Michigan State football loses Jalen Berger to transfer portal

After two seasons with Michigan State football, former four-star Jalen Berger has decided to enter the transfer portal.

After two seasons with Michigan State football, former Wisconsin running back Jalen Berger has opted to enter the transfer portal for the second time in his career.

Back in 2021, Berger was in the portal after parting ways with Wisconsin, putting up 389 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons with the Badgers as a former highly-touted recruit. He decided to join Mel Tucker and Michigan State and immediately became the RB1 in 2022. He finished with 683 yards and six touchdowns and he looked like he would be the next 1,000-yard rusher in East Lansing.

But 2023 was not kind to him. He played in just five games, rushing 25 times for 93 yards and a touchdown. He looked like a shell of himself and just couldn’t stay healthy as he was injured in October and missed the remainder of the year.

With Jonathan Smith looking for running backs in the transfer portal over the past couple of weeks, the writing seemed to be on the wall for Berger. It felt like it was a forgone conclusion that he wouldn’t be back.

On Tuesday, he made that news official.

NEWS: #MichiganState RB Jalen Berger is in the transfer portal, per source. pic.twitter.com/mSYfJrHBL9

— SpartanTailgate.com (@SpartanTailgate) April 23, 2024

Berger showed flashes throughout his Spartan career and was one of the bright spots during a dim 2022 season. He had 811 yards from scrimmage that year with six touchdowns, but his regression and injury in 2023 took a toll on his depth chart standing.

Heading into the 2024 season, Berger was projected to be RB2 or RB3 at best with Nathan Carter securing the starting job again.

Although he’s appeared in four seasons, Berger does have two years of eligibility remaining with the COVID year on top of his upcoming senior season. He shouldn’t have a tough time finding a new home.

Smith can now shift gears to landing a running back like Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams or Andrew Paul in the transfer portal.