carries, 609 yards, 4.3 avg., 76.1 ypg, 4 TDs; 17 receptions, 89 yards, 5.2 avg.)

• #28 Harold Joiner III (Sr.-6, 6-4, 215, Birmingham, Ala./Auburn)
(4 games, 2 carries, 6 yards, 3.0 avg., 1.5 ypg)

• #1 Jaren Mangham (Gr.-5, 6-2, 235, Detroit, Mich./USF)
(2 games, 3 carries, 8 yards, 2.7 avg., 4.0 ypg)

• #24 Davion Primm (R-So., 6-0, 205, Detroit, Mich./Oak Park)
(6 games, 4 carries, 17 yards, 4.3 avg., 2.8 ypg)

CARTER RANKS SECOND IN BIG TEN IN CARRIES, THIRD IN RUSHING
• Redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter ranks third in the Big Ten and 49th in the FBS averaging 76.1 rushing yards per game (609 total). He also ranks second in the conference in carries (141) and sixth in all-purpose yards (698; 87.3 ypg), and leads the team with four rushing touchdowns.

• According to PFF, Carter has rushed for 363 yards after contact (60 percent), which ranks fourth most in the Big Ten.

• The UConn transfer has rushed for 100 yards in three games, including a season-high 113 yards on 18 carries in his debut against Central Michigan in Week 1. He had 111 yards on 19 carries vs. Richmond in Week 2 and ran for 108 yards on a season-high 20 carries at Iowa in Week 5.

• Carter became the first Spartan since Jehuu Caulcrick in 2007 to score three touchdowns in a single quarter after running for three scores (2 yards, 44 yards, 6 yards) in the third quarter of the 45-14 win over Richmond in Week 2.

• Making his Spartan debut, Carter rushed 18 times for 113 yards and one touchdown vs. Central Michigan. A transfer from UConn, Carter took his first carry as a Spartan on the first play from scrimmage and raced 31 yards for the longest rush of the game by any player. He scored his first TD in the Green and White on a 2-yard run late in the second quarter. Carter became the third consecutive Spartan transfer to start in the season opener and rush for more than 100 yards (Kenneth Walker III, 264 vs. Northwestern in 2021; Jalen Berger, 120 vs. Western Michigan in 2022).

• Carter still has three seasons of eligibility remaining after playing in only four games last season for the Huskies before suffering a season-ending injury. He rushed for 983 yards on 190 carries with three TDs in two seasons (2021-22) at UConn, including a team-leading 578 yards as a freshman in 2021. He was averaging more than 100 yards rushing a game last year (101.3 ypg), highlighted by a career-high 190 yards in the season opener vs. Utah State, before his injury in Week 4.

• Carter has rushed for 1,592 yards on 331 carries in his 24-game collegiate career (16 at UConn from 2021-22; eight at MSU in 2023), including seven rushing touchdowns.

SPARTANS SUFFER INJURIES BEHIND CARTER IN BACKFIELD
• Jalen Berger (R-Jr.), who posted career highs in rushing yards (683), carries (148) and rushing TDs (6) while starting 11 of 12 games last season after transferring from Wisconsin, is out for the season after suffering an injury in the Michigan game on Oct. 21. He previously missed two games (Washington, Maryland) with an injury but returned to play in a limited role at Iowa in Week 5 before rushing for 49 yards on 11 carries at Rutgers on Oct. 14. Berger finished the season with 25 carries for 93 yards.

• Jaren Mangham (Gr.-5), who joined the team in January and competed during spring practice, missed the first six games of the season due to an injury, but made his Spartan debut on Oct. 21 vs. Michigan and had two carries for 6 yards and one catch for 7 yards. He also one carry for 2 yards at Minnesota and has three carries for 8 yards on the season. Mangham, brother of current Spartan sophomore defensive back Jaden Mangham, played two years at Colorado (2019-20) and two at USF (2021-22) prior to arriving in East Lansing as a graduate transfer. He has collected 1,259 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns in 34 collegiate games (16 at Colorado in 2019-20; 16 at USF in 2021-22; 2 at MSU in 2023). Mangham had a career-high 671 yards and 15 rushing TDs as a junior at USF in 2021 to lead the Bulls.

