Michigan State DB Jaden Mangham eager to bounce back from tumultuous 2023 season
East Lansing, Mich. – Last season left Michigan State safety Jaden Mangham with a sour taste in his mouth.
Mangham knew that Michigan State’s 4-8 record wasn’t a reflection of the roster’s collective talent and work ethic. Mel Tucker’s firing in late September left players and coaches stranded. And despite interim head coach Harlon Barnett’s commendable unification efforts, a cloud hovered over the team until season’s end.
But Jonathan Smith’s hiring in late November signaled a fresh start for the program. Now just three months to Smith’s tenure, Michigan State’s players are eager to make good on last season.
“What happened last year, it was definitely tough,” Mangham said. “But at the same time, we can’t let that define who we are. Coming into this year, we just have to be better. We have to do a lot more things down to the last detail. We have to be smarter players, we have to make more plays. To get to where we want to be, we have to be better overall.
“The whole team, from offense to defense to special teams, what we did last year just wasn’t what we are, really. As a defensive group, I feel like this year coming up, it’s going to be a real test to show who we are.”
Michigan State saw a plethora of players test the transfer portal waters during and after the season. Some found new homes, while others opted to return to East Lansing after getting to know Smith and his staff.
But Mangham never considered entering the portal, despite the uncertainty brought about by the coaching change.
“Just because times get tough, you can’t just up and run,” Mangham said. “It was hard last year with everything going on. Everybody knows. Just because times get tough doesn’t mean you can take the easy way out. The transfer portal, I feel like that’s the easy way out now. I just didn’t want to do that.
“When the coaches came in, they met with all of us and they said they were going to give us all an equal opportunity, and that’s what they’ve been doing. I can only thank them for that. That’s probably a big reason why I stuck around.”
Mangham has dreams of playing in the NFL. He would like to realize those dreams as soon as next spring, at the 2025 NFL draft in Green Bay, Wis.
Mangham knows that it will take some perseverance to survive the business that is professional football. He felt like last season prepared him for any unexpected circumstances that may arise at the next level.
“It’s nothing crazy because the end-all goal is to be in the NFL, and the NFL is a business,” Mangham said. “Things are going to move around, you’re going to get traded and everything. You just have to learn to adjust and be able to move on from things. It’s definitely not what I signed up for, but at the same time, I’m not going to let it stop me from my end goal.”
Despite being challenged last season, Mangham felt like Michigan State’s adversity brought the team closer together. To him, Michigan State’s returning players have a newfound sense of confidence and resolve this spring.
“That whole series of events is something that doesn’t happen very often,” Mangham said. “Coming off your first two games, going into one of your big games against Washington and having all of that news break out, it just does a lot to a team. I’m just thankful for all the guys who were able to stick through, stay strong and just finish out the season. That shows character. That shows grit, that you were able to go through all of that and still be able to come out everyday, come in to practice and play.”
Getting to know Michigan State’s new coaches
To better understand their personnel, Michigan State’s new coaching staff met with every player on the roster in the weeks following their arrival. Mangham met with Smith, defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and secondary coach Blue Adams.
During those meetings, Michigan State’s coaches broke down each players’ film from last season. They primarily focused on what each player had to improve upon heading into the spring. Mangham, like many of his teammates, appreciated the new staff’s honesty at that time.
“Some of the stuff they said I have to improve on is just taking plays off and stuff like that,” Mangham said. “And that’s the truth. I felt like I left some things on the field out there last year that I have to improve on. Everyday, coach Blue (Adams) makes sure that he stays on top of me so that I can keep doing that, I can keep learning, building my football IQ and making more plays.”
Mangham met with the staff regularly throughout the winter, which helped build trust heading into the spring. Now in the thick of spring ball, Mangham has a good sense of the staff’s expectations, which he hopes will carry the team to a bounce-back 2024 season.
“They’re asking for us to be better players,” Mangham said. “They’re asking a lot of us. And we have to live up to what they’re asking. I like that because they’re holding us to a high standard and they want us to be great. We got away with a lot of stuff last year that wasn’t good, and obviously, that showed up on the field. They’re trying to get all of that out of here.”
Michigan State safety Jaden Mangham – Photo by Dane Robison for SpartanMag.com.
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