Michigan State shaking up offensive line before BYU game

EAST LANSING – Michigan State appears to be prepared to shuffle its offensive line Saturday against BYU.

It also expects to be without some key pieces on defense again.

The Spartans, who fell out of the rankings this week for the first time since 2013, list Kodi Kieler as co-starter at left tackle. The senior has been the starting center, with sophomore David Beedle at left tackle for each game this season.

At center, junior Brian Allen moves into the starting spot from left guard. Allen briefly left late in MSU’s loss at Indiana but returned to action in overtime.

Senior Benny McGowan slides into starting left guard spot. The other two starters, Brandon Clemons at right guard and Miguel Machado at right tackle, remain static. Redshirt freshman Tyler Higby also saw significant action against the Hoosiers.

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MSU coach Mark Dantonio said this morning that he expects both Riley Bullough and Raequan Williams to miss this week’s game with BYU (2-3). Jon Reschke also is not listed on the Spartans’ depth chart. Linebackers Bullough and Reschke both missed Saturday’s game at Indiana with injuries.

Williams left during the third quarter of MSU’s 24-21 overtime loss to Indiana but returned to play in overtime. Dantonio said he could miss a week or two with the apparent arm injury.

Dantonio expects two other players who left the Indiana game – cornerback Darian Hicks and linebacker Chris Frey – to play Saturday. Hicks injured his hip early in the third quarter against the Hoosiers and did not return. Frey left on the next-to-last play of overtime with an apparent arm injury, but he remains listed as a starter at Sam linebacker.

Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@chrissolari.

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