Michigan State may be down a key piece on defense when it lines up against Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET, and that opens the door for a bigger workload for Brady Pretzlaff - plus a possible first taste of game action for true freshman Adam Shaw.
Star linebacker Jordan Hall was spotted in street clothes by media members at the Spartans’ matchup with Noah Kim and the Eagles, which has pushed the expectation that he’ll sit this one out and rest for Notre Dame.
Hall was also seen wearing a huge brace on his arm after leaving last week’s game against Toledo a couple of times holding that same arm. There has been no official word on how serious the injury is, but the brace suggests he’ll be back in it when he’s cleared to play.
Early indications are LB Jordan Hall won't be playing today. He's still in street shoes with some other guys we haven't seen, while the rest of the team begins stretching.
- Stephen Brooks (@StephenM_Brooks) September 12, 2026
If Hall does sit, the Spartans would likely lean more on Pretzlaff, with Caleb Wheatland also in line for more snaps after returning healthy from last week’s game against Toledo. Dion Crawford could also factor into the mix next to Pretzlaff in Michigan State’s 4-2-5 look.
That’s a significant loss for the defense, but it also gives Michigan State a chance to see what some of its younger linebackers can do. Shaw has been a name to watch since preseason, after flipping his commitment to Michigan State during the recruiting process and impressing the staff. Saturday could be his Spartan debut.
Other young linebackers who could be in the picture include DeJae White, one of the favorites from the Spartans’ 2025 class, and DiMari Malone, a promising backer from Macomb (Mich.) Dakota.
The hope is that Hall’s injury is not serious. Still, if Michigan State is going to keep him on the shelf this week, it would make sense with Notre Dame looming next week. The Spartans will need him more in Week 3, and this matchup against an average MAC team may be the right spot to let the younger defenders get reps before Big Ten play begins.
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Charles Taplin added his first collegiate touchdown to the mix, while several freshmen got their first non-special teams snaps in game action. The bigger long-term takeaway, though, may have come at nickelback, where a new competition is beginning to take shape and could become one of the more interesting depth-chart battles to follow as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
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Michigan State Finally Gave Fans A Reason For Real Optimism
Michigan State finally had a performance that gave its fan base something sturdier than hope to grab onto, even if it came against Eastern Michigan. The Spartans got more from their key playmakers on offense, with Charles Taplin emerging as a useful young target and Cam Edwards helping energize the ground game. After a stretch of uneven play, the broader point was hard to miss: the pieces looked more connected, and the offense showed signs it could carry some real weight.
The defense still left room for concern after giving up plenty of yardage in the first half, but it did respond better after intermission and added a forced fumble to the mix. That kind of uneven outing is hardly a finished product, yet it was enough to nudge the mood from frustration toward cautious optimism. For a fan base that has been waiting for a reason to believe, this was at least a small but meaningful step in that direction. [Read more 🡒]