EXCLUSIVE: Michigan State 2025 Commit Jace Clarizio Discusses Improving as a Player

Jace Clarizio was Michigan State's third in-state recruit and fifth of the 2025 class.

East Lansing's Jace Clarizio runs for a gain against Grand Ledge during the first quarter on Friday, | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

Michigan State football's latest 2025 commit, three-star running back Jace Clarizio, is a versatile player with plenty of talent to succeed at the next level in the Big Ten Conference.

Going to a program with a tradition of talented running backs that are among the most decorated in conference history -- Lorenzo White, Javon Ringer, Le'Veon Bell, and most recently, Kenneth Walker III -- a running back has to have more than talent alone to make a name for himself.

Clarizio's coach at East Lansing High School, MHSFCA Hall of Famer Bill Feraco, saw the potential. He also saw a running back that "got the ball and bounced" far too often because he was simply the best athlete on the field. Feraco coached Clarizio into becoming a better ball carrier.

"I got that habit because I was always the fastest kid growing up, like, little league, middle school -- I could always just run around everybody," Clarizio told Spartan Nation. "But in high school, you know, the dynamic kind of had to change. So yeah, I've grown a lot, be able to run through the tackles. I realized, north and south, that's the best it's gonna get. Going north and south, you're going get the most yards because you're going straight, not going at an angle ... I worked on that a lot, and I'm doing it, a lot of reps. That's the best way you can run the ball."

As for influences and favorite players -- Clarizio said he liked Saquon Barkley when he was at Penn State.

"He was electric. I like running backs of that type of caliber, who are just electric, who make plays and is going to make someone miss, going to make something out of nothing," Clarizio said. "I would also say I like running backs who catch the ball out of the backfield too, like Christian McCaffrey [San Fransisco 49ers], Jahmyr Gibbs [Detroit Lions], like those type of running backs."

Clarizio said that McCaffrey and Gibbs are who he would compare himself to stylistically -- a running back who can catch the ball and run between the tackles.

Clarizio is the top running back in the state of Michigan, per 247Sports.

National scouting analyst Allan Trieu called Clarizio an "all-around back with no real glaring deficiences."

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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