Michigan State Football: Several Spartans earn All-Big Ten honors on defense and special teams for 2021 season

On Tuesday, the Big Ten Conference announced All-Big Ten teams for defense and special teams, and several Michigan State Spartans made the list.

Redshirt senior defensive end Jacub Panasiuk, redshirt senior punter Bryce Baringer and redshirt junior wide receiver/kick and punt returner Jayden Reed all earned All-Big Ten second-team selections, as voted by both the media and the coaches.

Panasiuk has played in all 12 games this season, recording 32 total tackles, nine tackles for loss (second on the team), six sacks (leads team), 67 quarterback pressures (third in FBS according to Pro Football Focus), three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Panasiuk was also named All-Big Ten third-team by Pro Football Focus.

Baringer leads the Big Ten Conference in punting with a 48.6-yards per punt average, which also ranks fourth in the entire country. His 25 punts of 50 yards or more are also tied for the lead in the Big Ten, and he also downed 18 punts inside the opposing team’s 20-yard-line. Baringer’s long on the year is 74 yards.

While Reed makes plenty of plays in the receiving game — and will likely garner All-Big Ten honors for offense when those selections are unveiled on Wednesday — it’s his special teams prowess that earns him the All-Big Ten accolades here. Reed is tied for the NCAA lead for punt return touchdowns with two, and averages 21.3 yards per punt return, and 23.4 yards per kickoff return. Reed was also named All-Big Ten first-team as a punt returner by Pro Football Focus.

Meanwhile, senior safety Xavier Henderson and redshirt junior defensive tackle Jacob Slade were selected to the All-Big Ten third-team, as voted by the media.

Henderson, the only player who was voted team captain for Michigan State for all 12 games this season, led the Spartans in tackles with 94, and tackles for loss with 10. He also recorded three sacks, one interception, two pass break-ups and a forced fumble. Henderson started all 12 games, and leads all active Spartans with 32-straight starts. Henderson was also named All-Big Ten third team by Pro Football Focus and was an All-Big honorable mention selection by the coaches.

Slade recorded 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, two pass break-ups and a fumble recovery. According to Pro Football Focus, Slade also leads all Big Ten defensive tackles with 37 quarterback pressures and 32 quarterback hurries. PFF was even more impressed with Slade, naming the redshirt junior interior defensive lineman to its All-Big Ten first-team. He was also selected as All-Big honorable mention by the conference’s coaches.

Additionally, junior linebacker Quavaris Crouch (coaches and media), redshirt freshman linebacker Cal Haladay (media), sophomore nickelback Darius Snow (media) and graduate senior kicker Matt Coghlin (media) all earned honorable mention recognition.

Big Ten offensive awards and accolades will be announced on Wednesday.