Promising Young Pass Rusher Announces Return to MSU Football
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Michigan State football just got another boost.
Pass rusher Anelu Lafaele, someone who showed some real promise early on this fall, has seemingly announced that he will be returning to MSU next season. Lafaele posted on social media that he had "unfinished business" early Sunday afternoon, including a clip of him getting to the opposing quarterback during the Spartans' game against Boston College.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS 🤬🟢⚪️ pic.twitter.com/KcngvCOgbX
— Ane1u1afaele (@LafaeleAnelu) December 28, 2025
Lafaele appeared in Michigan State's first five games this season before missing the remainder of the year with a foot injury. He made two sacks during that time, forced a fumble, and totaled seven tackles.
Getting Lafaele back is a key step for MSU's effort to retain its top talent, especially those who have plenty of remaining eligibility. This past season was Lafaele's redshirt freshman year, meaning he has at least three years of remaining eligibility. He could also apply for a medical redshirt for 2025, since he only played four full games.
More on Lafaele
Last season was Lafaele's first with the program. He began at Wisconsin, where he did not play as a true freshman in 2024 before entering the transfer portal.
The Honolulu, Hawai'i, native had also visited Arizona State and Hawai'i, but also had offers from Notre Dame, BYU, Utah, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and several other Power Four schools. Lafaele was ranked 603rd overall on the 247Sports Composite, which ranked 41st among EDGE rushers and third among prospects from Hawai'i.
Lafaele is one of four Hawaiians on the current roster, alongside defensive lineman Kekai Burnett, offensive lineman Rustin Young, and linebacker Leonard Ah You.
What people seemed to rave about Lafaele during his first year was the amount of energy and effort he gave on the field.
"He was ascending [before his injury], and he's done some really good things," defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said about Lafaele back in October. "I really like him, and he's the type of guy we love to coach because he goes a thousand miles an hour, and he plays with tremendous effort, and he's tough."
Michigan State's pass rush has been terrible to mediocre in recent years. The Spartans totaled 22 sacks this past year in 12 games. Those 1.83 sacks per game are tied for 86th in the FBS. That was actually an improvement from the year before, when MSU only had 19 sacks all year. Getting Lafaele back is one step in the right direction towards improving the Spartans' ability to get to the quarterback.
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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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