Michigan State offensive lineman Nick Samac announces return for 2023

On Sunday, Michigan State offensive lineman Nick Samac announced that he will return to the Spartans in 2023. Samac has one season of eligibility remaining due to the blanket waiver granted to all fall athletes in 2020 by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was an expected move, as Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker said during his Early Signing Day press conference on Dec. 21 that both Samac, who plays center, and left guard J.D. Duplain were planning to return to MSU next season, among others.

Samac cited "unfinished business" in his statement posted to Twitter as one of the reasons why he will return to MSU for a fifth season.

Samac, a Mentor, Ohio native, started all 12 games at center for Michigan State in 2022. He led the offense in snaps played, recording 803 offensive snaps on the year. Samac has played in 38 career games, including 22 starts, and has been named an Academic All-Big Ten selection twice thus far (2020, 2021).

With Samac's return, the Spartans will bring back a lot of experience on the offensive line in 2022. In addition to Samac and Duplain (who also started every game in 2022), Michigan State also returns Brandon Baldwin, Geno VanDeMark and Spencer Brown. All five players started multiple games in 2022.

Additionally, the Spartans added Keyshawn Blackstock, the top-ranked junior college offensive line prospect, four-star guard Cole Dellinger and three-star offensive tackle Stanton Ramil as part of its 2023 signing class.

Michigan State is losing a few contributors from the 2022 roster along the offensive line as well, however. Tackle Jarrett Horst, guard Matt Carrick and guard Brian Greene will move on from the program and pursue professional football or a professional career outside of football.