Friday, August 30
East Lansing, MI
7 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Florida Atlantic
Spartans Open 2024 Season Friday Night Against Florida Atlantic
8/28/2024 9:49:00 AM | Football
MSU begins the Jonathan Smith era on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. in Spartan Stadium.
Game 1: Michigan State (0-0) vs. Florida Atlantic (0-0)
Date: Friday, Aug. 30
Kickoff: 7:01 p.m. ET
Location:Â East Lansing, Mich.
Stadium:Â Spartan Stadium (74,866)
Surface:Â Natural Grass
â–ºGAME DAY INFORMATION
Game Day Information (Parking/Tailgating/Timeline): msuspartans.com/gameday
Parking: Donor lots open at 2 p.m.; public lots open at 3 p.m. | Parking Map
Game Day Updates: Fans can sign up to receive game day updates from MSU Police and Public Safety this season by texting SPARTANFB24 to 888777. Updates will include safety information, potential game delays, traffic suggestions, etc.
Construction/Traffic Information
Promotions: Stripe the Stadium (even sections: wear green; student/odd sections: wear white)
â–ºBROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Big Ten Network
Streaming/Mobile: FOX Sports app | Watch Live
Announcers: Jason Ross Jr. (play-by-play), Brock Vereen (analyst), Dannie Rogers (sidelines)
Live Stats: msuspartans.com | Live Stats
Radio:Â Spartan Media Network |Â Affiliate Listings
Play-by-Play: George Blaha
Analyst: Jason Strayhorn
Sidelines:Â Jehuu Caulcrick
Broadcast Host: Will Tieman
Website/Mobile:Â msuspartans.com/MSU Spartans app/Tune In radio
Flagship Stations:Â Lansing:Â WMMQÂ (94.9 FM)/WJIMÂ (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids:Â WBFXÂ (101.3 FM)
Affiliates:Â 23 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite:Â Sirius/XM (Ch. 84)
Pregame Show:Â Begins at 5:30 p.m.
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â–ºSERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: MSU leads, 3-0
Series in East Lansing: MSU leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: MSU 44, FAU 0 (2011)
Current Series Streak: 3 by MSU
â–ºHEAD COACHES
MSU Head Coach: Jonathan Smith
MSU Record: 0-0 (first year)
Overall Record: 34-35 (seventh year)
Record vs. FAU: First meeting
Florida Atlantic Head Coach: Tom Herman
FAU Record: 4-8 (second year)
Overall Record: 58-30 (eighth year)
Record vs. MSU: First meeting
â–ºSPARTAN FOOTBALL NEWS AND NOTES
• Michigan State kicks off its 128th season of football and begins its first season under head coach Jonathan Smith on Friday, Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic. Kickoff is set for 7:01 p.m. ET in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Jason Ross Jr. (play-by-play), Brock Vereen (analyst) and Dannie Rogers (sidelines) on the call. MSU will "Stripe the Stadium" with even sections wearing green and odd sections/student section wearing white for the season opener.
• Friday's game marks the fourth meeting between Michigan State and Florida Atlantic. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 3-0, including a 2-0 record in East Lansing. MSU won the first-ever meeting between the two schools, 17-0, on Sept. 13, 2008, behind All-American Javon Ringer's 282 yards rushing, the fourth-highest total in school history. Michigan State topped the Owls, 30-17, at Ford Field in Detroit in 2010 during MSU's Big Ten Championship season. In the last meeting, the Spartans shut out FAU, 44-0, in 2011.
• Michigan State is 9-0 in home Friday night games since 2011 and 11-0 overall in Friday night games during that same time span. All of those games were in season openers for the Spartans.
• Smith, who led Oregon State to new heights during his tenure over the past six seasons (2018-23), was named Michigan State University's 26th head football coach on Nov. 25, 2023. Named the 2022 Pac-12 Co-Coach of the Year, Smith built Oregon State into one of the top teams in the conference. He led the Beavers, who were ranked as high as 11th in the College Football Playoff rankings in 2023, to an 8-4 record in the regular season and their third straight bowl appearance, a first for the program since 2006-09. OSU went 25-13 in 2021-23 under Smith, including a No. 17 ranking in 2022 and a win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. He also has experience coaching in the College Football Playoff as an offensive coordinator at Washington in 2016.
• Six of Smith's assistants at Oregon State joined him in East Lansing: secondary coach Blue Adams, assistant head coach/running backs coach/co-special teams coordinator Keith Bhonapha, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren, offensive line coach/run game coordinator Jim Michalczik, defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Brian Wozniak. Smith also hired Joe Rossi as the program's defensive coordinator/linebackers coach, Chad Wilt as the co-special teams coordinator/rush ends coach and Demetrice Martin as the cornerbacks coach, while wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins enters his fifth season as an assistant at MSU.
â–ºA LOOK AT THE 2024 SCHEDULE
• Michigan State opens the Jonathan Smith era and the 2024 season at home on Friday, Aug. 30 vs. Florida Atlantic.
• The Spartans start Big Ten play next week with a road game at Maryland on Sept. 7. MSU returns to nonconference action the next two weekends against Prairie View A&M in East Lansing (Sept. 14) and on the road at Boston College (Sept. 21).
• The final eight games of the season are conference games, including four games against teams ranked in the preseason AP Top 25. The Spartans host No. 2 Ohio State on Sept. 28 before hitting the road at No. 3 Oregon on Oct. 5.
• Following a bye week, Michigan State hosts No. 25 Iowa on Oct. 19 for Homecoming and travels to No. 8 Michigan on Oct. 26 to close out the month of October.
• In November, MSU will host Indiana for the Old Brass Spittoon on Nov. 2 before its second bye week of the year. The Spartans then travel to Illinois (Nov. 16) and host Purdue (Nov. 23) and Rutgers (Nov. 30) to close out the regular season.
â–ºSPARTAN FOOTBALL PERSONNEL NOTES
• The Spartans are returning 36 letterwinners from last season's team, including 21 on defense, 13 on offense and two on special teams. MSU has 21 position players returning with starting experience, including six on offense and 15 on defense.
• Michigan State returns its leading rusher (Nathan Carter, 185 carries for 798 yards and four touchdowns) and receiver (Montorie Foster Jr., 43 catches for 576 yards and three TDs) on offense and its leader in tackles (Cal Haladay, 91 tackles) from last season's team.
• Michigan State has 61 new players on its 2024 roster, which is tied for seventh most in the FBS and the most overall in the Big Ten. The Spartans have 33 freshmen on the roster and 28 transfers. The 28 transfers are tied for 18th most in the FBS and rank second in the Big Ten behind Indiana (30).
Most Newcomers on 2024 FBS Rosters
1. North Texas, 77
2. Army, 74
3. Charlotte, 71
4. Navy, 69
5. Arkansas State, 64
6. Colorado, 63
7. Michigan State/Troy, 61
• Michigan State will have a new look at quarterback in 2024 with five new additions to the QB room. Sophomore Aidan Chiles, the No. 2 transfer portal quarterback in the nation according to 247Sports, gained valuable experience in a backup role at Oregon State last season, while sixth-year graduate transfer Tommy Schuster comes to East Lansing for his last season of eligibility after starting 42 games at North Dakota. MSU signed two freshmen to NLIs in December – Alessio Milivojevic and Ryland Jessee – and they both arrived on campus in January. Redshirt freshman Atticus Carridine joined the team during the summer.
• The Spartans are welcoming 28 transfers to the 2024 roster. Eleven transfers joined the team in January and participated in spring practice, while 17 transfers arrived to campus over the summer.
