Spartans Travel to Iowa for Prime-Time Matchup Against Hawkeyes

Game 5: Michigan State (2-2, 0-1) at Iowa (3-1, 0-1)

Date: Saturday, Sept. 30
Kickoff: 7:37 p.m. ET/6:37 p.m. CT
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Stadium: Kinnick Stadium (69,250)
Surface: FieldTurf
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Game Day Information (Parking/Tailgating): hawkeyesports.com/footballgameday

►BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: NBC
Streaming: Peacock
Mobile: Peacock TV app
Announcers: Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Kathryn Tappen (sidelines)

Radio: Spartan Media Network | Affiliate Listings
Play-by-Play: George Blaha
Analyst: Jason Strayhorn
Sidelines: Jehuu Caulcrick
Broadcast Host: Will Tieman
Website/Mobile: msuspartans.com/MSU Spartans app/Tune In radio
Flagship Stations: Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM)/WJIM (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)
Affiliates: 24 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite: Sirius/XM (Ch. 134/195), SiriusXM app (Ch. 957)
Pregame Show: Begins at 6 p.m.

►SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: Iowa leads, 24-22-2
Series in Iowa City: Iowa leads, 14-10-1
Last Meeting: Iowa 49, MSU 7 (2020 in Iowa City)
Current Series Streak: 1 by Iowa

►HEAD COACHES
MSU Acting Head Coach: Harlon Barnett
MSU Record: 0-2 (first year)
Overall Record: 0-2 (first year)
Record vs. Iowa: First meeting

Iowa Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz
Iowa Record: 189-116 (25th season)
Overall Record: 201-137 (28th season)
Record vs. MSU: 8-8

►FIRST-AND-10
• After four consecutive games at home to start the 2023 season, Michigan State travels to Iowa for its first road game to take on the Hawkeyes Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT in Kinnick Stadium. The game will be televised on NBC and streamed on Peacock with Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Kathryn Tappen (sidelines) on the call. MSU (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) fell in its Big Ten opener to Maryland last Saturday, 31-9, while Iowa (3-1, 0-1) lost at No. 7/7 Penn State, 31-0.

• Saturday's game marks the 49th meeting between Michigan State and Iowa. The Hawkeyes hold a slim 24-22-2 series lead, but the Spartans have won three of the past four meetings. Iowa does lead the series in Iowa City, 14-10-1, including a 49-7 win in the last matchup between the two schools in 2020. MSU defeated Iowa in the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game, 16-13, to secure the program's third Big Ten title in five years and earn a berth to the College Football Playoff.

• 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).

• Redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 24th in the FBS averaging 92.3 rushing yards per game. Carter is also tied for sixth in the conference and 32nd in the FBS with four rushing touchdowns. He 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. The UConn transfer rushed for 100 yards in his first two games wearing the Green and White (113 yards on 18 carries vs. Central Michigan in Week 1; 111 yards on 19 carries vs. Richmond in Week 2) and had 17 carries for 48 yards vs. Washington in Week 3. In his first Big Ten game, Carter rushed for 97 yards on 19 carries (5.1 avg.) against Maryland.

• Haller also announced on Sept. 10 that former MSU head coach Mark Dantonio, the winningest head coach in school history, will return to the Spartan staff as an associate head coach. Dantonio will serve as an advisor to Barnett and the coaching staff on game days and throughout the week at practice and in meetings. After a storied 13 seasons as head coach of the Michigan State football program, Dantonio announced his retirement on Feb. 4, 2020. He finished his career with a record of 114-57 in East Lansing, 132-74 in 16 seasons overall. During his time at the helm of the Spartan program, Dantonio compiled an impressive list of accomplishments including three Big Ten Championships, two victories in the Big Ten Championship Game, victories in the 2014 Rose Bowl and the 2015 Cotton Bowl, and an appearance in the 2015 College Football Playoff, finishing his career as the winningest football coach in Michigan State history.

• Defensive analyst TJ Hollowell has been designated as MSU's 10th on-field assistant coach. Hollowell is in his fourth season as a defensive analyst at Michigan State and was one of seven coaches at this year's training camp with the Houston Texans as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

• Two Spartan freshmen – linebacker Jordan Hall and cornerback Chance Rucker – started their first career games last Saturday against Maryland. A consensus four-star recruit and top-100 player by Rivals, Hall was the first-ever three-time captain at IMG Academy. He has 13 tackles and three tackles for loss in his first four games. Rucker has also played in the first four games of the season and has seven tackles. He played a career-high 66 snaps against Maryland, tying for the most on the defense, while Hall played a career-high 48 snaps.

• Michigan State has the top-two players in the Big Ten in yards per catch in redshirt junior Christian Fitzpatrick (23.7 avg.) and redshirt freshman Jaron Glover (22.6 avg.). Fitzgerald has seven catches for 166 yards, including a 72-yarder in the season opener vs. Central Michigan and a 61-yarder in Week 3 vs. Washington. Glover has nine receptions for 203 yards, including a team-best five catches of 20-plus yards.

• Redshirt junior linebacker Cal Haladay, who led the Big Ten in tackles per game last season (10.0 pg; 120 total), ranks third on the team with 25 tackles through four games in 2023. Haladay has collected 241 tackles in his 33-game career, including 27 starting assignments. He was named to preseason watch lists for the Butkus Award, the Bednarik Award and the Nagurski Trophy.

• Sophomore defensive end Zion Young leads the team and ranks tied for 11th in the Big Ten with 3.5 tackles for loss. Young also has 1.5 sacks and 16 tackles overall.

