Andrew Gleichert: The Chance of Greatness

Sept. 3, 2014

By Brock Lewandowski, MSU Athletic Communications Student Assistant

Is it admirable to stumble into greatness? Andrew Gleichert, a fifth-year senior, might prove the nobility of chance.

"Getting recruited was odd," said Gleichert. "I wasn't highly recruited at all. I had no stars at all. My friend and I came up to a camp and we got noticed because we were tall, quick guys. Coach (Dan) Enos, who left in '09, told me to send some film my junior year. It kind of died out after he left to Central.

"March of my senior year, I emailed Coach Staten because I had maybe one offer to go to Wayne State. I wanted to go to a big school. I was about to go to Indiana to be an engineer. I talked to Coach (Mark) Staten and he said come out. He talked to Coach (Dantonio) and gave me a preferred walk-on spot, which was amazing."

Odds were stacked against Gleichert as both a recruit and because of point of origin. The 6-5 tight end is also from Ann Arbor.

"Every time I go home I just get hassled," he said. "The past few years have been nice for us so I kind of have the upper hand. It's also really nice wearing that [Rose Bowl Champion] ring in Ann Arbor; people look at it."

While his extended family is not, his parents are Michigan State fans who have helped him every step of the way.

"My family means a lot to me," he said. "I can always go to them with an issue or for advice. My dad is a really smart guy. He can always help me out with football advice; he just understands the sport. With my mom, I can talk to her about anything and she'll just lift me."

For a family person, Michigan State is often the place to be.

"[The team] literally is a family," Gleichert said. "We might have tussles and quarrels out there, but when we go in the locker room, there's no fighting. We say, `good hit, you got me there,' or talk a little trash, but it never turns into a real fight; nobody gets mad at each other."

As a leader, Gleichert has passed on some of his parents' best qualities.

"I know the playbook well and people always come up to me with questions about different alignments and plays," said Gleichert. "Also with knowing some of the fullback position, some of the fullbacks come talk to me as well.

"I feel like I help people by lifting their spirits. I would say I'm a happy guy. I've always looked for the good in things and I try to lift people up when they're feeling down."

For 2014, Gleichert is listed as a co-starter at tight end with the possibility of seeing action at fullback. For him to grow from walk-on to a true contributor, Gleichert has a few people to thank.

"Coach (Jim) Bollman and Coach Staten have definitely been my mentors here," he said. "I can't leave out Coach (Ken) Mannie for building that mental toughness. That's what the program is based on."

Gleichert is also atypical in his choice of major. He'll receive his degree in biochemistry and molecular biology in December.

"I feel like I help people by lifting their spirits. I would say I'm a happy guy. I've always looked for the good in things and I try to lift people up when they're feeling down."

-Andrew Gleichert

"I was kind of naïve when I was picking," explained Gleichert, who earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2012. "I took biochemistry because I needed it for med school and it really intrigued me, how food got to the cells and broke it down. I thought it was just that, but it ended up being something way different. I enjoy it a lot.

"There are about 20 people in my class for the whole major per year. We have this five-hour lab; it's just intense. You look at a bunch of proteins in the body. Ultimately, looking at what some of the team doctors do, I would love to do that. I think that being in sports and in health care would be a really cool career.

"I'm going to be the first person in Michigan State history to play football and be in that major."

While making history, Gleichert also had the opportunity to be a part of history, making a catch for 17 yards in Michigan State's Rose Bowl Game victory against Stanford.

"I kind of knew that it was coming - that play," he said. "I was replaying in my mind that morning what I would do and go step by step. I envisioned it that morning and it actually came true. It was surreal. It was a dream come true. I never thought I would be in the Rose Bowl, let alone get a catch in there."

What makes Andrew Gleichert great is not that he was merely graced by chance, it's that he created his own chances and continues to do so for his teammates in the hopes of winning a National Championship.

"I feel like (to get there) I need to be a great player," Gleichert said. "I'll sacrifice my body for someone else to make a play, whether that's for Connor Cook throwing or for one of the running backs. I'll sacrifice my body for that to happen. I'm extremely loyal. Being able to sacrifice for someone else."

Loyalty through sacrifice - from a no-star recruit that calls Ann Arbor home to a true example of the Spartan spirit.

"I think I've matured a lot," said Gleichert. "I thought I was ready for the world coming out of high school. I was just extremely naïve. I know who I am. I know what I have. I know what my strengths and weaknesses are. I can move on from there."

GETTING TO KNOW Andrew Gleichert

First CD you ever owned...
All-Star by Smash Mouth

Favorite Saturday morning cartoon...
Bugs Bunny

Which Lord of the Rings character do you most identify with?
It would have to be Sam because he's always helping out. I feel like I'm that kind of guy helping out with the running backs.

This feature was originally published in the Aug. 29 edition of Michigan State Football Gameday Magazine.