The crafty veteran was named the Ray Guy Punter of the Week after another solid performance in MSU’s 49-20 loss to Ohio State. Baringer was grateful to earn the award, but is putting team goals ahead of individual ones and is working towards the next game. 

“Yea, that’s definitely an individual goal, but I feel like a lot of times, those individual goals can take a backseat to some team success,” Baringer said. “I’m very grateful for that committee to give me the award for the week, but like I said, just trying to work on next week.” 

There’s no doubt moving forward, the team needs to find the consistency they’ve been lacking thus far if they hope to recover. Baringer understands this notion when it comes to his position with the team more than anyone. 

After successfully becoming a walk-on in 2018, the young punter was cut from the team the next season and didn’t return until he was offered his spot back in 2020. Baringer attempted 37 punts in 2020, but it wasn't until last year when he started to earn recognition as one of the top punters in the game. His 48.4-yard punting average broke an MSU single-season record and was second best in conference history and fifth best nationally.

It earned him a spot on the 2022 Ray Guy Award Watchlist, an annual honor given to the season's most outstanding punter.

"I'm grateful for every chance I get,” Baringer said. “Obviously we all know the whole story from years ago and what not, so I never take a rep, anything for granted. I just try and treat it as if I have the chance to maybe play at the next level, so I’m trying to take every practice rep, every game rep, as if I’m a pro.”

The stats have proven that Baringer has done his job consistently. In fact, he's taken another step forward following his breakout 2021 season. Baringer is ranked No. 1 overall in punt yards per game with 52.04. However, he believes that net yards are the best stat to judge a punter by, in which case he averages 47 yards per game, the most in the country. 14 of his 25 punt attempts in 2022 have traveled at least 50 yards and 10 of the 25 have be downed inside the 20-yard line.

As for his future, Baringer has aspirations to take his career to the next level, but that’s months away and the team is focused on the now and now, he’s having an all-star like season.

“I’m really happy, you know, just with my performance this year,” Bringer said “That’s the one thing with my job that needs to be there is the consistency. Can you rely on me to go do my job?”

The Spartans take on Wisconsin Saturday, still in search of their first Big Ten win. After last year’s stellar 11-2 season, many fans have taken to social media to voice their displeasure with the 2-4 start to the 2022 season, creating another obstacle for the team to overcome.

For the most part they’ve learned to block out the noise and focus on what matters. When it comes to the rest of the season, they’re looking forward, not dwelling on the what-ifs of the past.

“We try not to really think about it too much,” Baringer said. “Our big team mantra is the abbreviation W.I.N. (what’s important now) and all we’re really working towards and focusing on right now is just the next game. The past is the past, we learn from our mistakes and go to the next one."

“Go to the next one” has appeared to be the Spartan game plan this season in order to recover from a tough conference loss. Now looking to bounce back from the Ohio State loss, all focus is on the Wisconsin Badgers.