Highly ranked DE commits to MSU

EAST LANSING - The first game of the Mark Dantonio era at Michigan State is more than two months away - Sept. 1 vs. Alabama-Birmingham - but the pursuit of players is hot right now.

Dantonio and his staff have two verbal commitments for the class of 2008, with a chance at more prominent, in-state names in the next few weeks.

"We're trying to bring in some impact football players," Dantonio said Monday while signing kids' T-shirts at his youth football camp. "We're hanging in there, we're right there with some very good (in-state) players. ... To me, recruiting always starts here and works its way out."

Tyler Hoover, a defensive end from Novi, is the latest prospect to give a pledge to Dantonio. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound pass rusher is ranked the No. 15 strong-side defensive end in the nation and the No. 6 overall prospect in the state by Rivals.com.

Hoover said he picked MSU over offers from about 20 other schools, including Michigan, Miami (Fla.), Nebraska, California and Wisconsin. He had 87 tackles last season as a junior and said he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds.

"It was pretty close between Michigan and Michigan State, but MSU was just for me," said Hoover, who has qualified academically and plans to study graphic design. "The quality and character of the coaches was the biggest factor. They're really different and I think they're gonna do good things."

Charles Burrell, a defensive back from Detroit Southeastern High, verbally committed to MSU in April. Dantonio is prohibited by NCAA rule from speaking about 2008 prospects until they sign binding letters of intent, which they can do in February.

The Spartans also are pursuing in-state talents such as running back Jonas Gray (Detroit Country Day, ranked No. 1 in the state by Rivals.com), receiver Fred Smith (Detroit Southeastern, No. 4) and linebacker Kenny Demens (Detroit Country Day, No. 8).

Like Hoover, all are reportedly Michigan targets as well. Hoover said he is actively recruiting Gray and Demens and "I feel good about them."

MSU is coming off three straight losing seasons - the last of which saw head coach John L. Smith fired with three games to go - for the first time since it had five straight from 1979-83.

But Dantonio is intensifying MSU's in-state efforts, and he has a key recruiting tool on the way: a $12 million renovation of the Duffy Daugherty Football Building, to be completed in August 2008.

Dantonio and his coaches are working out of trailers while the work is being done, but after a year they'll have a facility with new meeting rooms, offices and a football museum that will be "unbelievable," he said.

That should help MSU recruit a talent-rich Midwest region against the likes of Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan. The battle for in-state players with U-M, in particular, will be key.

MSU has not won many of those over the years. Dantonio acknowledges the climb ahead and said he welcomes the chance to engage U-M on the field and for top players.

"You have to have measuring sticks," Dantonio said. "One of our measuring sticks has to be the University of Michigan. If you can play against them, you can play against anyone in the country.

"We have to embrace that and let it fuel the fire. If you don't, ultimately you're saying you're not as good as they are."

MSU players report for fall camp Aug. 5. Dantonio said the only defection since spring ball finished was senior defensive end Bobby Jones, who has transferred to Division II Nebraska-Omaha.

Contact Joe Rexrode at jrexrode@lsj.com.