Here's a breakdown of the incoming transfers by conference/division:
»Pac-12 (5): QB Aidan Chiles (Oregon State), C Tanner Miller (Oregon State), DL Ben Roberts (Oregon), TE Jack Velling (Oregon State), DB Ed Woods (Arizona State)
»Big Ten (5): LB Semaj Bridgeman (Michigan), DL Ru'Quan Buckley (Nebraska), OL Andrew Dennis (Illinois), DL Anthony Jones (Indiana), LB Jordan Turner (Wisconsin)
»ACC (3): DB Lejond Cavazos (North Carolina), DL D'Quan Douse (Georgia Tech), LB Marcellius Pulliam (Miami)
»Sun Belt (3): LB Wayne Matthews III (Old Dominion), DL Jalen Satchell (Old Dominion), LS Kaden Schickel (James Madison)
»FCS (3): DB Aveon Grose (Southern Illinois), OL Luke Newman (Holy Cross), QB Tommy Schuster (North Dakota)
»Big 12 (2): LB Tyler Gillison (Cincinnati), DB Nikai Martinez (UCF)
»SEC (1): DB Jeremiah Hughes (LSU)
»Independent (1): RB Kay'ron Lynch-Adams (Massachusetts)
»Conference USA (1): DL Quindarius Dunnigan (Middle Tennessee State)
»MAC (1): P Carson Voss (Western Michigan)
»Division II (1): LS Jack Carson Wentz (West Georgia)
»Division III (1): RB Shawn Foster (Hope College)
»Junior College (1): TE Reeves Taylor (Ventura College)
â–ºSEVERAL SPARTANS EARN PRESEASON HONORS ENTERING 2024 SEASONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• OL Brandon Baldwin (Shrine Bowl Watch List)
• DL Khris Bogle (Senior Bowl Watch List)
• RB Nathan Carter (Doak Walker Award Watch List, Wuerffel Trophy Watch List; AFCA Good Works Team nominee; Senior Bowl Watch List; Shrine Bowl Watch List)
• P Ryan Eckley (Ray Guy Award Watch List; Phil Steele, USA TODAY and Athlon Sports first-team All-Big Ten)
• DB Angelo Grose (Shrine Bowl Watch List)
• LB Cal Haladay (Athlon Sports third-team All-Big Ten)
• K Jonathan Kim (Senior Bowl Watch List: Phil Steele and Athlon Sports second-team All-Big Ten)
• LB Wayne Matthews III (Phil Steele third-team All-Big Ten)
• OL Luke Newman (Senior Bowl Watch List; Shrine Bowl Watch List)
• TE Jack Velling (Mackey Award Watch List; Senior Bowl Watch List: Athlon Sports third-team All-Big Ten)
â–ºMICHIGAN STATE-FAU SERIES NOTES
• Friday's game marks the fourth meeting between Michigan State and Florida Atlantic. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 3-0, including a 2-0 record in East Lansing.
• MSU won the first-ever meeting between the two schools, 17-0, on Sept. 13, 2008, behind All-American Javon Ringer's 282 yards rushing, the fourth-highest total in school history.
• Michigan State topped the Owls, 30-17, at Ford Field in Detroit in 2010 during MSU's Big Ten Championship season.
• In the last meeting, the Spartans shut out FAU, 44-0, in 2011. The Owls had only one first down in the game, tying a school record for the fewest ever by a Spartan opponent (1 by Maryland in 1944).
• FAU head coach Tom Herman is entering his second season leading the program. The Owls went 4-8 in Herman's debut season in Boca Raton in 2023. Herman is 58-30 overall entering his eighth season as a head coach (22-4 at Houston from 2015-16; 32-18 at Texas from 2017-20; 4-8 at FAU in 2023).
• Florida Atlantic returns 31 letterwinners (eight on offense, 20 on defense, three on special teams) and 10 starters on offense and defense (two on offense, eight on defense) from 2023.
• Herman announced on Aug. 20 that redshirt junior Cameron Fancher, a transfer from Marshall, will start at quarterback in the season opener. He started 10 games last season for the Thundering Herd (5-5 record in games started), completing 66 percent of his passes (202-of-308) for 2,162 yards, 11 TDs and 11 interceptions.
â–ºSPARTANS ANNOUNCE CAPTAINS FOR 2024 SEASONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State head football coach Jonathan Smith announced the team captains for the 2024 season following the completion of preseason camp on Aug. 19. The five captains – sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles, redshirt junior running back Nathan Carter, sixth-year graduate defensive lineman Maverick Hansen, sixth-year senior center Tanner Miller and fifth-year senior linebacker Jordan Turner – were voted by their teammates.
â–ºSPARTAN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SINCE 2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Since 2011, Michigan State has played 11 home openers on Friday night (11-0 record), including nine in Spartan Stadium (9-0). Here's a look at MSU's Friday night games since 2011:
• Sept. 2, 2011: No. 17 Michigan State 28, Youngstown State 6 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 31, 2012: No. 13 Michigan State 17, No. 24 Boise State 13 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 30, 2013: Michigan State 26, Western Michigan 13 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 29, 2014: No. 8 Michigan State 45, Jacksonville State 7 (East Lansing)
• Sept. 4, 2015: No. 5 Michigan State 37, Western Michigan 24 (Kalamazoo)
• Sept. 2, 2016: No. 12 Michigan State 28, Furman 13 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 31, 2018: No. 11 Michigan State 38, Utah State 31 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 30, 2019: No. 18 Michigan State 28, Tulsa 7 (East Lansing)
• Sept. 3, 2021: Michigan State 38, Northwestern 21 (Evanston)
• Sept. 2, 2022: Michigan State 35, Western Michigan 13 (East Lansing)
• Sept. 1, 2023: Michigan State 31, Central Michigan 7 (East Lansing)
â–ºUNDER THE LIGHTS PT. 2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Friday marks the 29th night game in Spartan Stadium history; MSU is 20-8 overall in night games in East Lansing. MSU's first-ever night game in Spartan Stadium was a 27-13 win over USC to open the 1987 season.
â–ºBEEN HERE BEFOREÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• While MSU head coach Jonathan Smith will be making his Spartan debut on Friday, it will not be his first time coaching on a Friday night in Spartan Stadium. In his first game as the quarterbacks coach at Boise State in 2012, Smith was on the visiting sidelines during MSU's 17-13 win over the Broncos on Aug. 31. Le'Veon Bell led the Spartans with 210 rushing yards in the victory.
â–ºSPARTANS SUCCESSFUL IN HOME AND SEASON OPENERSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State is 87-37-3 (.697) all-time in season openers, including a 22-3 record (.880) in its last 25 games.
• In addition, the Spartans are 105-22 (.827) all-time in home openers, including victories in 24 of the past 25 years (only loss: 2020 vs. Rutgers on Oct. 24, 2020).
• MSU has won 23 consecutive home openers against nonconference opponents, dating back to 1999.
â–ºA LOOK AT THE 2024 COACHING STAFF
• Jonathan Smith, who led Oregon State to new heights during his tenure over the past six seasons (2018-23), was named Michigan State University's 26th head football coach on Nov. 25, 2023.
• Named the 2022 Pac-12 Co-Coach of the Year, Smith built Oregon State into one of the top teams in the conference. He led the Beavers, who were ranked as high as 11th in the College Football Playoff rankings in 2023, to an 8-4 record in the regular season and their third straight bowl appearance, a first for the program since 2006-09. OSU went 25-13 in 2021-23 under Smith, including a No. 17 ranking in 2022 and a win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. He also has experience coaching in the College Football Playoff as an offensive coordinator at Washington in 2016.
• Known for developing talent, the 45-year-old Smith coached six All-Americans during his OSU tenure, including five his last two seasons (OL Taliese Fuaga, OL Tanner Miller and DB Kitan Oladapo in 2023; WR/PR Anthony Gould, LB Jack Colletto and Fuaga in 2022). In addition, Colletto was named the 2022 Paul Hornung Award winner for the nation's most versatile player, marking Oregon State's fourth major award winner in school history. Smith also coached two Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Players of the Year in Jermar Jefferson (2018) and Damien Martinez (2022) and four Freshman All-Americans overall. OSU tallied 74 All-Pac-12 selections during Smith's six seasons in Corvallis.
