MSU's Hall, Matthews III on Team's Defensive Performance vs. YSU

See what two of Michigan State's starting linebackers had to say after Saturday's game.

Left to right: Michigan State linebackers Wayne Matthews III and Jordan Hall speak to the media after a 41-24 win over Youngstown State on Sept. 13, 2025. | Jacob Cotsonika, Michigan State Spartans on SI

EAST LANSING --- Michigan State's defense didn't have its best day against Youngstown State on Saturday, and starting linebackers Jordan Hall and Wayne Matthews III spoke as much following the 41-24 win.

They both still feel confident that the defense can become a quality one, but still know that the unit as a whole can certainly improve a lot. Matthews III's 10 tackles led the team on Saturday, while Hall had four tackles and a sack.

See what Hall and Matthews III had to say after the game below.

Watch Hall, Matthews III here:

After the game, head coach Jonathan Smith also spoke to the media about the victory. Below is a partial transcript from Smith's press conference.

Jonathan Smith

Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith addresses the media after his team's 41-24 win over Youngstown State on Sept. 13, 2025. | Jacob Cotsonika, Michigan State Spartans on SI

"Three notes, we'll obviously take that. It's kind of what I told the team though, we've got more to us. 

"Credit to Youngstown State, I thought some schematics gave us a couple issues, especially on defense on the one long run; we're not even kind of lined up correctly and it creases for the big hit. 

"I thought schematically, in the run game offensively, we got more to us. We got to get something going there and make it a little bit easier on the quarterback, to get us a little better down-and-distances.

"The first half went quick on us. We had four total possessions offensively, we scored three of them. So you go into halftime with the thinking that we just wanted to get the ball going and then coming out of the second half, that punt return was huge, 'cause we didn't do anything offensively. Defensively, steps up, gets us three and out. 

"Punt return by Omari (Kelly) was huge. Gets us down there, kind of separating things. 

Michigan State's Omari Kelly, right, runs after a catch as Youngstown State's Brandon Chambers Jr. closes in during the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"We had one turnover tonight; tipped ball, play action pass, the defense bowed up. I thought that was really big, looking at the second half and everything. Turn the thing over and get it in a pretty good field position for them. Defense bows up and gets a stop, I think it was a field goal on that possession. So that was big.

"So again, we're gonna go back to work, similar like we're doing each week, right? We're gonna digest this tape and look at some things. We know what's coming in regards to this conference, starting conference play next week. The road trip, the team we're playing (USC), all of that's coming.”

Sep 13, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Youngstown State tight end Austin Bray (85) stiff-arms Michigan State linebacker Wayne Matthews III (10) in the third quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

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