Michigan State’s secondary experienced near-total turnover this offseason. Between graduation, the portal, and role changes, the Spartans lost the bulk of last year’s snaps at both corner and safety. Rather than attempting a one-for-one replacement, the staff rebuilt the back end with a clear structural vision: defined outside corners, interchangeable safeties, and flexibility to play nickel-heavy looks . Secondary Departures Cornerbacks lost: Malcolm Bell, Joshua Eaton, Nija

Departures: Experience and Volume Out, Not Elite Production Michigan State loses five defensive tackles  from last season, creating a noticeable turnover in snaps and experience—but not necessarily elite-level production. Departing DTs Alex VanSumeren  – 52 tackles, 1.5 sacks 2025 PFF: 66.9 overall  (backup-level) Strength: Tackling (78.9) Limitation: Pass rush (61.2) Quindarius Dunnigan  – 25 tackles, 2.5 sacks Flashed high-end games (85.7 PFF late Nov) but inconsistent week

Passing Game Context: Why 2026 Is About Damage Control Michigan State’s 2025 passing game finished with 240 total receptions  and 2,672 receiving yards , production that was uneven but still driven by a more talented group on paper  than what the Spartans project heading into 2026. The problem in 2025 wasn’t a lack of capable bodies. It was: Inconsistent separation Limited third-down reliability A passing game that stalled too often despite veteran presence That context matte

Stability, Experience, and a Better Environment 2025 Recap: Limited and Under Pressure The 2025 Michigan State passing offense was semi-functional at best but capped by circumstance. From a macro view, the Spartans shockingly landed squarely in the middle of the FBS in pass rate and volume, but well below average in efficiency and explosiveness: Pass Play %:  51.9% (37th) Completion %:  62.5% (56th) Yards per Attempt:  6.9 (79th) Pass Yards/Game:  218.4 (76th) INT Rate:  1.43

Snapshot Michigan State’s 2026 linebacker room isn’t about replacing one player with another; it’s about creating options . With clearer role definitions and better alignment between skill sets and usage, MSU enters the season with a linebacker group that can adapt to personnel, down-and-distance, and opponent tendencies without exposing weaknesses. This is less about “who starts” and more about what tools the defense now has available . Departures: Good Run Defense, Moderate

Individually, Michigan State’s 2026 offensive line and running back rooms look improved . Together, they look intentional . After evaluating both rooms in isolation, the bigger takeaway is this: MSU’s roster is quietly being built around a defined rushing identity , not just incremental upgrades. This isn’t about flash — it’s about fit. The Big Picture Michigan State Spartans football enters 2026 with: A stronger, more physical interior offensive line A deep RB room with defi

Michigan State Spartans RB Room Year-over-Year Analysis If we want to think about YoY improvements, we need to understand what we are benchmarking off. In short, it's a low bar... and it's easy to point fingers to what led to the lack of success: 1. Not the most talented RB room. 2. OL injuries. 3. Unstable QB play. 4. Play-calling. But don't worry, there's reason for optimism ( check out the Offensive Line Revamp here ). Departures (2025 Production Leaving) Even with poor na

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MSU is a program based on grit, physicality, and winning at the LOS. The TE room exemplified that during the Dantonio years with players...

TBH I thought we had a clear picture of the running back room going into the 2024 season, boy was I wrong. I had pegged Carter to be the...