Michigan State football: 3 upperclassmen who need to take over in 2023

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 30: Charles Brantley #0 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a fourth quarter interception with teammates while playing the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium on October 30, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 30: Charles Brantley #0 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a fourth quarter interception with teammates while playing the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium on October 30, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Can we all agree to forget about Michigan State football’s 5-7 season?

OK, so maybe that’s not possible because we can’t talk about the upcoming season without also recognizing that 2022 was an absolute failure, but Mel Tucker is piecing together a roster that could turn things around in a big way in 2023.

While new additions via the 2023 recruiting class and the transfer portal are important for the turnaround hopes, returning upperclassmen are also key.

These three upperclassmen must take over in 2023 if Michigan State plans to bounce back.

Gone is Jayden Reed and even Germie Bernard moved on despite being a candidate to replace the All-Big Ten caliber wideout in the starting lineup.

Returning, however, is Tre Mosley.

The senior receiver is giving Michigan State one final season and that’s great news for this Spartan offense because he could be a legit threat as a WR2 to Keon Coleman’s WR1. I would put Coleman in this spot, but this list is for guys who have potential but who haven’t quite broken out yet and the sophomore did that in 2022 by leading the team in receiving.

Mosley is going to have to step up as a viable No. 2 option for whoever starts at quarterback and I think he’s going to do that. We saw what he was capable of in 2021 with 530 yards and three touchdowns on 35 catches. He had the same number of catches in 2022 but just 359 yards.

Ending the season with nine catches for 124 yards in the final three games, Mosley looks poised for a big senior campaign.