Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith looks on from the sideline during the third quarter in the game against Rutgers on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Spartans Must Address Secondary Needs This Offseason

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tim Marshall | Last updated Dec 11, 2024 7:00 AM ET

As the College Football Playoff begins, it may not even be the most important part of the modern college football landscape.

The chaos of the transfer portal has already started to heat up, affecting every team in the nation with over 1,000 players entering the portal.

After a disappointing 5-7 season, the Michigan State Spartans are now clearly interested in prospects in the portal. They must improve upon their weaknesses by acquiring new players.

Spartan cornerback Charles Brantley announced that he entered the transfer portal on Tuesday.

Brantley was one of the bright spots on the Spartans’ defense, locking down some of the best wide receivers on opposing offenses.

However, it isn’t a guarantee that Brantley will leave; after all, the redshirt junior has entered the portal in the last two transfer windows before returning to East Lansing.

If Brantley decides to part ways with the Spartans, it would be a monumental loss, as he was the most experienced player on the defensive end.

Brantley dealt with an injury that kept him sidelined for the final three and a half games of the season. This was a huge loss for the Spartans, and it possibly hampered them from a bowl appearance.

In those final games, Michigan State's defense didn’t fare well against the pass, continuing the trend of having a lackluster pass defense.

Even against Purdue, one of the worst offenses in the country was able to shred the Spartans' defense, with Purdue quarterback Hudson Card throwing for over 340 yards.

Michigan State also took a hit as one of its rising stars in the secondary, defensive back Jaylen Thompson, also entered the portal. The sophomore played nine games for the Spartans but decided to enter the portal to be closer to family.

There are a few options in the portal that Michigan State can go after in the portal to improve its secondary.

According to Justin Thind of 247 Sports, the Spartans will host Alabama transfer defensive back Jahlil Hurley for a visit on Dec. 13. Hurley played nine games for the Crimson Tide as a redshirt freshman.

Michigan State will also need to fill the void left by its former cornerbacks coach, Demetrice Martin, who swapped teams in the conference for the same job on the West Coast at UCLA.

This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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