Key Returning Players From MSU's Last Clash Against Penn State
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The Michigan State Spartans are ready to face their rivals, the Penn State Nittany Lions, in the Battle For The Land Grant Trophy.
The game will be important to every player on the team, from kicker Martin Connington to the receiving room and more, but the one place that might have the most impact will be from the Spartan veterans who have played in the game before.
After a 42-0 loss two years ago during the 2023 season, every returning name will be able to take what needs to be learned from that game and apply it to themselves and the team this year.
Michael Masunas
- Michael Masunas has had a smaller role so far this season in the receiving game, focusing more on helping MSU's offensive line through blocking duties.
- This was his role in 2023 as well, where he had one catch for one yard and no score, so it wasn't a goal line play or anything of the like.
- Whether he is given a bigger role or not come the night of, he knows what the pressure of the Battle For The Land Grant Trophy is like and can use that to focus up for the match.
Malik Spencer
- In a rebounding defense, Malik Spencer has been playing a huge role, being high up in the team's stats quite often after every game.
- However, that was not the case back in 2023, when he only had one tackle across the entire blowout loss.
- Now that he has a bigger role, he can take what he observed from Spartans now move on and use what they did correctly, or avoid what they did wrong, this year.
Jordan Hall
- As perhaps the biggest returning name, Jordan Hall will be placed in one of the highest leadership positions on the team, aside from names such as Alessio Milivojevic and Nick Marsh.
- In 2023, with a much smaller role, he had three unassisted tackles and eight assisted tackles, and now, as a leader, he has a chance to grow that stat line for himself and others out of proportion.
- He now has experience of both the rivalry game and of the tumultuous seasons that he has endured, and now he can use that all as motivation to start locking up opponents, with the help of defensive coordinator Joe Rossi.
There is a huge opportunity at hand for the Spartans returning players against the Nittany Lions, and they will be key to success for not only this match but the rest of the season.
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Nathan Berry is a senior at NCCS and was raised a Michigan State Spartan fan. With a great interest in sports and writing, journalism is a great avenue to pursue both.