Mangham, Carter emerging as leaders at running back for Michigan State
East Lansing, Mich. – Transfer running backs have accounted for most of the rushing production to this point in Mel Tucker’s tenure as head coach at Michigan State. Doak Walker Award winner Kenneth Walker III led the way at tailback for the Spartans in 2021 as a transfer from Wake Forest. Last season, Jalen Berger led Michigan State in rushing as after beginning his college football career at Wisconsin.
As Michigan State prepares for the 2023 season, chances are good that a transfer running back will once again lead the team in rushing. Whether that top of the rotation back is Berger, UConn transfer Nathan Carter, or South Florida transfer Jaren Mangham remains to be seen.
“The biggest win we have in our room is a lot of guys who have played a lot of football, and who are able to do a lot of different things well,” Michigan State running backs coach Effrem Reed said after practice earlier this week. “That is what I am most excited about, the maturity level. I can talk to these guys differently than I can talk to (Jaelon) Barbarin. I can get a little bit more in depth.”
The maturity level of Michigan State’s two first-year transfers has been on display since both joined the program last January. Mangham, who began his college football career at Colorado where he played for Tucker and had success in coordinator Jay Johnson’s offense, has the most game experience of any tailback in the Michigan State program.
“The one thing he has already done is he has established himself as a leader in the room,” Reed said. “He has played a lot of ball. Obviously, he was previously with Coach Tucker at Colorado, so he knows the system well. It wasn’t really for him to come in and learn something new.”
After winning over his new teammates with his outgoing personality and strong work ethic during spring football, Mangham willingly embraced a leadership role for the Spartans at the running back position during the off-season.
“In order to establish yourself as a leader, one, you have to be able to get to know the guys, and they have to accept you into that role,” said Mangham. “My whole thing is I want us to be a very close-knit group. Our room is very close. We talk about a lot of things. We laugh and we play, and when its time to work, it’s time to work. I just love the relationship that I’ve built with those guys over the past few months of me being here. I am very excited to see where it goes and what the season holds for us as a room.”
As a leader, Mangham draws heavily on his time at both at Colorado and South Florida.
“Just having experience over the years of leading different rooms,” said Mangham. “Being at a different school, you kind of know what to expect. You know how to talk to certain people. It is easier for running backs to have a conversation that a coach can’t. It is easier for us to hold each other accountable. Tell each other, ‘Hey, we’ve got to pick it up.’ You know how to get the guys going, if they are your guys.”
Although he is not as naturally vocal as Mangham, Carter has taken on a leadership role of his own by setting the tone for hard work both in the weight room and on the field. The perfectionist of the Spartan running backs room, sometimes Carter can be too serious for his own good.
“He is definitely a very serious guy,” Reed said. “I have to get on him time and time again about relaxing. It’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s okay to mess up. He tries to be so perfect every time. I think that kind of hurts him a little bit, but he has gotten better at it. He runs hard, and he is physical. He is a lot faster and has another gear than a lot of other guys, and I think that will separate him a little bit. He will be able to give us some home runs if we get a chance to get those.”
Carter is making fewer mistakes now than he did during spring football. His self-confidence in his knowledge of the Michigan State playbook grew tremendously through hard work during the off-season. At this point in his transition, Carter is able to focus on the little things that can often separate good from average players.
“I am comfortable with the offensive scheme, the blocking, and all that stuff,” Carter said. “I’m just continuing to improve and making things faster as far as (knowing) what is the defense doing? What is the line front? How do I read this on inside zone? Where am I supposed be on this play? Outside zone, where am I supposed to go? Things like that are all little things that I continue to improve on. As far as comfortability in the offense, I feel completely comfortable.”
Part of leadership is willingly bringing other players along, and Mangham has made himself available as a resource to teammates.
“I am very comfortable with the playbook,” Mangham said. “Now, my whole thing is trying to lead and to get all the other guys caught up. Now, we are just trying to focus on the little details, key in on things, clean some stuff up, and focusing on mastering our craft.”
Where Carter and Mangham find themselves on the depth chart at the end of training camp remains to be seen. Both players, however, are committed to doing their part to move the entire running back room forward.
“At the end of the day our mindset is to be a selfless teammate,” Carter said. “That is one of our core values to put the Spartans’ best interest first. Whoever coach Reed throws out there, we know that they are going to be able to get the job done. It’s our job as teammates to make sure that we are always ready whether we’re with the ones, the twos, or the threes. We are all talented guys and can do a lot of different things, which is great for our team.”
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