Michigan State football leaders still “believe in this team”
Belief is a beautiful thing in sports. Belief can be the difference between a team struggling all season long and missing a bowl game and having the right mindset and finishing a season strong even after a few losses.
In the last couple of Michigan State football seasons, you could tell that the team had very little belief as the season progressed, and I think that says a lot about the former coaching staff. But times are different under Jonathan Smith and that belief isn’t going anywhere even after three straight losses.
Velling: "I think we learned we can compete with the best" the past two weeks against No. 3 Ohio State and No. 6 Oregon. "I like us, and I think we can compete with whoever's out there on the field with us."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) October 5, 2024
MSU CB Charles Brantley: "I believe in this team."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) October 5, 2024
Two of the Spartans’ upperclassmen leaders in tight end Jack Velling and star defensive back Charles Brantley aren’t done believing in this team just yet. And it’s this belief from key players like these two that makes me confident that this team will still make a bowl game.
Michigan State finds themselves at the turning point in their season. Either they will continue to play as a team and make a bowl game or fall apart and limp to the finish line while only winning one more game. The only way for them to even have a chance at the first option coming true is if the leaders of this team not only believe they can do it but vocalize that.
Velling and Brantley are two players that everyone looks up to on their respective sides of the ball, and their belief is what everyone needs right now. If they decided to hang their heads and give up on the season, everyone else would also. On the flip side however, if they continue to work hard and strive for greatness then so will the rest of the team.
This belief, even after suffering three straight losses, is a testament to how quickly Smith has changed the culture at Michigan State. If this were last year the season would already be over, but I think we all know that isn’t the case this year. This team isn’t going to give up and I’m not going to stop believing in them either.
So now with a full two weeks off I think we’re going to see a much different Michigan State football team take the field when they face Iowa on homecoming on Oct. 19. And I think we’re going to see this team shock the world and come away with many more wins this season.