In the middle of December, the mood surrounding Michigan State football centered around the unknown. Now, a month later, there is more optimism towards the Spartans than we’ve seen in two years.
After 26 players entered their names into the transfer portal this offseason, Jonathan Smith and his staff have convinced nine to withdraw their names and stick with the program, eight of whom were key contributors these past two seasons. Michigan State also added 11 transfers from other programs to their roster over the past month, and has just about reached the scholarship limit.
Smith has emphasized recruiting offensive line talent early in his tenure, as well as retaining several players at the position who dabbled in the transfer portal. After losing two starters from last year’s front, the Spartans’ O-line could have a completely new look in 2024. While there will be a handful of new faces and contributors, there’s optimism the returning and incoming lineman can mold together quickly and make large improvements up front.