If the pigskin doesn't fall far from the football family tree, then Traverse City St. Francis linebacker Max Bullough will be playing collegiately in 2010.
But where?
With grandfathers that suited up for Michigan State and Notre Dame -- two schools that are also interested in the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Max Bullough -- it could make an interesting signing day come next February.
"It's kind of even," said Max Bullough, who will be a junior at St. Francis in the fall. "My mom's side is all Notre Dame and my dad's side is all Michigan State, so it blows both ways.
"My family fully supports me whatever way I go."
"We try the best we can to make sure he understands that it's his decision on where he wants to go to college," added his father, Shane. "Being a good-natured family that we are, we kid a little bit, but not to the extent that we influence him at all."
The recruitment of Max Bullough is just in the early stages. But he's already received scholarship offers from MSU and Iowa and interest from Notre Dame. As a matter of policy, the Fighting Irish don't make offers to players that young.
"They're definitely showing an interest, though," Max Bullough said.
Former St. Francis coach Josh Sellers said even though Max has a well-known football surname, he's earned the attention.
"I'm sure he gets a lot of flak because of his last name, not to mention the Morse side of the family," said Sellers, who resigned in the spring and will move to Tennessee after his wife received a job promotion. "For all of that, he gets nothing handed to him. He works for everything he's got."
College coaches aren't even allowed to contact junior recruits until Sept. 1. When that happens, Sellers said he expects several well-known universities to come calling.
"There'll be some people walking through the halls of St. Francis that are going to turn some heads," Sellers said.
Even though coaches have to wait to contact Bullough, they are allowed to send recruits camp information. Coaches can talk to recruits while on campus.
Bullough attended a camp at Notre Dame on July 1 and spoke to the linebacker coach in addition to head man Charlie Weis.
Even though Bullough can verbally commit to playing for a college at any time, he can't sign a national letter-of-intent until February of his senior year of high school.
"I thought it was going to be earlier rather than later," Max Bullough said. "Then I went to Notre Dame and things went well. Now I have to put things in perspective again. I have a lot of time to make a decision."
The Notre Dame camp was the final one of three Max Bullough attended.
First up was a camp at the University of Iowa in early June, followed by one at his father's and grandfather's alma mater on June 20.
Shane Bullough, like his younger brother, donned uniform No. 41 and played linebacker for the Spartans. He was captain the team in his senior season in 1986.
Shane Bullough is also the one who brought the green-and-white side of the family and united it with the blue-and-gold of the Morse clan.
Robert Morse, a running back at MSU from 1983-86, took his teammate to his sister's graduation at Notre Dame. That's where Shane Bullough met his future wife, the former Lee Ann Morse.
In addition to his parents on either side of the Michigan State-Notre Dame football rivalry, there's his grandfathers.
Henry 'Hank' Bullough was a guard at MSU from 1952-54, went on to play and coach in the NFL and was an assistant coach for the Spartans. On the other side of the family, Jim Morse was a halfback at Notre Dame from 1954-56.
There's also the uncles. Charles 'Chuck' Bullough was a linebacker at MSU from 1988-91 and is now an assistant coach at UCLA. Jim Morse followed his father to Notre Dame and was cornerback for the Irish in 1976-77.
Then there's Robert Morse, who would eventually help bring the two families together. There's even an aunt who was a cheerleader at MSU.
"My family, the Bulloughs, are all Michigan State," Shane Bullough said. "The Morse family is Notre Dame and Michigan State, so there's a lot of both. But everybody looks at it as a no-lose situation. It's whatever place is best for the kid."
Sellers added it will be a win-win situation for the college that signs Bullough.
"He lives, eats and breathes football," Sellers said. "It's a big focus with him and his family connections play a role in that. He's got a head for the game and plays so instinctively.
"He also has two years left, which is kind of scary to see how good he'll get."
As a sophomore, Bullough at times made the defensive calls in the huddle.
"He could have handled that all year," Sellers said. "I'm sure he'll be doing that the next two years."
Having so many family members with college experience does have a benefit, Max Bullough said.
"It helps to have them," he said. "They know how to step back and think, 'You're not a big shot when you go to college.' Besides, you're low man on the totem pole anyway."
That's probably one of the reasons Max Bullough seems to have the college recruiting in its proper place. His participation at the Notre Dame camp was his last of the summer.
"I'm done with all my college football camps," Max said. "Now I'm coming down to what's right in front of me, which is my high school career and making my team the best it can be."
St. Francis reached the Division 7 state final in 2007, but lost in the title game. The Gladiators will be under the direction of St. Francis alum Greg Vaughan in 2008. Vaughan played in college at Hope and was an assistant coach in high school and college before returning to his roots.
Shane Bullough says teammates and classmates help keep the focus in the proper place. Sellers said his family is a big part of it as well.
"Even with all the attention, he gets himself prepared in the offseason and he's not just a football-focused guy," Slellers said. "He plays basketball and he ran track a little bit in the spring.
"Mom, dad, uncles and grandparents keep him pretty grounded and keep everything in perspective."
Sellers said Max Bullough's family also instilled something very important in him.
"He's got a good handshake," Sellers said. "He's a look you in the eye, 'Yes, sir. No sir.' type of a kid.
"As good as a football player as he is, that's probably the most important part about him."
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