When Michigan State takes the field against Boston College Saturday night, it will do so without four of its top six wide receivers. The Spartans listed receivers Jaron Glover, Nick Marsh, Antonio Gates Jr. and Alante Brown as “out” for their game against the Eagles. Defensive backs Dillon Tatum and Chance Rucker, as well as guard Gavin Broscious (season) are also listed as “out.”

Michigan State listed zero players as “questionable.”

Glover missed last week’s game against Prairie View A&M with an undisclosed injury, which he sustained during Michigan State’s week two win over Maryland. This is the first game that Marsh and Gates will miss with injury. Brown became injured during Michigan State’s season-opening victory over Florida Atlantic and has been out since. 

Tatum also sustained a long-term injury in Michigan State’s week one win over the Owls. Like Glover, Rucker left the Maryland game with an injury and missed last week’s contest against Prairie View A&M. 

Right guard Kristian Phillips and defensive back Khalil Majeed sustained season-ending injuries in the Florida Atlantic game. 

For the first time this season, redshirt senior defensive end Avery Dunn did not appear on the injury report.

Jake’s take

Michigan State could not afford another blow to its receiver depth with Glover out for an undisclosed amount of time and Brown out until at least November. Thus, the losses of Marsh and Gates – a surprise addition to the inactive list – puts a lot on the shoulders of redshirt senior Montorie Foster and redshirt freshman Aziah Johnson, both of whom caught multiple passes last week against a weaker Prairie View A&M defense. 

The only other scholarship receivers available to play against Boston College are redshirt freshman Jaelen Smith and true freshmen Austin Clay and Jaylan Brown. It will be interesting to see how Michigan State offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren navigates Michigan State’s attrition at wide receiver. 

Expect redshirt senior Dallas Fincher to fill in for the injured Broscious at right guard. Fincher and Broscious split time in the two games following Phillips’ week one injury, but now it’s the veteran Fincher’s time to play a majority of snaps at the position. It remains to be seen how the depth chart will fill in behind Fincher, who has repped at backup center for most of his career. Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith on Monday mentioned true freshman Rakeem Johnson as a player who could potentially fill in at backup guard. Johnson played a few snaps at right tackle last week.

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