Watch: Michigan State cheerleaders showcase their preparedness in a recent viral video
Recently a video featuring the Michigan State Spartans unlocking a new skill ahead of the 2023 college football season has gone viral online. As the Spartans prepare for a new season of football, their cheerleading team is also showing off that they are ready to make some noise on the sidelines.
Michigan State finished with a record of 5-7 last year. And coach Mel Tucker has an arduous task at hand as he has to gear up after the changes that took place in the offseason. Amid all this, a video of the cheerleading squad has been quickly making rounds on the internet, as fans can't seem to get enough of it.
The video was posted on Instagram by Mia Martinez, who is a part of the Spartans cheerleading squad. In the video, we see Martinez's team skillfully position themselves and launch her in the air. She then does a full twist in the air, after which she landed perfectly. And this left everyone at the practice elated as they unlocked a new skill to showcase on the gridiron sidelines.
While this may be a small win for the squad, the Spartans have a lot to do after the transfer of starting quarterback Payton Thorne.
Who will be the starting QB for Michigan State?
Last season, Payton Thorne was the go-to choice as the starting QB for Tucker. But he transferred to Auburn under coach Hugh Freeze, who recently named him the starter for the team in 2023. Now, there is a mysterious air surrounding who could be the preferred player to fill up the void left by Thorne's exit at Michigan State.
Tucker said that it will all come down to who is the most consistent in practice and who can go forward to shoulder the responsibility of leading the team on the gridiron.
"We're looking at consistency from all our players. That's how you win. You peform consistently at the high level, at a winning level, day in and day out, and you're able to take it to games. That's what we need at that position."
In 2022, as a backup to Payton Thorne, Noah Kim completed 14 out of 19 passes while throwing for three touchdowns and zero interceptions. On the other hand, redshirt freshman Katin Houser still has to get some more time on the field for one to decide how he will shape up for the future.
During the Big Ten Media Days, Mel Tucker said that the competition was a "three-man race', hinting that Katin Houser and Sam Leavitt, a member of the 2023 recruiting class, were both contenders for the job as QB1 for the Michigan State Spartans. But for the time being, the safest bet would be to play Kim, as he has the most experience among all of them.
"Our quarterback has to be our number one competitor. I like the way the guys have approached it. We have very talented guys in that room. It's a healthy competition, but we're going to play the best player. WE don't know who that is at this point."
However, given Kim's limited experience last season, the window of opportunity is open for both Houser and Leavitt.