Analyzing MSU's Current Situation at Kicker Following Spring
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Michigan State is going to have somebody new kicking the field goals next season.
Last year's starter, Martin Connington, transferred out this offseason and landed at Kansas. MSU special teams coordinator LeVar Woods brought in one kicker from the transfer, is bringing in another from the high school ranks, and there's a third option in an interesting spot.
Probable Starter: Liam Boyd
Charlotte transfer Liam Boyd is likely to be the starting kicker this coming season. He's been a journeyman of sorts during his collegiate career, beginning at Clemson before making other stops at North Carolina and then Charlotte. Boyd had a year at UNC in 2023 where he handled kickoff duties, booting nearly three-quarters of his kicks for touchbacks (usually the desired outcome).
Last year was the first time Boyd really got the top duty, though: field goals. He's 10-for-13 on those kicks for his career, going 9-for-12 last year. The concern is that two of those misses last year were from less than 30 yards, but that could be due to the widened hash marks in college and should be fixable.
As far as range goes, Boyd hasn't really been able to show it in college yet. His career-long in college is 42 yards. To his credit, that came during a game at Georgia. Boyd also claimed a 50-yarder back when he was in high school.
Boyd seems to be headed into the final year of his eligibility, being listed as a redshirt senior on the roster. Lots of teams basically only use the portal to find the next kicker these days, but the 2027 kicker might already be on the '26 roster.
Next Up: Stephen Gonzales
One of the early gets for Woods on the recruiting trail was kicker Stephen Gonzales. He's ranked as the No. 4 kicker in the nation by Kohl's Kicking. The reason for that is Gonzales has a pretty big leg already.
He was making 63- and 65-yard field goals in shorts last November during a showcase. During games in high school, he's field goals of 57, 55, and 53 yards (twice). There has only been one field goal of 57+ at Michigan State since the 1990s.
Because Boyd's career-long is a bit on the shorter side, that could end up opening the possibility for Gonzales to actually be the long-range kicker immediately. If there's ever a situation where it's the end of a half and MSU is choosing between a Hail Mary or a high-50s field goal, Gonzales has proven he has the leg to get the football there.
In the Air: Tarik Ahmetbasic
The status for Tarik Ahmetbasic next season will be a bit interesting. He was still with the team during the spring, even though he announced that he had entered the transfer portal during the winter. It's May now, and he still hasn't made any announcement on where he'll play next season.
It would be a bit unusual for the Spartans to roster three kickers at once. Ahmetbasic sticking around for the spring made some sense because Gonzales hadn't joined the team yet, and most teams want multiple kickers to help get the team through spring ball.
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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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