Michigan State's Darius Snow, right, tackles Iowa's Kaden Wetjen in the first quarter on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

MSU Requires Strong Showing from LB Corps this Season

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 2:04 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans suffered a pair of big losses at the end of last season as their top two tacklers in linebacker duo Jordan Turner and Cal Haladay both moved on from their college careers. This Spartan linebacker corps will be required to step up if they want to be successful this year.

Sixth-year Spartan Darius Snow is spearheading the group, looking to put together back-to-back healthy seasons for the first time since his Spartan career began in 2020. He decided to come back for one more season and is going to make the most of his opportunity.

Snow played in 11 games last season, recording 29 tackles. With more experience and program knowledge than anyone else on the team, including almost the entire coaching staff, Snow will be the leader of the group, much like Haladay was last year. Perhaps he can have a larger impact.

Junior Jordan Hall had a setback season in 2024 as he played minimal snaps due to the emergence of Turner, who transferred in from Wisconsin the year prior. Hall has a lot of experience as he earned 67 tackles and 4.5 sacks in his freshman season (2023).

The third and final starting linebacker for Michigan State is fifth-year senior Wayne Matthews III. After four years at Old Dominion, Matthews brought his talents to East Lansing last year, totaling 33 tackles in 10 games. He is looking to do the same as Snow, finishing out his college career with a bang.

The Spartans must find a way to create blitz pressure at linebacker. Between all three starting backers this upcoming year, not a single one recorded a sack last year. Michigan State was also one of the worst teams in all of college football in terms of creating quarterback pressure and sacks.

It is very motivating for the Spartans that their starting linebacker trio is all returners. Each guy has either played one or five seasons with the program, a major benefit. If the scheme improves and this group can find pressure in the backfield, this team will win seven or more games, no doubt.

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