GREEN & WHITE FOOTBALL

MSU's grit-beats-glitz mantra won't fly after latest heralded class

Joe Rexrode
Detroit Free Press

EAST LANSING – Here comes Michigan State with its overlooked, undervalued, overachieving, underrated bunch of football players, proving again that grit beats glitz.

It was already overblown, this idea that MSU wins in spite of its roster, but now it just won’t fly. After years of outperforming the rankings assigned to his classes by recruiting analysts, Mark Dantonio has his third straight top-25 class – his highest-ranked, and the most celebrated haul at MSU since he was an assistant for Bobby Williams in 2000.

Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio speaks about recruits coming to Michigan State University Wednesday at Spartan Stadium during the press conference on National Signing Day.

Talent has been apparent on the field during this 65-17 stretch for the Spartans since the start of the 2010 season, and now it’s easier to see on paper. That brought up two questions Wednesday as Dantonio introduced his 2016 signees.

One, if this program truly is becoming more talented, what will that mean on the field? Two, what will it mean in a locker room that has prided itself on work ethic, chemistry and defying doubters?

“De-recruiting” is an industry term that can be roughly defined as introducing humility to a prospect who has been praised and fawned over for too long to have much of it.

“I just think that when you get to know people over the course of time, that gradually takes care of itself,” Dantonio said. “So no, I don't have to ‘de-recruit’ Donnie Corley. He's going to be a player here. He's motivated.”

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Dantonio used Corley as an example because he has already impressed in workouts as one of MSU’s early enrollees – he “ran like a champion” on the first day, Dantonio said – and because the Detroit King receiver/cornerback is one of the jewels of a class ranked No. 17 by Rivals.com, No. 18 by Scout.com and No. 21 by 247Sports.com.

Those rankings represent the best across the board of the 10 classes Dantonio has brought in, and they also represent a drop – MSU was hanging in the top 10 before signing day brought big scores for other programs, and one big loss from its own commitment list. Defensive end Auston Robertson of Fort Wayne, Ind., did not sign, is facing misdemeanor battery charges and is an uncertainty moving forward.

Spartans coach Ron Burton talks to reporters about recruits coming to Michigan State University Wednesday at Spartan Stadium after a press conference by head coach Mark Dantonio on National Signing Day.

That along with MSU’s inability to score any of its late targets pushed the class down several spots in the final rankings. And considering the huge days Big Ten East rivals Ohio State and Michigan had, it made for another relatively overshadowed signing day in East Lansing – so the narrative can continue on some level.

Asked about the fact that his class won’t end up “consensus top-20” as it appeared it would, Dantonio responded with a sarcastic “aw shucks” snap of the fingers.

“You know, when I retire from here, I'm going to get a job at one of those places and I'm going to run my own service,” Dantonio joked, and then gave a serious answer.

“Numbers have something to do with it sometimes, how many guys you're able to recruit,” Dantonio said. “The bottom line is at the end of the day do these guys make it through and play for you four and five years down the road? Do they win championships, do they get drafted, are they playing in the NFL, do they have their degree? All those type of things. And that's what we're recruiting for.”

MSU signed 19 players, including kicker Matt Coghlin, who will “grayshirt” and go on scholarship in 2017. That’s a smaller class than many, a typical sight at MSU and a product of stability. Of the 18 going on scholarship now, the Rivals.com “average star rating” is 3.5, which is tied for No. 13 nationally.

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“This is the best class I’ve covered in 13 years for Michigan State,” said Josh Helmholdt, Midwest analyst for Rivals.com.

“It’s a loaded class, a lot of high-profile guys, and the Michigan State coaches may have to do a little more ‘de-recruiting’ than normal with this class,” said Steve Wiltfong, national analyst for 247Sports.com. “That’s just speculation on my part, but that’s sometimes part of the deal with a lot of higher-ranked guys. But they still have a lot of guys who fit their mold. Donnie Corley one of the higher-ranked guys, but he’s gonna come in there and work like he’s a walk-on. You can still find your type of kid.”

And that’s what MSU coaches believe they have done, co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett said, while bringing in more overall athletic ability than in some previous classes.

“Yes, it’s more difficult to keep that mindset,” MSU co-defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said of the program culture and higher-ranked recruits. “But we have to do it, because that’s what we’re about as a program, we’re about scratching and clawing and finding a way. We’re not about thinking we’ve got this in the bag already.”