• Eight Beavers were drafted under Smith's tutelage, and an additional 17 signed as undrafted free agents. Tight end Luke Musgrave became the highest-drafted OSU player in nine years as he was picked in the second round (No. 41 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
• Off the field, Smith led a culture of success in the classroom with a total of 168 Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll selections in his six seasons.
• Six of Smith's assistants at Oregon State joined him in East Lansing: secondary coach Blue Adams, assistant head coach/running backs coach/co-special teams coordinator Keith Bhonapha, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren, offensive line coach/run game coordinator Jim Michalczik, defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Brian Wozniak. Smith also hired Joe Rossi as the program's defensive coordinator/linebackers coach, Chad Wilt as the co-special teams coordinator/rush ends coach and Demetrice Martin as the cornerbacks coach, while wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins enters his fifth season as an assistant at MSU.
• Blue Adams, who brings nearly 15 years of coaching experience with him to East Lansing, including stints at both the collegiate and NFL levels, is the program's secondary coach. Adams spent five seasons (2019-23) on Smith's staff as the secondary coach at Oregon State. Adams also coached four seasons as an assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins (2012-15) before returning to the college ranks at West Virginia (2016) and South Florida (2017-18).
• Keith Bhonapha (BONE-uh-fuh) has 20 years of collegiate experience, most recently with Smith at Oregon State in 2023. An assistant head coach, Bhonapha is the running backs coach and will also serve as the program's co-special teams coordinator and hold play-calling responsibilities for that unit.By helping Oregon State to an 8-4 record in 2023 to become bowl eligible, Bhonapha has coached 15 teams to a bowl game as a coach and was a part of two bowl games as a player while at Hawai'i.
• Courtney Hawkins returns for his fifth season as Michigan State's wide receivers coach. A nine-year NFL veteran, Hawkins has helped develop NFL Draft picks Jayden Reed (Packers) and Jalen Nailor (Vikings) during his time in East Lansing.Hawkins came to MSU in 2020 after serving as the head football coach and athletic director at his alma mater, Beecher High School, in Flint, Michigan, for 15 years.
• Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren spent the past six seasons (2018-23) in the same role at Oregon State. A two-time nominee for the Broyles Award, Lindgren helped build the Beavers into one of the most consistent offensive teams in the Pac-12. He coached six NFL Draft picks and multiple All-Americans and first-team All-Pac-12 honorees during his Oregon State tenure.
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• Former Spartan Demetrice Martin was named cornerbacks coach on Jan. 17, 2024, to complete Smith's on-field coaching staff. A four-year letterwinner at MSU from 1992-95, Martin has been a collegiate coach for more than 20 years, most recently as the cornerbacks coach and passing game coordinator at Oregon the past two seasons. He has also coached at USC (2006-07), Washington (2009-11), UCLA (2012-17), Arizona (2018-19) and Colorado (2020-21).
• Jim Michalczik (muh-hall-CHECK), who has more than 30 years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and NFL levels, joined the Michigan State staff in December 2023 as the Spartans' offensive line coach/run game coordinator. Most recently, Michalczik was with Smith at Oregon State the past six seasons (2018-23). Michalczik was a nominee for the 2023 Broyles Award, which honors college football's top assistant coaches. His offensive lines at Oregon State were named semifinalists twice for the Joe Moore Award (2021, 2023).
• Secchia Family defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Joe Rossi spent the past six seasons (2018-23) at Minnesota, where he helped build the Gophers into one of the best defenses in the Big Ten as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Minnesota's defense ranked among the top 10 in the FBS in total defense three times (No. 3 in 2021, No. 8 in 2022, No. 10 in 2019) and scoring defense twice (No. 4 in 2022, No. 6 in 2021) under Rossi's direction.The two-time Broyles Award nominee coached 30 All-Big Ten honorees, two first-team All-Americans and 10 NFL Draft picks during his time in Minneapolis.
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• A collegiate coaching veteran of more than 20 years, Lawrence "Legi" Suiaunoa (Leng-ee SOO-ee-ow-noah) joined the Michigan State staff as the Spartans' defensive line coach in December 2023. Suiaunoa spent the past six seasons (2018-23) on Smith's staff at Oregon State, and he also coached with Smith at Montana in 2011.
• Chad Wilt is in his first season as Michigan State's co-special teams coordinator/rush ends coach. Wilt, who has more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, most recently spent the past two seasons (2022-23) as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Indiana. He also spent two years (2020-21) as the defensive line coach at Minnesota under current Spartan defensive coordinator Joe Rossi.
• Brian Wozniak (Wahz-nee-ack), who was on Jonathan Smith's staff the past six seasons at Oregon State, joined the MSU staff as the Spartans' tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator in December 2023. After helping Oregon State to an 8-4 record in 2023 to become bowl eligible, Wozniak has guided three teams to a bowl game as a coach and four as a player while at Wisconsin.
QUARTERBACKS
â–ºPosition Coach: Brian Lindgren (first season)
â–ºPlayers returning (0)
â–ºIncoming transfers (2):
• #2 Aidan Chiles (So., 6-3, 217, Long Beach, Calif./Oregon State)      Â
9 games, 24-of-35 passing [.686], 309 yards [34.4 ypg], 4 TDs, 0 INTs; 17 carries for 79 yards, 3 TDs
• #10 Tommy Schuster (Gr.-6, 6-0, 200, Macomb Township, Mich./North Dakota)                                                    Â
12 games/12 starts, 208-of-294 passing [.708], 2,256 yards [188.0 ypg], 19 TDs, 5 INTs
â–ºIncoming freshmen (3):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• #18 Atticus Carridine (6-1, 170, Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti Community) *first season of eligibility
• #14 Alessio Milivojevic (6-2, 216, Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis) *early enrollee
• #16 Ryland Jessee (6-4, 217, San Diego, Calif./Helix) *early enrollee
Michigan State will have a new look at quarterback in 2024 with five new additions to the QB room. Sophomore Aidan Chiles, the No. 2 transfer portal quarterback in the nation and eighth-best player overall in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports, gained valuable experience in a backup role at Oregon State last season, while sixth-year graduate transfer Tommy Schuster comes to East Lansing for his last season of eligibility after starting 42 games at North Dakota. MSU signed two freshmen to NLIs in December – Alessio Milivojevic and Ryland Jessee – and they both arrived on campus in January; redshirt freshman Atticus Carridine joined the team over the summer.
Although he played behind DJ Uiagalelei at Oregon State, Chiles still played 100 snaps at quarterback in meaningful situations for the Beavers and completed 68.6 percent (24-for-35) of his passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also had a net gain of 79 yards on the ground on 17 carries, including three TDs. Chiles was a consensus four-star prospect in the Class of 2023 and rated one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the nation coming out of high school by 247Sports. The Long Beach, California, native is entering his second year under Jonathan Smith and Brian Lindgren and continued to gain experience in the offensive system during spring practice and preseason camp.
Schuster played high school at Chippewa Valley in Macomb Township, Michigan, and led the Big Reds to the state title as a senior in 2018 while being named the AP Player of the Year in the state of Michigan. He played five seasons (2019-23) at North Dakota and holds school career records for passing yards (9,075), passing completions (843) and touchdown passes (63). Schuster started the last 42 games of his UND career at quarterback and appeared in a total of 45 games for the Fighting Hawks, completing 67 percent of his passes (843-for-1,252) for 9,075 yards and 63 touchdowns during his time in Grand Forks.
RUNNING BACKS
â–ºPosition Coach: Keith Bhonapha (first season)
â–ºPlayers returning (4):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• #5 Nathan Carter (1L, R-Jr., 5-10, 202, Rochester, N.Y./Connecticut)      Â
12 games/12 starts, 185 carries, 798 yards, 4.3 avg., 66.5 ypg, 4 TDs; 22 receptions, 103 yards, 4.7 avg.
