Sizing Up The Spartans: A Notre Dame Preview of Michigan State's Defense
Michigan State Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald has some history with Notre Dame Stadium.
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As Northwestern’s All-American Linebacker, Fitzgerald led a 17-15 defensive slugfest that left Irish fans stunned in 1995. Less than 20 years later, Fitzgerald returned as Head Coach of his alma mater and again left Notre Dame stunned as they escaped South Bend with a 43-40 overtime upset in 2014. The Irish were eventually able to get their revenge on Fitzgerald and his Wildcats in a 2018 31-21 win in Evanston.
Fitzgerald returns to Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday, except this time wearing a different Big Ten program’s logo. Through two games, the defensive-minded coach has the Michigan State Spartans 2-0 with wins over MAC foes, Toledo and Eastern Michigan. This sets up a matchup of unbeatens as the third-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the Spartans in primetime this weekend.
Michigan State Results (2-0)
30-20 Win vs Toledo
35-7 Win vs Eastern Michigan (EMU)
Under Fitzgerald’s leadership, the defensive mastermind since 2024 for the Spartans has been Defensive Coordinator Joe Rossi. Prior to joining MSU, Rossi held the same role at Minnesota from 2018-23. This year has looked a bit different for the Spartans DC, though, as he no longer has LB Coach attached to his title, allowing him more time to oversee the entire defensive group.
Through two games, the Spartans' run defense has impressed, and that could play a big role on Saturday in what is expected to be rainy conditions. They are allowing just 89 rushing yards per game, including just 3.9 yards per carry. Notre Dame’s lackluster run offense that currently averages 3.6 yards per carry will need to find another gear for the Irish to have success.
In a far less threatening way, the MSU secondary has been similar to Notre Dame’s through two games. There have been a few costly missteps, but overall, the two groups have yet to truly break. The Spartans have come up with one interception while holding opponents to 157 passing yards per game and giving up two touchdowns. If the weather permits, I think CJ Carr and the Irish offense could overwhelm the Spartans' passing defense. Carr currently holds a 196.2 passing efficiency rating with a perfect 6:0 TD:INT ratio. WR Jordan Faison became the first Irish weapon to crack over 100 receiving yards on the season last week, bringing his season totals to eight catches, 135 yards, and two touchdowns into Saturday’s meeting.
For the Irish to start 3-0 for the first time since 2023, they must get past this MSU defense. We break down the Spartans’ defensive personnel by position group below:
EDGEs
Kenny Soares Jr.
The first player to highlight on the MSU defense is their leader, Kenny Soares Jr. The Irish got a taste of what Soares is capable of last year against NC State when the former Wolfpack LB recorded eight tackles in the loss to Notre Dame. The 6-2, 234-pound redshirt senior reunited with Coach Fitzgerald this year after originally committing and playing under him at Northwestern.
The Trumbull, Connecticut native spent his first three seasons at Northwestern as a Fitzgerald recruit. As a Wildcat, Soares recorded 57 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, and three PBUs in 28 games played, including eight starts.
Last season, Soares transferred to NC State. Across 13 games played, including eight starts, the LB finished the year with 80 tackles (2nd-most on the team), four TFLs, half of a sack, one fumble recovery, six QB hits, and two PBUs.
This offseason, Soares transitioned from an off-ball LB to a full-time edge rusher, a move that will pay off in the future. He has come up with six tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and one interception this year. He stood out in last week’s win against EMU with a five-tackle performance, including 1.5 TFLs.
Soares has shown good versatility throughout his career and he proved that with a coverage interception in week one against Toledo. He has good instincts, a strong football IQ, and is disruptive against the run. The redshirt senior is experienced, productive, and physical. There is not much else you want from an EDGE rusher. However, his size could be an issue against bigger OTs.
Interception vs Toledo
Keahnist Thompson
Opposite of Soares will likely be another redshirt senior transfer, Keahnist Thompson. The 6-3, 266-pound EDGE is in his first year at MSU as a former UCF and Weber State transfer. Thompson originally committed to UCF out of Lakeland High School in Florida.
Thompson spent one season at UCF, redshirting after appearing in one game and making one tackle, and transferred to FCS Weber State in 2023. He spent the last three years at Weber State, making 19 starts across 28 games played, and racking up 63 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, five sacks, and one PBU.
Through his first two contests as a Spartan, Thompson has four tackles, one TFL, two QB hits, and was credited with half of a sack against EMU. He also finished last week’s win with three tackles.
Thompson has good size, offers good pass rush upside, and has had an impressive start to the campaign considering the jump in competition from Weber State. How he performs against the run will be something to watch, as opponents will likely test Thompson in this facet, perhaps beginning this week.
Others to watch: Anelu Lafaele
Interior Linemen
Eli Coenen
Another defensive starter in his first year at MSU is this redshirt junior. Eli Coenen began his college career at DII Bemidji State before transferring to Illinois in 2025. The 6-6, 287-pound DL committed to Bemidji State out of Baldwin-Woodville High School in Wisconsin.
Coenen spent two years at Bemidji State, making one start across 15 games played, and tallied 22 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, two sacks, one PBU, and one fumble recovery. Last season, the Wisconsin native transferred to Illinois where he recorded 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks across 13 games played.
Through two games, it looks like Coenen is making the Big Ten impact he was looking for a year ago with the Illini. The DL has seven tackles, three sacks, and one PBU this season, and had a big two-sack performance last week against EMU.
Coenen has impressed as a pass rusher early in 2026, as previously noted, and he also added four QB pressures in week one against Toledo. It will be interesting to see if he maintains this level of play as the competition starts to ramp up, beginning on Saturday with Notre Dame. Coenen possesses great size and length, and a good football IQ. Another aspect to watch for on Saturday is how he holds up against the run, as he has not been tested too much yet in this area.
Ben Roberts
Starting next to Coenen will likely be the 6-3, 325-pound space-eater, Ben Roberts. The redshirt senior is in his third year at MSU after beginning his college career at Oregon.
Roberts committed to Oregon out of East High School in Salt Lake City as a four-star recruit. Across two seasons with the Ducks, the DL tallied five tackles and a blocked kick in nine games played.
In 2024, Roberts decided to transfer to Michigan State. During the last two seasons as a Spartan, he has recorded 19 tackles, two TFLs, and one sack in 17 games played, including six starts.
This season, Roberts has four tackles and was credited with an assisted tackle for loss last week against EMU. The Lakewood, Washington native possesses great strength and plays with good size and physicality. While he is solid as a run-stopper, he is limited in terms of pass rush production.
Others to watch: Derrick Simmons, Mikeshun Beeler
Linebackers
Jordan Hall
One of the biggest questions on Saturday will be the status of star LB Jordan Hall who missed last week’s contest after suffering an arm injury in week one. I would expect Hall to suit up Saturday despite being listed as questionable. The 6-3, 249-pound senior out of Fredericksburg, Virginia, is in his fourth year with the Spartans after committing to the program out of IMG Academy as a four-star Under Armour All-American.
Hall entered the 2026 season with 179 tackles, 13 TFLs, seven sacks, one interception, five PBUs, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery across 35 games played, including 19 starts. He was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention last season after leading the team with 88 tackles.
While Hall missed last week, he certainly made his impact felt in his 28 snaps against Toledo. Before exiting the game, he had tallied four tackles, including one TFL.
The senior LB has good instincts and play recognition, and is clearly a productive tackler. Against the run, Hall reminds me of Wisconsin LB Mason Posa, as he constantly attacks instead of waiting, but this tendency can cost him, as it did Posa a couple of times in week one. Hall is also solid in coverage and as a pass rusher when needed. If he does return, it will be interesting to see if he is truly 100%.
Brady Pretzlaff
In the wake of Hall’s injury, redshirt sophomore Brady Pretzlaff has really emerged with a great start to his third year at MSU. The 6-3, 238-pound LB originally committed to the Spartans as a four-star recruit out of Gaylord High School in Michigan.
Prior to this season, Pretzlaff had appeared in just seven games, recording 11 tackles, two TFLs, and two PBUs during this time. He preserved his redshirt in 2024 after appearing in four games and suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in week three of 2025.
Through two healthy games in 2026, the MSU LB has racked up 13 tackles and had eight last week with Hall on the sideline.
Pretzlaff showcases good football IQ and play recognition. Similar to Hall, he is a physical LB that will attack the line of scrimmage instead of waiting for the play to come to him. Pretzlaff has not been tested much in coverage, so this could be an area that Notre Dame tries to explore. However, it will also be interesting to see how much his role diminishes with the expected return of Hall.
Others to watch: Caleb Wheatland
Defensive Backs
CB Tre Bell
The first DB to highlight is CB Tre Bell. The 6-1, 200-pound redshirt senior is in his first year at MSU as a former Lindenwood and Iowa State transfer. Bell originally committed to FCS Lindenwood out of Parkway West High School in St. Louis.
Bell spent three years at Lindenwood, located in St. Charles, Missouri. After redshirting and not playing in 2022, he would garner 48 tackles, 12 PBUs, one interception, and one fumble recovery across 20 games played, including five starts.
Last season, Bell transferred to Iowa State where he made eight starts across 12 games played. He finished the year with 36 tackles, four TFLs, one forced fumble, and two interceptions.
Through two games in East Lansing as a Spartan, the redshirt senior CB has six tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one sack, and one PBU. He stood out in his MSU debut against Toledo when he recorded three tackles, two TFLs, one sack, and a PBU in the week one win.
Bell is a physical CB who brings good experience to the MSU DB room. He has faced coverage inconsistencies in the past, though, allowing completions on 62.7% of targets last season at Iowa State. Along with this, Bell also has a lack of splash plays that would make him a larger coverage threat.
S Nikai Martinez
This 5-11, 196-pound Safety is in his third year at MSU as a former UCF transfer. Martinez, a redshirt senior, originally committed to UCF as a four-star recruit from Apopka High School in Florida.
Martinez spent two years at UCF, making 13 starts across 27 games played. As a Knight, the DB recorded 75 tackles, three TFLs, one sack, and three interceptions.
Before this season and since transferring to East Lansing in 2024, Martinez had started all 16 games he had appeared in. However, in 2025, he received a redshirt after appearing in just four games due to injury. During his 16 games played, he had tallied 75 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, two interceptions, and four PBUs.
In 2026, Martinez had six tackles and recorded his first PBU of the year last week against EMU. This season, the redshirt senior safety is deemed the leader of the DBs given his experience. He has showcased solid ball-hawking skills and tackling production in the past; however, his injury history is a bit of a concern.
S Devin Vaught
Martinez’s partner at Safety will likely be Devin Vaught, the redshirt junior in his first season with MSU following three years at Maine. The 6-0, 212-pound DB originally committed to FCS Maine out of Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte.
Vaught stood out during his time at Maine, racking up 107 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, six interceptions including a pick-six, 15 PBUs, and one blocked kick across 26 games played, including 22 starts. The DB played in just three games in 2023 to preserve his redshirt, and wound up as a 2025 Second Team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection.
Through two games at the FBS level, Vaught has recorded 13 tackles, including a TFL last week against EMU. He has a good history of ball-hawking and has shown to be reliable against the run. Also, he showcases good instincts and offers the versatility to play nickel if needed. Notably, he seems to be a clean player, as he earned just one penalty across his three seasons at Maine. So far, the adjustment from FCS to FBS does not seem to be much of a hurdle. There were moments at Maine where Vaught’s coverage was a concern, so watch for Notre Dame to potentially expose the Safety in, arguably, the biggest game of his life.
Nickel Michael Richard
Starting at nickel will likely be senior and Louisiana Tech (LA Tech) transfer, Michael Richard. The 5-10, 179-pound DB is in his first year at MSU after spending the past three seasons at LA Tech. The New Orleans native committed to LA Tech out of Edna Karr High School.
At LA Tech, Richard tallied 104 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, three interceptions, and 14 PBUs across 34 games played, including 22 starts. He was named the 2023 Conference USA Freshman of the Year and followed that up with a 2024 All-CUSA Second Team selection.
Through two games in East Lansing, the former Bulldog has six tackles, including a TFL he recorded in week one. In the week one performance against Toledo, Richard underwhelmed and ended up splitting reps with NiJhay Burt. However, he did bounce back with a solid performance against EMU last week.
Richard offers positional versatility as he lined up as a safety during the majority of his time at LA Tech, and now moves over to nickel with MSU. He has flashed solid potential in coverage and is solid against the run, but this could be someone that Carr and the Irish pass offense pick on Saturday.
CB Tyran Chappell
The final player to highlight and likely to start opposite of Bell is this 6-3, 189-pound redshirt sophomore. Tyran Chappell is in his first year with the Spartans following two seasons at FCS Houston Christian (HCU). The Dallas native originally committed to HCU out of Ryan High School in Texas.
In 14 games played at HCU, including 10 starts, Chappell totaled 29 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, four interceptions including a pick-six, and 11 PBUs. The DB was selected to the All-Southland Conference First Team last season.
Chappell has put together two solid performances in his debut season at MSU, even taking over this starting role from Charles Brantley. The redshirt sophomore CB has four tackles and one PBU this year. He possesses a great frame, featuring considerable length. While he is still young, Chappell does offer good upside in terms of coverage.
Others to watch: CB Charles Brantley, DB NiJhay Burt
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