I posted this at 5 a.m., on the front.
But with the front of this site, and all Rivals.com sites, being down due to some broader network outage, I'm posting the column here, in case you missed it this morning or earlier this afternoon:
DotComp: It's too bad a crowd can't give Langford the ovation he deserves tonight
By Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com
East Lansing, Mich. - When Joshua Langford takes the court tonight against Eastern Michigan, so many things will be different, yet much of it will be unchanged.
The last time he wore a Spartan uniform on a game day, he had Kenny Goins, Matt McQuaid, Nick Ward and Cassius Winston as teammates.
Now, those guys are gone. He’s surprised he’s still here. He’s never shared the court with Rocket Watts, Malik Hall or Julius Marble in a game.
And when he takes the court tonight, there will be no fans to give him the long standing ovation he deserves, having journeyed through surgeries, 23 months of rehab and an untold amount of tears while contemplating retirement.
But he’s back. The injury-plagued foot has been feeling good enough to practice full-go for more than a month. Head coach Tom Izzo indicated that Langford might start during tonight’s season opener against Eastern Michigan (6 p.m., BTN) at Breslin Center. For Langford, it still feels like a dream.
“I’ve thought about it a good amount of times,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be like. I haven’t played in two years, and then how everything is going to be different, in terms of no fans. I haven’t played in an atmosphere like this. So I think there’s going to be a lot of different emotions.”
The point guard duties are being handed over to Watts, with help from Foster Loyer.
Aaron Henry and Gabe Brown were new puppies when Langford last played next to them. Now they are blossoming veterans.
Marcus Bingham is still being prodded to achieve consistency. That process will take place all year, with an expected track of ups and downs.
Izzo’s foot will be planted firmly on the backside of each one of them. That’s the part that will be familiar for Langford.
“Nothing has changed,” Langford said. “We’re still Michigan State. We’re going to go out and play Michigan State basketball and we’re going to win.”
THE OLD LANGFORD
Langford was averaging 15 points per game on a bad foot when the injury became too much to overcome and he was lost for the season in December of 2018. He was shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range and contributing 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
A year earlier, as a sophomore, he averaged 11.7 points, shot 40.4 percent from 3-point range and was co-recipient of MSU’s Best Defensive Player Award.
He’s the only McDonald’s All-American on the roster.
Beginning tonight, we get to see how much of the old Langford still exists.
Izzo said two weeks ago that Langford is as close to 100 percent as he’s going to get. It’s unclear Izzo meant Langford can’t get any healthier, or if Langford is close to being the Langford of old.
Media have not been able to attend practice. The public hasn’t been treated to the usual preseason assortment of exhibitions such as Midnight Madness, the Green-White Game or exhibition games.
Langford’s game is once again a mystery. He’s been on campus for five years, will turn 24 in January, yet we don’t know what to expect from him.
Izzo says fans and media need to be patient. It might take Langford awhile to harness a level of consistency. That’s if his foot remains healthy.
Izzo says Langford won’t baby it. They’ve made a pact to push him full bore, and whatever happens happens.
The pushing begins tonight.
“I’m just out there playing, man,” Langford said, when asked if there will be a cap put on his playing time at first. “I’m just going to go out there and see what’s what and just embrace the moment.”
Izzo will share the moment with his return to the court after his battled with COVID-19. He finished his two weeks of self-isolation over the weekend and rejoined the team at practice on Monday.
Together, Izzo and Langford will take the court tonight. Langford doubted this day would ever come. On some level, Izzo might have feared it might never happen again for himself. But here they are, and here it is. On Thanksgiving Eve.
“Ultimately, I’m just thankful that the lord has allowed me to be able to come back,” Langford said. “He’s put great people around me to get me back - my trainer, Nick Richey. Our strength coach, Marshall Repp, and my teammates who are constantly supporting me. My coaches who are constantly supporting me and my family who have been constantly supporting me as well.”
‘ONE MORE YEAR!’
Langford went through Senior Day festivities as a departing Spartan last March. However, Langford and Izzo made it known that there was an outside chance that he could return. Breslin Center fans chanted “One more year! One more year!” as Langford briefly addressed the crowd on March 8, the last time an athletic event was staged at Breslin Center.
The arena remained quiet through the spring months and half the summer as a nation and planet battled COVID-19.
The doors reopened to players for voluntary workouts in early July. Formal workouts began a few weeks later, and then full-team practices commenced.
Gradually, Langford’s recovery gained momentum. Izzo saved space for Langford on the roster. They were in regular communication, albeit rarely face-to-face through most of the off-season. Then, in early fall, it became clear that Langford was ready to practice full-go. There have been no setbacks since.
“Just to be back on the court, I know it’s going to be special because I know it’s not going to be just about me, but it’s going to be about the people who are around me and helping me get back on the court,” Langford said. “So I’m just excited. I’m just thankful.”