• #44 Jay Coyne (1L, R-So., 6-1, 227, New York, N.Y./IMG Academy)      Â
*made position change from defensive end to fullback in preseason camp
• #25 Joseph Martinez (1L, R-Sr., 5-9, 198, Holt, Mich./Holt)              Â
2 games, 5 carries, 6 yards, 1.2 avg., 3.0 ypg
• #26 Chris Williams (R-So., 5-11, 215, Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II)                            Â
â–ºIncoming freshmen (3):Â Â Â
• #27 Makhi Frazier (5-10, 214, McKinney, Texas/McKinney)
• #33 Jaxon McCaig (6-1, 236, Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth)
• #26 Brandon Tullis (6-1, 215, Frisco, Texas/Memorial) *early enrollee
â–ºIncoming transfers (1):
• #15 Kay'ron Lynch-Adams (Gr.-6, 5-10, 205, Warren, Ohio/Massachusetts)      Â
12 games/12 starts, 236 carries, 1,157 yards, 4.9 avg., 96.4 ypg, 12 TDs; 20 receptions, 118 yards, 5.9 avg.
Michigan State returns its top rusher from last season as redshirt junior Nathan Carter ranked eighth in the Big Ten with a career-high 798 yards (66.5 ypg) while ranking third in the conference with 185 carries. Carter, who started all 12 games, also had a career-high 22 receptions for 103 yards. Playing in his first season for the Spartans, the UConn transfer had three 100-yard rushing games and led the team with four rushing touchdowns. He has rushed for 1,781 yards on 375 carries in his 28-game collegiate career (16 at UConn from 2021-22; 12 at MSU in 2023).
In addition to Carter, the Spartans brought in Kay'ron Lynch-Adams during the summer, a transfer from UMass who rushed for a career-high 1,157 yards and 12 TDs last season for the Minutemen. Lynch-Adams, who has a wealth of experience with 48 collegiate games under his belt at both Rutgers (2019-20) and UMass (2021-23), has rushed for 1,888 yards and 16 TDs in his career.
Joseph Martinez (R-Sr.) and Chris Williams (R-So.) also return and add depth in the backfield. Jay Coyne (R-So.), who played defensive end his first two seasons and earned his first letter in 2023, made the position change to fullback in preseason camp.
MSU signed two running backs to NLIs in the Class of 2024: Makhi Frazier (McKinney, Texas) and early enrollee Brandon Tullis (Frisco, Texas). Freshman Jaxon McCaig (Plymouth, Mich.) also joined the team in the summer.
Assistant head coach Keith Bhonapha, who is also the team's co-special teams coordinator, is in his first season as the program's running backs coach.
WIDE RECEIVERS
â–ºPosition Coach: Courtney Hawkins (first season)
â–ºPlayers returning (9):
• #0 Alante Brown (1L, Sr.-5, 5-11, 192, Chicago, Ill./Nebraska)                                                                 Â
11 games/3 starts, 3 catches, 27 yards, 9.0 avg; 2.5 ypg; 10 carries, 4 yards, 0.4 avg., 0.4 ypg
• #85 Grant Calcagno (R-Fr., 6-0, 188, Rochester, Mich./Rochester Hills)
• #3 Montorie Foster Jr. (4L, Sr.-5, 6-0, 186, Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward)
12 games/12 starts, 43 catches, 576 yards, 13.4 avg., 48.0 ypg, 3 TDs
• #1 Antonio Gates Jr. (1L, R-So., 6-2, 193, Detroit, Mich./Fordson)                                                          Â
12 games, 5 catches, 82 yards, 16.4 avg., 6.8 ypg, 1 TD
• #80 Zach Gillespie (R-Sr., 6-2, 211, East Lansing, Mich./Lansing Catholic)
• #4 Jaron Glover (1L, R-So., 6-1, 204, Sarasota, Fla./Riverview)                                                            Â
8 games/5 starts, 14 catches, 261 yards, 18.6 avg., 32.6 ypg
• #11 Aziah Johnson (R-Fr., 6-0, 175, Richmond, Va./Thomas Jefferson)
• #9 Jaelen Smith (R-Fr., 6-2, 188, Houston, Texas/Klein Cain)
• #22 Jack Yanachik (R-Fr., 6-3, 194, Rochester, Mich./De La Salle)
â–ºIncoming transfers (1):
• #20 Shawn Foster (So., 5-11, 175, Grand Ledge, Mich./Hope College)
â–ºIncoming freshmen (4):
• #86 Jaylan Brown (6-1, 185, Nacogdoches, Texas/Nacogdoches)
• #89 Austin Clay (6-0, 170, Cleveland, Ohio/Berea-Midpark)
• #6 Nick Marsh (6-3, 209, Detroit, Mich./River Rouge) *early enrollee
• #87 Dyson Sims (5-8, 160, Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron)
The Spartans are returning four letterwinners, including three players with multiple games of starting experience, under fifth-year wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins.
The group is headlined by fifth-year senior Montorie Foster Jr., who led the team in receptions (43), receiving yards (576) and touchdown catches (3) last season, all of which were career highs for the Cleveland, Ohio, native. Foster has 62 career catches for 838 yards and five TDs in 42 games.
Fifth-year senior Alante Brown, who earned his first Spartan letter in 2023 after transferring from Nebraska, started three games last season while catching three passes for 27 yards. Redshirt sophomore Jaron Glover started five of the first eight games before getting sidelined the last month of the season with an injury; he had 14 grabs for 261 yards for an average of 18.6 yards per catch as a redshirt freshman. Promising redshirt sophomore Antonio Gates Jr. (five catches for 82 yards) also returns for the Spartans.
Aziah Johnson and Jaelen Smith played in just four games to preserve their redshirt seasons, while Grant Calcagno and Jack Yanachik also redshirted in 2023. In addition, redshirt senior Zach Gillespie returns to provide depth at the position.
The Spartans welcomed early enrollee and consensus four-star prospect Nick Marsh to the room in January, who looks to provide an immediate impact in his first season in East Lansing. Austin Clay signed an NLI in December and Jaylan Brown signed an NLI in February; both joined the program over the summer, in addition to freshman Dyson Sims and sophomore transfer Shawn Foster (Hope College).
OFFENSIVE LINE
â–ºPosition Coach: Jim Michalczik (first season)
â–ºPlayers returning (9):
• #53 Brandon Baldwin (2L, Gr.-6, 6-7, 330, Detroit, Mich./Independence CC, 10 games/10 starts at LT)
• #74 Gavin Broscious (R-So., 6-4, 302, Surprise, Ariz./Desert Edge)
• #56 Cole Dellinger (R-Fr., 6-4, 301, Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston)
• #72 Dallas Fincher (2L, R-Sr., 6-4, 314, Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood, 9 games/2 starts at C)
• #66 Ashton Lepo (1L, R-So., 6-7, 306, Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven, 12 games)
• #69 Jacob Merritt (R-So., 6-6, 289, Northville, Mich./Northville)
• #71 Kristian Phillips (1L, R-So., 6-4, 319, Conyers, Ga./Salem, 11 games)
• #65 Stanton Ramil (R-Fr., 6-7, 305, Alabaster, Ala./Thompson)
• #54 Cooper Terpstra (R-Fr., 6-4, 306, Holland, Mich./West Ottawa)
â–ºIncoming transfers (3):
• #77 Andrew Dennis (Fr., 6-4, 288, Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Illinois)
• #70 Luke Newman (Gr.-5, 6-4, 315, Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Holy Cross, 11 games/11 starts at LT)
• #61 Tanner Miller (Gr.-6, 6-2, 290, Valencia, Calif./Oregon State, 13 games/10 starts at RG, 3 at C)
â–ºIncoming freshmen (7):
• #59 Kyler Brunan (6-3, 273, Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City West)
• #55 Rakeem Johnson (6-3, 270, Boise, Idaho/Bishop Kelly)
• #67 Hayden Lorius (6-4, 316, Brighton, Mich./Brighton)
• #75 Charlton Luniewski (6-5, 285, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) *early enrollee
• #79 Mercer Luniewski (6-6, 302, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) *early enrollee
• #63 Payton Stewart (6-6, 274, Kelso, Wash./Kelso)
• #73 Rustin Young (6-4, 282, Honolulu, Hawai'i/St. Louis)
First-year offensive line coach Jim Michalczik inherits an offensive line with nine players returning, three incoming transfers and a strong recruiting class of five signees. One of the top offensive line coaches in the country, Michalczik has more than 30 years of experience at both the collegiate and NFL levels. He has mentored 15 NFL Draft picks, including 2024 first-round left tackle Taliese Fuaga from Oregon State, and the Beavers were one of 12 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award in 2023.
