MSU's 5 Biggest Surprises Entering Massive Notre Dame Test
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Figuring out college football teams in the preseason used to be tough. It's borderline impossible now.
Michigan State's roster was in absolute flux this offseason. More than half of the players on the team this season are new, whether they're transfers or freshmen. A handful of players have been pleasant surprises in MSU's games against Toledo and Eastern Michigan, earning higher expectations for this week's mammoth challenge against No. 3 Notre Dame.
DT Eli Coenen
Perhaps the biggest surprise has been defensive tackle Eli Coenen. He's a new transfer from Illinois who began his career at Division II Bemidji State. Coenen has immediately become a massive difference-maker on the Spartans' defensive line, recording a Big Ten-high 3.0 sacks already and pretty consistently pushing back his man when he isn't facing a double team.
The question remains whether he can feast against Power Four offensive lines the way he feasted on MAC o-lines, but he's clearly been Michigan State's best defensive tackle up to this point. The expectation for Coenen was certainly for him to start, but really as the team's No. 2 interior defensive lineman behind Ben Roberts. MSU's lack of obvious talent, experience, and depth at defensive tackle was a big concern entering the season, but Coenen's rise has mitigated those concerns a bit.
LB Brady Pretzlaff
The biggest surprise in the starting lineup has been linebacker Brady Pretzlaff. Most of the offseason, the presumed starting duo was Jordan Hall and either Auburn transfer Caleb Wheatland or Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford. Hall, of course, kept his starting role, but Pretzlaff won the starting outside linebacker job straight up. He and Crawford were the starters on Saturday while Hall was out.
Pretzlaff has shown why he earned a starting role with his play so far. His 13 tackles through two games are tied for the team lead, and Pretzlaff has that decisive play style that Pat Fitzgerald and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, who recruited Pretzlaff at Minnesota, are looking for. Given that Pretzlaff, an in-state guy, is eligible through the 2028 season, he's now one of the brightest pieces of Michigan State's long-term future.
WR Rodney Bullard Jr.
Wideout was the most interesting question facing MSU before the season. It still sort of is, but the best answer the Spartans have given has come from Rodney Bullard Jr. He had every excuse to underperform a bit after spending much of the offseason unsure whether he'd even be eligible for the upcoming season. The NCAA only formally gave Bullard his eligibility on Aug. 24, just 11 days before the season opener.
Bullard sits as Michigan State's WR1 through two games, though. He's hauled in 10 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown. That score came at a big time for MSU on a fourth down during the fourth quarter against Toledo while the Spartans were down by a point. Bullard could probably have pulled down a couple of other semi-contested balls, but his status as the team's top option thus far is a bit of a surprise for sure.
TE Jayden Savoury
The best tight end on the team this year is Jayden Savoury. Bullard's 116 receiving yards lead the team, but Savoury isn't that far behind with 99. His eight receptions also rank third on the team. All the other tight ends on the team have combined for just two catches and 15 yards.
Savoury looked like one of the biggest risers this offseason during fall camp. As practices continued, it seemed like Brennan Parachek was mainly positioned in the TE1 role. Parachek is still getting as much playing time as Savoury due to his blocking, but it's clear Savoury is the most effective option overall. Given that Savoury is a second-year player who will be eligible through 2029, he's another player in that "must-keep" category this winter.
K Liam Boyd
Kicker was another question for Michigan State before the season. Charlotte transfer Liam Boyd was the expected starter the whole way, but he had a relatively limited amount of experience. He was 10-for-13 on field goals for his career entering 2026, but he never made any kicks longer than 42 yards.
Boyd quickly proved he could be a Big Ten-level kicker in Week 1 against Toledo. He made five field goals in six tries, and three of the makes were from at least his previous career-high of 42 yards. Boyd capped off his stellar night with a 51-yarder to seal the game against the Rockets. He's also handled kickoff duties and done a good job consistently delivering touchbacks.
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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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