Mel Tucker addresses Xavier Henderson-Darius Snow injury situation
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Michigan State football opened their 2022 season with a 35-14 win over Western Michigan on Friday night, but the victory was soured somewhat by a pair of injuries to the Spartans' defense.
Both starting safety Xavier Henderson and starting linebacker Darius Snow left the game in the second quarter and neither returned to the game.
Photographer Adam Ruff gave an eye-witness report on Snow's situation during the second half, 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.
Head coach Mel Tucker did not a specific update on the status of Snow or Henderson moving forward at his post-game presser, stating: “I can’t give you anything right now. I’ll know a lot more tomorrow, and maybe by Monday or so, when I’m back with you, I can give you more. Maybe not, we’ll just have to see.”
Tucker, understandably, is not very open with injury status or concerns, but if Michigan State expects Henderson and/or Snow to miss significant time, the head coach will likely reveal that next week.
Tucker was pleased with the way his defense reacted to losing two starters in the first half of the season-opener, particularly in the way the Spartans communicated on that side of the ball.
“I didn’t see a huge drop off in communication out there," Tucker said. “I saw poise from the guys who were out there, and Scottie was doing a good job of getting in the call early so they could get lined up, so they could take in the information and then have time to communicate.
"It’s a next man up mentality. You don’t know when your number is going to be called. You have to be prepared and ready to go in there and make those calls.”
Tucker also said that defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton did not have to limit his defensive playbook at all without Henderson and Snow. Michigan State trusted the players on the field to be able to get themselves lined up correctly and adjust to motion and unbalanced formations from Western Michigan.
“I talked to you guys during camp about getting everyone ready to go, making sure we were going to coach everyone, hard, so that, when their number is called they can go in the game and we can just keep playing football," Tucker said.
"That’s important. We saw that a year ago with the team. When guys go down, guys got to be able to step up and be productive so we can continue to play winning football.”
In addition to Hazelton, Tucker praised secondary coach Harlon Barnett for his work with the DBs.
“Coach Barnett does a great job with the defensive backs. Scottie does a great job with the backers," the head coach said.
"We’re a communication defense. Everybody’s talking. It’s like that in practice, we talk in the meetings. The play comes up and the guys are making calls in the meetings. It’s not just starters, it’s the two and the threes. It’s everyone.”
Should Henderson and Snow miss significant time, it would be a huge blow to Michigan State's defense.
The Spartans have a lot of depth at linebacker, but Snow was a guy that was expected to help MSU's linebackers in pass coverage, and his sideline-to-sideline speed would be missed.
Meanwhile, no player has played more games or snaps on this team than Henderson, who is far and away Michigan State's best safety. With the struggles the Spartans had in pass coverage a year ago, losing the senior captain would only exasperate that issue.
Tucker will speak to the media early Monday afternoon, when more information about Snow and Henderson may become available.