There are new faces, and Langford didn’t expect to be among them at this stage in his life. But he sees a familiar fire that still burns in the players in this program. And he likes it.
“When you think about the core, when you think the attitude of this team, it’s definitely like every Michigan State team in terms of we’re going to be tough, we’re going to run, we’re going to rebound, we’re going to defend,” he said. “We’re going to play Michigan State basketball.”
Langford carries so much respect from coaches and players. He’s deeply religious and has always been open about sharing his faith with teammates, and helping guide them. He was that way when he was one of the younger players on the team. Now he’s easily the oldest.
“It’s been new to me,” he said. “To be honest with you, I didn’t expect to be in college for five years. It’s definitely been an adjustment, but it’s been exciting just because I can pour into those guys.”
He’s a captain. Izzo is leaning on him to not only be available in support of his teammates, but to also try to demand of them. That will be new ground for the soft-spoken native of Huntsville, Ala.
Tough love? That might not be his speciality? Wisdom? That’s his jam.
“I’ve been trying to give them wisdom, how to do certain things, and just be coachable and listen,” he said. “So many different things that I didn’t get when I was a sophomore, when I was a freshman or a junior so that they can get it and go faster and move quicker than I moved.”
He came in as a part of a recruiting class that included fellow McDonald’s All-American Miles Bridges and Cassius Winston. It was one of Izzo’s top-ranked recruiting classes.
They were favored to win the National Championship in 2018, but were upset in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Langford watched from the sidelines, with his foot in a protective boot, as Winston, Goins and McQuaid upset Duke in the Regional Finals and went to the 2019 Final Four.
Another trip to the Final Four might have been on tap last year, again without Langford. But COVID-19 stole those dreams from Winston and his teammates.
Now, Langford’s dreams remain. Surprisingly. His journey continues. He’s letting it take him wherever it may lead, full of faith and intrigue.
It will be up to guys like Watts, Henry, Brown, Joey Hauser, Hall, Bingham, Thomas Kithier and Marble to help Langford craft his final chapters.
He’s been watching from the bench for almost two full years. He’s viewed the game like a coach. He’s sat in on all the meetings, and witnessed the fine-tuning from a different angle.
Now, he views this team through a more knowing prism.
“I think what’s unique about this team is we have so much across the board, one through five,” Langford said. “It’s going to be exciting. I expect a lot out of this team.”
But with the front of this site, and all Rivals.com sites, being down due to some broader network outage, I'm posting the column here, in case you missed it this morning or earlier this afternoon:
DotComp: It's too bad a crowd can't give Langford the ovation he deserves tonight
By Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com
East Lansing, Mich. - When Joshua Langford takes the court tonight against Eastern Michigan, so many things will be different, yet much of it will be unchanged.
The last time he wore a Spartan uniform on a game day, he had Kenny Goins, Matt McQuaid, Nick Ward and Cassius Winston as teammates.
Now, those guys are gone. He’s surprised he’s still here. He’s never shared the court with Rocket Watts, Malik Hall or Julius Marble in a game.
And when he takes the court tonight, there will be no fans to give him the long standing ovation he deserves, having journeyed through surgeries, 23 months of rehab and an untold amount of tears while contemplating retirement.
But he’s back. The injury-plagued foot has been feeling good enough to practice full-go for more than a month. Head coach Tom Izzo indicated that Langford might start during tonight’s season opener against Eastern Michigan (6 p.m., BTN) at Breslin Center. For Langford, it still feels like a dream.
“I’ve thought about it a good amount of times,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be like. I haven’t played in two years, and then how everything is going to be different, in terms of no fans. I haven’t played in an atmosphere like this. So I think there’s going to be a lot of different emotions.”
The point guard duties are being handed over to Watts, with help from Foster Loyer.
Aaron Henry and Gabe Brown were new puppies when Langford last played next to them. Now they are blossoming veterans.
Marcus Bingham is still being prodded to achieve consistency. That process will take place all year, with an expected track of ups and downs.
Izzo’s foot will be planted firmly on the backside of each one of them. That’s the part that will be familiar for Langford.
“Nothing has changed,” Langford said. “We’re still Michigan State. We’re going to go out and play Michigan State basketball and we’re going to win.”
THE OLD LANGFORD
Langford was averaging 15 points per game on a bad foot when the injury became too much to overcome and he was lost for the season in December of 2018. He was shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range and contributing 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
A year earlier, as a sophomore, he averaged 11.7 points, shot 40.4 percent from 3-point range and was co-recipient of MSU’s Best Defensive Player Award.
He’s the only McDonald’s All-American on the roster.
Beginning tonight, we get to see how much of the old Langford still exists.