• Sixth-year senior Harold Joiner III, who transferred from Auburn to MSU in 2021, spent two seasons at running back (2021-22) before transferring to the defense as a safety in spring practice. He moved to linebacker in preseason camp but returned to the backfield in Week 5 at Iowa to provide depth at the position for the Spartans. He has two carries for 6 yards this season.

• Effrem Reed is in his second season as the running backs coach for MSU.

►WIDE RECEIVERS

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #0 Alante Brown (Sr., 5-11, 190, Chicago, Ill./Nebraska)
(7 games/1 start, 2 catches, 7 yards, 3.5 avg; 1.0 ypg)

• #16 Christian Fitzpatrick (2L, R-Jr., 6-4, 220, Southfield, Mich./Louisville)
(8 games/1 start, 10 catches, 183 yards, 18.3 avg., 22.9 ypg)

• #83 Montorie Foster Jr. (2L, Sr., 6-0, 185, Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward)
(8 games/8 starts, 29 catches, 342 yards, 11.8 avg., 42.8 ypg, 1 TD)

• #7 Antonio Gates Jr. (R-Fr., 6-2, 195, Detroit, Mich./Fordson)
(8 games, 5 catches, 82 yards, 16.4 avg., 10.3 ypg, 1 TD)

• #15 Jaron Glover (R-Fr., 6-1, 205, Sarasota, Fla./Riverview)
(7 games/4 starts, 14 catches, 261 yards, 18.6 avg., 37.3 ypg)

• #2 Tyrell Henry (So., 6-0, 175, Roseville, Mich./Roseville)
(8 games, 13 catches, 115 yards, 8.8 avg., 14.4 ypg, 3 TDs)

• #17 Tre Mosley (3L, Gr.-5, 6-2, 200, Pontiac, Mich./West Bloomfield)
(8 games/7 starts, 28 catches, 288 yards, 10.3 avg., 36.0 ypg, 2 TDs)

SENIORS TRE MOSLEY AND MONTORIE FOSTER LEAD YOUNG WIDE RECEIVER ROOM
• Michigan State has a group of talented young wide receivers that will look to have increased roles in the offense in 2023, but the unit is led by fifth-year graduate senior Tre Mosley, who has played in 44 career games, including 28 starting assignments, over the past five seasons (2019-23). Mosley has given the Spartans steady production over the course of his time in East Lansing with 126 career receptions for 1,464 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career. He ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in catches (tied for 17th with 126), TD receptions (tied for 25th with 10) and receiving yards (28th with 1,464). Mosley has caught at least one pass in 25 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten.

• In addition to his play on the field, Mosley's leadership will be counted on to mentor the wide receiver room. He is also nominated for the AFCA Good Works Team and the Wuerffel Trophy for his work in the community.

• Mosley currently ranks second on the Spartans with 28 catches for 288 yards and two TDs through eight games.

• Senior Montorie Foster Jr. already has career highs in catches (29) and receiving yards (342) through the first eight games of the season. Foster had a career-high eight receptions for 79 yards at Iowa. A three-year letterwinner, Foster has played in 38 career games and has 48 receptions for 604 yards and three TDs.

• Two-year letterwinner Christian Fitzpatrick (R-Jr.), who missed the final seven games of last season due to an injury, is back this season for MSU. After playing in a reserve role the past two seasons, Fitzpatrick, a former Louisville transfer, has contributed more to the offense in his third season at MSU. Fitzpatrick already has a career-high 10 catches for 183 yards (18.3 avg.), including a 72-yarder in the season opener vs. Central Michigan and a 61-yarder in Week 3 vs. Washington.

