REPORT: 3rd Michigan State Offensive Lineman Withdraws From Transfer Portal
After a tumultuous 2023 season, and an offseason already filled with upheaval, Michigan State and new head football coach Jonathan Smith have started to put the pieces back together.
According to reports from 247Sports' Corey Robinson and the Detroit Free Press' Chris Solari, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Kristian Phillips withdrew his name from the NCAA transfer portal, becoming the third Spartan O-lineman to do so in the last two days. He joins redshirt sophomore tackle Ethan Boyd and redshirt junior tackle Brandon Baldwin, who each withdrew their names from the portal on Monday. Redshirt junior linebacker Darius Snow, the first Spartan to enter the portal this offseason, was also the first to withdraw his name on December 6.
Kris Phillips tells me that he will be withdrawing his name from the transfer portal and remaining at Michigan State https://t.co/TDFZ0dfHw0
— Corey Robinson (@C_Robinson247) December 12, 2023
MSU OL Kristian “Big Dooley” Phillips withdraws his name from transfer portal per a team spokesman.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) December 12, 2023
Prior to Boyd, Baldwin and Phillips withdrawing their names, things were looking bleak for Michigan State's 2024 offensive line. The Spartans had suffered seven losses from the position group since the end of the 2023 season, prior to this recent development. Building a strong offensive line is one of the most difficult thing to do in football, and for a time it appeared as if new MSU O-line coach Jim Michalczik was going to have to start from scratch. Now, with this trio back in the fold, Michalcizik at least has a starting point.
Phillips appeared in 11 games for Michigan State last season, primarily on special teams. He is a former three-star prospect out of Salem High School in Conyers, Georgia. The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder has good size and could compete for a larger role on the interior of MSU's offensive line next season.
Boyd, a native of East Lansing, could be in line to be Michigan State's starting right tackle next season. The 6-foot-7, 320-pounder will bring experience to the table next season as a redshirt junior. Boyd appeared in 10 games, primarily on special teams, while playing 23 snaps on offense as a redshirt freshman in 2022. This past season, Boyd took on a larger role as a primary backup and part-time starter. He played in all 12 games for MSU, making three starts and totaling 313 snaps at right tackle.
Baldwin, likewise, brings a lot of experience back to Michigan State's offensive line group and could be the left tackle starter opposite Boyd in 2024. The 6-foot-7, 315-pounder appeared in nine games with five starts at left tackle in 2022 as a redshirt sophomore, logging 405 snaps. In 2023, Baldwin started in all 10 games in which he played for the Spartans, missing two games due to injury. He totaled 533 snaps this season.
Michigan State currently has 23 players from the 2023 roster who have entered and remain in the transfer portal. The Spartans have seen all three scholarship quarterbacks — Noah Kim, Katin Houser and Sam Leavitt — enter the portal, as well as wide receivers Jaron Glover, Christian Fitzpatick, Tyrell Henry and Sebastian Brown and tight end Evan Morris. Offensive linemen Keyshawn Blackstock, Spencer Brown, Geno VanDeMark and Kevin Wigenton remain in the portal as well.
On the defensive side of the ball, Michigan State has suffered departures from defensive ends Zion Young and Khris Bogle, defensive tackles Derrick Harmon and Dre Butler, cornerback Charles Brantley and linebacker Jacoby Windmon. Backup punter Michael O'Shaughnessy also entered the portal. For a full, updated look at our 2024 Michigan State transfer tracker, click here.
For more coverage of Michigan State Athletics:
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @SpartanNationPodcast
- Follow us on Facebook: @SpartanNation
- Follow us on Twitter: @mlounsberry_SI | @a3danm
