Bud's Football Cleats

The morning of the big football game, we hear Bud come down the stairs and drop his football shoes on the floor and we see him pick them up as he dashes out the door. Later, at school, walking down the hall with Deanie, the football cleats are slung over his left shoulder. He even appears to go to his class still carrying his shoes. After the big game, we see him leave the gym, again with the cleats slung over his shoulder. Obviously, he has a locker, where he stores the rest of his football equipment, why does he take his football cleats home? None of the other football players are seen carrying their football cleats - before or after the game. Does Bud have a superstitious belief that carrying his football shoes around as a talisman will bring him good luck? Or are they merely props for the sake of props?