MSU defense show flaws without Jordan Hall, but return imminent
· Yahoo Sports
EAST LANSING — Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald thinks he may have his most important defensive player back for next week's game against Notre Dame.
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In his postgame press conference after a 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 12, Fitzgerald said that starting middle linebacker Jordan Hall was not cleared for the game by medical personnel but could be available for Week 3's rivalry game in South Bend.
"Jordan was really close playing today," Fitzgerald said. "Medical team told us that he was not cleared here late in the week. We made that decision collectively together to make sure that we think about his health, safety, and well-being. And I expect if we practice tomorrow that he'll be ready to go."
Hall made 88 tackles last season to lead Michigan State's defense and is a two-time captain. The senior made four tackles in 25 snaps in Week 1's win over Toledo but came on and off the field with a right elbow injury sustained on the second drive of the season. He walked into Spartan Stadium on Saturday with a brace on that right arm.
MSU LB Jordan Hall with a brace on his right elbow as he takes the Spartan Walk.
— Connor Earegood (@ConnorEaregood) September 12, 2026
Saw him wince on a couple of handshakes. We’ll see how he looks in warmups.@detroitnewspic.twitter.com/qklOKEfVbs
Without Hall, Michigan State leaned on linebacker Brady Pretzlaff to be its green dot — the player who communicates with defensive staff with helmet comms — and played a mix of Dion Crawford, Caleb Wheatland and Cam Stodghill next to him in a number of 4-2-5 and 4-3 looks. Fitzgerald said there is work for MSU's defense to do without Hall from a communication standpoint.
Pretzlaff credited Hall with preparing him to deliver on Saturday, when his eight tackles tied safety Devin Vaught for the team lead.
"I think Jordan himself has been a great leader throughout this week," Pretzlaff said. "It's hard for a guy like that who has played so much and is so passionate about the game to go down, and he's done a great job of himself kind of taking on the coaching role and getting us ready and kind of taking that role forward. So it's been great to see that, and I think our preparation really helped us attack it today."
The Spartans are 29-49-1 all-time against Notre Dame, which is ranked No. 4 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. In the past seven meetings dating back to 2009, Michigan State is 2-5 with an overtime win. Having Hall back will be important for Michigan State going into South Bend.
"Jordan's a huge piece of our program. He'll go down in Spartan lore when his career is said and done," Fitzgerald said. "So I don't want to minimize not having that big of a fixture of our defense out there, but it's next-man-up mentality, and those guys that went out there, I think learned a lot throughout the course of the game. I thought they played much better in the second half, and we need to continue to reinforce those guys playing that way."
Saturday, Sept. 19's game comes 60 years after Notre Dame ran out the clock against Michigan State in 1966's "Game of the Century," a 10-10 tie that led to both teams sharing pieces of the national championship that year.
Michigan State hasn't played Notre Dame since Sept. 23, 2017, when it lost 38-18 at Spartan Stadium.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: MSU defense show flaws without Jordan Hall, but return imminent