Izzo said two weeks ago that Langford is as close to 100 percent as he’s going to get. It’s unclear Izzo meant Langford can’t get any healthier, or if Langford is close to being the Langford of old.
Media have not been able to attend practice. The public hasn’t been treated to the usual preseason assortment of exhibitions such as Midnight Madness, the Green-White Game or exhibition games.
Langford’s game is once again a mystery. He’s been on campus for five years, will turn 24 in January, yet we don’t know what to expect from him.
Izzo says fans and media need to be patient. It might take Langford awhile to harness a level of consistency. That’s if his foot remains healthy.
Izzo says Langford won’t baby it. They’ve made a pact to push him full bore, and whatever happens happens.
The pushing begins tonight.
“I’m just out there playing, man,” Langford said, when asked if there will be a cap put on his playing time at first. “I’m just going to go out there and see what’s what and just embrace the moment.”
Izzo will share the moment with his return to the court after his battled with COVID-19. He finished his two weeks of self-isolation over the weekend and rejoined the team at practice on Monday.
Together, Izzo and Langford will take the court tonight. Langford doubted this day would ever come. On some level, Izzo might have feared it might never happen again for himself. But here they are, and here it is. On Thanksgiving Eve.
“Ultimately, I’m just thankful that the lord has allowed me to be able to come back,” Langford said. “He’s put great people around me to get me back - my trainer, Nick Richey. Our strength coach, Marshall Repp, and my teammates who are constantly supporting me. My coaches who are constantly supporting me and my family who have been constantly supporting me as well.”
‘ONE MORE YEAR!’
Langford went through Senior Day festivities as a departing Spartan last March. However, Langford and Izzo made it known that there was an outside chance that he could return. Breslin Center fans chanted “One more year! One more year!” as Langford briefly addressed the crowd on March 8, the last time an athletic event was staged at Breslin Center.
The arena remained quiet through the spring months and half the summer as a nation and planet battled COVID-19.
The doors reopened to players for voluntary workouts in early July. Formal workouts began a few weeks later, and then full-team practices commenced.
Gradually, Langford’s recovery gained momentum. Izzo saved space for Langford on the roster. They were in regular communication, albeit rarely face-to-face through most of the off-season. Then, in early fall, it became clear that Langford was ready to practice full-go. There have been no setbacks since.
“Just to be back on the court, I know it’s going to be special because I know it’s not going to be just about me, but it’s going to be about the people who are around me and helping me get back on the court,” Langford said. “So I’m just excited. I’m just thankful.”
There are new faces, and Langford didn’t expect to be among them at this stage in his life. But he sees a familiar fire that still burns in the players in this program. And he likes it.
“When you think about the core, when you think the attitude of this team, it’s definitely like every Michigan State team in terms of we’re going to be tough, we’re going to run, we’re going to rebound, we’re going to defend,” he said. “We’re going to play Michigan State basketball.”
Langford carries so much respect from coaches and players. He’s deeply religious and has always been open about sharing his faith with teammates, and helping guide them. He was that way when he was one of the younger players on the team. Now he’s easily the oldest.
“It’s been new to me,” he said. “To be honest with you, I didn’t expect to be in college for five years. It’s definitely been an adjustment, but it’s been exciting just because I can pour into those guys.”
He’s a captain. Izzo is leaning on him to not only be available in support of his teammates, but to also try to demand of them. That will be new ground for the soft-spoken native of Huntsville, Ala.
Tough love? That might not be his speciality? Wisdom? That’s his jam.
“I’ve been trying to give them wisdom, how to do certain things, and just be coachable and listen,” he said. “So many different things that I didn’t get when I was a sophomore, when I was a freshman or a junior so that they can get it and go faster and move quicker than I moved.”
He came in as a part of a recruiting class that included fellow McDonald’s All-American Miles Bridges and Cassius Winston. It was one of Izzo’s top-ranked recruiting classes.
They were favored to win the National Championship in 2018, but were upset in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Langford watched from the sidelines, with his foot in a protective boot, as Winston, Goins and McQuaid upset Duke in the Regional Finals and went to the 2019 Final Four.
Another trip to the Final Four might have been on tap last year, again without Langford. But COVID-19 stole those dreams from Winston and his teammates.
Now, Langford’s dreams remain. Surprisingly. His journey continues. He’s letting it take him wherever it may lead, full of faith and intrigue.
It will be up to guys like Watts, Henry, Brown, Joey Hauser, Hall, Bingham, Thomas Kithier and Marble to help Langford craft his final chapters.
He’s been watching from the bench for almost two full years. He’s viewed the game like a coach. He’s sat in on all the meetings, and witnessed the fine-tuning from a different angle.
Now, he views this team through a more knowing prism.
“I think what’s unique about this team is we have so much across the board, one through five,” Langford said. “It’s going to be exciting. I expect a lot out of this team.”