TRIO OF YOUNG RECEIVERS PROVIDING PRODUCTION FOR MSU
• Sophomore Tyrell Henry, who earned a letter as a true freshman returning kicks in 2022, will have an expanded role in the offense this fall, along with redshirt freshmen Antonio Gates Jr. and Jaron Glover. The young trio all showed promising signs during spring practice and continued to work on their development in preseason camp heading into the season.

• Henry has 13 catches for 115 yards and a team-leading three touchdowns, including a leaping one-handed TD grab vs. Central Michigan in Week 1 that was named the No. 3 play of the day on ESPN's SportsCenter. He also has 10 punt returns for 82 yards (8.2 avg.) and nine kick returns for 156 yards (17.3 avg.). He ranks second on the team in all-purpose yards (44.1 ypg; 353 yards).

• Glover is averaging a Big Ten-best 18.6 yards per catch with 14 receptions for 261 yards in seven games (did not play vs. Michigan due to sickness). He leads MSU with six catches of 20-plus yards.

• Gates caught his first collegiate pass for a 45-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter against Richmond. For the season, he has five catches for 82 yards (16.4 avg.).

• The Spartans also added transfer Alante Brown from Nebraska over the summer. Brown played three seasons (2020-22) with the Huskers, collecting 22 receptions for 262 yards in 30 games. He posted career highs in catches (16) and yards (191) last season while playing in all 12 games, including 10 starts. His speed and versatility will give the Spartans another option in the passing game in 2023.

• Former Spartan Courtney Hawkins is in his fourth year on the offensive staff as the wide receivers coach.

►OFFENSIVE LINE

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #53 Brandon Baldwin (1L, R-Jr., 6-7, 315, Detroit, Mich./Independence CC, 8 games/8 starts at LT)

• #77 Ethan Boyd (1L, R-So., 6-7, 320, East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing, 8 games/1 start at RT)

• #58 Spencer Brown (2L, Gr.-5, 6-6, 315, Canton, Mich./Walled Lake Western, 8 games/7 starts at RT)

• #67 J.D. Duplain (4L, Gr.-5, 6-4, 305, Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville, 8 games/8 starts at LG)

• #72 Dallas Fincher (1L, R-Jr., 6-4, 305, Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood, 8 games/1 start at C)

• #59 Nick Samac (4L, Gr.-5, 6-4, 305, Mentor, Ohio/Mentor, 8 games/7 starts at C)

• #74 Geno VanDeMark (1L, R-So., 6-5, 320, Lodi, N.J./St. Joseph, 5 games/4 starts at RG)

• #70 Kevin Wigenton II (1L, R-So., 6-5, 320, Colts Neck, N.J./The Hun School, 8 games/4 starts at RG)

J.D. DUPLAIN, NICK SAMAC BRING FIVE YEARS OF STARTING EXPERIENCE TO O-LINE
• Michigan State returned five players with starting experience on the offensive line, led by multi-year fifth-year senior starters J.D. Duplain and Nick Samac, who are both using their extra year of eligibility in 2023.

• Duplain has been an anchor at left guard for the Spartans, starting 38 consecutive games at the position, and the four-year letterwinner has a started a total of 43 games in his career while playing in 50 overall. He has earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades the past two seasons and returns for another year as a leader on the offensive line in 2023.

• Samac, who was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, started all 12 games at center last fall and has 29 starts overall in his career while playing in a total 46 games the past five seasons (2019-23). He played a career-high 803 snaps in 2022, most on the Spartan offense, and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. He has started the last six games after splitting time with Dallas Fincher in the season opener vs. Central Michigan.

• Graduate fifth-year senior Spencer Brown also started all 12 games last season at right tackle and started 20 consecutive games at the position before sitting out the first half at Minnesota.

• Redshirt junior Brandon Baldwin took over the starting role at left tackle the final four games of the 2022 season and gained valuable experience while playing a total of 405 offensive snaps. It was Baldwin's first season playing at the FBS level after redshirting in 2021 following two years at Independence Community College. He has started at left tackle in the first eight games to run his streak to 12 straight starts at the position.

