Why the Spartans Missing a Bowl Game Could Be a Positive
For the third straight season, the Michigan State Spartans ended with a record below .500. Without reaching the six-win mark, the Spartans are once again unable to compete for a bowl game.
The Spartans wanted a better finish and a reason to continue their season. But there are some positives to take away from the season-ending before they hoped.
It’s been a whirlwind 12 months for Spartans coach Jonathan Smith, who decided to take the new job in East Lansing in Nov. 2023.
Smith was coming off a competitive season with the Oregon State Beavers finishing 8-4. Then, less than a week after the season ended, he was already a Spartan.
In the new era of college sports, especially college football, the transfer portal and NIL have become the forefront of the sport, taking over the offseason talk with all the headlines. And the landscape moves fast transfers aren't on the market long.
Smith was left with a hollow program with shallow roster depth and once those players opted to leave in the portal, Smith wasn’t left with much.
However, the then 44-year-old was able to round up some old players from Corvallis. First, quarterback Aidan Chiles, offensive lineman Tanner Miller and tight end Jack Velling, joined their head coach, giving them a new start with a Big Ten program.
But three roster spots weren’t enough, as the Spartans had a mass exodus in the 2023 offseason. Depth was one of the key issues with the Spartans this season, and it can be addressed in the portal.
With fewer shake-ups, Smith doesn’t need to re-recruit high schoolers who had already committed, like he did last season with wide receiver Nick Marsh. With that burden out of the way, the Spartans can attack the portal.
This year, there will be player departures, but Smith will be more prepared to handle it. He already has his staff positions settled and with 12 games of film under their belt, the Spartans have to figure out what they need to improve upon.
The Spartans should make up some ground in the transfer portal as they will be one of the biggest programs not to qualify for a bowl game. With the amount of newfound time and existing resources the Spartans have, they gain a leg-up on the competition as the offseason begins.
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