2018 Football Roster
Roster
Willekes, Kenny
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Jersey Number 48
Kenny Willekes
- Position:
- DE
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 260
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Rockford, Mich.
- High School:
- NorthPointe Christian
Bio
Complete Bio (PDF) | Game-by-Game Statistics: 2017
• MSU’S ALL-TIME LEADER IN TACKLES FOR LOSS (51)
• 2019 BURLSWORTH TROPHY WINNER
• TWO-TIME FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (2018, 2019)
• TWO-TIME TEAM MVP (2018, 2019)
• 2018 FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN (THE ATHLETIC)
• TWO-TIME WALTER CAMP ALL-AMERICAN (SECOND TEAM IN 2018, 2019)
• 2018 BIG TEN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
CAREER NOTES: Selected in the seventh round (No. 225 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft by Minnesota . . . two-time first-team All-Big Ten defensive end finished his Spartan career ranked No. 1 in school history with 51 tackles for loss . . . also closed his career ranked third in the MSU record book with 26 career sacks . . . won the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy, which is given to the nation’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on . . . was named the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the conference with 20.5 tackles for loss as a junior . . . became first defensive player in MSU history to win the Governor’s Award (team MVP) twice (2018, 2019) . . . two-time Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American (second team in 2018, 2019) . . . named a first-team All-American by The Athletic in 2018 . . . high-motor defensive end had 229 career tackles, fourth most among defensive linemen in school history and 45th overall . . . collected 202 yards from his 51 tackles for loss, sixth most in the MSU record book . . . also finished his career with five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and four pass break-ups . . . played in 40 career games, including 38 starts (31 consecutive to close out his career) . . . three-year letterwinner . . . two-time member of the team’s Eagles leadership council and was voted a team captain as a senior in 2019 . . . former walk-on earned a scholarship in the spring of 2017 . . . suffered a broken fibula in the 2018 Redbox Bowl vs. Oregon but played the entire 2019 season . . . graduated with his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in December 2019.
2019 SEASON (SENIOR): Named the winner of the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s best player who was a former walk-on, at an awards banquet hosted by the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation in conjunction with the Springdale Rotary Club in Springdale, Arkansas . . . named to the Walter Camp All-America Second Team . . . earned first-team All-Big Ten for the second straight season by the media . . . voted winner of the Governor’s Award (team MVP) by his teammates for the second year in a row, becoming the first defensive player in program history to win the award twice . . . voted one of four team captains . . . earned the team’s Downtown Coaches Club Award for most outstanding player on defense . . . also won the team’s Biggie Munn Award for most inspirational player on defense . . . named a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award . . . led the team with a career-high 10.5 sacks (61 yards), which ranked fifth in the Big Ten and tied for 16th in the FBS . . . also ranked first on the team and sixth in the Big Ten with 16.5 tackles for loss (76 yards) . . . tied his career high with 78 tackles, ranking third on the team and tops among all Big Ten defensive linemen . . . led the team with 17 quarterback hurries . . . also had two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles . . . played 757 snaps, most among Spartan defensive linemen . . . named to The Associated Press All-Bowl Team after collecting nine tackles, including 1.5 sacks (9 yards) and a forced fumble, in the 27-21 New Era Pinstripe Bowl win over Wake Forest at Yankee Stadium . . . had a productive Senior Day in Spartan Stadium vs. Maryland, recording 2.5 TFLs (23 yards), including 1.5 sacks (17 yards), to go along with six stops overall and one QB hurry . . . registered four tackles, with 2.0 TFLs and 1.0 sack at Rutgers, tallying 12 production points . . . logged four tackles with one sack and one TFL, along with one forced fumble and one QB hurry at Michigan . . . posted 1.5 sacks as part of six stops overall in Illinois game, totaling 26 production points, tops for the Spartan defense . . . tallied three tackles in Penn State game . . . recorded five stops with one TFL at Wisconsin . . . notched seven tackles at Ohio State, recording 16 production points, which shared lead for defensive linemen and ranked third on defense overall . . . tallied a season-high 12 tackles in Indiana game, the second-highest total of career (career-high 13 vs. Ohio State in 2018), adding one QB hurry . . . logged three tackles with two QB hurries at Northwestern . . . posted seven tackles with 2.0 TFLs and 0.5 sack against Arizona State, adding five QB hurries, to be named to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week . . . recorded five tackles, including career-high tying two sacks (9 yards) against Western Michigan . . . named Walter Camp Football Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Tulsa game, scoring his first career touchdown after teaming up on a sack with Raequan Williams and pouncing on the fumble in the end zone to give MSU a 22-0 lead with 4:49 left in the second quarter . . . earlier in the second quarter, recovered a fumble after a bad Tulsa snap to set up an MSU field goal . . . also had a 1-yard tackle for loss in the second quarter and a 2-yard sack in the fourth quarter . . . overall, led the Spartans with seven tackles, including 2.5 TFLs (6 yards) and 1.5 sacks (5 yards), finishing with defensive-unit leading 34 production points and earning MSU Defensive Player of the Week team award.