• Redshirt sophomore Geno VanDeMark earned starting assignments at right guard the last two games of the 2022 season and has an increased role on the offensive line heading in his third season in East Lansing. He started the three games at right guard this season before missing two games with an injury (Maryland, Iowa). He returned to play 33 snaps at Rutgers on Oct. 14 and was back in the starting lineup at right guard vs. Michigan on Oct. 21; however, he did not play at Minnesota on Oct. 28.

• Redshirt sophomores Ethan Boyd and Kevin Wigenton II also earned their first letters as Spartans last year and will see increased time in the playing rotation. Wigenton earned starts in three straight games at right guard (vs. Maryland, Iowa and Rutgers) with VanDeMark sidelined and has four starts overall, while Boyd has seen his snap count increase at right tackle throughout the season. Boyd earned his first career start on Oct. 28 at Minnesota.

• Assistant head coach Chris Kapilovic is in his fourth season as MSU's offensive line coach and run game coordinator. Kapilovic's unit in 2021 was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to the nation's best offensive line.

►TIGHT ENDS

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #6 Maliq Carr (2L, R-Jr., 6-6, 260, Inkster, Mich./Purdue)
(7 games/5 starts, 19 catches, 201 yards, 10.6 avg., 28.7 ypg, 1 TD)

• #19 Jaylan Franklin (Gr.-6, 6-5, 240, Brownstown Township, Mich./Wisconsin)
(8 games, 4 catches, 24 yards, 6.0 avg.; 3.4 ypg)

• #92 Evan Morris (2L, R-Jr., 6-5, 245, Elsie, Mich./Ovid-Elsie)
(8 games/6 starts, 2 catches, 5 yards, 2.5 avg.; 0.6 ypg)

• #82 Brennan Parachek (Fr., 6-5, 250, Dexter, Mich./Dexter)
(5 games, 3 catches, 32 yards, 10.7 avg.; 6.4 ypg)

• Redshirt junior Maliq Carr leads the tight ends with a career-high 19 catches for 201 yards, but did not play at Minnesota. Carr had a career-high six receptions for 43 yards in the first quarter alone at Iowa before leaving the game with an injury. He also had five catches for 53 yards in the Big Ten opener vs. Maryland. After playing basketball during the winter of 2021-22, Carr had a full offseason with the team heading into this fall.

• Graduate transfer Jaylan Franklin (Wisconsin) joined the team in January and has four catches for 24 yards. Fellow graduate transfer Tyneil Hopper (Boise State) had two catches for 24 yards and one TD but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3 vs. Washington.

• In addition, redshirt senior Evan Morris will be relied upon his blocking skills, and he earned a start in the season opener against the Chippewas while also recording his first career reception (4 yards). Morris has started six games overall and has two receptions for 5 yards.

• True freshman Brennan Parachek, a four-star recruit from Dexter High School, has seen his playing time increase the second half of the season. He has three catches for 32 yards, all in the last two games (vs. Michigan, Minnesota).

• Ted Gilmore is in his fourth year at Michigan State as the tight ends coach.

A LOOK AT THE SPARTAN DEFENSE

►DEFENSIVE LINE

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #8 Simeon Barrow Jr. (2L, R-Jr., 6-3, 290, Grovetown, Ga./Grovetown)
(8 games/7 starts at DT, 25 tackles, 2.5 TFLs for 11 yards, 1.5 sacks for 10 yards)

• #2 Khris Bogle (1L, R-Sr., 6-4, 245, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Florida)
(7 games/5 starts at DE, 10 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 2 yards, 0.5 sacks for 1 yard)

• #45 Dre Butler (Gr.-5, 6-5, 300, Covington, Ga./Liberty)
(3 games, 9 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 1 yard)

• #98 Avery Dunn (1L, R-Jr., 6-4, 250, Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights)
(7 games/1 start at DE, 6 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 2 yards, 1 FR)

• #97 Maverick Hansen (3L, R-Sr., 6-4, 300, Farmington Hills, Mich./Harrison)
(8 games/4 starts at DT, 13 tackles, 1 PBU)

