MSU Reportedly Getting Two Major Contributors Back vs. Michigan
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Michigan State will reportedly be getting two major contributors back against Michigan on Saturday night; one on offense, one on defense.
On Saturday morning, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that starting left tackle Stanton Ramil and starting free safety Nikai Martinez would both be returning for the Spartans from undisclosed injuries against the Wolverines.
Both Martinez and Ramil have now played since MSU's game against USC on the night of Sept. 20.
Unless Michigan State wants to limit snaps for both of them, which would seem unlikely in a rivalry game, that will restore the Spartans' duos at tackle with Ramil and Conner Moore and at safety with Martinez and Malik Spencer.
Importance of Ramil
Adding Ramil back into the fold creates some much-needed stabilization for Michigan State's offensive line.
Ramil starts at left tackle, which is the most important position on the offensive line. He protects quarterback Aidan Chiles' blindside, and if a pass rusher gets around the edge versus Ramil, he has no one who can help him on the outside.
During his time on the field this year, Ramil has gotten a 72.1 grade from Pro Football Focus. That is the best grade among offensive linemen who have received as much playing time as Ramil has.
Since Ramil got hurt, MSU had been struggling to determine the best way to replace him. Mostly, Moore had been filling in at left tackle, but that made right tackle vacant. Ashton Lepo was initially called into the starting lineup, but he was announced as out for the season before the Indiana game. Rustin Young was the starting RT against the Hoosiers.
Importance of Martinez
The return of Martinez will be a nice sight for a Michigan State secondary that was, and really still is, quite thin. MSU is allowing the second-most passing yards per game in the Big Ten.
Martinez has only played in two games this year. He missed the Spartans' first two games of the year, played a total of 67 snaps against Youngstown State and USC, and has since been out during the following three games.
Getting him back at free safety will be important in both Michigan State's efforts at keeping receivers from getting behind them and also in stopping the run. Martinez made 51 tackles last year, the third-most on the 2024 team and the most among non-linebackers.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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