MSU Football Fall Camp Hub: Notes, Observations, Updates
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EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State football is back.
The Spartans are officially starting fall camp on Thursday morning at the Skandalaris Football Center. MSU has 29 days to prepare from Thursday until its Week 1 game against Toledo on Friday, Sept. 4 (8 p.m. ET kickoff, FS1). Continue to check back here for little notes, tidbits, and links to Spartan Nation's free-to-read coverage from inside the building:
Thursday, August 6 Schedule & Coverage
The beginning of practice at around 10:45 a.m. ET will be open to media observation. Look here in the following hours for any notes. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald, along with some players, will speak in the early afternoon.
Biggest Storylines Ahead of Camp
Who Can Emerge in WR Corps?
The biggest question facing Michigan State ahead of fall camp will be which pass-catchers can break out and grab starting spots. MSU is replacing both Nick Marsh and Omari Kelly, the team's top two wideouts last season. The Spartans are bringing back starting slot receiver Chrishon McCray, but it feels like anybody's game for the spots being left behind by Marsh and Kelly.
Part of this battle has to be settled off the field, too. Wideout Rodney Bullard Jr. is still awaiting a decision from the NCAA on a waiver he applied for during the winter. Bullard has played only three college seasons, but there was a year at Valdosta State where he was just a regular student. He'll be one of the contenders for a starting role if he is given the additional year of eligibility that he seeks.
Returning second-year player Charles Taplin, true freshman Samson Gash, Notre Dame transfer KK Smith, and Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore make a group of four other contenders whose eligibility is not in question. Taplin and Bullard were the two starters during April's spring game, but those statuses are hardly secure.
Second-years Braylon Collier and Bryson Williams, as well as Jackson State transfer Jameel Gardner Jr., are some wild cards to be aware of. Gardner was the third-leading receiver at Jackson State last year, Williams got into four games and got three touches (two rushes, one reception), and Collier only made one appearance.
Pass-Rushing Questions
Michigan State is also looking for another jump from its room of pass-rushers. The Spartans were towards the bottom of the Big Ten in sacks last year, and they didn't add a ton of proven sack production from the transfer portal. Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford has the most with 12.0 career sacks, but he's going to play linebacker for MSU and probably won't get quite as many opportunities to get after the quarterback as he did at his previous stop.
The two rush ends to know for Michigan State are Kenny Soares Jr. and Anelu Lafaele. Soares is a transfer from NC State who is switching from linebacker; he has 3.0 career sacks, with only half a sack last year. Lafaele is entering his second year with the program after transferring from Wisconsin; he got off to a quick start last year before suffering a season-ending foot injury.
Weber State transfer Keahnist Thompson and SEMO transfer Trey Lisle are two other notable additions. Thompson had 4.0 sacks in nine games last year, including a 1.5-sack day against Arizona. Lisle has some very intriguing potential with his 6'6", 254-pound frame, but he may end up being a longer-term prospect out of the portal for MSU's staff.
Isaac Smith is also back for another year with the Spartans. He transferred to Michigan State from Texas Tech in the spring portal last offseason and started all 12 of MSU's games last year. Smith made 26 tackles and had one sack a year after having 2.5 for the Red Raiders.
TE Competition
The tight ends are another point of intrigue for Michigan State this fall. MSU has four or five unproven tight ends in the running for some playing time. The top two from last year, Jack Velling and Michael Masunas, both left the team this offseason. Activity in the transfer portal was light at the position, too, with the Spartans only adding Ferris State transfer (and all-around athlete) Carson Gulker.
Gulker won't be a traditional tight end for Michigan State. He's played quarterback and running back in the past, and there are endless ways offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan can utilize his skill set. Back with the team are Brennan Parachek, Kai Rios, and Jayden Savoury. Those three players caught just two passes combined last year, so there isn't much in-game production to go off of entering camp.
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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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