Transfer RB Nate Carter making positive impression at Michigan State

Nathan Carter has yet to play a single snap for Michigan State at tailback, but at the midway point of spring football practice, the UConn transfer has already made a positive impression on coaches and teammates.

“He is a really good player, and even a better person,” said senior offensive lineman JD Duplain. “That is someone that I really like that they have brought in. I am excited to see him play in games. We had a scrimmage (Saturday) and he looked really good. He’s quick, fast, twitchy, tough, and he runs through contact. Really good player and makes us look good.”

Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson also liked what he saw from Carter during last weekend’s scrimmage.

“I have been very pleased so far with some of the newcomers,” Johnson said. “Nate Carter has done some very positive things. He is still transitioning a little bit with a new scheme and things of that nature, and that sneaks up on him occasionally. But as far as his skillset and what he does with the ball in his hands, and he has also shown some very positive things in pass protection. He has done some very good things.”

One of two first-year transfer tailbacks in the Michigan State program this spring along with Jaren Mangham, Carter (5-10, 190, Sr., Rochester, NY, Connecticut) is a well-rounded running back capable of contributing in a variety of ways. Mangham (6-2, 230, Sr., Detroit, MI, South Florida) provides a nice complement as a physical tailback capable of picking up tough yards in short yardage.

“I am very pleased with Mangham,” Johnson said. “Jaren Mangham has done some very positive things. He’s a bigger bodied kid, and he has done some nice things. It is going to be a good race, a good race with all of those guys and we will see how that continues to fold out.”

Transition from UConn to Michigan State

Although Carter is getting more comfortable in the Spartan program with every practice, he readily admits that more is required of him from a knowledge standpoint at Michigan State than his previous program.

“As a running back, you have to think a little bit more,” Carter said. “I have to think more here and learn more than I did back at UConn, which is a good thing. It helps me increase my knowledge as far as this position and in the game of football as a whole. As far as pass protection, everything is different, how they protect and especially with my reads.”

At Michigan State, Carter is being to challenged to look at the bigger picture with regard to running back. He is not only learning what he is required to do at the position, but also why he is required to do those things.

“Coming from a different coaching style, a different offense, you have to learn something new, which is good,” Carter said. “It helps me increase my knowledge in the game of football in learning offensively in general as far as schemes and how things are run. And also most importantly, why we are running them. It’s one thing to know what you have to do for your own individual job, but knowing the whole offensive scheme helps you understand football better.”

Carter credits running backs coach Effrem Reed and offensive analyst Rodney Freeman for helping him to make a smooth transition to a new program.

Competing for spot in Michigan State RB rotation

Carter is competing for rotation spot in the Michigan State backfield, which returns leading rusher Jalen Berger (6-1, 215, Jr., Newark, NJ, Wisconsin), who rushed for 683 yards on 148 carries (4.6) and six touchdowns during his first season as a Spartan. Veteran South Florida transfer Jaren Mangham (6-2, 230, Sr., Detroit, MI, Cass Tech) is also competing for a rotation spot along with Jordon Simmons (5-11, 195, Sr., Marietta, GA, McEachern) and Davion Primm (6-0, 205, Soph., Detroit, MI, Oak Park).

“We all bring something different to the table,” Carter said. “Jalen is so versatile. He is a great receiving back. He has great hands and is able to do a lot of things as far as lining up as a wide receiver in the slot. Mangham is obviously a bigger back, which helps us a lot when we get into goal line and short yardage, especially in the red zone. I believe that I am an all-around back. I am able to do it all, so wherever the coaches fits me in and wherever they feel I can best produce for the offense so we can score touchdowns and make plays, that will be my role. We all have a part to play in this, and at the end of the day, yes, we are all competing and want to be the guy. But our ultimate goal is to win a championship, and that’s what we are focused on and what we’re going to do.”

All of Michigan State’s tailbacks are getting the reps required to get an accurate assessment of their capacity to contribute at the position.

“I don’t know the exact rep count on them, but Coach Reed pays close attention to that,” Johnson said. “You need to see them do different types of runs and see how they handle those types of runs, and what their vision is like and those things.”

Leap of Faith

Carter totaled 405 yards on 65 carries with one touchdown in five games while averaging 6.23 yards per carry last season. He carried the ball just six times in a non-conference loss at Michigan where he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last September.

“Obviously, my season was cut short, but I believe I handled it well,” Carter said. “For me, I put my identity in my faith and Christ, so it was not as if who I was as a man was cut short because of my injury. I had peace and knew that whatever God had planned for me was going to work out. Obviously, he blessed me with the opportunity to be here.”

While sidelined by injury, Carter began to contemplate putting his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal.

“I would describe it as taking a leap of faith,” Carter said. “I kind of felt that my time at UConn had come to an end and I was being called to go somewhere else. I didn’t really know where that was, so I was kind of trusting God for what plan God had for me. Once I put my name in the transfer portal, I was surprised by all of the feedback that I got. Obviously, Michigan State and coach Reed was one of the people I was in contact with. I just felt at peace with him and what he was presenting to me and this vision of what they saw at Michigan State for this year and the years go come. I wanted to be part of that, and felt that I could make a contribution to this team on and off the field to help them get to their goals. It was really a great blessing to come from an independent school to a Big Ten school.”

Michigan State’s success with Wake Forest transfer Kenneth Walker III in 2021 piqued Carter’s interest in Mel Tucker’s program.

“K9 transferred from Wake Forest to here, and you see how that went,” Carter said. “That was a big thing for me, especially at this level. The transfer portal is huge, and it can help a lot of guys out in the long run, so that was definitely a consideration.”

Given that he suffered a shoulder injury at Michigan, Carter is grateful for the opportunity that he will have this season when the Spartans face the Wolverines in the annual battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

“They are the ones when I was at Connecticut that put me out for the year,” Carter said. “I’ve got a little chip on my shoulder when we play them. It will be fun to get a little get back when that time comes.”

With a shoulder injury, Carter’s recovery was easier than if he were working his way back from a serious lower body injury.

“It didn’t really hinder me as far as my legs or anything like that as far as putting my work in the training room, getting better and getting stronger with my shoulder,” Carter said. “I am able to come out here and have no pain, no issues at all.”

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