Michigan State basketball: Meet captains Josh Langford, Matt McQuaid

Michigan State basketball has announced its captains and Joshua Langford and Matt McQuaid lead a talented team for 2018-19.

Michigan State announced senior Matt McQuaid and junior Joshua Langford to be this season’s team captains. The guards will lead a more experienced team returning a plethora of talent inside and outside.

The initial positive sign from the announcement is the fact the team has captains. In 2013-2014, the team lacked definitive leadership so much that Izzo announced the entire team to be a collective captain, reinforcing the adage, “When everyone’s in charge, no one’s in charge.”

The captains are experienced. Even a passive observation of college basketball reveals the value of experience to a team’s success. McQuaid and Langford’s seven years of collective experience will be the most the team will have in its captains in three seasons.

With new lineups and players needing to assume more prominent roles, the team will be recalibrating, something McQuaid and Langford are accustomed to. McQuaid was on the 2015-16 team transitioning from possessing a senior core to relying on freshmen. And both were members of the 2016-17 squad with minimal size, experience, and depth gutting out a tournament bid before shifting the following season to accomplish the winningest regular season in program history.

The focus on player departures is an overused and overrated talking point. Prior to last season, the previous five Michigan State teams to finish in the AP top 10 had lost their leading scorer from the season before.

As onlookers are surer of what they’ll get from point guard Cassius Winston and center Nick Ward, the captain designation gives responsibility and motivation to the two players the team may need to take steps forward the most.

Langford showed glimpses of becoming an elite scorer but was at times inconsistent. He broke through his shell somewhat from his freshman to sophomore season and will need to bust his comfort zone again. With the role of captain, he has no choice not to.

McQuaid will be replacing Miles Bridges in the starting lineup, an enormous hole to fill. Like Langford, McQuaid was a streaky but sometimes remarkable shooter.

As pivotal as their shooting will be and as high as their potential remains, the team needs both captains to shoot confidently without hesitation. Assuming their role as captains may reflect in adopting a green-light mentality present in former elite Spartan shooters, but not yet consistently observable in either player.

The team has the ball handling, passing, shooting, and post presence to succeed, and the two captains can help provide the leadership and build the chemistry it needs to maximize its potential.