LAST TIME OUT

• Michigan State fell to Maryland, 31-9, last Saturday in the 107th Homecoming game in school history.

►OFFENSE
• Redshirt junior quarterback Noah Kim was 18-for-32 passing for 190 yards and one TD . . . the 18 completions tied Kim's career high for the third time this season; he also completed 18 passes in the season opener vs. Central Michigan and Game 2 vs. Richmond . . . Kim has thrown at least one TD pass in three of the four games this season.

• Redshirt freshman quarterback Katin Houser was 6-for-10 passing for 75 yards, for new career highs in all three categories.

• Freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt made his Spartan debut and was 2-for-2 passing for 9 yards, adding two rushes for 7 yards.

• Redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter rushed 19 times for 97 yards, just missing his third 100-yard outing in his four games as a Spartan . . . the 19 carries matched Carter's season high as a Spartan . . . Carter added a career-high five catches for 23 yards, topping his previous career-best of four receptions from his freshman season at UConn vs. Yale (10/16/21).

• Senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. snared a career-high six catches for a career-best 67 yards . . . the six receptions tops his previous top mark of four vs. Penn State (11/27/21), while the 67 yards betters his previous mark of 54 yards vs. Ohio State (10/8/22) . . . Foster entered last Saturday's game with five catches for 80 yards through the first three games and had all six catches and 67 yards in the first half.

• Redshirt junior tight end Maliq Carr also had a career-high five receptions for 53 yards . . . the 53 yards are a season high and the second-highest outing of his career behind his top mark of 72 yards vs. Wisconsin (10/15/22).

• Sophomore wide receiver Tyrell Henry snared his second TD of his career, both coming this season, with the 9-yard catch from Noah Kim in the third quarter . . . Henry finished with a career-high tying two catches for a career-best 33 yards.

• Graduate senior wide receiver Tre Mosley snared two catches for 13 yards . . . Mosley now has at least one catch in 21 straight games and in 38 of 40 career games played.

• Michigan State committed five turnovers in the game (three interceptions, two fumbles), the most for the Spartans since the 2020 season opener (seven vs. Rutgers on Oct. 24, 2020) . . . Maryland scored 21 points off of Michigan State turnovers.

• The Spartans outgained Maryland in total yardage, 376-362 . . . MSU also had more passing yards (274-223) than the Terrapins.

►DEFENSE
• MSU started a pair of true freshmen on defense in linebacker Jordan Hall and defensive back Chance Rucker, and both made their first starts of their Spartan careers.

• Sophomore defensive back Dillon Tatum tallied a career-high 11 tackles, nearly doubling his previous career-best of six stops, done twice in his career, most recently last time out vs. Washington (9/16/23) . . . Tatum has posted five or more stops in three of the four games, with five vs. Central Michigan and six vs. Washington, before the 11 stops last Saturday . . . Tatum added one pass break-up and one QB hurry.

• With the 11 tackles, Tatum becomes the second Spartan defender with double-digit stops this season, joining junior linebacker Cal Haladay's 10 tackles in the season-opener vs. Central Michigan (9/1/23).

• Sophomore defensive back Malik Spencer tied a career-high tackle total for the second time in four games, with his nine stops matching nine tackles in vs. Central Michigan (9/1/23) in the season opener . . . Spencer has posted seven or more tackles in three of the four games with seven stops last game vs. Washington (9/16/23) . . . Spencer added one pass break-up and one QB hurry.

• Graduate linebacker Aaron Brule matched his jersey number with a season-high seven tackles . . . the seven stops are also the most during his Spartan career, as he transferred from Mississippi State prior to the 2022 season . . . Brule added one pass break-up and one QB hurry.

• Freshman defensive back Chance Rucker had career highs of five tackles and two pass break-ups . . . Rucker had a total of two tackles in the previous two games.

►SPECIAL TEAMS
• Graduate senior placekicker Jonathan Kim split the uprights from 37-yards out in the second quarter, marking his third field goal of the season, and his now 3-for-4 on the season after getting a 46-yard attempt blocked on the final play of the first half . . . Kim also had three kickoffs for a 64.3 ypk average with two touchbacks.

Nate Carter vs Maryland — **Nathan Carter ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 92.3 rushing yards per game.**

►STAT LEADERS
Michigan State:
Rushing – R-So. Nathan Carter (73 carries for 369 yards, 5.1 avg., 4 TDs)
Passing – R-Jr. Noah Kim (66-of-116, .569, 897 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs)
Receiving – Gr.-5 Tre Mosley (13 catches for 157 yards, 12.1 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles – So. DB Dillon Tatum (26 tackles, 0.5 TFLs, 2 PBUs)/So. DB Malik Spencer (26 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PBUs)

Iowa:
Rushing – Jr. Leshon Williams (25 carries for 173 yards, 6.98 avg., 0 TDs)
Passing – Sr. Cade McNamara (43-of-85, .506, 459 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs)
Receiving – Gr.-Sr. TE Erick All (10 catches for 116 yards, 11.6 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles – Sr. LB Jay Higgins (50 tackles, 3 PBUs, 1 FF)

►A QUICK GLANCE AT IOWA (3-1, 0-1 BIG TEN)
• The Hawkeyes are 3-1 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten Conference action after being blanked in their conference opener at No. 7/7 Penn State, 31-0, last Saturday night. Iowa was ranked No. 24 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 22 in the AFCA Coaches Poll in last week's rankings, and slipped to among others receiving votes in this week's AFCA Coaches Poll and out of the AP Poll and others receiving votes.

