Starting MSU Lineman Announces Return to Team
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It's felt like every Michigan State football headline has been about a player leaving, but this one is about somebody staying.
Starting right tackle Conner Moore announced on social media Thursday night that he would be sticking around at MSU for one more season. Moore started all 12 of the Spartans' games this past season and played a team-high 765 offensive snaps (798 possible). He received a 68.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and was charged with six sacks allowed over 455 pass-blocking snaps.
Let’s run it back.
— Conner Moore (@cmoore_58) January 2, 2026
Go Green💚🤍 pic.twitter.com/0UT4sOu5wP
Moore transferred to Michigan State after beginning his career at Montana State, where he became an FCS All-American. He was one of the Spartans' best gets from the transfer portal last season, getting him to choose MSU over Ohio State, Cincinnati, and some other Power Four teams.
The Millbury, Ohio, native will have one more season of NCAA eligibility remaining. Getting Moore to come back provides some continuity to an MSU offensive line that will certainly look different in 2026.
More on Moore, MSU's Offensive Line Outlook
The offensive line will definitely be different next year, but there is a chance that the tackle situation remains the same. Moore will presumably be the starter again next year. No announcement has been made in either direction for starting left tackle Stanton Ramil.
It's always tough to gauge these situations during coaching changes. MSU head coach Pat Fitzgerald is replacing former offensive line coach Jim Michalczik with Nick Tabacca, who had been the OL coach at Wake Forest from 2014-24.
It's the interior of the offensive line that will see the most change. Michigan State's top center, Matt Gulbin, is out of eligibility. The team's top two guards, Caleb Carter and Gavin Broscious, are also departing the team --- Carter is out of eligibility, while Broscious is portaling.
No matter which five offensive linemen start for the Spartans next year, the overall unit has to be better. MSU had the worst pass-blocking grade in the Big Ten, according to PFF, and ranked 12th in run blocking.
Michigan State allowed 37 sacks this season as well. That average of 3.08 per game ranked 123rd in the FBS and was the second-highest number in the Big Ten (Rutgers, 3.17).
Protecting the quarterback has to be a larger emphasis next year. Those sack numbers would be even worse if Alessio Milivojevic, who is less athletic than previous starter Aidan Chiles, had been starting at quarterback all season. Milivojevic was sacked 14 times over his four starts. That pace over a full season would add up to 42 sacks, five more than the real total.
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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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