• #41 Derrick Harmon (1L, R-So., 6-5, 320, Detroit, Mich./Loyola)
(8 games/6 starts at DT, 25 tackles, 2.5 TFLs for 9 yards, 1.5 sack for 8 yards, 1 FR, 1 PBU)

• #99 Jalen Sami (Gr.-6, 6-7, 330, Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado)
(6 games, 4 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 4 yards)

• #26 Brandon Wright (4L, R-Sr., 6-2, 250, Euclid, Ohio/Euclid)
(8 games/4 starts at DE, 16 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 13 yards, 2 sacks for 13 yards)

• #9 Zion Young (1L, So., 6-6, 265, Atlanta, Ga./Westlake)
(8 games/5 starts at DE, 24 tackles, 4.5 TFLs for 20 yards, 1.5 sacks for 5 yards)

DIRON REYNOLDS IN FIRST SEASON AS SPARTAN DEFENSIVE LINE COACH
• Diron Reynolds, who was named the program's defensive line coach in January, got his first on-field look at the position group during spring practice. Reynolds has more than 25 years of coaching experience both at the NFL and Power 5 levels and previously spent the past seven seasons (2016-22) as the defensive line coach at Stanford. He has coached on multiple championship teams, including winning a Super Bowl ring with the Colts, and has worked with numerous All-Americans, NFL Draft picks and All-Pro players.

ROTATING D-LINE: SPARTANS HAVE STARTED EIGHT DIFFERENT DEFENSIVE LINEMEN IN 2023
• Sophomore defensive end Zion Young leads the Spartan defensive line with 4.5 tackles for loss (20 yards) and also has 1.5 sacks (5 yards). According to Pro Football Focus, Young leads the Spartans with 18 total QB pressures on the season.

• The Spartans have started a total of five defensive ends, including Young (five games) and seniors Khris Bogle (five games), Avery Dunn (one game) and Brandon Wright (four games).

• Bogle, a Florida transfer and former top-100 recruit, only played in four games last season due to an injury in his first season in East Lansing. He has 10 tackles in seven games this season, including five starts.

• Dunn saw his playing time increase toward the end of last season with starts against Rutgers and Indiana, and he recorded career highs in tackles (28), tackles for loss (5.5) and sacks (3.0) to earn his first letter. He earned his first start of the season in Week 4 vs. Maryland and has six tackles this season.

• In his second full season at defensive end after spending time as a running back his first two years in East Lansing, Wright played in eight games with two starts, including 14 tackles. He has a career-high 16 tackles and two sacks this season in eight games, including four starts.

BARROW, HARMON & HANSEN LEAD THE SPARTAN INTERIOR
• Along the interior, redshirt senior Maverick Hansen has played in 39 career games at defensive tackle, including eight starting assignments. He has 13 tackles thus far in 2023. Hansen, who owns a 3.77 grade-point average as a hospitality business major, was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is the top scholar-athlete award in college football. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recipient.
• Redshirt sophomore Derrick Harmon has started seven games this season and has 25 tackles, including 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. He has started in 11 career games for MSU.

• Redshirt junior Simeon Barrow Jr. has started in 26 games over the past two-plus seasons (2021-23) and has 25 tackles, 2.5 TFLs (11 yards) and 1.5 sacks (10 yards) in eight games and seven starts this season.

• The Spartans also signed three highly ranked players at defensive end as part of their 2023 recruiting class. Bai Jobe, the No. 1 player in the state of Oklahoma, played in the All-American Bowl and was ranked the No. 54 overall player in the nation according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. Andrew Depaepe, a consensus top-150 recruit from Bettendorf, Iowa, also enrolled in January for the Spartans. Jalen Thompson, a four-star prospect from Detroit Cass Tech and the consensus No. 1 defensive end in the state of Michigan, joined the Spartans over the summer and has six tackles in three games.

