What To Expect from Conner Moore in Return to MSU Football

The Spartans held onto one of their best offensive lineman this offseason.

Michigan State's Conner Moore, left, blocks Eli Coenen during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Only one starter from last season's offensive line is back for Michigan State.

That one is rising redshirt senior Conner Moore, a former Montana State transfer who grew up a Spartan fan in his hometown of Millbury, Ohio. He swung between left and right tackle during his first season with MSU in 2025, but the right side was where he spent the most time.

Moore's 2025 Season

Nov 29, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Michigan State offensive lineman Conner Moore (58) shakes hands with fans while walking off the field after defeating Maryland at Ford Field. | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

Moore was also the only player on the offensive line to start all 12 games last season. He led all players on offense with 765 total snaps on that side, too. Out of all those snaps, 538 were at right tackle, 226 were at left tackle, and one snap was as an additional lineman, according to PFF.

It was his very first FBS season, but Moore was pretty effective. He received an overall grade of 69.3 from PFF, which included an 80.4 grade as a run-blocker. The overall mark was only second (min. 200 snaps) to future Washington Commanders draft pick Matt Gulbin on the offensive line. It was the same thing as a run-blocker, but the gap between Gulbin and Moore was much smaller.

Potential Role in 2026

Sep 7, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of Michigan State Spartans helmet on the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Being able to specialize in one spot would perhaps help Moore get even better this coming year. Injuries to the then-starting left tackle Stanton Ramil last season were a big part of the reason Moore had to go between left and right a lot in 2025.

Left tackle was Moore's position during his career at Montana State, but constantly switching from one side of the offensive line to the other is difficult. The footwork at each position is different, and it's not really as simple as just "reversing" it.

Michigan State OT Conner Moore speaks to the press on Sept. 9, 2025. | Jacob Cotsonika, Michigan State Spartans on SI

What could shake things up is the possibility that Moore might not play right tackle this coming season. He was getting first-team reps during April's "Spring Showcase" at right guard, actually. Moore hasn't played a single snap at the position during his time at either Michigan State or Montana State. Rising redshirt sophomore Rakeem Johnson was actually playing right tackle instead.

This could just be to help add to Moore's versatility, though. An ongoing injury to Luka Vincic could contribute to Moore "starting" at right guard, too. Fall camp, which starts in early August, should sort it all out. Moore is going to start somewhere, though. He's taller and heavier than Johnson and has proven at right tackle, too. That would make it a bit odd to have Moore at guard.

Michigan State Spartans head football coach Pat Fitzgerald points while introducing himself to the crowd at a men's basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Fitzgerald was officially hired by MSU on Monday. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI