The Biggest Worry Left for MSU Entering 2026 Season
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It's tough to have a firm grasp on what Michigan State will truly look like this year.
The Spartans haven't had a winning season or been to a bowl game since 2021, and the hope is that Pat Fitzgerald can quickly turn things around. MSU has 62 new players this year, 32 of them being transfers. Through all the roster chaos, one major concern sticks out the most on the interior of Michigan State's defensive line.
Changes From Last Year
Defensive tackle was actually one of MSU's few "strengths" last season. Even though the Spartans were playing from behind for most of the year (when opponents would normally run the ball), Michigan State's run defense ranked 65th in the FBS.
Five players were regularly getting snaps at defensive tackle: Alex VanSumeren, Grady Kelly, Ben Roberts, Jalen Satchell, and Ru'Quan Buckley. Of those five, Roberts is the only one back this year. Kelly, Satchell, and Buckley exhausted their NCAA eligibility, and VanSumeren transferred to USC.
This year, MSU only has six scholarship defensive tackles on the entire roster, and only two have serious experience to write home about. Roberts is the first one, and the other is Illinois transfer Eli Coenen. He was the Fighting Illini's fifth defensive tackle last season, playing a total of 222 defensive snaps. That was also his very first FBS and Division I season after beginning his career at D-II Bemidji State.
Everybody else is unproven. Derrick Simmons is the big name to watch this season at defensive tackle. He's a former 4-star recruit who redshirted last year, but he's bound to get a lot of snaps this season as likely Michigan State's third defensive tackle. The ceiling for Simmons is way up there, but the Spartans are asking for a pretty big leap from him in 2026.
It gets a lot thinner after that. Carlos Hazelwood is another transfer portal player new to the program this year. He began his career with two years at Toledo, where he played 93 total defensive snaps, with 83 of them coming last season.
Then there's Mikeshun Beeler, who has played just nine defensive snaps over two years at MSU. Then there's true freshman Hudson Aultman, who flipped from Miami (OH) to Michigan State last November.
Somebody other than Simmons is going to have to be a bit of a surprise this year for the interior of the defensive line to hold up. Most teams tend to rotate in at least three defensive tackles each game because the position is so physical. Michigan State could get away with a rotation of just Roberts, Coenen, and Simmons, but that would be asking a lot from the three of them.
The Spartans are just one injury or ailment away from having to rotate in the bench more and more. For example, Roberts has an injury history. He missed two games in his first year with MSU after transferring in from Oregon and then five games last year. Roberts' role and share of the snaps this season is probably going to get bigger, too. His performance and health will be of utmost importance this season.
Why Things Could Be Okay
I think a jump from Beeler is pretty possible. He's drawn a few compliments from the coaching staff in the lead-up to the season. The lack of playing time for him up to this point doesn't mean he can't be an effective player this year; it's more about how much may be left to chance if he's suddenly thrust into a bigger role.
The same goes for Hazelwood. One has to presume that there's a reason that Bryan Gasser, Michigan State's general manager, brought Hazelwood with him from Toledo. Both he and Beeler are on the younger side, too, so there's plenty of room for growth.
MSU's linebacker room could also help out things a lot. The fact that star linebacker Jordan Hall is back should help the Spartans plug the gaps up front. He led Michigan State with 88 total tackles last year. Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford, likely MSU's second MIKE linebacker, also brings a ton of experience. He had 81 tackles last year.
Rush end Kenny Soares Jr. should also help the Spartans defend the run a lot. He's shifting into a more pass-rusher-centric role now after being a linebacker his whole career up to this point, but Soares still had 80 tackles last season. Some of the skills from his old position should translate a lot into what he has to do at rush end now.
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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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