►LINEBACKERS

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #33 Aaron Alexander (R-Fr., 6-1, 225, Belleville, Mich./Massachusetts)
(8 games, 4 tackles)

• #7 Aaron Brule (1L, Gr.-6, 6-2, 240, New Orleans, La./Mississippi State)
(8 games/5 starts, 37 tackles, 5.5 TFLs for 21 yards, 3 sacks for 14 yards, 1 PBU)

• #27 Cal Haladay (2L, R-Jr., 6-1, 235, Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia)
(8 games/8 starts, 59 tackles, 5.0 TFLs for 15 yards, 1 sack for 11 yards, 1 INT for 2 yards, 1 FR for 42 yards)

• #5 Jordan Hall (Fr., 6-3, 235, Fredericksburg, Va./IMG Academy)
(8 games/3 starts, 41 tackles, 5.0 TFLs for 26 yards, 2 sacks for 19 yards, 1 FF)

• #23 Darius Snow (2L, R-Jr., 6-1, 230, Frisco, Texas/Hebron)
(4 games, 6 tackles)

PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE AT LINEBACKER FOR SPARTANS
• The linebackers, coached by fourth-year Secchia Family Defensive Coordinator Scottie Hazelton, feature two experienced starters in sixth-year graduate senior Aaron Brule and redshirt junior Cal Haladay, along with talented freshman Jordan Hall. Fifth-year senior Jacoby Windmon started the first three games of the season but has since suffered a season-ending injury. In addition, redshirt junior Darius Snow has played in four of the last six games after missing nearly the entire 2022 season with an injury.

HALADAY LEADS TEAM, RANKS EIGHTH IN BIG TEN IN TACKLES
• Redshirt junior linebacker Cal Haladay leads the team and ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 7.4 tackles per game (59 total). In addition, he ranks tied for second on the team with five tackles for loss. He has 275 total for his career in 37 games. Haladay led the Big Ten in tackles per game last season (10.0 avg.; 120 total).

• During the third quarter at Iowa, Haladay tied a school record with the third defensive touchdown of his career as he returned a fumble 42 yards for a scoop-and-score in the third quarter against the Hawkeyes. He had two interception returns for touchdowns in 2021 (30 yards vs. Indiana and 78 yards vs. Pitt in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl). Haladay is the fourth Spartan in school history to score three defensive touchdowns, joining RJ Williamson (2012-15), Shilique Calhoun (2012-15) and T.J. Turner (1997-2000).

• Haladay was named to preseason watch lists for the Butkus Award, the Bednarik Award and the Nagurski Trophy.

BRULE PLAYING IN 61ST COLLEGIATE GAME ON SENIOR DAY
• Sixth-year graduate senior linebacker Aaron Brule leads the team in tackles for loss (5.5) and sacks (3.0) and ranks sixth with 37 tackles overall. Brule, who played four seasons (2018-21) at Mississippi State before transferring to Michigan State in 2022, will be playing in his 61st collegiate game overall on Saturday against Nebraska for Senior Day (40 at Mississippi State, 20 at Michigan State). For his career, Brule has 208 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks.

• Brule had 11 tackles, his most as a Spartan, along with one sack and two TFLs vs. Michigan on Oct. 21.

JORDAN HALL: FRESHMAN BY NAME ONLY
• True freshman Jordan Hall, the only three-time captain in IMG Academy history, enrolled in January and has made an early impact in his first year with the Spartans. The consensus four-star recruit ranks fourth on the team with 41 tackles, tied for first with two sacks, and tied for second with five tackles for loss.

• Hall earned the first start of his collegiate career in his first Big Ten game against Maryland in Week 4 and has started in three games overall (Maryland, Iowa, Minnesota).

• Last Saturday at Minnesota, Hall had a career-high two sacks, including a forced fumble on one in the first quarter that led to a Spartan field goal. Hall had a career-high nine tackles overall against the Gophers.

