Michigan State snapped a six-game losing streak with a 15–6 win over Michigan last Saturday in Ann Arbor. With injuries piling up ahead of the rivalry game, several younger players took on bigger roles on defense.
Redshirt sophomore Anelu Lafaele and redshirt freshman Derrick Simmons both saw more snaps. Lafaele recorded a sack and forced a fumble.
Both players earned those opportunities in practice. For Simmons, the extra snaps against Michigan gave him something to build on when he returned to practice this week.
“In my opinion, there’s just never enough reps,” Simmons said. “I’m always trying to keep performing, keep practicing as hard as I can so that when it comes to Saturday, I’m not having to step up or play harder. It’s the same thing. It’s the same type of energy, same type of mindset, and Debo’s [Winston DeLattiboudere III] kind of worked on instilling that into me and my teammates.”