• Iowa opened the season 3-0 after nonconference wins over Utah State (24-14), at Iowa State (20-13) and over Western Michigan (41-10).

• Penn State led just 10-0 at halftime, before pulling away with 14 points in the third quarter and adding a TD in the fourth frame for the final 31-0 score.

• Iowa's offense was stymied by the Nittany Lion defense, with just 76 yards, on 56 yards passing and 20 yards rushing, and were held to just 1-for-9 on third-down conversions. Penn State posted 397 yards of total offense with 215 yards on the ground and 182 through the air.

• For the season, Iowa is sixth in the Big Ten and 26th in the FBS in scoring defense (17.0 ppg), while ranking 13th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (21.2 ppg).

• The Hawkeyes are 14th in the Big Ten in total offense (245.5 ypg), ranking 11th in rushing offense (118.5 ypg) and 13th in passing offense (127.0 ypg).

• Iowa's defense is sixth in the conference and 36th in the country in total defense (313.8 ypg), ranking fifth in the league and 24th in the nation in passing yards allowed (180.0 ypg), along with 10th in the Big Ten in rushing defense (133.8 ypg).

• On special teams, the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank third in the FBS in net punting (45.78 ypp) and are also third in the league and 23rd in the nation in punt return defense (1.88 ypr). Additionally, Iowa leads the conference and country in kickoff return defense, as the Hawkeyes have yet to allow a kick return, with all 18 kickoffs going for touchbacks. Iowa is also third in the conference and sixth in the country in kickoff returns (30.0 ypr).

• Individually, senior quarterback Cade McNamara is 13th in the Big Ten in passing efficiency (104.40), passing yards per game (114.8 ypg) and completion percentage (.506), on 43-of-85 passing for 459 yards for four TDs and three INTs.

• Junior running back Leshon Williams is the Hawkeyes' leading rusher with 25 carries for 173 yards (6.9 ypc/43.3 ypg).

• Senior tight end Erick All and junior tight end Luke Lachey lead the Iowa receivers with 10 catches apiece, with All totalling 116 yards (11.6 ypc/29.0 ypg) with one TD, while Lachey has 131 yards (13.1 ypc/43.7 ypg).

• Defensively, linebacker Jay Higgins leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the FBS in tackles per game (12.5) on 50 total stops (28 solo, 22 assists), ranking third in the league and fourth in the nation in solo stops (7.0). Higgins adds three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one QB hurry. He had 18 tackles at Penn State.

• Nick Jackson adds 36 tackles (16 solo, 20 assists) with 3.5 TFL and 1.0 sack, adding one pass break-up, one forced fumble and one QB hurry. Jackson had 13 stops at Penn State, including 2.5 TFLs.

• Senior Tory Taylor leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth in the FBS in punting (47.8 ypp), with 22 total punts with a long of 62 yards, one of nine punts of 50+ yards, and he has eight inside the 20.

• Junior defensive back Cooper DeJuan tops the conference and ranks 26th in the country in punt returns (9.1 ypr) with 11 punt returns for 100 yards, with a long of 28 yards.

• Sophomore placekicker Drew Stevens is 9-for-9 on PATs and 4-for-5 on field goals with a long of 34 yards.

• Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is the dean of not just the Big Ten coaches, but the FBS coaches as well, in his 25th season at Iowa with a 189-116 record, and has a 201-137 overall record in his 28th season as a collegiate head coach.

►MSU/IOWA SERIES NOTES
• Saturday's game marks the 49th meeting between Michigan State and Iowa. The Hawkeyes hold a slim 24-22-2 series lead, but the Spartans have won three of the past four meetings. Iowa does lead the series in Iowa City, 14-10-1, including a 49-7 win in the last matchup between the two schools in 2020. MSU defeated Iowa in the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game, 16-13, to secure the program's third Big Ten title in five years and earn a berth to the College Football Playoff.

Coach Barnett, team run out vs Maryland

►A LOOK AT THE SPARTAN COACHING STAFF
• Secondary coach Harlon Barnett, who is in his 15th year overall on the Spartan coaching staff, was appointed 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).

• Barnett has coached 11 Spartan defensive backs that have been selected in the NFL Draft, including two first-rounders (Darqueze Dennard, No. 24, Cincinnati Bengals, 2014; Trae Waynes, No. 11, Minnesota Vikings, 2015), and 15 have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. In 2015, Michigan State became just the sixth school to have cornerbacks selected in the first round of the NFL Draft in consecutive years, joining Alabama (2012-13), LSU (2011-12), Miami-Florida (2005-06), Ohio State (1999-2001) and Notre Dame (1993-94). In addition to Dennard and Waynes, Jeremy Ware (2010, Oakland, seventh round), Chris L. Rucker (2011, Indianapolis, sixth round), Trenton Robinson (2012, San Francisco, sixth round), Tony Lippett (2015, Miami, fifth round), Montae Nicholson (2017, Washington, fourth round), Justin Layne (2019, Pittsburgh, third round), Khari Willis (2019, Indianapolis, fourth round), Josiah Scott (2020, Jacksonville, fourth round) and Ameer Speed (2023, New England, sixth round) have been chosen in the NFL Draft.

• In addition to the four All-Americans, Barnett has coached three Thorpe Award semifinalists (Dennard, Waynes, Otis Wiley) at MSU. A unanimous All-American, Dennard became the first Spartan to win the Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back, in 2013.

