A third of the season has already passed, and the challenges ahead are growing tougher.
Michigan State (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten), fresh off a 23-19 defeat against Boston College last week, is set to host No. 3 Ohio State (3-0, 0-0) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Peacock.
The Spartans have been dealing with injuries, heading to Boston without four key receivers: Jaron Glover, Nick Marsh, Antonio Gates Jr., and Alante Brown. While Brown has missed the last three games and will be out for a while longer, Coach Jonathan Smith is optimistic about the return of some players. Reports from ESPN indicate that Glover will play against the Buckeyes, while Marsh, a standout freshman, remains a gametime decision.
Michigan State is also missing its two starting right guards, Kristian Phillips and Gavin Broscious, both out for the season due to injury, leading to changes in the offensive line last week. Additionally, the secondary is shorthanded, with safeties Dillon Tatum and Khalil Majeed (both out for the season) along with cornerback Chance Rucker unavailable.
Here’s a look at Michigan State’s depth chart as they prepare to face Ohio State:
Quarterback
- Starter: Aidan Chiles
- Backup: Tommy Schuster
- Others of Note: Alessio Milivojevic, Ryland Jessee
Chiles took responsibility for the loss against Boston College after throwing three interceptions, bringing his total to seven for the season, tied for the second most in the country. He was able to make some plays with his legs last week, but needs to minimize turnovers and improve his deep ball accuracy.
Running Back
- Starter: Nathan Carter
- Backup: Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams
- Others to note: Brandon Tullis, Makhi Frazier
Michigan State’s run game needs improvement as both Carter and Lynch-Adams have struggled with negative yardage plays, stemming from defenders breaking into the backfield. Last week, Carter rushed for only nine yards on nine carries and dropped a potential touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Lynch-Adams had a rough start with a fumble on kickoff return but ended the game with a solid performance, racking up 61 yards on 15 carries.
Fullback
- Starter: Jay Coyne
- Backup: Tyneil Hopper
Coyne played just three snaps last week, as reported by Pro Football Focus.
Wide Receiver
- Starters: Montorie Foster, Jaron Glover, Nick Marsh
- Backups: Aziah Johnson, Antonio Gates Jr., Jaelen Smith
- Others to note: Jack Yanachik, Zach Gillespie
Foster was able to create separation and should have posted better stats than four catches for 87 yards. Johnson performed well while Smith made his first career start under pressure, and walk-ons Yanachik and Gillespie received early snaps. The return of Glover should bolster the group, and getting either Marsh or Gates back would keep the Spartans from further depleting their depth.
Tight End
- Starters: Jack Velling, Michael Masunas
- Backups: Brennan Parachek, Ademola Faleye
- Others to note: Tyneil Hopper, Jaxson Wilson
Velling achieved season highs with six catches for 77 yards, including three consecutive grabs during the final possession, but he has yet to score a touchdown this season.
Offensive Line
- Starters: LT Stanton Ramil, LG Luke Newman, C Tanner Miller, RG Brandon Baldwin, RT Ashton Lepo
- Backups: Dallas Fincher, Cooper Terpstra, Rakeem Johnson
- Others to note: Andrew Dennis, Charlton Luniewski, Jacob Merritt
Although Fincher shared snaps with Broscious after Phillips got injured, the offensive line saw a shift last week. Baldwin was moved from left tackle to right guard, with Ramil making his first start as Fincher barely saw the field. Offensive line coach Jim Michalczik emphasized the need to give others more playing time. The reshuffled line will face a tough test against a veteran defensive front on Saturday.
Defensive Tackle
- Starters: D’Quan Douse, Alex VanSumeren
- Backups: Maverick Hansen, Jalen Satchell, Ben Roberts, Ru’Quan Buckley
- Others to note: Mikeshun Beeler
The rotation remains fairly consistent week-to-week, but more pressure from the interior would be beneficial, although the current group has performed reliably.
Defensive End
- Starters: Khris Bogle, Jalen Thompson
- Backups: Anthony Jones, Ken Talley, Quindarius Dunnigan
- Others to note: James Schott, Kekai Burnett, Avery Dunn
Bogle continues to shine as an impactful veteran, with three sacks and five tackles for loss this season, matching his output from the previous two years combined while battling injuries. Dunnigan recorded his first sack with the Spartans last week.
Linebacker
- Starters: Cal Haladay, Jordan Turner
- Backups: Jordan Hall, Wayne Matthews, Darius Snow
- Others to note: Marcellius Pulliam, Brady Pretzlaff, Sam Edwards, Stone Chaney, Aaron Alexander, Semaj Bridgeman
Haladay and Turner remain the top duo, with Hall and Matthews backing them up. Turner has already notched three sacks and six tackles for loss, while Hall played a critical role in a goal-line stand last week.
Cornerback
- Starters: Charles Brantley, Ed Woods
- Backups: Jeremiah Hughes, Ade Willie
- Others to note: Caleb Coley, Andrew Brinson
The cornerback rotation has tightened, partly due to injuries, but Brantley and Woods are still the clear starters. Brantley continues to play aggressively and will team up with Woods in what is expected to be a challenging matchup against an explosive Ohio State offense.
Safety/Nickelback
- Starters: Malik Spencer, Nikai Martinez, Angelo Grose
- Backups: Armorion Smith, Aveon Grose
- Others to note: Justin Denson, Lejond Cavazo
Spencer put up six tackles and forced a fumble but has been dealing with some injuries, along with Grose. Smith and Aveon Grose are next in line.
Special Teams
- PK/KO: Jonathan Kim
- P: Ryan Eckley
- LS: Kaden Schickel
- PR: Montorie Foster
- KR: Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams
Kim and Eckley have been dependable, but special teams overall need improvement. After Johnson was overly ambitious in Week 2 by taking kickoffs from the end zone, Lynch-Adams took over the role. His lone return last week, which came from the end zone, resulted in a fumble that Boston College recovered at the 5-yard line to open the second half. Lynch-Adams must focus on ball security, as the return unit needs to do a better job of preventing clean hits on him.
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