2018 SEASON (JUNIOR): Named first-team All-American by The Athletic, as well as second-team All-American by four other publications (Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele, Sporting News, Walter Camp Football Foundation) . . . second Spartan to be named the Big Ten Conference Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year . . . picked up first-team All-Big Ten accolades from the Big Ten coaches, media, AP, Pro Football Focus, ESPN.com, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele . . . became the first-ever Spartan defensive end to win the Governor’s Award (team MVP), which has been given out since 1931 . . . named one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the nation’s most outstanding player that began his career as a walk-on . . . according to Pro Football Focus, led all edge rushers in the FBS with 23 quarterback hits and ranked sixth with 39 QB hurries . . . was the highest-ranked edge rusher in the Big Ten, according to PFF, with a 90.3 grade . . . ranked first in the Big Ten and eighth in the FBS with 20.5 tackles for loss (84 yards), which ranked No. 2 on MSU single-season tackles for loss list (Julian Peterson with 30 in 1999) . . . was credited with a tackle for loss in 10 of MSU’s 13 games . . . led the Spartans with 8.5 sacks, which ranked tied for fifth in the Big Ten . . . registered a career-high 78 tackles, ranking first among all defensive linemen in the FBS in 2018 . . . also had one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one pass break-up . . . played 786 snaps, most among Spartan defensive linemen . . . led Spartan defensive linemen and ranked second on defense in production points during the regular season (239) . . . credited with two tackles in Redbox Bowl vs. Oregon before breaking his fibula in the third quarter . . . posted three tackles and one QB hurry in Rutgers game, notching 12 production points . . . for second consecutive game, tied career high with 3.5 tackles for loss (5 yards), as part of nine total tackles at Nebraska, also recovering a fumble in the second quarter, ending with defense-leading 29 production points; named to Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week . . . posted career-high 13 tackles in Ohio State game, as well as career-best 3.5 tackles for loss, with one sack and adding one pass break-up and one QB hurry . . . started at Maryland and had smashing game, posting 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks as part of seven tackles, posting 21 production points . . . posted four tackles vs. Purdue to go with four QB hurries, posting 20 production points, which led defensive ends and ranked third on the defensive line and fourth on defense overall . . . logged nine tackles vs. Michigan, including 2.0 TFLs and 0.5 sack, adding two QB hurries; led the defensive line with 19 production points vs. UM . . . recorded a 7-yard sack and two stops overall in win at No. 8 Penn State . . . tallied team-high tying eight tackles vs. Northwestern, with 1.5 TFLs, totaling 20 production points, which was tied for second on defensive line and overall on defense, while playing 57 of 64 defensive snaps . . . posted five tackles vs. Central Michigan, including 1.5 TFLs and one sack, logging 18 production points, which led the defensive ends and ranked second on the defense . . . posted eight tackles with two TFLs at Indiana, including one sack, and added one QB hurry to post 25 production points, which led entire defense; named to Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week . . . tallied two tackles with 1.0 tackle for loss at Arizona State, finishing with 12 production points, leading the defensive ends and ranking tied for third overall on defense . . . started opener vs. Utah State and posted six tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss, both of which were sacks, adding one forced fumble and three QB hurries, leading defensive line in tackles and ranking tied for fourth on defense . . . finished with 17 production points, leading defense ends, ranking second on defensive line and fourth overall on defense.