• Barnett's players have earned All-Big Ten honors 31 times as secondary coach at MSU, including nine different first-team players (Wiley in 2008; Robinson in 2011; CB Johnny Adams in 2011-12; Dennard in 2011-12, S Isaiah Lewis in 2013; Drummond in 2013-14; Waynes in 2014; S David Dowell in 2017; Brown in 2020). All four of MSU's starters in the secondary garnered All-Big Ten recognition during the 2010, 2011 and 2013 seasons, and Barnett has coached two Big Ten Defensive Backs of the Year (Dennard in 2013, Drummond in 2014).

• Haller also announced on Sept. 10 that former MSU head coach Mark Dantonio, the winningest head coach in school history, will return to the Spartan staff as an associate head coach. Dantonio will serve as an advisor to Barnett and the coaching staff on game days and throughout the week at practice and in meetings. After a storied 13 seasons as head coach of the Michigan State football program, Dantonio announced his retirement on Feb. 4, 2020. He finished his career with a record of 114-57 in East Lansing, 132-74 in 16 seasons overall. During his time at the helm of the Spartan program, Dantonio compiled an impressive list of accomplishments including three Big Ten Championships, two victories in the Big Ten Championship Game, victories in the 2014 Rose Bowl and the 2015 Cotton Bowl, and an appearance in the 2015 College Football Playoff, finishing his career as the winningest football coach in Michigan State history.

• Michigan State has two new assistant coaches for the 2023 season. Diron Reynolds joined the Spartan staff in January as the program's defensive line coach. Reynolds, who has more than 25 years of coaching experience both at the NFL and Power 5 levels, 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. During his time at Stanford, Reynolds coached four NFL Draft picks on the defensive line, including Solomon Thomas, who was the highest defensive player drafted in school history at No. 3 overall in 2017 by the San Francisco 49ers.

• Jim Salgado was named the program's cornerbacks coach on March 16. Salgado, who has nearly 30 years of coaching experience, spent the past six seasons with the Buffalo Bills (2017-22). He arrived in Buffalo in 2017 and spent his first three seasons as a defensive assistant. Salgado was promoted to nickelbacks coach in 2020 and was the team's safeties coach in 2022. While he was in Buffalo, Salgado coached multiple Pro Bowl players as the Bills won three consecutive AFC East titles (2020-22). The Bills' defense regularly finished among the best in the NFL during his tenure, ranking second in total defense in 2018, third in 2019, No. 1 in 2021 and No. 6 in 2022. In addition, the Bills were the top-ranked pass defense in the NFL in 2021 and ranked third in the league with 19 interceptions. Prior to coaching in the NFL, Salgado spent 23 seasons in the collegiate ranks.

• Chris Kapilovic, who enters his fourth season as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Michigan State, was promoted to assistant head coach in January 2021. Kapilovic, 54, joined MSU'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. In 2021, 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, begins his fourth season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Michigan State. Johnson, 53, is a veteran coach and administrator of 28 seasons, including 13 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).

• A 27-year coaching veteran with stints at all levels of collegiate football and the NFL, Scottie Hazelton is in his fourth 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 also serves as the program's linebackers coach.

• Ted Gilmore coaches the tight ends for the Spartans. Gilmore, who has coached 28 years, has experience at the FBS and NFL ranks and has developed numerous NFL players, draft picks and All-Americans during his career. 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, 56, previously spent five seasons (2015-19) as the wide receivers coach at Wisconsin.

• Former Spartan great Courtney Hawkins is in his fourth season as the wide receivers coach. Hawkins helped develop back-to-back NFL Draft selections the past two years in Jalen Nailor (2022, sixth round, Minnesota Vikings) and Jayden Reed (2023, second round, Green Bay Packers).

• With more than three decades of coaching experience, Ross Els is in his fourth season as the program's special teams coordinator. In addition, after coaching the linebackers his first two seasons in East Lansing, Els helped assist the nickelbacks in 2022. Els, 56, 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.

• Effrem Reed, who served as an offensive analyst in 2020-21, was promoted to running backs coach in January 2022 and returns for his second season on the full-time offensive staff.

• Defensive analyst TJ Hollowell was designated as MSU's 10th on-field assistant coach on Sept. 15. Hollowell is in his fourth season as a defensive analyst at Michigan State and was one of seven coaches at this year's training camp with the Houston Texans as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

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)
(4 games, 9-of-16 passing [.563], 158 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT)

• #10 Noah Kim (1L, R-Jr., 6-2, 185, Centreville, Va./Westfield)
(4 games/4 starts, 66-of-116 passing [.569], 897 yards [224.3 ypg], 6 TDs, 3 INTs)

• #4 Sam Leavitt (Fr., 6-2, 200, West Linn, Ore./West Linn)
(1 game, 2-of-2 passing [1.000], 9 yards [9.0 ypg], 0 TDs, 0 INTs)

• Redshirt junior quarterback Noah Kim has started the first four games for the Spartans. Kim ranks among the Big Ten leaders in touchdown passes (tied for fourth with six), passing (sixth with 224.3 ypg) and passing efficiency (sixth with 133.7 rating). Overall, Kim is 66-for-116 passing (.569) with six TDs and three interceptions.

• 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.

• Redshirt freshman Katin Houser, a highly touted four-star quarterback and Elite 11 finalist who enrolled early in January 2022, has also 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.

• Houser has appeared in all four games. In last week's game 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.

• 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. 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.

