MSU Coach Sees 'High Ceiling' for Freshman RB
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As Michigan State football gets ready to head into Week 3 of fall camp, a lot of chatter has surrounded the battle at running back.
The room contains a few different candidates for the starting job, although the group as a whole lacks experience, its only veteran being transfer redshirt senior Elijah Tau-Tolliver from Sacramento State.
One running back whose name hasn't been mentioned too much in this discussion is that of freshman Jace Clarizio, the hometown prospect, a former three-star prospect from East Lansing High School.
It would seem the battle is coming down to Tau-Tolliver and sophomore running backs Mahki Frazier and Brandon Tullis, so to what extent Clarizio is utilized in Year 1 is anyone's guess.
What we do know is that the young running back is developing nicely, and in a room with a lot of competition, that's really all you can ask for a first-year.
"Jace is really taking a step from where he was at in January to where he is now," said Michigan State running backs coach Keith Bhonapha. "He put on some good pounds. I think he's starting to understand the rigors of college football when it comes to off the field, academics, how you need to operate in a meeting room, and taking what happens in a meeting room and taking it out there on the football field.
"Let's be honest, he's a true freshman, and he's going to make mistakes and things are going to come up, but I've had that before, but I'm excited. It's a high ceiling for that kid from the athletic standpoint. Now, it's just getting into the day-to-day of being the best football player."
Clarizio was a late land for the Spartans
Clarizio was a last-minute commit for Michigan State back in December. He had initially been committed to Alabama before flipping his pledge to the Spartans on the Dec. 4 National Signing Day, a huge win for the Spartans' staff.
Clarizio's time may not be now, but it will likely come. If he should reach that ceiling Bhonapha spoke of, we could be talking about the next great Spartan running back.
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