Among the four returning letterwinners, sixth-year graduate senior Brandon Baldwin has the most experience. He started 10 games at left tackle last fall and has started 15 games at the position the past two seasons for the Spartans.
Along the interior, the Spartans lost multi-year starters J.D. Duplain (left guard; 47 career starts) and Nick Samac (center; 32 career starts) to graduation. Fifth-year senior Dallas Fincher did start twice at center last season and has earned letters the past two years.
Sixth-year transfer Tanner Miller, who played for Michalczik at Oregon State, earned second-team All-America honors from ESPN.com and first-team All-Pac-12 accolades at guard for the Beavers in 2023. He started 10 games at right guard and three at center for an offensive line that was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award. Miller spent five seasons at Oregon State (2019-23), playing in a total of 40 career games with 14 starts. He primarily spent spring practice and preseason camp at center for the Spartans.
MSU also welcomed in transfers Luke Newman (Holy Cross) and Andrew Dennis (Illinois) during the summer. A two-time FCS All-American at left tackle, Newman finished his career at Holy Cross starting 37 consecutive games at left tackle and was also a three-time All-Patriot League First Team honoree. Dennis, a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024, enrolled early at Illinois in the spring semester, but transferred to Michigan State with four seasons of eligibility remaining.
Redshirt sophomores Ashton Lepo (tackle) and Kristian Phillips (guard) both earned their first letters at MSU in 2023 and continued to build on that experience with valuable reps during spring practice and preseason camp.
Cole Dellinger and Stanton Ramil, who both redshirted in their first season in East Lansing last year, will also compete for time in the playing rotation.
Redshirt sophomore Gavin Broscious, who has battled injuries that have kept him off the field his first two seasons, also returns for the Spartans, in addition to Jacob Merritt (R-So.) and Cooper Terpstra (R-Fr.).
The Spartans are also welcoming in five signees to the offensive line, including twins Charlton and Mercer Luniewski (Cincinnati, Ohio), who enrolled for the spring semester. Rakeem Johnson (Boise, Idaho), Payton Stewart (Kelso, Washington) and Rustin Young (Honolulu, Hawai'i) joined the program in the summer, along with Kyler Brunan (Traverse City, Mich.) and Hayden Lorius (Brighton, Mich.).
TIGHT ENDS
â–ºPosition Coach: Brian Wozniak (first season)
â–ºPlayers returning (5):
• #13 Ademola Faleye (R-Jr., 6-7, 249, Brockton, Mass./Norfolk State)
• #88 Tyneil Hopper (1L, Gr.-7, 6-3, 245, Roswell, Ga./Boise State)                                    Â
3 games, 2 catches, 24 yards, 12.0 avg., 8.0 ypg, 1 TD *missed last nine games due to an injury
• #81 Michael Masunas (1L, R-So., 6-5, 258, Tucson, Ariz./Hamilton)
9 games, 1 catch, 1 yard, 1.0 avg.
• #82 Brennan Parachek (1L, So., 6-5, 249, Dexter, Mich./Dexter)           Â
8 games, 6 catches, 55 yards, 9.2 avg.; 6.9 ypg
• #47 Jaxson Wilson (R-Fr., 6-5, 252, Hartland, Mich./Hartland)
*made position change from defensive end to tight end in preseason camp
â–ºIncoming transfers (2):
• #49 Reeves Taylor (R-Fr., 6-2, 200, Dexter, Mich./Ventura College)
• #12 Jack Velling (Jr., 6-5, 244, Seattle, Wash./Oregon State)                                                                  Â
12 games/11 starts, 29 catches, 438 yards, 15.1 avg., 36.5 ypg, 8 TDs
â–ºIncoming freshmen (2):
• #48 Charlie Baker (6-4, 229, East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing)
• #84 Wyatt Hook (6-6, 245, Cupertino, Calif./Homestead)
Michigan State brings back five players and welcomes transfer Jack Velling to the tight end group in 2024 under first-year coach Brian Wozniak.
A second-team All-Pac-12 honoree at Oregon State last season, Velling set an OSU single-season record for most touchdowns by a tight end with eight, a total that also tied for the most by a tight end in the FBS in 2023. He had 29 catches for 438 yards overall in 12 games, including 11 starts.
Sophomore Brennan Parachek saw his playing time increase throughout the season last fall and he finished with six receptions for 55 yards as a true freshman. Redshirt sophomore Michael Masunas earned his first letter last year and will compete for playing time, along with redshirt junior Ademola Faleye, who redshirted in 2023 after transferring from Norfolk State.
Tyneil Hopper also returns for the Spartans after getting a seventh year of eligibility from the NCAA. Hopper transferred to MSU from Boise State last year, but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3 against Washington.
Wyatt Hook signed a National Letter of Intent with Michigan State in December and arrived on campus over the summer in addition to Charlie Baker. Reeves Taylor also joined the team in the summer after spending the 2023 season at Ventura College.
DEFENSIVE LINE
â–ºPosition Coaches: Legi Suiaunoa (first season, defensive line); Chad Wilt (first season, rush ends)
â–ºPlayers returning (8):
• #2 Khris Bogle (2L, Gr.-6, 6-4, 244, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Florida)          Â
10 games/5 starts at DE, 14 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 9 yards, 1.5 sacks for 8 yards
• #98 Avery Dunn (2L, Gr.-5, 6-4, 254, Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights)      Â
10 games/1 start at DE, 12 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 2 yards, 1 FR
• #97 Maverick Hansen (4L, Gr.-6, 6-4, 310, Farmington Hills, Mich./Harrison)      Â
11 games/4 starts at DT, 21 tackles, 1.5 TFLs for 6 yards, 1.5 sacks for 6 yards, 1 PBU
• #75 Ben Nelson (1L, R-So., 6-7, 301, Holland, Mich./Holland Christian)
5 games, 3 tackles
• #32 James Schott (1L, R-So., 6-4, 242, Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove)
11 games, 3 tackles
• #11 Ken Talley (1L, R-So., 6-3, 256, Philadelphia, Pa./Northeast)          Â
5 games, 5 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 4 yards
• #9 Jalen Thompson (1L, So., 6-3, 253, Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech)          Â
8 games/4 starts, 19 tackles, 4.5 TFLs for 8 yards, 2.0 sacks for 5 yards, 1 FF
• #91 Alex VanSumeren (R-So., 6-3, 300, Bay City, Mich./Garber)
â–ºIncoming transfers (7):
• #88 Ru'Quan Buckley (Gr.-4, 6-5, 312, Grand Rapids, Mich./Nebraska)          Â
8 games, 1 tackle
• #94 D'Quan Douse (Gr.-6, 6-2, 301, Savannah, Ga./Georgia Tech)          Â
13 games/10 starts at DT, 35 tackles, 3.0 TFLs for 6 yards, 2.0 sacks for 5 yards, 1 FF
• #99 Quindarius Dunnigan (Gr.-5, 6-4, 271, Chattanooga, Tenn./Middle Tennessee State)              Â
12 games/11 starts, 35 tackles, 10.0 TFLs for 27 yards, 3.0 sacks for 13 yards, 8 PBUs
• #22 Tyler Gillison (R-So., 6-2, 244, Pickerington, Ohio/Cincinnati)                                  Â
10 games, 15 tackles, 2.5 TFLs for 10 yards, 1 PBU Â
• #8 Anthony Jones (R-So., 6-4, 260, Las Vegas, Nev./Indiana)          Â
12 games/4 starts at DE, 12 tackles, 0.5 TFLs for 1 yard
• #55 Ben Roberts (R-So., 6-2, 321, Lakewood, Wash./Oregon)          Â
5 games, 2 tackles
• #93 Jalen Satchell (R-Jr., 6-1, 283, Springdale, Md./Old Dominion)          Â
11 games/6 starts, 16 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 8 yards, 1 FF
â–ºIncoming freshmen (4):
• #52 Mikeshun Beeler (6-3, 283, Chicago, Ill./Simeon)
• #92 Kekai Burnett (6-2, 250, Honolulu, Hawai'i/Punahou)
• #26 Stone Chaney (6-4, 225, Novi, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central)
• #57 Mason Nickel (6-1, 270, Midland, Mich./Dow)
Michigan State has eight players returning along the defensive line in addition to seven incoming transfers and five freshmen under first-year assistant coaches Legi Suiaunoa (defensive line) and Chad Wilt (co-special teams coordinator/rush ends).
