3 Spartans Who Might Need to Step Forward After Bye

These three MSU players might see an increased role after the first bye week of the season.

Michigan State offensive lineman Rustin Young, right, and Stanton Ramil work out during football practice on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coming out of the first bye week, a lot of roles on Michigan State's offense appear to be filled and are static for the most part. But from a team-wide perspective, something is always changing.

Due to injuries and overall performance on the field, some Spartans could get a larger role soon. Here are some players who might see an uptick in snaps.

LB Aisea Moa

Michigan State LB Aisea Moa | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

With linebacker Wayne Matthews III likely set to miss an extended amount of time with an injury, Jordan Hall missing the second half after being disqualified for targeting, and Brady Pretzlaff being unavailable against USC, the Spartans turned to Aisea Moa for a lot of reps in the middle of the defense.

Moa played 43 snaps on defense against USC last week after only playing 40 in Michigan State's first three games combined. He might not play so much once the Spartans get Hall back against Nebraska, but if Matthews and Pretzlaff are both not able to go next Saturday, there very well could be a big role for Moa to play.

OT Rustin Young

From left, Michigan State's Rustin Young, Kristian Phillips, and Gavin Broscious listen to coaches during football practice on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Another guy who saw a lot of playing time in Los Angeles due to some injuries is offensive tackle Rustin Young. Early on, starting left tackle Stanton Ramil had to leave the game after only playing nine snaps.

Young, a redshirt freshman, ended up playing the remaining 51 snaps at Ramil's spot on the outside of MSU's offensive line.

That might have been a vote of confidence from MSU's staff. The Spartans could have moved right tackle Conner Moore to the left side and subbed in last year's starting RT, Ashton Lepo. Instead, they kept Moore on the right side and put Young in.

TE Jack Velling

Michigan State's Jack Velling, left, catches a pass as Youngstown State's Isaiah Hackett defends during the third quarter on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is more out of necessity for Michigan State's offense, because tight end Jack Velling is too good a player to have gotten the ball as little as he has so far.

Through four games, he has only hauled in eight catches for 74 yards, with six receptions and 70 yards coming versus FCS Youngstown State.

Michigan State does have a lot of mouths to feed in the offense between Nick Marsh, Omari Kelly, Makhi Frazier, and others, but Velling has been too productive in the past to be as quiet as he's been now. He was third on the team in receiving yards (411) last year; now, he's fifth in yardage (74). Velling's yards per game have nearly been cut in half, as well (34.3 to 18.5).

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith jogs back to the sideline before the game against Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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