2017 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Named third-team All-Big Ten by both coaches and media . . . was named to the final Ted Hendricks Award Watch List, given annually to the nation’s best defensive end . . . named recipient of the MSU Outstanding Underclass Lineman Award on defense . . . played in all 13 games, including 12 starts . . . led team in sacks (7 for 28 yards) and tackles for loss (14.5 for 42 yards) . . . ranked tied for sixth in the B1G and tied for 47th in FBS in tackles for loss (14.5), as well as tied for seventh in the B1G and tied for 52nd in the FBS in tackles for loss per game (1.12) . . . the 14.5 TFLs tied for 16th on MSU’s single-season tackles for loss list . . . had at least a share of a tackle for loss in 10 of 13 games . . . ranked tied for seventh in the conference and tied for 47th in the country in sacks (7.0) and tied for seventh in the league and tied for 64th in the nation in sacks per game (0.54) . . . second on team with two fumble recoveries to rank tied for fourth in B1G and tied for 26th in FBS in fumbles recovered . . . ranked third on Spartan defense with 73 tackles, which ranked second in the Big Ten among defensive linemen . . . ranked second on the team in production points during the regular season (158) . . .registered four solo stops against No. 18 Washington State in the Holiday Bowl . . . accumulated nine stops with one tackle for loss at No. 11 Ohio State . . . posted five total tackles with two tackles for loss, including one sack in win over No. 7 Penn State, adding one pass break-up, posting 17 production points to lead the defensive line and rank third on defense; named to PFF Big Ten Team of the Week . . . accumulated five tackles with 0.5 tackle for loss with one fumble recovery at Northwestern, tallying 16 production points, ranking first on defensive line and second on defense . . . logged seven stops and one QB hurry in Indiana game, being held without at least 0.5 tackle for loss for the first time this season . . . had monster game at Minnesota, logging six tackles, including 2.0 sacks (two for 10 yards) and first fumble recovery of career; registered 31 production points, leading the defense overall, as well as earning Spartan Defensive Player of the Week honors . . . posted career highs in sacks (two for 8 yards for his first two sacks of MSU career) and tackles for loss (three for 11 yards) against No. 7 Michigan, finishing with nine tackles overall . . . tallied two stops, including half a tackle for loss, in Iowa game . . . posted season-high 10 tackles, doubling his previous career total, against Notre Dame, adding half a tackle for loss . . . earned the Spartans’ Defensive Attack Force Player of the Week team award after he recorded three tackles including one tackle for loss against Western Michigan . . . logged two tackles, including one for loss and added one pass break-up and a QB hurry against BGSU.
2016 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Made his collegiate debut vs. Rutgers in his only appearance of the season . . . played four snaps against the Scarlet Knights and recorded a pass break-up . . . named Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week vs. Notre Dame.
2015 SEASON: Redshirted . . . led all players by being selected Scout Team Player of the Week six times . . . named Scout Team Special Teams Player of the Week four times (vs. Air Force, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State) . . . also chosen Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week vs. Purdue and Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week vs. Indiana.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Finished his high school career with 423 tackles . . . also had nine fumble recoveries, including two for touchdowns . . . three-time first-team all-conference selection . . . named to the 2014 Michigan Associated Press Division 5-6 all-state first team as a linebacker . . . also named to the Grand Rapids Press Dream Team . . . honorable mention all-state pick in Division 6 by the Detroit Free Press as a running back . . . also an honorable mention all-state choice in Division 5-6 by The Detroit News as a linebacker . . . team MVP helped lead the Mustangs to an 11-2 record in 2014 and their deepest run in program history with a trip to the Division 6 semifinals . . . finished his senior season with 162 tackles, including 6.5 sacks . . . in his first season as a running back in 2014, collected more than 1,400 rushing yards with 14 TDs . . . ran for 185 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries and also compiled 18 tackles in a win over Wyoming Kelloggsville on Oct. 24 in the regular-season finale . . . finished with a game-high 113 rushing yards on 18 carries in a 27-0 win over Calvin Christian on Sept. 12 . . . named to the 2013 Michigan AP Division 5-6 all-state team as a junior (honorable mention) . . . helped lead Grand Rapids Catholic Central to the Division 1 rugby championship in 2014; scored the game-winning try and was named the championship game’s most valuable player . . . son of Charles and Jane Willekes . . . born July 22, 1997 . . . his younger brother, Charles, was a freshman linebacker on the Spartans in 2019 . . . was one of six Spartans who shaved his head in April 2019 to help donate money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which benefits childhood cancer research . . . graduated with his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in December 2019.