Along the interior, graduate senior Maverick Hansen, who started four games last season and has eight career starts, is using his sixth year of eligibility in 2024 and will bolster the defensive front for MSU. The four-year letterwinner and four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection has 90 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and five sacks in 41 career games.
Khris Bogle also returns for his sixth collegiate season and his third as a Spartan after transferring from Florida in 2022. Bogle has started nine games at defensive end during his time in East Lansing; he had 14 tackles, 2.0 TFLs and 1.5 sacks in 10 games last fall. Â
Promising sophomore Jalen Thompson started the final four games of the season at defensive end as a true freshman in 2023 and played in a total of eight contests. The Detroit native had 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks as a part of 19 stops overall; in his first career start against Nebraska on Nov. 4, he had a season-best five tackles and two sacks along with a forced fumble in the win over the Huskers.
MSU also returns letterwinners Avery Dunn (R-Sr.), Ben Nelson (R-So.), James Schott (R-So.) and Ken Talley (R-So.). Redshirt sophomore Alex VanSumeren missed the entire 2023 season with an injury but looks to contribute up front in 2024.
The Spartans are also welcoming seven experienced transfers who are all upperclassmen. Two of those transers, D'Quan Douse and Quindarius Dunnigan, joined the team in January and competed in spring practice. Douse, a sixth-year graduate senior, played in 44 games the last four seasons at Georgia Tech (2020-23), including 24 starts at defensive tackle. He has 69 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks in his collegiate career.
Dunnigan earned second-team All-Conference USA honors last season at Middle Tennessee State after recording career highs in tackles (35), tackles for loss (10 for 27 yards), sacks (3 for 13 yards) and pass break-ups (8) for the Blue Raiders. In four seasons at MTSU (2019-20; 2022-23), he collected 68 tackles, 17 TFLs and 5.5 sacks in 33 games with 13 starts at defensive end.
Five more transfers arrived during the summer, including three players who will look to make an impact in the interior: redshirt junior Ru'Quan Buckley (Nebraska), redshirt sophomore Ben Roberts (Oregon) and redshirt junior Jalen Satchell (Old Dominion). Redshirt sophomore Anthony Jones, who played in all 12 games with four starts at Indiana last season, brings an experienced presence to the new rush end position under Coach Wilt, who served as the defensive coordinator at IU the past two seasons. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Gillison played 10 games last season at Cincinnati.
Michigan State signed two defensive linemen to National Letters of Intent – Mikeshun Beeler (Chicago) and Kekai Burnett (Honolulu) – and two additional freshmen joined the team during the summer: Stone Chaney (Novi, Mich.) and Mason Nickel (Midland, Mich.).
LINEBACKERS
â–ºPosition Coach: Joe Rossi (first season)
â–ºPlayers returning (6):
• #33 Aaron Alexander (1L, R-So., 6-1, 233, Belleville, Mich./Massachusetts)      Â
12 games, 9 tackles, 0.5 TFL for 1 yard
• #35 Sam Edwards (2L, R-Sr., 6-1, 225, Williamston, Mich./Lansing Catholic)
12 games, 2 tackles
• #27 Cal Haladay (3L, R-Sr., 6-1, 233, Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia)
12 games/12 starts, 91 tackles, 5.5 TFLs for 15 yards, 1 sack for 11 yards, 1 INT for 2 yards, 2 FR for 42 yards
• #5 Jordan Hall (1L, So., 6-3, 236, Fredericksburg, Va./IMG Academy)          Â
12 games/6 starts, 67 tackles, 7.5 TFLs for 49 yards, 4.5 sacks for 42 yards, 1 FF, 1 PBU
• #42 David Millikin (1L, R-So., 5-11, 216, Grayling, Mich./Grayling)
7 games, 1 tackle
• #23 Darius Snow (2L, Gr.-5, 6-1, 230, Frisco, Texas/Hebron)
4 games, 6 tackles
â–ºIncoming transfers (4):
• #17 Semaj Bridgeman (R-Fr., 6-2, 223, Philadelphia, Pa./Michigan)
• #10 Wayne Matthews III (R-Jr., 6-2, 232, Largo, Md./Old Dominion)                                  Â
13 games/13 starts, 135 tackles, 9.5 TFLs for 63 yards, 3.5 sacks for 32 yards, 3 PBUs, 1 FR, 3 FF
• #44 Marcellius Pulliam (So., 6-2, 234, Tyrone, Ga./Miami)                                  Â
10 games, 1 tackle, 1 INT Â
• #7 Jordan Turner (R-Sr., 6-1, 231, Farmington Hills, Mich./Wisconsin)                                  Â
11 games/7 starts, 61 tackles, 6.5 TFLs for 35 yards, 3.0 sacks for 21 yards, 2 PBUs, 1 FF
â–ºIncoming freshmen (3):
• #49 Carter Enyard (6-1, 216, St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day)
• #56 Chris Piwowarczyk (6-0, 228, Fenton, Mich./Fenton)
• #45 Brady Pretzlaff (6-3, 228, Gaylord, Mich./Gaylord) * early enrollee
First-year defensive coordinator Joe Rossi will also coach the linebackers for the Spartans. He inherits a position room that features six returning letterwinners and also welcomes four transfers, including two with starting experience.
Redshirt senior Cal Haladay led the team in tackles for the third year in a row in 2023 with 91, tied for seventh most in the Big Ten during the regular season, while starting all 12 games. Haladay ranks 18th in MSU history with 307 career tackles and also has 21.5 TFLs, three sacks and three interceptions in 41 career games with 35 starts. He tied a school record with his third career defensive touchdown on a 42-yard scoop-and-score at Iowa on Sept. 30; he had two interception returns for touchdowns in 2021 (30 yards vs. Indiana and 78 yards vs. Pitt in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl).
Talented sophomore Jordan Hall started six games as a true freshman last season and ranked fourth on the team with 67 tackles; he also recorded 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in playing every game for the Spartans. His 67 stops were the second most by a true freshman in the Big Ten last season.
Darius Snow, who is preparing for his fifth season in East Lansing, has battled injuries the past two years but competed in spring practice and preseason camp. After playing in six games as a true freshman on special teams during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Snow started nine games as a defensive back in 2021 as a sophomore and ranked third on the team with 87 tackles. He made the switch to linebacker in 2022 but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1 against Western Michigan. After rehabbing for an entire year, Snow returned to the field in Week 3 of last season and played in four games before missing the final six games.
