Michigan State Week 2 Availability Report

Which Spartans are and aren't available tonight against Boston College?

Michigan State's Nikai Martinez, left, returns an interception as Angelo Grose, right, blocks during the fourth quarter in the game against Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Michigan State has released its availability report with just under two hours to go until its game against Boston College kicks off.

The most notable news is that MSU will still be without starting free safety Nikai Martinez, who also missed the season opener last Friday against Western Michigan, even though the coaching staff seemed optimistic that he would be healthy enough to play this week. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported on Friday that Martinez would be still be unavailable.

"He's (Martinez) working now," Spartan secondary coach Blue Adams said earlier this week. "He's working. Like I say, you've got so much wealth of knowledge on the back end. From Armorion (Smith) to (Malik) Spencer to Nikai (Martinez), you just got a wealth of knowledge back there."

Thamel also said that redshirt freshman kicker Martin Connington would likely be available, which is confirmed by the official report. This will be Connington's first career appearance in a college game. Redshirt sophomore kicker Tarik Ahmetbasic is still out.

Full Availability Report

OUT

Nov 2, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Myles Price (4) runs away from Michigan State Spartans defensive back Nikai Martinez (1) during the second quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images

S Nikai Martinez

DB Caleb Gash

DB Andrew Brinson IV

K Tarik Ahmetbasic

LS Kaden Schickel

DL Jalen Satchell

QUESTIONABLE

None

The loss of Martinez again will make the job that Spencer and Armorion Smith extra important, as Boston College returns leading receiver Lewis Bond, who had 102 yards and the game-winning touchdown against MSU last season.

Getting Connington healthy enough to play is also quite important. If he wasn't able to go, Michigan State would have gone again with Division II transfer Blake Sislo, who didn't appear in a single collegiate game until last week, for PATs and any shorter field goal attempts.

Michigan State also gets tight end Brennan Parachek off the list, so it appears like he will be available.

The only player on the injury report that wasn't on it in Week 1 is Gash. He made a couple tackles while providing coverage on kick returns and was named as the team's co-special teams player of the week.

Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Jalen Satchell (93) looks up at the clock towards the end of the third quarter the NCAA football game against Ohio State University at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Ohio State won 38-7. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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