Burkland, 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, has been plagued by injuries throughout his tenure at MSU.

Associate athletics director John Lewandowski declined to comment on the status of Burkland.

Burkland played 775 snaps and led the team with 58 “knockdown” blocks his sophomore season.
Burkland did not participate in the annual Green and White spring game due to injury.

A two-year letterwinner, Burkland has played 15 career games, including 14 starts at right tackle.

In his redshirt freshman season, Burkland fractured his left ankle in the third game of the season and missed the remainder of the season.

He also missed the first game of the 2012 season with a hand injury, but went on to become the starter in place of injured senior right tackle Fou Fonoti.

Losing Burkland leaves a void to be filled; however, the Spartan’s offensive line has depth.

Fonoti started 13 straight games at right tackle in 2012 before suffering a foot injury. Fonoti received a medical redshirt and will be returning for the 2013-14 season.

Despite spending the past two season at left tackle, senior Dan France began spring practice at right guard and can also potentially fill the void.

Head coach Mark Dantonio could also look to sophomore Jack Allen, who started seven games at center and five at left guard as a redshirt freshman last season. Allen was named Freshman All-American along with being a Big Ten All-Freshman selection.