We are almost a week into fall camp already, and a couple of Michigan State football freshmen are already standing out to the coaching staff.
Obviously fans don't have the luxury of watching these guys up close every practice to see for themselves, so they have to take the staff's word. So when Jonathan Smith mentioned freshman defensive lineman Derrick Simmons as a guy who was standing out on the first day of practice, his word was gospel to the fanbase.
Fast forward to Thursday, and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren got his chance to speak to the media, giving fans an update on that side of the ball.
He, too, mentioned a freshman who was standing out so far during fall camp.
Jace Clarizio, a local freshman from East Lansing, nearly chose to play for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama, but Smith and Co. closed the deal on National Signing Day. It was an impressive recruiting finish for the staff, keeping the local four-star running back home. He's now one of the standout performers on the offensive side of the ball just three days into his first fall camp.
Brian Lindgren: “I’m really impressed with Jace Clarizio. Since the second half of the spring, he’s shown the growth.”
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) July 31, 2025
With the running back spot wide open heading into the season, Clarizio is going to have a chance to earn some carries. He's likely to be slotted behind guys like Elijah Tau-Tolliver, who came over from Sacramento State this offseason, as well as second-year back Brandon Tullis. But from the sounds of it, Clarizio may be ahead of where the staff expected him to be at this point.
If Simmons can break through and become a legitimate rotation player on the defensive line right away and Clarizio can crack the running back rotation in year one, Michigan State will have a nice foundation for the future.