• MSU’S ALL-TIME LEADER IN TACKLES FOR LOSS (51)
• 2019 BURLSWORTH TROPHY WINNER
• TWO-TIME FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (2018, 2019)
• TWO-TIME TEAM MVP (2018, 2019)
• 2018 FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN (THE ATHLETIC)
• TWO-TIME WALTER CAMP ALL-AMERICAN (SECOND TEAM IN 2018, 2019)
• 2018 BIG TEN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
CAREER NOTES: Selected in the seventh round (No. 225 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft by Minnesota . . . two-time first-team All-Big Ten defensive end finished his Spartan career ranked No. 1 in school history with 51 tackles for loss . . . also closed his career ranked third in the MSU record book with 26 career sacks . . . won the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy, which is given to the nation’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on . . . was named the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the conference with 20.5 tackles for loss as a junior . . . became first defensive player in MSU history to win the Governor’s Award (team MVP) twice (2018, 2019) . . . two-time Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American (second team in 2018, 2019) . . . named a first-team All-American by The Athletic in 2018 . . . high-motor defensive end had 229 career tackles, fourth most among defensive linemen in school history and 45th overall . . . collected 202 yards from his 51 tackles for loss, sixth most in the MSU record book . . . also finished his career with five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and four pass break-ups . . . played in 40 career games, including 38 starts (31 consecutive to close out his career) . . . three-year letterwinner . . . two-time member of the team’s Eagles leadership council and was voted a team captain as a senior in 2019 . . . former walk-on earned a scholarship in the spring of 2017 . . . suffered a broken fibula in the 2018 Redbox Bowl vs. Oregon but played the entire 2019 season . . . graduated with his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in December 2019.
2019 SEASON (SENIOR): Named the winner of the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s best player who was a former walk-on, at an awards banquet hosted by the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation in conjunction with the Springdale Rotary Club in Springdale, Arkansas . . . named to the Walter Camp All-America Second Team . . . earned first-team All-Big Ten for the second straight season by the media . . . voted winner of the Governor’s Award (team MVP) by his teammates for the second year in a row, becoming the first defensive player in program history to win the award twice . . . voted one of four team captains . . . earned the team’s Downtown Coaches Club Award for most outstanding player on defense . . . also won the team’s Biggie Munn Award for most inspirational player on defense . . . named a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award . . . led the team with a career-high 10.5 sacks (61 yards), which ranked fifth in the Big Ten and tied for 16th in the FBS . . . also ranked first on the team and sixth in the Big Ten with 16.5 tackles for loss (76 yards) . . . tied his career high with 78 tackles, ranking third on the team and tops among all Big Ten defensive linemen . . . led the team with 17 quarterback hurries . . . also had two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles . . . played 757 snaps, most among Spartan defensive linemen . . . named to The Associated Press All-Bowl Team after collecting nine tackles, including 1.5 sacks (9 yards) and a forced fumble, in the 27-21 New Era Pinstripe Bowl win over Wake Forest at Yankee Stadium . . . had a productive Senior Day in Spartan Stadium vs. Maryland, recording 2.5 TFLs (23 yards), including 1.5 sacks (17 yards), to go along with six stops overall and one QB hurry . . . registered four tackles, with 2.0 TFLs and 1.0 sack at Rutgers, tallying 12 production points . . . logged four tackles with one sack and one TFL, along with one forced fumble and one QB hurry at Michigan . . . posted 1.5 sacks as part of six stops overall in Illinois game, totaling 26 production points, tops for the Spartan defense . . . tallied three tackles in Penn State game . . . recorded five stops with one TFL at Wisconsin . . . notched seven tackles at Ohio State, recording 16 production points, which shared lead for defensive linemen and ranked third on defense overall . . . tallied a season-high 12 tackles in Indiana game, the second-highest total of career (career-high 13 vs. Ohio State in 2018), adding one QB hurry . . . logged three tackles with two QB hurries at Northwestern . . . posted seven tackles with 2.0 TFLs and 0.5 sack against Arizona State, adding five QB hurries, to be named to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week . . . recorded five tackles, including career-high tying two sacks (9 yards) against Western Michigan . . . named Walter Camp Football Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Tulsa game, scoring his first career touchdown after teaming up on a sack with Raequan Williams and pouncing on the fumble in the end zone to give MSU a 22-0 lead with 4:49 left in the second quarter . . . earlier in the second quarter, recovered a fumble after a bad Tulsa snap to set up an MSU field goal . . . also had a 1-yard tackle for loss in the second quarter and a 2-yard sack in the fourth quarter . . . overall, led the Spartans with seven tackles, including 2.5 TFLs (6 yards) and 1.5 sacks (5 yards), finishing with defensive-unit leading 34 production points and earning MSU Defensive Player of the Week team award.
