Michigan State’s defense may have found its biggest swing piece in a familiar face.
Ben Roberts is back for his third year in East Lansing, and after a season-ending injury wiped out the rest of his 2025 campaign, the redshirt senior is set to reclaim a spot in the middle of the Spartans’ line. Under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, Roberts could be positioned for the kind of season that changes the look of this defense.
At 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds, Roberts brings the kind of mass that can clog the center of a run defense on its own. His game is built on power and anchoring at the point of attack, the kind of work that lets linebackers like veteran Jordan Hall flow into open gaps and finish plays near or behind the line of scrimmage. The production hasn’t jumped off the page, but his presence clearly changes what Michigan State can do up front.
That was true even in a limited sample last season. Roberts played in just seven games, yet still posted a 73.3 Pro Football Focus grade and stood out as a strong run defender and gap-filler in the trenches. He and Hall were the bright spots on a run defense that finished 65th nationally in rushing yards allowed at 147.3 per game, a number Michigan State has to bring down if it wants better results against a demanding conference slate.
The Spartans have also added help through the transfer portal on the defensive line, including Illinois’ Eli Coenen. But getting Roberts back may be the most important move of all, because he gives the front a proven anchor and a chance to stabilize the middle.
There’s also a bigger ceiling here. The former 4-star recruit has the profile to be more than just a dependable nose tackle, and his tools could put him on an NFL path with the 2027 NFL Draft in April. For a Michigan State program looking for a reset under Fitzgerald, Roberts could become a captain-level presence and a key part of whatever comes next.
For the Spartans, it still comes back to the same old truth: the trenches decide everything. If Roberts stays healthy, he has the chance to be the kind of force that makes the entire defense look different.
In Other News...
Frankie Fidler Gets Another NBA Shot After His Michigan State Year
Frankie Fidler is getting another crack at the NBA after his lone season at Michigan State, this time with the Portland Trail Blazers Summer League roster. The former Spartan wing spent the past year playing professionally in Latvia, where his scoring punch stood out far more than it did during his one season in East Lansing, and now he gets a fresh stage to show he belongs against NBA-caliber competition.
For Fidler, the timing matters because Summer League is often where overlooked players can turn a good summer into a real opportunity. He will be on the floor with and against several familiar Spartan names as Portlands schedule rolls on, including a July 12 meeting with Orlando, and the next step is clear enough: make enough noise to put his name in the conversation for his first NBA contract. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremy Fears Just Weighed In On Tom Izzo's Future At MSU
Tom Izzo is heading into his 32nd season at Michigan State, and the conversation around his future is starting to sound a little different when it comes from one of the Spartans own. Jeremy Fears Jr. said he expects Izzo to be around for a while, a vote of confidence that carries some weight from an All-American point guard who has seen up close how the program operates and why players keep buying in.
Fears also made his own future clear by choosing to return to East Lansing, giving Michigan State another major piece in a roster that already has plenty of momentum. He pointed to the mix of returning talent and a strong locker-room environment as reasons the Spartans can chase a national championship, and for a team built around Izzos standard, that kind of belief from a lead guard matters. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State's Leadership Mess Just Keeps Getting More Awkward
The leadership shuffle around Michigan State has turned into a drawn-out waiting game, with Kevin Guskiewicz and J Batt both still on campus even after being announced elsewhere weeks ago. Guskiewicz was named Clemsons next president more than a month ago, while Batt was tabbed as Kentuckys new athletic director about three weeks ago, yet neither move has actually taken effect.
Part of the delay comes from the fine print. Guskiewiczs contract gives him six months notice before he has to depart, which could push his exit well into the fall, and Batts arrangement includes a buyout clause tied to Guskiewiczs status. The result is an awkward overlap for Michigan State, where the top two leadership roles are in limbo at the same time and the timeline for any clean handoff still feels murky. [Read more 🡒]