Last season was a forgettable one for the Michigan State Spartans football team, as they fell short of their potential in Jonathan Smith’s debut year in East Lansing. Now, with that chapter closed, the Spartans’ sights are set firmly on the future.
In the Big Ten, MSU languished near the bottom of the pack, both in the standings and defensively, leaking an average of 26.1 points per game. Moving forward, a key linebacker will need to step up and rediscover his spark in his third year to lift the defense.
That linebacker is Jordan Hall, a soon-to-be junior. Hall burst onto the scene in his freshman year with the Spartans but stumbled in his sophomore outing. For MSU’s defense to turn the corner, Hall’s resurgence will be critical.
In his debut season, Hall shone brightly, racking up 67 tackles—31 solo—along with one pass defended, one forced fumble, and 4.5 sacks. His tackle total tied him for 35th in the Big Ten. But Year 2 brought a dip across the board for both Hall and the team. He managed just 24 tackles, including 13 solo, and failed to record a sack, though he did notch two passes defended, upping his previous mark by one.
Standing at 6-3 and 236 pounds, Hall aims to reignite his game as he enters his junior year. With experience under his belt, the upperclassman can reflect on past successes and missteps to elevate his play in the latter half of his college career.
For Coach Smith, maximizing Hall’s potential while he’s still in the fold is a priority. If Hall can recapture his freshman-year magic, he could become a dominant force in his third season, stepping into a leadership role and meeting the heightened expectations of a veteran on this defense.
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