ON THE MEND
• Jacoby Windmon, who transferred to MSU from UNLV in 2022, burst onto the scene last season with four sacks in his Spartan debut against Western Michigan to earn Big Ten and National Defensive Player of the Week honors. He became the first Spartan and just the sixth Big Ten player to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week accolades three times in one season (vs. Western Michigan, Akron and Wisconsin), and he was also named the National Defensive Player of the Week in his first start at linebacker vs. Wisconsin in Week 7 after starting the first six games at defensive end. The New Orleans native, who led the team in TFLs (10.5) and sacks (5.5) and ranked first in the nation with six forced fumbles, returned to his natural position of linebacker in the spring and earned the start in Week 1 vs. Central Michigan. He had 15 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack in the first three games of the season before being declared out for the year due to an injury.

• Redshirt junior Darius Snow, who began last season at linebacker after playing in the secondary his first two seasons, unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury vs. Western Michigan in the first game of the 2022 season. He returned to action for the first time in Week 3 vs. Washington in a reserve role and had three tackles while playing a season-high 20 snaps at Iowa on Sept. 30. Snow ranked third on the team and 18th in the Big Ten with 87 tackles as a sophomore in 2021. In four games this season, Snow has six tackles.

►SECONDARY
Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #0 Charles Brantley (2L, Jr., 6-0, 170, Sarasota, Fla./Venice)
(3 games/3 starts at CB, 10 tackles, 1 TFL for 3 yards, 1 PBU)

• #15 Angelo Grose (3L, Sr., 5-10, 185, Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield)
(8 games/5 starts at NB, 2 starts at S, 42 tackles, 2.5 TFLs for 10 yards, 0.5 sack for 2 yards, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs)

• #12 Chester Kimbrough (2L, R-Sr., 6-0, 185, New Orleans, La./Florida)
(8 games, 10 tackles, 1.5 TFLs for 10 yards, 1 sack for 9 yards)

• #29 Marqui Lowery Jr. (2L, R-Jr., 6-0, 175, Charlotte, N.C./Louisville)
(3 games, 4 tackles, 2 PBUs)

• #1 Jaden Mangham (1L, So., 6-2, 185, Beverly Hills, Mich./Wylie E. Groves)
(7 games/7 starts at S, 32 tackles, 3 INTs, 2 PBUs)

• #25 Chance Rucker (Fr., 6-1, 180, Denton, Texas/Ryan)
(8 games/5 starts at CB, 17 tackles, 1 INT, 2 PBUs)

• #43 Malik Spencer (So., 6-1, 195, Buford, Ga./Buford)
(8 games/7 starts at S, 53 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 1 yards, 4 PBUs)

• #21 Dillon Tatum (So., 5-11, 200, Farmington Hills, Mich./West Bloomfield)
(8 games/8 starts at CB, 39 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 2 yards, 5 PBUs)

• #20 Ade Willie (1L, So., 6-1, 190, Baltimore, Md./IMG Academy)
(6 games, 2 tackles)

SPARTANS FEATURE FOUR UNDERCLASSMEN STARTERS IN SECONDARY
• Former Spartan All-American and NFL veteran Harlon Barnett is in 15th year overall on the defensive coaching staff at Michigan State. He was named acting head coach on Sept. 10 and is the program's secondary coach. First-year assistant Jim Salgado is the team's cornerbacks coach.

• Sophomore Malik Spencer started the first seven games of the season at safety and ranks second on the team with 53 tackles. He also ranks third on the team with four pass break-ups. Spencer did not start but primarly played at nickelback last Saturday at Minnesota.

• Fellow sophomore Jaden Mangham has started in seven of the eight games at safety (DNP at Iowa due to injury). Mangham ranks tied for second in the Big Ten and tied for 17th in the FBS with three interceptions. He recovered a fumble in the first quarter at Minnesota last Saturday and picked off his third pass of the season during the third quarter. Mangham also recorded interceptions against Washington and Rutgers. For the season, Mangham, who has seven starts at safety, also has 32 tackles and two pass break-ups.

