Michigan State football LB Joe Bachie suspended by Big Ten for failed drug test

Chris Solari | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Michigan State's Mark Dantonio speaks after another big loss Michigan State Spartans coach Mark Dantonio speaks to the media after the 28-7 loss to Penn State on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in East Lansing.

EAST LANSING — Michigan State football senior linebacker and captain Joe Bachie has been declared ineligible by the Big Ten for a failed drug test.

According to the university, Bachie tested positive “for a substance that is classified as a performance-enhancing substance banned by the league." MSU plans to file an immediate appeal with the Big Ten regarding the testing.

Student-athletes lose a full year of NCAA eligibility the first time they test positive for a performance-enhancing drug, and also are withheld from competition for 365 days from the date of the test.

A second positive test for a PED results in the loss of all remaining eligibility, according to NCAA.com.

Messages with Big Ten and MSU officials for clarification of the terms of the suspension, as well as the parameters for appeal, have not yet been returned.

“Joe Bachie has built himself into an All-Big Ten middle linebacker and two-time team captain through his incredible work ethic and leadership skills,” MSU coach Mark Dantonio said in a statement. “This situation breaks my heart, but I know Joe is resilient and accountable. No one feels worse than Joe does, a sentiment he expressed when he spoke to the team earlier (Thursday).”

Opinion: New NCAA rules could help MSU, U-M compete with Ohio State, Alabama

Bachie is a three-year starter at middle linebacker. The Brook Park, Ohio, native leads the the Spartans with 71 tackles this season, 8.5 of them for a loss, and also has 3.5 sacks, three QB hurries, four pass breakups and an interception. In his four-year career, he has started 34 of his 40 games with 285 tackles, 27.5 of them for a loss, along with eight sacks and five interceptions.

“All my career I’ve done my very best to represent Michigan State in a positive manner on and off the field,” Bachie said in a statement. “I plan to appeal, but to all of those affected, from my coaches to my teammates and to the fans, I apologize for putting them through this situation. I will always be a Spartan.”

A first-team All-Big Ten pick last season and a preseason All-American, Bachie is a Lott IMPACT Trophy award quarterfinalist. He earned second-team midseason All-American honors from The Associated Press, Athlon Sports and The Athletic this fall.

“This does not define Joe as a player, and more importantly, as a man,” Dantonio said. “He will graduate in December and has a very bright future ahead of him, both on and off the field. As a program, we plan to appeal immediately, and will continue to support Joe however we can. He will forever be a Spartan.”

The Spartans (4-4, 2-3 Big Ten) are off this week before hosting Illinois on Nov. 9.

MSU has rarely taken Bachie off the field this season. Sophomore Noah Harvey was listed as the No. 2 middle linebacker on the depth chart before its 28-7 loss to Penn State on Saturday, but he primarily has played on the edge in third-down rush packages.

Senior Tyriq Thompson, the starter at strong-side linebacker, handled some of the calls in the middle during spring practice and could play there if needed. Redshirt freshman Ed Warinner is No. 3 on the depth chart.

The Spartans — still needing two more wins to become bowl-eligible — also must travel to Michigan on Nov. 16, to Rutgers on Nov. 23 and return home to wrap up the regular season vs. Maryland on Nov. 30.

It is the second eventful bye week for MSU in the past three weeks. The program had three former reserve players enter the NCAA transfer portal during its week off before hosting Penn State.

Bachie’s Big Ten-mandated suspension is reminiscent of late December 2013, when Dantonio suspended Max Bullough — also a two-time captain and middle linebacker — for an unspecified violation a week before the Spartans’ Rose Bowl win over Stanford on Jan. 1, 2014.

In his statement on Dec. 26, 2013, Dantonio said Bullough would “forever remain a Spartan and valued member in this team's achievements.”

Contact Chris Solari at csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.