Michigan State football has struggled to generate a pass rush over the last season or so, but one player has stood out through the first three games of the season and looks to be a key part of the solution.
Redshirt freshman Anelu Lafaele has wreaked havoc on opposing offenses this season with two sacks and a forced fumble thus far, and he was also robbed of a sack in the Boston College game due to where the ball was spotted. He's been incredibly noticeable as an athletic pass-rusher on the edge, and the Spartans have high hopes for his development.
"We think he's one of our better players at rushing the passer, so we'll look to get him out there," head coach Jonathan Smith said of Lafaele as he met with the media earlier this week. "He plays with great effort. He's contributing on special teams. ... When he's in the game, he's making an impact. We like where he continues to trend."
The Spartans desperately need Lafaele to keep trending that way. They had just 19 sacks last season and even went six straight games without one. They only have six so far this year -- and four of those belong to Lafaele and linebacker Jordan Hall.
Linebackers have been a massive part of the MSU pass rush since the end of the Mark Dantonio era, and the program hasn't had a double-digit-sack player since Kenny Willekes in 2019. It's been brutal to watch this pass defense suffer like it has, but Lafaele's early production brings some hope. And he's just scratching the surface.
First career sack for #Wisconsin transfer rush-end Anelu Lafaele. Was told in the spring that Luke Fickell & co. made a big mistake not allowing Lafaele to see the field last year. He was ready.
— Justin Thind (@JustinThind) August 29, 2025
Chad Wilt & MSU have 4 years to reap the rewards.
"He's relatively still a young guy," defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said. "He's a redshirt freshman. He's been a guy throughout the first three games I think has put some consistent pressure on the quarterback, and as a young guy, he's still got a lot of room to improve."
That sounds similar to what Texas was saying about superstar pass-rusher Collin Simmons last season, who was a much more heralded recruit but continues to develop as a run defender. Regardless of whether Lafaele is able to reach that elite level in his development, he's MSU's best option right now. So, he's going to get every chance to prove himself.
"We're feeding him reps and giving him a chance to get in there and get after it," Rossi added. "I've been pleased with where he's at. I liked how he practiced, so we're going to keep feeding it to him."
The next test is the biggest yet as Michigan State takes on No. 25 USC, quarterback Jayden Maiava, and the nation's top offense on Saturday night.
If Lafaele can continue to be a plus on defense on the big stage and step up for rest of the season, MSU may finally have another elite pass-rusher as a building block for the near future.