• 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:
• #8 Jalen Berger (1L, R-Jr., 6-1, 215, Newark, N.J./Wisconsin)
(2 games, 10 carries, 31 yards, 3.1 avg., 15.5 ypg, 1 TD; 4 receptions, 30 yards, 7.5 avg.)

• #5 Nathan Carter (R-So., 5-10, 200, Rochester, N.Y./Connecticut)
(4 games/4 starts, 73 carries, 369 yards, 5.1 avg., 92.3 ypg, 4 TDs; 9 receptions, 60 yards, 6.7 avg.)

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

• #22 Jordon Simmons (3L, Sr., 5-11, 195, Marietta, Ga./McEachern)
(4 games, 7 carries, 14 yards, 2.0 avg., 3.5 ypg)

• Redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 24th in the FBS averaging 92.3 rushing yards per game. Carter is also tied for sixth in the conference and 32nd in the FBS with four rushing touchdowns.

• 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. The UConn transfer rushed for 100 yards in his first two games wearing the Green and White (113 yards on 18 carries vs. Central Michigan in Week 1; 111 yards on 19 carries vs. Richmond in Week 2) and had 48 yards on 17 carries vs. Washington in Week 3. In his first Big Ten game, Carter rushed for 97 yards on 19 carries (5.1 avg.) against Maryland.

• 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 1,352 yards on 263 carries in his 20-game collegiate career (16 at UConn from 2021-22; four at MSU in 2023), including seven rushing touchdowns.

• 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, has missed the last two games due to an injury he suffered in the first half of the Richmond game in Week 2. Berger has 31 yards on 10 carries for the season. Berger rushed for more than 100 yards in his first two games wearing the Green and White in 2022 (career-high 120 vs. Western Michigan; 107 vs. Akron) and also had a Big Ten-best 119 yards vs. Indiana; in addition, he caught 19 passes out of the backfield for 128 yards.

• Jaren Mangham (Gr.-5), who joined the team in January and competed during spring practice, has not played in the first four games of the season due to an injury. 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 1,251 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns in 32 collegiate games (16 at Colorado; 16 at USF). Mangham had a career-high 671 yards and 15 rushing TDs as a junior at USF in 2021 to lead the Bulls.

• 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)
(3 games, 0 catches, 0 yards, 0.0 avg)

• #16 Christian Fitzpatrick (2L, R-Jr., 6-4, 220, Southfield, Mich./Louisville)
(4 games, 7 catches, 166 yards, 23.7 avg., 41.5 ypg)

• #83 Montorie Foster Jr. (2L, Sr., 6-0, 185, Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward)
(4 games/4 starts, 11 catches, 147 yards, 13.4 avg., 36.8 ypg)

• #7 Antonio Gates Jr. (R-Fr., 6-2, 195, Detroit, Mich./Fordson)
(4 games, 3 catches, 77 yards, 25.7 avg., 19.3 ypg, 1 TD)

• #15 Jaron Glover (R-Fr., 6-1, 205, Sarasota, Fla./Riverview)
(4 games/1 start, 9 catches, 203 yards, 22.6 avg., 50.8 ypg)

• #2 Tyrell Henry (So., 6-0, 175, Roseville, Mich./Roseville)
(4 games, 6 catches, 74 yards, 12.3 avg., 18.5 ypg, 2 TDs)

• #17 Tre Mosley (3L, Gr.-5, 6-2, 200, Pontiac, Mich./West Bloomfield)
(4 games/4 starts, 13 catches, 157 yards, 12.1 avg., 1 TD)

• 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 will be led by fifth-year graduate senior Tre Mosley, who has played in 40 career games, including 25 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 111 career receptions for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns in his career. Last season, he matched his career high with 35 receptions for 359 yards and had a career-best four touchdown catches.

• 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 for his work in the community.

• Mosley currently leads the Spartans with 13 catches for 157 yards and one TD through three games.

• Senior Montorie Foster Jr. also has starting experience and will look to increase his production after battling an injury last season. A three-year letterwinner, Foster has played in 34 career games and has 30 receptions for 409 yards. He played in 13 games with three starts during the 2021 season. Foster had a career-high six catches for 67 yards in Week 4 vs. Maryland and ranks second on the team with 11 catches for 147 yards.

• Two-year letterwinner Christian Fitzpatrick (R-Jr.), who missed the final seven games of last season due to an injury, is back for the Spartans after competing in spring practice. After playing in a reserve role the past two seasons, Fitzpatrick, a former Louisville transfer, will look to contribute more to the offense in his third season at MSU. Fitzpatrick ranks first in the Big Ten averaging 23.7 yards per catch. He has seven receptions for 166 yards, including a 72-yarder in the season opener vs. Central Michigan and a 61-yarder in Week 3 vs. Washington.

• Sophomore Tyrell Henry, who earned a letter as a true freshman returning kicks in 2022, will look to 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 six catches for 74 yards and a team-leading two 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 eight punt returns for 66 yards (8.3 avg.) and six kick returns for 110 yards (18.3 avg.). He ranks second on the team in all-purpose yards (62.5 ypg).

