4-Star Quarterback Chooses Indiana Over Michigan State
Sometimes, you can't win them all.
Head coach Jonathan Smith and Michigan State football have had an impressive run on the recruiting trail leading up to today's "early" National Signing Day, but the Spartans fell just short in a battle for one of the top 2024 signal-callers in the Midwest.
On Tuesday, four-star Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove quarterback Tyler Cherry announced his commitment to Indiana, ending a fierce, week-long recruiting battle between the Hoosiers and Spartans.
Originally committed to Duke, Cherry reopened his recruitment after Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko left to take the top job at Texas A&M. Michigan State and Indiana, each of whom hired new head coaches this offseason, immediately jumped into the fray in an attempt to win over the coveted four-star. Cherry visited East Lansing over the weekend of Dec. 9 and was impressed with what MSU had to offer. He then took a trip to Bloomington on Dec. 16 and was split on his decision, according to 247Sports director of football recruiting Steve Wiltfong.
Ultimately, the home-state Hoosiers and their new head coach, Curt Cignetti (former James Madison HC), won the day after Cherry took another unofficial visit to Indiana this week, just ahead of the start of the early signing period.
At 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, Cherry is considered the No. 263 overall prospect, No. 17 quarterback and No. 5 player from the state of Indiana, according to 247Sports composite rankings. Cherry would have been a home run on the recruiting trail for Smith and MSU, but the Spartans have still already started to address their glaring need at quarterback.
Last week, Michigan State earned a commitment from 2023 four-star prospect Aidan Chiles, who played his freshman season under Smith at Oregon State. Appearing in nine games for the Beavers this past season, Chiles threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns while completing 24-of-35 pass attempts, without an interception. The freshman, dual-threat QB is also dangerous as a runner, and he flashed that at Oregon State by adding 79 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 17 carries.
This week, Smith and the Spartans also flipped a commitment from 2024 three-star Wheaton (Ill.) St. Francis quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who had been pledged to Ball State but signed his letter of intent to Michigan State on Wednesday. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is considered the No. 1161 overall prospect, No. 67 quarterback and No. 25 player from the state of Illinois according to 247Sports' composite rankings.
Michigan State will need to add more quarterbacks to its roster this offseason, after losing all three of their scholarship signal-callers from the 2023 season to the transfer portal this offseason. Redshirt junior Noah Kim, who started five games for the Spartans this season, recently committed to Coastal Carolina. True freshman Sam Leavitt, who played well in four games as a backup, committed to Arizona State. Redshirt freshman Katin Houser, who started MSU's final seven games, committed to East Carolina.
More updates to come on Michigan State's quarterback situation right here at Spartan Nation.
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