3 Things To Like About MSU's Defense As Rossi Returns

Not too many coordinators survive coaching changes.

Michigan State is still holding onto defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, though. Pat Fitzgerald has said that he had wanted him at Northwestern in the past, but that Rossi was beyond NU's price range. Rossi's unit finished 72nd in total defense last season, but showed some visible improvements later in the season. There are a couple of things to like as the Spartans step into the 2026 season:

Higher-End Linebackers

Linebacker will be one of MSU's biggest strengths this upcoming season. Rising senior Jordan Hall was the team's leader on that side of the ball last season, making 88 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

Hall probably would've had his fair share of suitors on the open market in the transfer portal, but he still opted to stick around for one more season with Michigan State. He'll play for his third head coach in four years (four coaches if you count the 10 games of interim HC Harlon Barnett).

There will be plenty of help around him. New linebackers coach Max Bullough went and got Auburn transfer Caleb Wheatland and Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford from the portal during the winter. Wheatland was a significant contributor at Maryland in 2023 and 2024. Crawford made 81 tackles last season and had 8.5 sacks the year before that as more of a pass-rusher.

Proven Commodities at Corner

MSU has a duo of pretty experienced corners that it can plug into the lineup. It starts with Charles Brantley, who just transferred back to East Lansing after spending a season at Miami (FL). Brantley was the Spartans' star defensive piece back during the 2024 season. He's proven he can thrive in Rossi's system and should be ready to go in the fall after being limited during the spring.

Iowa State transfer Tre Bell will be on the other side of the ball. He played for new Michigan State cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat last season after transferring from FCS-level Lindenwood. Bell started ISU's final eight games last season, intercepted two passes, and forced a fumble.

Return of Martinez

Getting safety Nikai Martinez back for one last season is another big plus. He only appeared in four games last season due to injuries, which allowed him to take a redshirt and return to Michigan State for another year.

Martinez played a very full 2024 season. He made 51 tackles that season, intercepted two passes, and led MSU's defense with 724 snaps played. The Spartans definitely missed him a bit last season. Retaining Martinez should help keep a lid on the defense and limit explosive plays a bit.

Add us as a preferred source on Google