MSU's Starting Kicker Announces Plans to Enter Transfer Portal
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Michigan State football is going to have somebody else kicking for it next season.
MSU's starting kicker, Martin Connington, announced Tuesday afternoon that he plans to enter the transfer portal with three seasons of eligibility remaining. Connington went 12-for-16 on field goal attempts this season, along with a 26-of-27 mark on extra points. The portal officially opens on Friday.
— Martin Connington (@MartinConningt4) December 30, 2025
Connington's choice to leave the program essentially gives MSU two choices at kicker moving forward: Tarik Ahmetbasic or somebody else from the portal. Ahmetbasic and Connington were in direct competition to be the Spartans' top kicker this year, but Connington seemingly won by default, since Ahmetbasic missed the entire season due to an apparent injury.
Getting kickers out of the portal is a very common practice these days for Power Four programs. Tons of top kickers from Group of Five of FCS programs enter the portal to chase jobs like MSU's. It's also easier to gauge how good kickers are, since 50-yard attempts are virtually the same, no matter what level the kicker is at.
More on Connington
The highlight of Connington's career at MSU ended up being his very first kick. That was a 50-yarder against Boston College that tied that game up at 24-24 late in the third quarter. It ended up being the longest kick Connington made all season. He only attempted three more kicks from beyond 40 yards the rest of the year and missed them all.
Connington was a highly touted recruit, as far as kickers go. The Meridian, Idaho, native was ranked as the seventh-best kicker in the class of 2024 by 247Sports and was the best prospect to commit to a Big Ten school.
Transfer Portal Tracker
Outgoing Transfers (21) -
Nov. 30 - RB Makhi Frazier (2 years remaining); Dec. 1 - WR Nick Marsh (2 years remaining); Dec. 5 - EDGE Stone Chaney (4 years remaining); Dec. 8 - DB Jeremiah Hughes (2 years remaining); Dec. 8 - S Tracy Revels (2 years remaining); Dec. 8 - OG Gavin Broscious (1 or 2 years remaining); Dec. 9 - OL Rashawn Rogers (4 years remaining); Dec. 10 - DB Justin Denson Jr. (3 years remaining); Dec. 10 - LB Semaj Bridgeman (2 years remaining); Dec. 11 - LB Darius Snow (1 year remaining); Dec. 11 - DB Ade Willie (1 year remaining); Dec. 11 - EDGE Tyler Gillison (1-2 years remaining); Dec. 12 - LS Kaden Schickel (1 year remaining); Dec. 15 - QB Aidan Chiles (1 year remaining); Dec. 15 - LB Marcellius Pulliam (2 years remaining); Dec. 16 - WR Grant Calcagno (2 years remaining); Dec. 23 - DB George Mullins (4 years remaining); Dec. 23 - DB Elisha West (3 years remaining); Dec. 27 - TE Michael Masunas (2 years remaining); Dec. 28 - OL Cooper Terpstra (2 years remaining); Dec. 30 - K Martin Connington (3 years remaining)
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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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