'Energy, energy, energy': Jalen Satchell’s mantra to help Michigan State finish strong

After missing the bulk of the 2025 season with an injury that tested his patience, drive and faith, Michigan State’s veteran defensive lineman, Jalen Satchell, is back and determined to end the Spartans' current slump, which currently stands at five-straight losses.

Satchell injured himself during fall camp, after spending the entire offseason preparing for his last run in the Green and White. Instead of his hard work giving him a chance to lead in his fifth year and produce, he spent the first month of the season on the sideline, only able to watch. After missing MSU's first four games of the 2025 campaign, Satchell has now played in the Spartans' previous four games. He has recorded seven tackles and a pass defended thus far.

Satchell credits his teammates, MSU defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa and the rest if Michigan State's staff for getting him through the recovery process.

“I mean, it was pretty difficult, being a competitor,” Satchell said about the injury. “But we got a good group of guys in the room to help me through it, and even Coach Legi helped, well, everybody in the building. Definitely difficult. Didn’t start off how I wanted it to be, but God works in mysterious ways, so I don’t even question them.” 

While recovering from the injury, Satchell spent his time working on the mental aspects of the game, mostly — staying with the team through mental reps and going to his treatment three times a day to ensure a smooth recovery. 

“That’s really all I could do at that point,” Satchell explained. “And just support everybody in the building.”

Now, getting back into the swing and preparing for this week's game at Minnesota, Satchell is playing with a new source of energy for the Spartans' defense to reignite their fire. He admits injuries are simply part of football, but they create juice, and he’s ready to come back and take advantage of his opportunities. 

As the Spartans prepare for their road matchup against the Golden Gophers, there is an extra chip on their shoulder to pull out wins to be eligible for a postseason bowl game. The message around the building has been simple: execution. 

“When it comes down to everything, we've just gotta execute — play as a team, run to the ball, swarm,” Satchell said. “And that’s what we’ve been harping on all week, so we did a great job (during Wednesday's practice), so we just gotta keep stacking days.”