As the 2023 football season begins on Friday, Michigan State’s players and coaches are tuning up for what will be the last season in the geographically connected Big Ten Conference. With the additions of USC, Oregon, UCLA and Washington to the league, it has formed into a super-conference with star power from one coast to another.
With a deep roster of talented players, the Spartan linebackers are one of the more talented position groups on this years 2023 squad. While defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Scottie Hazelton has a lot of talent coming into this 2023 season, with that talent comes an even more difficult challenge in getting the right guys on the field.
MSU returns a plethora of potential impact players, including Cal Haladay, Darius Snow, Jacoby Windmon, Aaron Brule and Ma'a Gaoteote. The quartet of returning linebackers combined for 201 tackles last season with limited action from Snow last year after he suffered a season-ending injury in the 2022 opener against Western Michigan.
There’s a lot to be excited about with the experience and talent at the linebacker position for the Spartans in what should be an improved defense in general. Star EDGE last season, Jacoby Windmon, will likely play as an off-ball linebacker this fall with the potential of dropping down to EDGE on third downs.
Windmon is a special athlete that possesses sideline to sideline speed combined with the ability to rush the passer at an elite level. Windmon’s Swiss Army knife like profile makes him a great candidate to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The heart and soul of the Michigan State defense, though, is none other than MIKE linebacker Cal Haladay. Haladay led the Spartans with 120 tackles last season. He was a force in the middle of the defense and should hold the same value for the Spartans this year.
Junior Darius Snow is another Swiss Army knife for the Spartan defense. Snow, who also has defensive back flexibility, is a sideline to sideline player with great coverage skills that should help the defense against tight ends and running backs in the passing game. As mentioned, Snow suffered a season-ending injury last season and MSU definitely missed his presence. As he finishes his recovery from that injury, his availability early on this fall is uncertain, however.
Brule will look to build off his first year in East Lansing in 2022 in which he recorded 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and a fumble recovery. Brule should play a big role in 2023. Gaoteote may find himself fighting for snaps, but should see some reps. The junior is a two-year letterwinner and has appeared in 20 games in East Lansing, recording 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass break-up and one forced fumble.
Joining the Michigan State linebacker group this season are Harold Joiner III, Jordan Hall and Aaron Alexander. Headlining this group of newcomers is four-star true freshman Jordan Hall out of IMG Academy. Hall, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, is a heat-seeking missile at the second level of the defense. He does not have the typical body size and athleticism of a true freshman, which brings the expectation fans will see him in action this fall.
Harold Joiner III, who is a converted running back, joins the Spartan linebacker corps. Joiner III was used primarily as a third-down running back and special teams player before being first converted to a defensive back, and now linebacker. With Joiner’s size at 6foot-4 and 215 lbs., he is a candidate to be used in a few different facets on the defensive side of the ball.
Aaron Alexander, who was once a three-star recruit out of Belleville High School, committed to UMass before entering the portal after the 2022 season and transferring to Michigan State. He was a running back in high school and adds another athlete at the linebacker position.
Other linebackers on the 2023 roster are Sam Edwards, Quavian Carter, Jay Cone, David Millikin and James Burbar.
There’s a lot of good to look forward to this season for the MSU linebacker group. The athleticism, versatility and overall toughness of the group looks to be the best under head coach Mel Tucker since he took over in East Lansing in 2020. With matchups against Washington, Penn State and Ohio State on the schedule this fall, the Spartan defense will need to be ready to defend elite passing attacks. The versatility of the group should help lockdown the second level of the opponents' passing game.
On the other hand, MSU will still face some ground and pound rush-focused teams in the Big Ten. With that popular Midwest style of play, the bigger run-stuffing linebackers will need to play a huge role in those matchups.
The versatility of this year's Spartan linebackers provide defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton plenty of options at his disposal and hopefully that leads to more wins for the Spartans.
- DT
- RB
- WR
- CB
- OLB
- PRO
- OLB
- CB
- OT
- TE