Letterwinners Aaron Alexander (R-So.), Sam Edwards (R-Sr.) and David Millikin (R-So.) are also back for the Spartans.
Experienced transfers Wayne Matthews III (R-Jr.) and Jordan Turner (R-Sr.) joined the team in January and learned the new defense under Rossi's direction in spring practice.
Matthews has two seasons of eligibility remaining after spending the past three years at Old Dominion (2021-23). He ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference and 11th in the FBS last season with 135 tackles (10.4 avg.), in addition to 9.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks, to earn third-team All-SBC honors. Matthews started all 13 games for the Monarchs and played a total of 936 snaps, tied for fourth most among FBS linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus. He also graded out at 82.9 by PFF, tied for 21st in the nation for FBS linebackers with more than 250 snaps.
A four-year letterwinner at Wisconsin, Turner played in 30 career games with the Badgers, including 18 starts at inside linebacker. He ranked third on the team in tackles (61) and TFLs (6.5) and started seven games last season. For his career, the Farmington Hills, Michigan, native has been very productive with 135 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, three interceptions, six pass break-ups and two forced fumbles.
Two additional transfers joined the program during the summer: Semaj Bridgeman (R-Fr., Michigan) and Marcellius Pulliam (So., Miami).
Brady Pretzlaff (Gaylord, Mich.), the lone linebacker signed in the 2024 recruiting class, enrolled early and practiced in the spring, while Carter Enyard (St. Louis, Mo.) and Chris Piwowarczyk (Fenton, Mich.) arrived in East Lansing in the summer.
SECONDARY
â–ºPosition Coaches: Blue Adams (first season, secondary), Demetrice Martin (first season, cornerbacks)
â–ºPlayers returning (14):
• #0 Charles Brantley (2L, R-Jr., 6-0, 170, Sarasota, Fla./Venice)  Â
3 games/3 starts at CB, 10 tackles, 1 TFL for 3 yards, 1 PBU) *missed last nine games due to injury
• #13 Caleb Coley (1L, R-So., 6-0, 184, Warner Robins, Ga./Houston County)
6 games/1 start at CB, 4 tackles, 1 TFL for 3 yards
• #38 Dorian Davis (R-So., 6-0, 192, Detroit, Mich./Woodhaven)
• #28 Philipp Davis (R-Fr., 6-1, 197, Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Wales)
• #38 Caleb Gash (R-Fr., 6-0, 190, South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon, 1 game)
• #15 Angelo Grose (4L, Gr.-5, 5-10, 192, Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield)          Â
12 games/5 starts at NB, 5 starts at S, 72 tackles, 3.0 TFLs for 11 yards, 0.5 sack for 2 yards, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs
• #36 Brandon Lewis (R-Fr., 5-11, 186, Lansing, Mich./Lansing Catholic, 4 games/1 start at S, 1 tackle)
• #34 Khalil Majeed (2L, R-Jr., 5-11, 198, Moorestown, N.J./Suffield [Conn.] Academy)
8 games, 19 tackles, 1.5 TFLs for 6 yards, 1.0 sack for 5 yards, 1 INT
• #25 Chance Rucker (1L, So., 6-1, 181, Denton, Texas/Ryan)  Â
12 games/8 starts at CB, 23 tackles, 1 INT for 7 yards, 3 PBUs
• #19 Armorion Smith (1L, R-Jr., 6-1, 210, Detroit, Mich./Cincinnati)          Â
4 games, 2 tackles, 1 PBU *missed last eight games with an injury
• #24 Shawn Smith (R-So., 5-11, 195, Farmington Hills, Mich./Univ. of Detroit Jesuit)
• #43 Malik Spencer (2L, Jr., 6-1, 200, Buford, Ga./Buford)              Â
12 games/7 starts at S, 1 at NB, 72 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 2 yards, 6 PBUs
• #21 Dillon Tatum (2L, Jr., 5-11, 197, Farmington Hills, Mich./West Bloomfield)      Â
9 games/8 starts at CB, 45 tackles, 2.5 TFLs for 8 yards, 7 PBUs
• #6 Ade Willie (2L, Jr., 6-1, 185, Baltimore, Md./IMG Academy)
10 games/1 start at S, 6 tackles
â–ºIncoming transfers (5):
• #14 Lejond Cavazos (Gr.-5, 6-1, 210, Dallas, Texas/North Carolina)
• #30 Aveon Grose (R-So., 5-11, 177, Mansfield, Ohio/Southern Illinois)
4 games, 4 tackles
• #3 Jeremiah Hughes (So., 6-0, 200, North Las Vegas, Nev./LSU)
13 games, 6 tackles
• #1 Nikai Martinez (Jr., 5-11, 191, Apopka, Fla./UCF)
13 games/13 starts at S, 54 tackles, 1.5 TFLs for 6 yards, 3 INT, 1 PBU
• #4 Ed Woods (Gr.-5, 6-0, 181, Oakland, Calif./Arizona State)
12 games/5 starts at CB, 33 tackles, 3 TFLs for 13 yards, 1 INT, 4 PBUs, 2 FF
â–ºIncoming freshmen (5):
• #18 Andrew Brinson IV (6-1, 184, Tampa, Fla./Gaither)
• #12 Justin Denson Jr. (6-2, 196, Providence, R.I./Wyoming Seminary Upper School) *early enrollee
• #31 DJ Kennard (Fr., 6-3, 190, Falls Church, Va./Palmetto Prep)
• #16 Jaylen Thompson (6-1, 199, Murfreesboro, Tenn./Riverdale) *early enrollee
• #20 Keshawn Williams (6-1, 176, Murfreesboro, Tenn./Riverdale)
Michigan State returns 14 players in the secondary from last season's team, including five players with multiple games of starting experience. The Spartans also added five transfers and signed four players to National Letters of Intent. The group will led by first-year assistant coaches Blue Adams (secondary) and former Spartan Demetrice Martin (cornerbacks).
Four-year letterwinner Angelo Grose, who has played in 40 games throughout his Spartan career including 35 starts, returns for a fifth season. Grose has started at both nickelback and safety while wearing the Green and White, and enters his final season of eligiblity with 231 career tackles and three interceptions.
Junior Malik Spencer started seven times as a safety last year and ranked second on the team in pass break-ups (6) and third in tackles (72). Dillon Tatum (Jr.) started eight of the first nine games last season at cornerback before missing the final three contests with an injury. Tatum still led the team with seven pass break-ups and collected 45 tackles. A versatile player, Tatum practiced at safety in the spring.
As a true freshman, Chance Rucker started eight of the last nine games at cornerback and gained valuable experience in his first season as a Spartan. Rucker recorded his first career interception at Rutgers and had three PBUs with 23 tackles on the year. Junior Charles Brantley has started in 15 games at cornerback over the past three seasons, but missed the last nine games of the 2023 campaign after suffering an injury in Week 3 against Washington.
The Spartans are also returning letterwinners Caleb Coley (R-So.), Khalil Majeed (R-Jr.), Armorion Smith (R-Jr.) and Ade Willie (Jr.), while Brandon Lewis (R-Fr.) played in four games but still preserved his redshirt season.
Michigan State brought in four transfers during the summer, including three with starting experience. Junior Nikai Martinez started in all 13 games as a safety last season at UCF and had 54 tackles to go along with three interceptions for 94 return yards. Cornerback Ed Woods started 12 times at cornerback over the past two seasons (2022-23) at Arizona State and played in 33 games overall during his four years with the Sun Devils. Redshirt junior Lejond Cavazos was limited to one game at North Carolina in 2023, but played in 11 games with three starting assignments for the Tar Heels in 2022. He played his first two seasons (2020-21) at Ohio State. Sophomore Jeremiah Hughes played in all 13 games at LSU during his true freshman season and arrives in East Lansing with three years of eligibility remaining.