• Glover is averaging 22.6 yards per catch with nine receptions for 203 yards. He had two grabs for 51 yards in his first Big Ten game against Maryland last week. Glover leads MSU with five 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 three catches for 77 yards (25.7 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, 4 games/4 starts at LT)

• #54 Keyshawn Blackstock Sr. (Jr., 6-5, 310, Covington, Ga./Coffeyville CC, 4 games)

• #77 Ethan Boyd (1L, R-So., 6-7, 320, East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing, 4 games)

• #58 Spencer Brown (2L, Gr.-5, 6-6, 315, Canton, Mich./Walled Lake Western, 4 games/4 starts at RT)

• #57 Evan Brunning (1L, Gr.-5, 6-5, 305, Oxford, Mich./Oxford, 4 games)

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

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

• #66 Ashton Lepo (R-Fr., 6-7, 310, Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven, 4 games)

• #64 Braden Miller (R-Fr., 6-6, 310, Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest, 1 game)

• #71 Kristian Phillips (R-Fr., 6-4, 315, Conyers, Ga./Salem, 3 games)

• #59 Nick Samac (4L, Gr.-5, 6-4, 305, Mentor, Ohio/Mentor, 4 games/3 starts at C)

• #74 Geno VanDeMark (1L, R-So., 6-5, 320, Lodi, N.J./St. Joseph, 3 games/3 starts at RG)

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

• Michigan State returns 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 34 consecutive games at the position, and the four-year letterwinner has a started a total of 39 games in his career while playing in 46 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 25 starts overall in his career while playing in a total 42 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 three 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 has a streak of 17 consecutive starts at the position.

• 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 four games to run his streak to eight straight starts at the position.

• Redshirt sophomore Geno VanDeMark earned starting assignments at right guard the last two games of the season and will look to have an increased role on the offensive line heading into his third season in East Lansing. He started the three games at right guard this season before missing the Maryland game in Week 4 with an injury.

• Redshirt sophomores Ethan Boyd and Kevin Wigenton II also earned their first letters as Spartans last year and will see time in the playing rotation. Wigenton earned his first career start vs. Maryland in Week 4.

• Keyshawn Blackstock Sr., who was ranked the top junior college interior offensive lineman in the nation, arrived to campus in January and will also see time in the rotation.

• 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)
(4 games/4 starts, 10 catches, 113 yards, 11.3 avg., 28.3 ypg, 1 TD)

• #92 Evan Morris (2L, R-Jr., 6-5, 245, Elsie, Mich./Ovid-Elsie)
(4 games/3 starts, 1 catch, 4 yards, 4.0 avg.)

• #19 Jaylan Franklin (Gr.-6, 6-5, 240, Brownstown Township, Mich./Wisconsin)
(4 games, 2 catches, 9 yards, 4.5 avg.)

• #23 Tyneil Hopper (Gr.-6, 6-3, 245, Roswell, Ga./Boise State)
(3 games, 2 catches, 24 yards, 12.0 avg., 1 TD)

• Michigan State has a full tight end room under fourth-year coach Ted Gilmore with nine players at the position, including redshirt junior Maliq Carr, who is looking to have a breakout season in 2023 after showing his potential the past two seasons. Carr leads the position room with 10 catches for 113 yards this season.

• Carr had a career-high five receptions for 53 yards last week vs. Maryland.

• Carr ranked second among the Spartan tight ends last season with career highs in receptions (16) and receiving yards (206) to go along with two touchdowns. After playing basketball during the winter of 2021-22, Carr had a full offseason with the team and should see his production increase following the graduated departures of last year's starters Daniel Barker and Tyler Hunt.

• MSU also brought in three transfers at tight end in January who competed during spring practice: Ademola Faleye (Jr., Norfolk State), Jaylan Franklin (Gr.-6, Wisconsin) and Tyneil Hopper (Gr.-6, Boise State). Faleye has two seasons of eligibility remaining after playing in 20 games for Norfolk State in 2021-22, while Franklin and Hopper are graduate transfers in their final season of eligibility. Hopper exited the Washington game in Week 3 with an injury. Franklin has played in the first three games and has two catches for 9 yards.

• 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 also started against Washington and Maryland and has played in all four games.

A LOOK AT THE SPARTAN DEFENSE

Zion Young vs Maryland — **Zion Young (No. 9) leads the Spartans with 3.5 tackles for loss through four games this season.**

►DEFENSIVE LINE

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #52 Tunmise Adeleye (R-So., 6-4, 290, Katy, Texas/Texas A&M)
(3 games, 6 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 7 yards, 1 sack for 4 yards)

• #8 Simeon Barrow Jr. (2L, R-Jr., 6-3, 290, Grovetown, Ga./Grovetown)
(4 games/3 starts at DT, 7 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)
(3 games/3 starts at DE, 5 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-So., 6-4, 250, Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights)
(4 games/1 start at DE, 4 tackles)

• #97 Maverick Hansen (3L, R-Sr., 6-4, 300, Farmington Hills, Mich./Harrison)
(3 games/2 starts at DT, 7 tackles, 1 PBU)

• #41 Derrick Harmon (1L, R-So., 6-5, 320, Detroit, Mich./Loyola)
(4 games/3 starts at DT, 9 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 3 yards, 1 sack for 3 yards)

• #99 Jalen Sami (Gr.-6, 6-7, 330, Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado)
(3 games, 1 tackle)

• #32 James Schott (R-Fr., 6-4, 235, Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove)
(3 games, 1 tackle)

• #44 Ken Talley (R-Fr., 6-3, 245, Philadelphia, Pa./Northeast)
(3 games, 1 tackle)

• #55 Jalen Thompson (Fr., 6-3, 260, Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech)
(2 games, 2 tackles)

• #26 Brandon Wright (4L, R-Sr., 6-2, 250, Euclid, Ohio/Euclid)
(4 games/1 start at DE, 7 tackles, 1 TFL for 5 yards, 1 sack for 5 yards)

• #9 Zion Young (1L, So., 6-6, 265, Atlanta, Ga./Westlake)
(4 games/3 starts, 16 tackles, 3.5 TFLs for 17 yards, 1.5 sacks for 5 yards)

• Michigan State returns plenty of depth and experience along the defensive line this season, in addition to welcoming in four highly touted transfers (Tunmise Adeleye from Texas A&M, Dre Butler from Liberty, Jarrett Jackson from Florida State and Jalen Sami from Colorado) and three top-200 recruits (Andrew Depaepe, Bai Jobe, Jalen Thompson).

