Michigan State Football Snap Counts and Assessments Vs. Eastern Michigan

On Saturday, Michigan State football took down Eastern Michigan behind a strong second half and a dominant day by senior running back Cam Edwards. Defensively, the Spartans pitched a second half shutout, and it enabled more players to hit the field.

The Spartans advanced to 2-0, with a trip to Notre Dame looming large this upcoming weekend.

With the game being 35-7 with over six minutes to play, Pat Fitzgerald and his staff sent out many young players to help drain the clock out, rewarding their efforts in practice with their first taste of game action.

That bolstered the Spartans to playing 31 players on offense, up seven from week one against Toledo.

Here is how their snaps broke down.

Michigan State Football Snaps Offense vs. EMU

(Note: Percentages are based out of 72 snaps on offense. Starters are bolded.)

• IOL Conner Moore: 62 (86%)
• C Trent Fraley: 62 (86%)
• QB Alessio Milivojevic: 54 (75%)
• OT Rakeem Johnson: 50 (69%)
• WR Rod Bullard Jr.: 47 (65%)
• IOL Nick Sharpe: 47 (65%)
• WR Fredrick Moore: 45 (62.5%)
• OT Ben Murawski: 43 (60%)
• TE Jayden Savoury: 42 (58%)
• TE Brennan Parachek: 41 (57%)
• OT Robert Wright Jr.: 39 (54%)
• WR Chrishon McCray: 37 (51%)
• RB Cam Edwards: 34 (47%)
• WR Bryson Williams: 23 (32%)
• RB Marvis Parrish: 18 (25%)
• QB Cam Fancher: 18 (25%)
• IOL Luka Vincic: 15 (21%)
• TE/OT Antonio Johnson: 11 (15%)
• TE/IOL Rustin Young: 11 (15%)
• TE Kai Rios: 11 (15%)
• WR Samson Gash: 10 (14%)
• C Drew Nichols: 10 (14%)
• WR Charles Taplin: 10 (14%)
• WR Braylon Collier: 10 (14%)
• IOL AJ Dennis: 10 (14%)
• RB Jaziun Patterson: 10 (14%)
• TE Carson Gulker: 8 (11%)
• RB Brandon Tullis: 7 (10%)
• OT Collin Campbell: 3 (4%)
• RB Zion Gist: 3 (4%)
• RB Kenneth Williams: 1 (1%)

Overall, the Spartans sent out a lot of packages, with all six running backs to hit the field recording a carry. Saturday saw the debut of a “super jumbo” package, with Antonio Johnson and Rustin Young each serving as tight ends.

For Collier, Gist, Nichols, Gash, and Campbell, it was their first snaps on offense in their collegiate career. For the last four of that group, it was their first game action entirely. The Spartans lined up in 12 personnel for the first time this year to start the game, and Savoury swapped into the starting lineup over McCray.

Charles Taplin has a surprisingly low amount of snaps considering the impact the leading receiver had on the game.

Saturday’s game also marked the first time since the 2024 finale that Michigan State football played two centers in a game, as Matt Gulbin (first 11 games) and Cooper Terpstra (season finale) had played every snap at center for the 2025 season in their games.

Cam Fancher saw an extended look on the day, which adds a wrinkle to the offense when looking at the forecast of rain for the Notre Dame contest.

Defense

The Spartans did not concede the ball for the final six minutes, which prevented many second stringers from getting their game action. However, the Spartans did see a few freshmen, namely KJ Deriso and Adam Shaw, make their debut on special teams.

Defensive Snap Counts vs. EMU

(Note: Percentages are based on 53 defensive snaps. Starters are bolded.)

• LB Brady Pretzlaff: 53 (100%)
• S Nikai Martinez: 53 (100%)
• S Devin Vaught: 52 (98%)
• CB Tre Bell: 49 (92.5%)
• EDGE Kenny Soares Jr.: 34 (64%)
• DE Keahnist Thomspon: 34 (64%)
• CB Charles Brantley: 33 (62%)
• DT Eli Coenen: 31 (58.5%)
• LB Caleb Wheatland: 29 (56%)
• CB Tyran Chappell: 28 (53%)
• DT Mikeshun Beeler: 27 (51%)
• EDGE Anelu Lafaele: 26 (49%)
• LB Dion Crawford: 25 (47%)
• DT Derrick Simmons: 24 (45%)
• DL Ben Roberts: 24 (45%)
• DB Michael Richard: 21 (40%)
• CB NiJhay Burt: 17 (32%)
• LB Cam Stodghill: 11 (21%)
• DE Isaac Smith: 9 (17%)
• DL Trey Lisle III: 3 (6%)

The Spartans were without captain and star linebacker Jordan Hall on Saturday, but Dion Crawford was healthy to make his Spartan debut. Burt and Crawford rotated into the lineup for the first time while Hall was out, with the Spartans playing on more player on defense than their game against Toledo.

Beeler set a new career mark for snaps in a game. Vaught’s only missed snap occurred from injury.

As far as starters go, Chappell replaced Brantley, Thompson replaced Smith, and Crawford slotted in for the injured Hall.