Looking to put a lackluster 4-8 campaign in the rearview after a turbulent 2023 season, the Michigan State Spartans will look to compete in the Big Ten with a new coach, new scheme, and a new signal-caller that brings high expectations with them.
Who else will help the Spartans turn things around in Lansing? Let’s take a look at the top ten returning players for Michigan State as the 2024 season approaches.
Michigan State Spartans Top 10 Returners in 2024
Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal era. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes that were included on each team’s roster page to open fall camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.
10) Ryan Eckley, Punter
Eckley was added to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award honoring the nation’s best punter. While excitement around a punter is unusual, it isn’t a negative by any stretch. Eckley ranked eighth in the country with his 46.8-yard average per punt and he excelled at pinning opponents inside the 20.
While Eckley may not break any of the records set by Tory Taylor, he’s just a sophomore so the opportunity is still on the table. More so, he will be able to flip the field and pin opponents, which should allow a young and hungry Spartans defense to bring some significant heat, especially as the weather worsens.
9) Luke Newman, Guard
Newman comes to Michigan State via the portal from Holy Cross, but the graduate transfer offensive lineman comes highly decorated. He started 37 games at left tackle and was a two-time All-American at the FCS level. He helped his unit at Holy Cross rank in the top 10 nationally in rushing offense, total offense, and scoring offense.
Newman projects as an interior player but his experience will be invaluable as Michigan State looks to establish a culture up front like coach Jonathan Smith had at Oregon State.
8) Montorie Foster Jr., Wide Receiver
Foster was the leading pass catcher for the Spartans in 2023. He posted a respectable 43 receptions for 576 yards and three TDs, which was good enough to rank in the top 15 in the Big Ten.
The speedy wide receiver should see plenty of targets in Smith’s offense and his propensity to move the chains should serve him well. Over half of his receptions went for either a first down or a touchdown.
7) Nate Carter, Running Back
Carter had a substantial first year as a Spartan, setting career highs with 798 yards rushing, 185 carries, and four touchdowns in addition to 22 receptions.
The 5’10” all-purpose bruiser will share the carries — as is the style of his new head coach — but Carter was named to the Doak Walker Award list for a reason. He could be in for a big year in Lansing.
6) Maverick Hansen, Defensive Line
A sixth-year senior, Hansen has posted solid career numbers for an interior defensive lineman, including 90 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and five sacks with only eight career starts.
Hansen will be counted on to lead the interior of a defense that has a lot of talent behind him. His leadership and experience will be critical for a group trying to establish an identity under a new head coach.
5) Jordan Hall, Linebacker
Hall was outstanding as a freshman for the Spartans, landing fourth on the squad in total tackles with 67 and second in sacks and tackles for loss with 4.5 and 7.5, respectively.
The highly rated Hall will be a full-time starter this season and will be asked to anchor a Spartan defense that is adapting to a new set of coaches and a new scheme. The Spartans will be relying on him heavily to rise to the challenge.
4) Jack Velling, Tight End
A valuable addition via the transfer portal, Velling followed head coach Jonathan Smith to Michigan State after earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors and setting a record for touchdowns by a tight end at Oregon State with eight.
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His 29 catches for 438 yards may not be eye-popping production, but his familiarity with Smith’s motion-heavy offense and his ability to block make him a valuable addition. His red-zone prowess could make him a favorite for a young quarterback in Aidan Chiles.
3) Cal Haladay, Linebacker
Death, taxes, and Cal Haladay are what come to mind when discussing the constants in life and Michigan State football. His 35 career starts have made him a mainstay at Michigan State. He will enter his senior season as part of a wicked one-two punch with his running mate Hall at linebacker.
Haladay led the team in tackles with 91 in 2023, but it was his nose for the football with two fumble recoveries and one return for a touchdown that made him special. He has three career touchdowns and could finally receive first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 with a big season.
2) Kay’ron Lynch-Adams, Running Back
Back in the Big Ten after a detour to UMass, Lynch started his career at Rutgers and will finish his sixth season as a Spartan. He set multiple records in his time at UMass. Lynch was 27th in yards at the FBS level with 1,157 yards and 13th in carries with 236. He became just the second player in UMass program history to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
Lynch-Adams fits the profile for a Smith-coached running back perfectly, and the one-two combination of KLA and Carter could be the kind of potent rushing attack that allows the starting quarterback the flourish in a balanced attack. The Spartans are a work in progress, but if Lynch-Adams continues the kind of record-setting performances that he turned in at UMass that work in progress could speed up significantly.
1) Aidan Chiles, Quarterback
Chiles flashed the kind of rare athleticism and ability that made him the number two-ranked transfer portal QB by 247 Sports on a spot basis while at Oregon State. He’ll be in Year 2 of the system under Smith after completing 68% of his passes and notching seven total touchdowns, three on the ground and four through the air.
While it was likely a package deal, Chiles on his own would have been a massive coup for the Spartans. He’s an electric football player, a true threat to beat defenses with his legs and with his arm. His first full season as a starter will be a major adjustment, but Chiles is the kind of player who changes the trajectory of a program, and with three years of eligibility remaining, he could leave campus as one of its all-time greats.
His lumps will come, but Chiles is the kind of leader teams across the country would love to have learning on the job.
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