• 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.

• Along the interior, three Spartans return with starting experience, led by redshirt junior Simeon Barrow Jr. Barrow started 10 games at defensive tackle last season and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades while recording career highs in tackles (40), tackles for loss (9.0 for 28 yards) and sacks (4.0 for 21 years). He also led the defense with 28 total quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking fourth most in the Big Ten. Barrow has started 23 career games for the Spartans. He has seven tackles this season, including 2.5 for losses (11 yards) and 1.5 sacks (10 yards).

• Redshirt senior Maverick Hansen collected a career-high 41 tackles in 12 games last season, including two starting assignments, and has played in 35 career games. He has started twice this season and has seven tackles. Redshirt sophomore Derrick Harmon started five games in 2022 and registered 30 stops, including three TFLs and two sacks; he has nine tackles this season with three starts.

• Incoming graduate transfers Dre Butler (Liberty), Jarrett Jackson (Florida State) and Jalen Sami (Colorado) will bolster the Spartan interior with 90 combined games at the FBS level. Butler, who originally enrolled at Independence Community College out of high school, played two seasons at Auburn (2020-21) and one at Liberty (2022) before graduating and attending MSU in January. Jackson is also a graduate transfer who joined the program in January after playing one season at Louisville (2018) and three at Florida State (2020-22). Sami arrived at MSU in the summer after playing in 40 career games for the Buffaloes, including 32 starting assignments at defensive tackle, the past four seasons (2019-22).

• Due to a rash of injuries, the Spartans started nine different players at defensive end last season. Four of those players – Khris Bogle (R-Sr.), Avery Dunn (R-Jr.), Brandon Wright (R-Sr.) and Zion Young (So.) – are back this season on the edge, and all four of them have started games during the first month.

• Bogle, a Florida transfer and former top-100 recruit, only played in the first four games last season after suffering a season-ending injury vs. Minnesota in Week 4. He started the first three games of the 2023 season but missed the Maryland game with an injury. He has five tackles, one TFL and a half sack.

• 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 four 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 a career-high 14 tackles. He has seven tackles and one sack (5 yards) this season in four games, including one start.

• Young appeared in eight games as a true freshman, including two starts, and posted 21 stops with two tackles for loss; he has started the first four games of the season and leads the team with 3.5 tackles for loss (17 yards) to go along with 1.5 sacks (10 yards) and 16 overall tackles.

• Tunmise Adeleye, a top-40 recruit in the Class of 2021 out of Tompkins High School in Katy, Texas, enrolled in January after spending two seasons at Texas A&M and will look to make an immediate impact on the Spartan pass rush. Adeleye was named the No. 53 player in the transfer portal by The Athletic heading into the 2023 season. He has six tackles, 2.0 TFLs and one sack in his first two games.

• 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.

Jordan Hall and defense vs Maryland — **True freshman linebacker Jordan Hall (No. 5) started his first career game last Saturday vs. Maryland.**

►LINEBACKERS

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
• #33 Aaron Alexander (R-Fr., 6-1, 225, Belleville, Mich./Massachusetts)
(4 games, 3 tackles)

• #7 Aaron Brule (1L, Gr.-6, 6-2, 240, New Orleans, La./Mississippi State)
(4 games/1 start, 17 tackles, 2.5 TFLs for 8 yards, 2 sacks for 6 yards)

• #27 Cal Haladay (2L, R-Jr., 6-1, 235, Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia)
(4 games/4 starts, 25 tackles, 3.0 TFLs for 3 yards, 1 INT for 2 yards)

• #5 Jordan Hall (Fr., 6-3, 235, Fredericksburg, Va./IMG Academy)
(4 games/1 start, 13 tackles, 3.0 TFLs for 7 yards)

• #4 Jacoby Windmon (1L, Sr.-5, 6-2, 250, New Orleans, La./UNLV)
(3 games/3 starts, 15 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 8 yards, 1 sack for 8 yards)

• The linebackers, coached by fourth-year Secchia Family Defensive Coordinator Scottie Hazelton, are loaded with experience as Aaron Brule and Jacoby Windmon both elected to come back to Michigan State in 2023 to use their extra year of eligibility.

• Redshirt junior linebacker Cal Haladay, who led the Big Ten in tackles per game last season (10.0 pg; 120 total), ranks second on the team with 25 tackles through four games (6.3 pg). Haladay has collected 241 tackles in his 33-game career, including 27 starting assignments. He was named to preseason watch lists for the Butkus Award, the Bednarik Award and the Nagurski Trophy. In the season opener against Central Michigan, Haladay led MSU with 10 tackles, including a 1-yard loss, and recorded the third interception of his career.

• Windmon, who transferred to MSU from UNLV in 2022, burst onto the scene 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, but he missed the Maryland game in Week 4 with an injury.

