Michigan State football clearly needed to improve its blocking and strength in the trenches.
Coach Jonathan Smith hopes he did that Saturday night, landing a lower-division All-American for the second straight year and a fourth offensive lineman from the portal this cycle.
Montana State transfer Conner Moore announced he plans to become a Spartan with two years of eligibility remaining, Smith’s 15th inbound transfer for the 2025 season. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound native of Milbury, Ohio, was a second-team Football Championship Subdivision All-America selection and a first-team All-Big Sky left tackle in 2024 for the Bobcats, who lost in the FCS national title game to North Dakota State.
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Moore and his family attended the Spartans’ basketball win over Washington on Thursday night, and he walked out with Smith before tipoff and sat courtside. His parents also were in the Breslin Center tunnel at halftime talking with Smith, MSU offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, athletic director Alan Haller and others before the hoops team returned to the court.
Moore also reportedly visited Cincinnati and canceled a scheduled visit to Ohio State, a day after the Buckeyes advanced to the College Football Playoff championship game.
Moore was a 2021 second-team Division 5 All-Ohio selection at Lake High in suburban Toledo, and earned Freshman All-America honors from FCS Central after starting all 12 games in 2023 after redshirting his first year in Bozeman, Montana.
Like Luke Newman, who was a two-time FCS All-American for Holy Cross before finishing his career this fall at MSU, Moore brings position versatility with him to East Lansing.
Moore started the first three games of 2024 at left guard for Montana State due to injuries along the line before returning to left tackle during the Bobcats’ Big Sky championship and run to the FCS title game.
Newman was a left tackle at the FCS level and started all 12 games at left guard for the Spartans in his final season of eligibility, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention from both the coaches and media as the only MSU offensive player to receive recognition in the conference’s postseason awards.
The Spartans also hit the portal to add former Wake Forest starting left guard Matt Gulbin, an All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention, Oregon State transfer center/right guard Luka Vincic and guard Caleb Carter from Western Carolina in December. Gulbin and Carter each have one season of eligibility left, and Vincic has two years remaining.
MSU struggled to run the ball all fall due to attrition in the trenches after Smith’s hiring last year and significant injuries this fall that left Michalczik with a static five-man front. The Spartans’ 115.3 rushing yards per game ranked 110th out of 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, and their 36 sacks allowed were tied for 16th-most in the FBS.
Newman is one of three departing starters due to expiring eligibility, along with center Tanner Miller and right guard/left tackle Brandon Baldwin. MSU also has guards Kristian “Big Dooley” Phillips and Gavin Broscious coming off season-ending injuries suffered early in the 5-7 season.
Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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