To say there are some concerns regarding the kicking game heading into the opener would be putting it mildly. Some Michigan State football fans are ready to hit the panic button because Jonathan Kim is gone, and the remaining kickers are all seemingly injured.
Jonathan Smith said as much at his Week 1 presser on Monday, pointing out the fact that Tarik Ahmetbasic is a "game-time decision" for Western Michigan and presumed third-string option Blake Sislo is going to carry the load with Martin Connington also out with an injury.
Ahmetbasic may very well play, but Connington is still a week or two away, per Smith.
So relying on a kicker from Davenport who has never attempted a field goal and who wasn't even on a roster last year has to be a concern, right? Well, according to Smith, Blake Sislo has been good enough throughout camp to ease his mind, and his camp numbers are similar to what Kim was doing a year ago in fall camp.
Jonathan Smith: "Blake Sislo has been solid throughout camp. His numbers, in camp, are statistically similar to what Jonathan Kim was doing in camp last season."
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) August 25, 2025
Still, this isn't an ideal scenario with Sislo only playing at the Division II level for three years before taking 2024 off and then transferring to Michigan State. However, Smith has eased everyone's minds, stating that he's putting up similar camp numbers to Kim's from a year ago.
In case you don't recall, Kim was one of the best kickers to come through the program in recent memory, and he's currently battling for a roster spot with the Chicago Bears.
The kicking game was far from everyone's mind a year ago, as Kim was one of the team's most consistent players, but now that he's gone, there are some issues popping up. Hopefully Smith is right and Sislo is better than we expect, and both Ahmetbasic and Connington heal up quickly.
Let's hope the uncertainty disappears on Friday night.