3 Biggest Defensive Storylines for MSU Entering Fall Camp
In this story:
A pretty good portion of the limited continuity on Michigan State's roster resides on the defense.
New head coach Pat Fitzgerald chose to retain defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and safeties coach James Adams. Making Max Bullough the team's new linebackers coach may have been Fitzgerald's most popular move of the offseason as well. There are also a solid handful of starters coming back. Ahead of the start of fall camp, these are the three storylines that stick out:
Return of Charles Brantley
Charles Brantley may be the most exciting transfer portal addition to MSU this offseason. He's proven he can be a star in the Spartans' secondary and under Rossi's system based on his level of play during the 2024 season. Brantley missed the last 3.5 games or so of the season, and he still got Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition.
He should instantly become Michigan State's top cornerback once again. Brantley transferred to Miami (FL) following the 2024 season, but he never really forged out a role there, for whatever reason. The fact that he only appeared in three games for the Hurricanes allowed him to retain his final season of eligibility, opening the door for Brantley to return.
Brantley was pretty limited for much of the spring and didn't participate during the Spartans' spring scrimmage in April. The big question, which will probably have to be directed towards Rossi because he was there watching Brantley in 2024, is whether he can regain that form he had that fall.
The other question that will stretch across the entire season is whether Brantley can stay healthy. He hasn't played in every game in a season during his five years in college. Houston Christian transfer Tyran Chappell seems like a decent CB3 option, but depth across the board on MSU's defense is relatively thin, and the Spartans won't be able to survive many injuries on that side of the ball this year.
Can the Pass Rush Improve?
Plenty of eyes will be upon Michigan State's rush ends and defensive ends to see if the Spartans can finally put together an effective pass-rushing unit. MSU's 22 sacks last season were tied for the third-fewest in the Big Ten.
One of my own concerns is that Michigan State didn't really get any high-volume sack-getters in the transfer portal. The most notable one is probably Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford, who had an 8.5-sack year in 2024 but shifted to a more traditional linebacker role last fall and had that number drop to 3.5 in 2025. Crawford will be playing linebacker for MSU this year as well.
Weber State transfer Keahnist Thompson is another notable addition. He had 4.0 sacks in nine games last year, including a 1.5-sack day against Big 12 opponent Arizona. SEMO transfer Trey Lisle had 4.5 TFLs and half a sack last year, and Winona State transfer Aidan Boehle had 2.0 sacks in 2025.
NC State transfer Kenny Soares Jr. will be an X-factor this season. He's switching from linebacker to rush end; he had just half a sack last season and 3.0 for his career. Returnees Anelu Lafaele and Isaac Smith should also have roles. Lafaele got off to a surprisingly fast start last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Smith had just one sack last year.
Interior Defensive Line Depth
The performance and health of Michigan State's defensive tackles will be huge as well. MSU doesn't have much proven production whatsoever at that position. Ben Roberts is effective when he's on the field, but he's missed time with injuries during both the 2024 and 2025 seasons in East Lansing. Illinois transfer Eli Coenen was a midseason riser for the Fighting Illini last year, but he'll have to handle a more important role this year with the Spartans.
Beyond that, it's all unproven commodities. Most teams rotate in three defensive tackles, and the third will likely be second-year player Derrick Simmons. He's a real breakout candidate and a former 4-star recruit for a reason, but he still only got in 44 defensive snaps last year during his true freshman season.
Next up on the depth chart is either Toledo transfer Carlos Hazelwood or Mikeshun Beeler. Hazelwood got just 83 snaps during his redshirt freshman season with the Rockets, and Beeler got just six with the Spartans. 3-star true freshman Hudson Aultman and then freshman preferred walk-on Jackson Pahl complete the room.
Defensive tackle was actually more of a strength for Michigan State last season. Alex VanSumeren (now at USC) was certainly an above-average player at his position, and Grady Kelly was pretty decent. I'm worried this position, especially if injuries become a factor, could be a real weakness this go-around.
Watch/Listen to Our Daily MSU Podcast
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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.
Follow jacobcotsonika