• Brule, a graduate transfer from Mississippi State who also arrived on campus last year with Windmon, saw his playing time increase as the 2022 season progressed and he ended up ranking second on the team in sacks (4.0 for 32 yards) and third in tackles for loss (6.5 for 41 yards). He registered 30 tackles while playing all 12 games, including two starting assignments. Brule has 17 tackles, including 2.5 TFLs and a team-leading two sacks through four games this season.

• True freshman Jordan Hall, the only three-time captain in IMG Academy history, enrolled in January and made an early impact during spring practice for the Spartans. The consensus four-star recruit has 13 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss through the first four games of the season. Hall earned the first start of his collegiate career in his first Big Ten game against Maryland in Week 4.

• 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. Snow ranked third on the team and 18th in the Big Ten with 87 tackles as a sophomore in 2021.

►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)
(4 games/3 starts at NB, 21 tackles, 1.5 TFLs for 7 yards, 0.5 sack for 2 yards, 3 PBUs, 1 INT)

• #12 Chester Kimbrough (2L, R-Sr., 6-0, 185, New Orleans, La./Florida)
(4 games, 5 tackles)

• #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)
(4 games/4 starts at S, 20 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU)

• #25 Chance Rucker (Fr., 6-1, 180, Denton, Texas/Ryan)
(4 games/1 start at CB, 7 tackles, 2 PBUs)

• #19 Armorion Smith (R-So., 6-1, 205, Detroit, Mich./Cincinnati)
(4 games, 4 tackles, 1 PBU)

• #43 Malik Spencer (So., 6-1, 195, Buford, Ga./Buford)
(4 games/4 starts at S, 26 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 1 yards, 2 PBUs)

• #21 Dillon Tatum (So., 5-11, 200, Farmington Hills, Mich./West Bloomfield)
(4 games/4 starts at CB, 26 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 2 yards, 2 PBUs)

• #20 Ade Willie (1L, So., 6-1, 190, Sarasota, Fla./IMG Academy)
(4 games, 1 tackle)

• 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.

• The Spartans feature a number of promising players in the secondary and also return starters with multiple years of experience in addition to bolstering their depth through the transfer portal.

• At cornerback, Charles Brantley (Jr.) took over a full-time starting role during his second season in East Lansing and led the team with six pass break-ups to go along with 48 tackles, 2.0 TFLs and one interception in 11 starts. The two-year letterwinner has started in 15 of his 22 collegiate games and has 11 pass break-ups and two interceptions in his career. He missed the Maryland game in Week 4 with an injury.

• Senior Angelo Grose has started games at both safety and nickelback the past four seasons (2020-23) and has played in 32 games overall since his arrival on campus in 2020, including 29 starts. The three-year letterwinner has 180 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss, 18 pass break-ups and two interceptions during his collegiate career. He is fourth on the team with 21 tackles this season and leads the team with three pass break-ups.

• Sophomores Dillon Tatum (12 games), Jaden Mangham (8 games), Ade Willie (6 games) and Malik Spencer (5 games) all gained valuable experience during their true freshmen season in 2022 and will look to have an even greater impact in the secondary in 2023. Tatum (cornerback), Mangham (safety) and Spencer (safety) have started the first four games for the Spartans. Tatum and Spencer are tied for the team lead with 26 tackles apiece.

• Redshirt seniors Chester Kimbrough and Justin White each started games at nickelback for the Spartans last year and are back to provide experience in the secondary this season. Marqui Lowery Jr. (R-Jr.) also has starting experience at cornerback.

• MSU also added two transfers to the secondary in 2023, both with playing experience: Semar Melvin, a redshirt senior from Wisconsin, enrolled in January, while Armorion Smith (Cincinnati) joined the team in the summer. Melvin played in 23 games for the Badgers (2019-22) and Smith appeared in 12 games for the Bearcats last season.

• The Spartans signed four defensive backs to National Letters of Intent for the Class of 2023: Sean Brown, Philipp Davis, Eddie Pleasant III and Chance Rucker. Rucker has seen action in the first four games of the season and started in Week 4 vs. Maryland, while Brown has appeared in two games.

►SPECIAL TEAMS PERSONNEL BREAKDOWN

Players who have seen game action in 2023:
Punters:
• #96 P Ryan Eckley (R-Fr., 6-2, 205, Lithia, Fla./Newsome, 1 game, 1 punt for 41 yards)
(4 games, 8 punts for 323 yards, 40.4 avg., 4 inside the 20, 1 touchback, 3 fair catches, 1 50+)

• #42 P Michael O'Shaughnessy (Gr.-5, 6-3, 210, New Albany, Ohio/Ohio State)
(4 games, 9 punts for 361 yards, 40.1 avg., 3 inside the 20, 1 touchback, 5 fair catches)

Long Snapper:
• #31 LS Hank Pepper (2L, Jr., 6-2, 210, Chandler, Ariz./Chandler, 4 games, 1 fumble recovery)

Placekickers:
• #97 K Jonathan Kim (Gr.-5, 6-0, 225, Fredericksburg, Va./North Carolina)
(4 games, 8-for-8 PATs, 3-for-4 FGs, 16 kickoffs for 997 yards, 62.3 avg., 9 touchbacks)

• #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.)

• 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 are splitting time at punter through the first four games.

• 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 3-for-4 start on field-goal attempts, including a career-long 52-yarder vs. Richmond. He is also 8-for-8 on PATs.

• Junior Hank Pepper returns as the starting long snapper for the Spartans.

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