Defensive back Charles Brantley (0) gives a thumbs up to the referee during a game against Richmond at Spartan Stadium on Sept. 9, 2023. The Spartans ultimately defeated the Spiders 45-14.
Michigan State football (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) has had a season of ups and downs thus far.
Amidst the struggles with inexperience and the inevitable growing pains that come with playing for a first-year coach, one Spartan has broken a record and proven himself as a valuable resource: redshirt junior defensive back Charles Brantley.
Playing his fourth full season of meaningful snaps at MSU, Brantley's path has been unpredictable. As a freshman in October 2021, he clinched MSU's top-ten win over rival University of Michigan with a one-handed interception in the closing moments. Then, a year and a half later in spring of 2023, Brantley announced he was entering the transfer portal.
Ultimately, Brantley returned to MSU after testing the portal's waters. This season, he's been head coach Jonathan Smith's biggest playmaker at defensive back and the only MSU defensive player to score a touchdown so far.
Through six weeks, Brantley has totaled team-highs of three interceptions and five passes to go with 23 total tackles. After three years of consistent playing time and inconsistent performances, Brantley has played like the defensive cornerstone he was shaped up to be.
His most explosive takeaway came on a 105-yard pick-six in MSU's 40-0 blowout win against Prairie View A&M, the longest interception return in program history. With 42 seconds left before halftime, PVAM quarterback Cameron Peters sailed tight end Rowdy Godwin in double coverage. Brantley leapt into the air, corralled the ball halfway deep in his own end zone and zigzagged to the other on an outstanding play.
The interception put MSU up 28-0, effectively clinching its landslide win. Brantley broke a 46-year-old record set by Dan Bass in 1978 for a 99-yard return against Wisconsin.
"It means a lot to me, but I know I got more in the tank," Brantley said after the PVAM game.
When MSU faced Maryland in its second game, Brantley came up with a crucial interception ten minutes into the fourth quarter. The Spartans were down seven and facing the threat of a two-possession game. Brantley stopped the Terrapin drive deep in MSU's territory.
Maryland didn't score for the rest of the game and the Spartans hit a game-winning field goal at the horn.
While struggling to tackle in space at times, particularly in the last game against Oregon, Brantley made his presence felt against some of the best teams in the country. During the second quarter at Oregon, Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel slung a red zone ball to the pylon but Brantley stepped in front at the one-yard line and picked it off.
Against Ohio State, which lost narrowly to Oregon on Saturday, Brantley played his part against a star-studded Buckeye wideout room. In both contests against top five teams, MSU's offense didn't do its defense many favors, scoring just 14 points between the two.
"We get the momentum, we just gotta keep it going on the opposite side of the ball," Brantley said after the Oregon game. "Once we get a turnover, we gotta go score, it’s just team ball."
The Spartans have played a tumultuous six games, but Brantley continues to earn his keep in MSU football history with reliable performances week to week. The Spartans are coming off a bye week to host Iowa for their homecoming game this Saturday. The gauntlet of MSU's schedule may be over, but an important part of its season has begun.
"I believe in this team," Brantley said post-Oregon game. "I feel like we gonna continue to work and we’re gonna improve every week. We gonna keep getting better."
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
