Michigan State's Mel Tucker: We won't be taking Purdue lightly
Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker speaks to the media on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, in East Lansing.
Michigan State athletics, Detroit Free Press
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Michigan State football is without Jalen Nailor for Saturday’s game at the Purdue Boilermakers. And he’s not the only significant loss.
Starting left tackle Jarrett Horst and Nailor were among the players who did not travel with the No. 6 Spartans for their 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Ross-Ade Stadium, a team spokesman confirmed.
And during the game, the ESPN announcing crew reported that kicker Matt Coghlin has suffered an injury, leaving the placekicking duties to freshman Stephen Rusnak.
Horst, a 6-foot-6, 310-pound transfer from Arkansas State, has started every game this season for MSU (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten).
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AJ Arcuri, who started last season at left tackle, replaced Horst after starting the first eight games this season at right tackle. Kevin Jarvis, normally the starting right guard, shifted outside to right tackle, which he has played on the Spartans’ second-team offensive line this fall. And Blake Bueter appears to be moving into the starting group again at right guard – the senior has made four of his 11 career starts at that position. Center Matt Allen and left guard J.D. Duplain are the other starters, while sixth-year senior Luke Campbell also has played left tackle on the Spartans’ second-unit offensive line.
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Nailor suffered a right hand injury late in the first half of MSU’s 37-33 win over Michigan last week, returning to the sideline with a cast on his hand. The junior wide receiver did not play in the second half after catching four passes for 75 yards before getting hurt.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Nailor leads the Spartans with six receiving touchdowns to go with 31 catches for 587 yards, both just behind Jayden Reed.
Montorie Foster is expected to replace Nailor. The 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore has four catches for 38 yards on the season, and took over at wideout and on kickoff returns for Nailor against U-M last week.
The hand cast appears to be the Spartans’ accessory of the year. Starting linebacker Cal Haladay and backup kicker Stephen Rusnak both warmed up with their right hands in casts. Defensive tackles Simeon Barrow and Jacob Slade both sported hand casts earlier this season as well.
MSU did have one positive roster update: Senior defensive end Jacub Panasiuk is in uniform after leaving the U-M game with apparent left leg issue. Purdue (5-3, 3-2) has one of the nation’s worst run offenses, its 79.5 rushing yards per game rank 128th out of 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
Anthony Russo made the trip to Purdue. Coach Mel Tucker said Monday the graduate transfer, who did not dress against the Wolverines after accepting a plea deal after an arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, would be MSU’s backup quarterback this week.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
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