BREAKING: Michigan State LB Darius Snow out for the season, S Xavier Henderson under treatment
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker confirmed on Monday that starting linebacker Darius Snow will miss the rest of the season after being injured in the Spartans' season-opener against Western Michigan.
"Snow is going to be out for the year," Tucker said. "I feel terribly for him. He's worked really hard and he's playing at a high level. He won't be with us for the rest of the season."
The head coach also updated the status of starting safety and team captain Xavier Henderson, who also left the game early in the second quarter against the Broncos and was seen on crutches with a brace on his right leg in the second half.
Tucker said that Henderson "is sore", and that his status is a little more unclear moving forward.
"We'll just have to see how he comes along with his treatment and things like that," Tucker said. "But he'll be ready when he's ready."
Tucker was asked if Henderson's injury required surgery, but the head coach would not elaborate.
"X, like I said he's sore," Tucker said. "We will just have to go through the process with treatment and see what all he's going to need. That's all I'm willing to talk about right now."
Snow, a junior, was injured in the second quarter when accidently hit in the right leg by defensive back teammate Chester Kimbrough. He was helped off the field and didn't return to the sideline in the second half.
After starting at nickelback and safety in 2022, Snow moved to linebacker in the spring, as the Spartans liked the idea of using his speed and versatility in key defensive matchups.
Snow recorded 87 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception, three pass break-ups and a fumble recovery last season for Michigan State. On Friday, the junior had two tackles and played 29 defensive snaps before suffering his injury.
Tucker noted that the Spartans have a considerable amount of depth at linebacker, with guys like Ben VanSumeren, Aaron Brule and Cal Haladay, but that Snow "set the standard" in practice with his consistent effort, which will be missed.
"We have more depth at the LB position than we had a year ago," Tucker said. "We still have good players at that position, and they're all gonna have to play winning football for us."
Henderson, who returned for a fifth season in East Lansing to improve his draft stock, appeared in all 46 games over his first four seasons at Michigan State, including 34 consecutive starts for the Spartans. That streak is now likely to end when Michigan State hosts Akron this coming Saturday.
Entering the 2022 season, Henderson had recorded 235 career tackles, including 13.4 tackles for loss and three sacks. The fifth-year senior also has three interceptions, seven pass break-ups and two forces fumbles in his career. He had one pass break-ups on Friday and played 25 defensive snaps.
With the absence of Henderson during the better part of three quarters against Western Michigan, the Spartans had to turn to senior Kendall Brooks and true freshman Jaden Mangham to finish the game at safety alongside veteran Angelo Grose.
"It didn't seem like it was too big for him," Tucker said of Mangham playing menaingful snap in his first game as a Spartan.
Both Grose and Brooks briefly left the game with minor injuries, but returned and finished the game. Tucker said that Brooks is the next man up on the Spartans' depth chart behind Henderson.
Photographer Adam Ruff gave an eye-witness report on Snow's situation during the second half of the Western Michigan game, stating that the junior was sitting in a wheelchair with a towel draped over his head and face.
Additionally, several eye-witnesses reported that Henderson was on crutches and had a brace on his right leg while wearing street clothes in the second half. The Detroit Free Press' Tony Garcia shot video of Henderson walking with the crutches and brace after the game.
Spartan Nation will continue to monitor the situation with Henderson as his status changes and evolves.
Twitter: @mlounsberry_SI