Redshirt sophomore Aveon Grose, younger brother of Angelo Grose, transferred to MSU in January 2024 after playing in six games for Charlotte as a freshman in 2022 and four games at Southern Illinois last season.
Two of MSU's four signees in the secondary – Justin Denson Jr. and Jaylen Thompson – enrolled in January and competed in spring practice, while Andrew Brinson IV and Keshawn Williams joined the team in the summer. Freshman DJ Kennard was also a midyear enrollee and practiced in the spring.
SPECIAL TEAMS
â–ºCo-special teams coordinators: Keith Bhonapha (first season), Chad Wilt (first season)
â–ºSpecialists returning (3):
• #96 P Ryan Eckley (1L, R-So., 6-2, 204, Lithia, Fla./Newsome)
12 games, 55 punts for 2,576 yards, 46.8 avg., 23 inside the 20, 21 fair catches, 24 50+
• #40 K Tarik Ahmetbasic (R-Fr., 6-2, 211, Clinton Township, Mich./Chippewa Valley)
• #97 K Jonathan Kim (1L, Gr.-6, 6-1, 227, Fredericksburg, Va./North Carolina)
12 games, 17-for-17 PATs, 13-for-18 FGs, 42 KOs for 2,672 yards, 63.6 avg., 28 TB
â–ºIncoming transfers (3):
• #83 LS Jack Carson Wentz (So., 6-2, 232, Canton, Ga./West Georgia)
• #47 LS Kaden Schickel (R-Jr., 6-2, 204, Fredericksburg, Va./James Madison, 13 games)
• #48 P Carson Voss (R-Jr., 6-1, 171, Dansville, Mich./Western Michigan)   12 games, 48 punts for 1,901 yards, 39.6 avg., 11 inside the 20, 10 fair catches, 6 50+
â–ºIncoming freshmen (1):
• #29 K Martin Connington (6-0, 180, Meridian, Idaho/Mountain View)
Michigan State returns punter Ryan Eckley (R-So.) and placekicker Jonathan Kim (Gr.-6) to form one of the best punter-kicker duos in the country.
In his first season as the starter, Eckley ranked second in the Big Ten Conference and eighth in the FBS with his 46.8-yard punting average, which was the fifth-longest average in MSU single-season history. Named to the Ray Guy Midseason Award Watch List, Eckley also ranked second in the Big Ten in 50-plus yard punts (24) and fourth in punts inside the 20 (23). In addition, he had four punts of 60-plus yards and 15 inside the 10-yard line. The native of Lithia, Florida, was named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and The Athletic, and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media.
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Kim has one of the strongest legs in the nation, evidenced by his four field goals made from 50-plus yards, which tied for third most in the FBS. He boomed a 58-yarder as time expired in the first half at Iowa, which set a Kinnick Stadium record and was the fourth-longest field goal in MSU history. Kim was 13-of-18 overall on field goals, with seven of those coming from at least 40 yards out; he was 6-of-6 on field goals between 30-39 yards. The graduate senior, who transferred from North Carolina in 2023, was also a perfect 17-for-17 on PATs and averaged 63.6 yards on kickoffs with 28 touchbacks (67 percent).
The Spartans also added transfer Kaden Schickel (R-Jr.) from James Madison, who started all 13 games at long snapper for the Dukes in 2023, in addition to Jack Carson Wentz (West Georgia). Punter Carson Voss transferred from Western Michigan in January and competed in spring practice.
â–ºMICHIGAN STATE ONE OF THE WINNINGEST FBS PROGRAMS IN HISTORYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State is one of 34 programs in the FBS to win more than 700 games. The Spartans currently rank No. 27 all-time with 730 victories (all-time record: 730-487-44, .596). Michigan State is in its 128th season of football in 2024.
â–ºALL IN THE FAMILYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State has a deep family legacy on the 2024 roster, from siblings to fathers to relatives. In fact, 13 players and two staff members have direct family connections who played Spartan football, or are alumni of the program.
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Legacy: Charles Brantley (cousin Herb Haygood); Dallas Fincher (father Mark); Shawn Foster (father Shawn); Tyler Gillison (brother Trent); Chris Piwowarczyk (father Chris); Dyson Sims (brother Dion); Darius Snow (uncle Percy); Alex Van Sumeren (brother Ben); Jaxson Wilson (father Travis).
Siblings: Angelo/Aveon Grose, Charlton/Mercer Luniewski (twins)
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Alumni: CB coach Demetrice Martin (WR/CB from 1992-95), WR coach Courtney Hawkins (WR from 1988-91)
â–ºSPARTANS BOAST 19 GRADUATES ON 2024 ROSTERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State has 19 graduates on its 2024 roster:
Brandon Baldwin (Michigan State)
Khris Bogle (Michigan State)
Ru'Quan Buckley (Nebraska, graduate transfer)
Lejond Cavazos (North Carolina, graduate transfer)
D'Quan Douse (Georgia Tech, graduate transfer)
Avery Dunn (Michigan State)
Quindarius Dunnigan (Middle Tennessee State, graduate transfer)
Sam Edwards (Michigan State)
Dallas Fincher (Michigan State)
Angelo Grose (Michigan State)
Cal Haladay (Michigan State)
Maverick Hansen (Michigan State)
Tyneil Hopper (Boise State, graduate transfer)
Jonathan Kim (North Carolina, graduate transfer)
Kay'ron Lynch-Adams (UMass, graduate transfer)
Luke Newman (Holy Cross, graduate transfer)
Tommy Schuster (North Dakota, graduate transfer)
Darius Snow (Michigan State)
Ed Woods (Arizona State, graduate transfer)
â–ºDARQUEZE DENNARD, 1965-66 FOOTBALL TEAMS TO BE INDUCTED INTO MSU ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
• All-America cornerback Darqueze Dennard is one of six inductees for the 2024 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class, which was announced in July. In addition, the 1965-66 football teams are the first teams to be inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is set for Friday, Sept. 13.
Darqueze Dennard | Football (2010-13) | Dry Branch, Ga.
• 2013 Thorpe Award Winner
• 2013 Unanimous First Team All-American
• 2013 Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year
• Two-time First Team All-Big Ten (2012-13)
1965 & 1966 Football Teams
• 1965 & 1966 National Champions
• 1965 & 1966 Big Ten Champions
• Combined two-year record of 19 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie
• A racially integrated team of trailblazers who sparked national changes in college football
â–ºMARK DANTONIO ELECTED TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Mark Dantonio, the winningest coach in Michigan State football history, was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
• After a storied 13 seasons as head coach of the Michigan State football program, Dantonio retired as the winningest coach in Spartan history on Feb. 4, 2020. Dantonio finished his career with a record of 114-57 (.667) in East Lansing and 132-74 (.641) in 16 seasons overall (2004-19). During his time at the helm of the Spartan program from 2007-19, Dantonio compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015), two victories in the Big Ten Championship Game (2013, 2015), victories in the 2014 Rose Bowl and the 2015 Cotton Bowl, and an appearance in the 2015 College Football Playoff.
• Beyond his record for most victories at MSU, Dantonio won more Big Ten Championships (three) and bowl games (six) than any other coach in school history, while also ranking first with 12 bowl appearances. His .639 (69-39) winning percentage in Big Ten games is a school record, while he stands tied for first in AP Top 25 finishes (seven) and second in Big Ten wins (69), home wins (67) and AP Top 25 wins (21).
• Dantonio is the fifth former Michigan State head coach to be selected for the College Football Hall of Fame, joining Clarence "Biggie" Munn (1959), Charles Bachman (1978), Duffy Daugherty (1984) and Frank "Muddy" Waters (2000).
• Dantonio will be officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame's 66th Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 10 at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2024 season. Dantonio's On-Campus Salute is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28 vs. Ohio State.
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