Michigan State's Wayne Matthews III celebrates after a tackle for a loss against Prairie View A&M during the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why MSU LBs Will Be Strength of Defense

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 6:00 AM ET

Defensively, the Michigan State Spartans will lean on their linebackers during the upcoming 2025 season.

Jonathan Smith’s second campaign in East Lansing begins in less than two weeks, and fans are hoping to see a defensive turnaround. The Spartans had nice moments on that side of the ball last season but largely underperformed.

MSU did not attack the transfer portal hard for linebacker talent, as it felt it had enough solid players returning from last year’s team to be competitive in the Big Ten.

The Spartans still have question marks surrounding the pass-rush and cornerback groups, so the linebackers will be the strength of the defense in 2025.

Here’s why.

The linebacker outlook

This MSU linebacker core features an impressive blend of experience and talent, better than almost any other group on the team (although wide receiver gives this room a run for its money).

Defensive Coordinator Joe Rossi likes to play a 4-2-5 scheme, which means he keeps two linebackers, five defensive backs, and four defensive linemen on the field. Although sometimes a third linebacker may substitute as a rush-end or play in place of a defensive back.

That means most of the time, two linebackers will share the field for the Spartan defense. This year, that should be Jordan Hall and Wayne Matthews III.

Hall takes over as the starting middle linebacker in his junior season. He saw a ‘demotion’ last season, as his snap count dropped by more than half, but the staff is now leaning on him as a leader for this defense.

Matthews saw some solid playing time last season, and the team will lean on him and his excellent coverage ability in his final season of college eligibility. When the team needs a third-down stop, they will call on Matthews to shut down the middle of the field in the passing game.

If Rossi wants another linebacker on the field, sixth-year man Darius Snow should step in. He is not the player he once was because of a debilitating knee injury years ago, but he still offers instinctual and smart play from the linebacker spot.

The Spartans also have several young, intriguing players, including Brady Pretzlaff and Marcellius Pulliam, who could fight for playing time.

If MSU wants to stop the run, it can put specific players on the field for that. It can do the same in the run game; the point is that Rossi has options.

If MSU is going to turn things around and make a bowl game, it will lean on the linebackers defensively. That group will carry the Spartans to where they want to go.

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

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