After a dismal year in the trenches, transfer addition Eli Coenen has ignited the Spartans' defense, racking up more sacks in two games than any 2025 predecessor.
In 2025, Michigan State had three players record 2.5 sacks on the season: Jordan Hall, Jalen Thompson and Quindarius Dunnigan. Those three players led the Spartans in sacks during a truly uninspiring season when it came to attacking the quarterback.
Now comes the 2026 season, where transfer portal addition Eli Coenen is putting the rest of the Big Ten on notice.
Coenen has already recorded three sacks through the first two games of the season, which is more than any Spartan had all of last year. It is a truly unbelievable statistic.
But rather than focus on how bad things were last season, it is time to praise the man who is eating in the trenches.
While everyone else is battling, Coenen is devouring.
His three sacks would not only lead the entire 2025 roster and the current Michigan State team, but they are also enough to lead the entire Big Ten. Maryland's D.D. Holmes sits in second with 2.5 sacks, while seven players are tied for third with 2.0.
In Week 1, Coenen was exactly as advertised after hearing nothing but praise for his animal-like play throughout the offseason. He finished with one sack and three tackles against Toledo, but his impact went far beyond the stat sheet.
Coenen was a constant force up front, helping force Toledo into a number of third-and-long situations with relentless pressure in the passing game while also showing his ability to stop the run.
Then came Week 2, where, unfortunately for the rest of the Big Ten, Coenen appeared to wake up even more.
Once again, he finished with three tackles, but this time he wreaked havoc in the backfield throughout the game. Coenen continuously pressured the quarterback while providing stout, brick-wall-style defense against the run.
He got into the backfield twice against Eastern Michigan, bringing down former Spartan Noah Kim for his second and third sacks of the season.
Michigan State was going to be defined by how well it controlled the trenches on both sides of the ball, and through two games, Coenen has been a massive reason why the defensive side of that equation has been so successful.
Now comes the biggest test yet.
The Spartans travel to face the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, whose offensive line will present a much tougher challenge than the two MAC schools Michigan State has faced to open the season.
That means Coenen will need to find yet another level of intensity if he wants to keep his sack streak alive.
The 6-foot-6, 287-pound interior defensive lineman is putting on a masterclass through two games, and what was once a transfer portal addition is quickly looking like one of the biggest hidden gems on Michigan State's roster.
