Nov 16, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Spartan Specialist Transfers Out

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Apr 17, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans lost their starting long snapper to the transfer portal as redshirt junior Jack Carson-Wentz announced on social media on Wednesday morning that he would be taking his talents elsewhere in 2025.

"I'm truly grateful for the chance to wear the Green and White and represent this university," Carson-Wentz wrote. "It's been a blessing to start in seven games and. play in eight games for Michigan State, and I am blessed to have this opportunity.

"With that being said, I've decided to enter my name into the transfer portal with three years of eligibility left. Thank you to Spartan Nation for all the support."

Thank you, Michigan State. Recruitment is back open.

P4 Starter Game film: https://t.co/U8DTE3VCQI pic.twitter.com/rTv7grRwia
— Jack Carson-Wentz P4 Starter Transfer LS (@JackCarsonWentz) April 16, 2025

Carson-Wentz has been on quite the odyssey as a collegiate athlete, starting his career in 2022 at Lenoir Rhyne, a Division II program, receiving zero playing time, prompting his transfer to another D-II university, West Georgia. He landed with the Spartans in 2024, being featured heavily as a starter.

After an injury took starting long snapper Kaden Schickel out for the second half of the season, Carson-Wentz was inserted as the starting snapper on punts and PATs in the final four games of the season, assisting junior punter Ryan Eckley and sixth-year kicker Jonathan Kim.

Schickel is now a redshirt senior and healthy, expected to be the starting long snapper for the Spartans, possibly prompting Carson-Wentz to find a new school. He stalled through the first few weeks of spring practice in East Lansing before making his decision to transfer.

The precedent that is being set by Carson-Wentz and so many other players around the country will influence other impact players to make the same type of decisions. When a team is planning for the upcoming year with that player in rotation, it is a stunner when they decide to go elsewhere.

With how the world of college athletics has developed over the past few years, the portal can be compared to the Wild West. At any time, a player can decide to switch schools in the midst of preparations for the upcoming season. Carson-Wentz is behind the eight ball in his transfer process.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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