Michigan State football injury report ahead of Week 9 vs. Michigan

On Saturday, Michigan State football revealed their injury report leading into their rivalry game against the Michigan Wolverines. With the Spartans entering the game 3-4, it is a must-win for Jonathan Smith and company. Who all is back and who is out for the Spartans as they look to emerge victorious over their bitter rivals?

Who is ‘out’ for Michigan State football?

• Alante Brown, WR/Kick Returner

Brown has been out since a pregame injury against Youngstown State, and cannot play in today’s contest. The Spartan will not be one providing a spark on the kick return game, where he will be sorely missed.

• Marcellius Pulliam, LB

Pulliam remains out for another week. He stepped up in a big way against USC, with multiple linebackers out by halftime. However, he has not returned to the field since.

• Ade Willie, Nickel Corner

Willie has also not been playing since the week four contest at USC with an undisclosed injury. This week is no different, and the Spartans are down a starter in the secondary for the seventh time in their eight games.

• Jayden Savoury, TE

Savoury remains out another week. The tight end has played in four contests this year, and contributed a catch for 16 yards on his first career snap. He last played against Nebraska. If Savoury’s injury lingers much longer, it might be prudent for the staff to consider a redshirt.

• Tarik Ahmetbasic, K

Ahmetbasic is out for the eighth time in eight weeks. With this, he could play the remainder of the games, starting with Minnesota, and hypothetically be eligible to redshirt medically. His injury was called a lower body injury, but not much has been disclosed about his status since Martin Connington took the starting kicker job in week two.

• Kaden Schickel, LS

Schickel, much like Ahmetbasic, is out and has missed every game this season. Schickel tore his ACL against Michigan last year, and has been working to get back to playing. However, one year later, he is still not called a “go” for the contest. Jack Wills remains the starting long snapper as a true freshman.

• Kristian Phillips, OG

Phillips is another starting guard out this week. He was one of the best pass blockers on the team, via PFF. With Phillips out and Vincic out for the season, the starting guards will remain as Gavin Broscious and Caleb Carter.

• Brennan Parachek, TE

Parachek, much like fellow tight end Jayden Savoury, has been out since the Nebraska contest. The junior will not be playing this week and leaves a spot open for junior tight end Kai Rios. Parachek also missed the week one contest against Western Michigan with injury. As a result, he has only played in four games and could redshirt if he cannot play the rest of the season.

Out for the season

No new names have been added to the list of players out for the year, but here is the six pack of players that will not be suiting up the rest of the season, alongside their total games played.

• EDGE Anelu Lafaele (Five games played)
• DB Caleb Gash (One game played)
• DB Andrew Brinson IV (Zero games played)
• LB Brady Pretzlaff (Three games played)
• OL Ashton Lepo (Four games played)
• OL Luka Vincic (Two games played)

With Lepo and Vincic out, every junior redshirt lineman on the roster is eligible for an additional medical redshirt. Phillips missed 11 games in 2024 and Broscious missed all of 2023 and nine games in 2024.

Who is back for the Spartans?

• Nikai Martinez, DB

Martinez returns to the field for the first time since a friendly fire collision with Quindarius Dunnigan late in the first half against USC. This is the UCF transfer’s third game on the season, as he also missed time at the start of the season for an undisclosed injury. The starting safety led the team in defensive snaps in 2024.

• Grady Kelly, DT

Kelly returns, but not from an injury. Kelly missed the Indiana contest as his wife was giving birth. Joe Rossi was quipped saying that was the first time he has had a player miss time for a paternity leave, and that the defensive tackle now has “dad strength” on his side. Jordan Hall said he had already seen Kelly’s dad strength on display at practice this week, so watch for big No. 16 today.

• Stanton Ramil, OT

Ramil has missed the last three games for Michigan State football, exiting the USC contest after nine snaps for an undisclosed injury. The Spartans have rotated Conner Moore to left tackle and a revolving door of Ashton Lepo, Rustin Young, and Rakeem Johnson at right tackle to varied success. For the Michigan game, however, it is a return to the starting left tackle. Ramil’s timetable was a month of recovery, and he is returning just shy of that. With a month off of football, expect to see Ramil out for a series or two to recover in this game, too.

Last week also saw Jalen Thompson return after missing the UCLA contest. NiJhay Burt was also off the injury report, but did not travel to Bloomington last weekend. Justin Denson Jr. and Jeremiah Hughes were other notable names to not travel to Indiana, but neither were on the injury report.

The game will kick at 7:45 pm. EST on NBC.