2018 SEASON (JUNIOR): Named first-team All-American by The Athletic, as well as second-team All-American by four other publications (Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele, Sporting News, Walter Camp Football Foundation) . . . second Spartan to be named the Big Ten Conference Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year . . . picked up first-team All-Big Ten accolades from the Big Ten coaches, media, AP, Pro Football Focus, ESPN.com, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele . . . became the first-ever Spartan defensive end to win the Governor’s Award (team MVP), which has been given out since 1931 . . . named one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the nation’s most outstanding player that began his career as a walk-on . . . according to Pro Football Focus, led all edge rushers in the FBS with 23 quarterback hits and ranked sixth with 39 QB hurries . . . was the highest-ranked edge rusher in the Big Ten, according to PFF, with a 90.3 grade . . . ranked first in the Big Ten and eighth in the FBS with 20.5 tackles for loss (84 yards), which ranked No. 2 on MSU single-season tackles for loss list (Julian Peterson with 30 in 1999) . . . was credited with a tackle for loss in 10 of MSU’s 13 games . . . led the Spartans with 8.5 sacks, which ranked tied for fifth in the Big Ten . . . registered a career-high 78 tackles, ranking first among all defensive linemen in the FBS in 2018 . . . also had one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one pass break-up . . . played 786 snaps, most among Spartan defensive linemen . . . led Spartan defensive linemen and ranked second on defense in production points during the regular season (239) . . . credited with two tackles in Redbox Bowl vs. Oregon before breaking his fibula in the third quarter . . . posted three tackles and one QB hurry in Rutgers game, notching 12 production points . . . for second consecutive game, tied career high with 3.5 tackles for loss (5 yards), as part of nine total tackles at Nebraska, also recovering a fumble in the second quarter, ending with defense-leading 29 production points; named to Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week . . . posted career-high 13 tackles in Ohio State game, as well as career-best 3.5 tackles for loss, with one sack and adding one pass break-up and one QB hurry . . . started at Maryland and had smashing game, posting 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks as part of seven tackles, posting 21 production points . . . posted four tackles vs. Purdue to go with four QB hurries, posting 20 production points, which led defensive ends and ranked third on the defensive line and fourth on defense overall . . . logged nine tackles vs. Michigan, including 2.0 TFLs and 0.5 sack, adding two QB hurries; led the defensive line with 19 production points vs. UM . . . recorded a 7-yard sack and two stops overall in win at No. 8 Penn State . . . tallied team-high tying eight tackles vs. Northwestern, with 1.5 TFLs, totaling 20 production points, which was tied for second on defensive line and overall on defense, while playing 57 of 64 defensive snaps . . . posted five tackles vs. Central Michigan, including 1.5 TFLs and one sack, logging 18 production points, which led the defensive ends and ranked second on the defense . . . posted eight tackles with two TFLs at Indiana, including one sack, and added one QB hurry to post 25 production points, which led entire defense; named to Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week . . . tallied two tackles with 1.0 tackle for loss at Arizona State, finishing with 12 production points, leading the defensive ends and ranking tied for third overall on defense . . . started opener vs. Utah State and posted six tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss, both of which were sacks, adding one forced fumble and three QB hurries, leading defensive line in tackles and ranking tied for fourth on defense . . . finished with 17 production points, leading defense ends, ranking second on defensive line and fourth overall on defense.