• Senior Angelo Grose has started games at both safety and nickelback the past four seasons (2020-23) and has played in 36 games overall since his arrival on campus in 2020, including 32 starts (19 at safety, 13 at nickelback). The three-year letterwinner has 201 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss, 18 pass break-ups and three interceptions during his collegiate career. Grose has started at nickelback in five games and started at safety against Iowa and Minnesota. He is second on the team with two interceptions, ranks tied for first with five pass break-ups, and third with 42 tackles.

• At cornerback, sophomore Dillon Tatum has started all eight games and ranks fifth on the team with 39 tackles and tied for first with five pass break-ups. Tatum has started nine consecutive games at cornerback for MSU overall, as he drew a start as a true freshman in the 2022 regular-season finale at Penn State.

• True freshman Chance Rucker earned his first collegiate start vs. Maryland in Week 4 and has started every Big Ten game this season. Rucker has 16 tackles, two pass break-ups and one interception in eight games overall.

A LOOK AT THE SPARTAN SPECIAL TEAMS

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
Punters:
• #96 P Ryan Eckley (R-Fr., 6-2, 205, Lithia, Fla./Newsome)
(8 games, 29 punts for 1,296 yards, 44.7 avg., 11 inside the 20, 2 touchbacks, 11 fair catches, 8 50+)

• #42 P Michael O'Shaughnessy (Gr.-5, 6-3, 210, New Albany, Ohio/Ohio State)
(6 games, 11 punts for 445 yards, 40.5 avg., 4 inside the 20, 1 touchback, 6 fair catches, 1 50+)

Long Snappers:
• #35 LB/LS Sam Edwards (R-Jr., 6-1, 225, Williamston, Mich./Lansing Catholic)
• #41 LS Drew Wilson (Jr., 6-2, 230, Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union)

Placekickers:
• #97 K Jonathan Kim (Gr.-5, 6-0, 225, Fredericksburg, Va./North Carolina)
(8 games, 12-for-12 PATs, 9-for-12 FGs, 29 kickoffs for 1,829 yards, 63.1 avg., 16 touchbacks, 2 OB)

• #98 K Stephen Rusnak (R-So., 6-1, 190, Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston)
(2 games, 3-for-3 PATs, 3 kickoffs for 195 yards, 65.0 avg.)

Returns:
• #2 Kick/Punt Return Tyrell Henry (So., 6-0, 175, Roseville, Mich./Roseville)
(10 punt returns for 82 yards, 8.2 avg.; 9 kick returns for 156 yards, 17.3 avg.)

• #0 Kick Return Alante Brown (Sr., 5-11, 190, Chicago, Ill./Nebraska)
(3 kick returns for 52 yards, 17.3 avg.)

• Michigan State has a new look in the specialists room as the team features a new starting kicker and punter for the 2023 season.

• First-team All-American Bryce Baringer, who set a school record with his 49.0-yard average and was drafted by New England, is gone for the Spartans at punter. Redshirt freshman Ryan Eckley began the process to replace Baringer during spring practice, and he was joined by graduate transfer Michael O'Shaughnessy (Ohio State) in preseason camp.

• Eckley and O'Shaughnessy split time at punter during the first half of the season, but Eckley has been the primary punter the past two games. Eckley is averaging 44.7yards per punt, which ranks third in the Big Ten and 22nd in the FBS, including eight of 50-plus yards, while O'Shaughnessy is averaging 40.5 yards per punt.

• The Spartans, who used multiple placekickers in 2022, brought in graduate transfer Jonathan Kim from North Carolina over the summer. Redshirt sophomore Stephen Rusnak has also kicked in games this season.

• Kim is off to a 9-for-12 start on field-goal attempts, including a career-long 58-yarder at Iowa, which set a Kinnick Stadium record and was the fourth-longest in school history. He is also 12-for-12 on PATs.

• Junior college transfer Drew Wilson and redshirt junior Sam Edwards split the long-snapping duties for the Spartans.

• Sophomore Tyrell Henry returns punts for the Spartans, and also returns kicks in addition to Montorie Foster Jr. and Alante Brown.

• Ross Els in his his fourth year as the program's special teams coordinator.