2017 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Named third-team All-Big Ten by both coaches and media . . . was named to the final Ted Hendricks Award Watch List, given annually to the nation’s best defensive end . . . named recipient of the MSU Outstanding Underclass Lineman Award on defense . . . played in all 13 games, including 12 starts . . . led team in sacks (7 for 28 yards) and tackles for loss (14.5 for 42 yards) . . . ranked tied for sixth in the B1G and tied for 47th in FBS in tackles for loss (14.5), as well as tied for seventh in the B1G and tied for 52nd in the FBS in tackles for loss per game (1.12) . . . the 14.5 TFLs tied for 16th on MSU’s single-season tackles for loss list . . . had at least a share of a tackle for loss in 10 of 13 games . . . ranked tied for seventh in the conference and tied for 47th in the country in sacks (7.0) and tied for seventh in the league and tied for 64th in the nation in sacks per game (0.54) . . . second on team with two fumble recoveries to rank tied for fourth in B1G and tied for 26th in FBS in fumbles recovered . . . ranked third on Spartan defense with 73 tackles, which ranked second in the Big Ten among defensive linemen . . . ranked second on the team in production points during the regular season (158) . . .registered four solo stops against No. 18 Washington State in the Holiday Bowl . . . accumulated nine stops with one tackle for loss at No. 11 Ohio State . . . posted five total tackles with two tackles for loss, including one sack in win over No. 7 Penn State, adding one pass break-up, posting 17 production points to lead the defensive line and rank third on defense; named to PFF Big Ten Team of the Week . . . accumulated five tackles with 0.5 tackle for loss with one fumble recovery at Northwestern, tallying 16 production points, ranking first on defensive line and second on defense . . . logged seven stops and one QB hurry in Indiana game, being held without at least 0.5 tackle for loss for the first time this season . . . had monster game at Minnesota, logging six tackles, including 2.0 sacks (two for 10 yards) and first fumble recovery of career; registered 31 production points, leading the defense overall, as well as earning Spartan Defensive Player of the Week honors . . . posted career highs in sacks (two for 8 yards for his first two sacks of MSU career) and tackles for loss (three for 11 yards) against No. 7 Michigan, finishing with nine tackles overall . . . tallied two stops, including half a tackle for loss, in Iowa game . . . posted season-high 10 tackles, doubling his previous career total, against Notre Dame, adding half a tackle for loss . . . earned the Spartans’ Defensive Attack Force Player of the Week team award after he recorded three tackles including one tackle for loss against Western Michigan . . . logged two tackles, including one for loss and added one pass break-up and a QB hurry against BGSU.
2016 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Made his collegiate debut vs. Rutgers in his only appearance of the season . . . played four snaps against the Scarlet Knights and recorded a pass break-up . . . named Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week vs. Notre Dame.
2015 SEASON: Redshirted . . . led all players by being selected Scout Team Player of the Week six times . . . named Scout Team Special Teams Player of the Week four times (vs. Air Force, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State) . . . also chosen Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week vs. Purdue and Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week vs. Indiana.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Finished his high school career with 423 tackles . . . also had nine fumble recoveries, including two for touchdowns . . . three-time first-team all-conference selection . . . named to the 2014 Michigan Associated Press Division 5-6 all-state first team as a linebacker . . . also named to the Grand Rapids Press Dream Team . . . honorable mention all-state pick in Division 6 by the Detroit Free Press as a running back . . . also an honorable mention all-state choice in Division 5-6 by The Detroit News as a linebacker . . . team MVP helped lead the Mustangs to an 11-2 record in 2014 and their deepest run in program history with a trip to the Division 6 semifinals . . . finished his senior season with 162 tackles, including 6.5 sacks . . . in his first season as a running back in 2014, collected more than 1,400 rushing yards with 14 TDs . . . ran for 185 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries and also compiled 18 tackles in a win over Wyoming Kelloggsville on Oct. 24 in the regular-season finale . . . finished with a game-high 113 rushing yards on 18 carries in a 27-0 win over Calvin Christian on Sept. 12 . . . named to the 2013 Michigan AP Division 5-6 all-state team as a junior (honorable mention) . . . helped lead Grand Rapids Catholic Central to the Division 1 rugby championship in 2014; scored the game-winning try and was named the championship game’s most valuable player . . . son of Charles and Jane Willekes . . . born July 22, 1997 . . . his younger brother, Charles, was a freshman linebacker on the Spartans in 2019 . . . was one of six Spartans who shaved his head in April 2019 to help donate money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which benefits childhood cancer research . . . graduated with his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in December 2019.
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