Byron Bullough commits to MSU, joining brothers

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Kalkaska's Zach Hill (12) gets tackled by Traverse City St. Francis' Ryan McDonnell (3) and Byron Bullough (5) at Thirlby Field in 2011. Record-Eagle file photo/Jan-Michael Stump

August 10, 2012

Byron Bullough commits to MSU, joining brothers

BY JAMES COOK jcook@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Fri Aug 10, 2012, 07:14 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — The run of Bulloughs at Michigan State will be a little longer.

Not that it comes as a big surprise, but Traverse City St. Francis junior linebacker Byron Bullough verbally committed Thursday to play for the Spartans in 2014.

His two olders brother Max and Riley are currently linebackers at MSU, and his father, grandfather and uncle all donned the green and white.

"It's definitely a factor in my decision, because I've been around Michigan State my entire life," Byron Bullough said. "But if my last name wasn't even Bullough, I know I would still go to Michigan State because I feel that it's a great university and the football program has very good things coming in the very near future."

The offer from MSU head coach Mark Dantonio came on Wednesday.

"I was down at practice and coach Dantonio offered me during the practice," Byron said. "That was obviously very exciting. I've been thinking about it my entire life, and I knew I was going to Michigan State. I called him up (Thursday) and told him that my decision was that I was going to be a Spartan."

Bullough joins wide receiver Drake Harris as the only Spartan commitments for 2014 thus far for Dantonio.

"We were talking a little bit and then in the middle of the conversation he told me that they were trying to wait until the Boise State game to offer me," Byron Bullough said, "but since I was already at practice, they talked about it at as a staff and they were going to offer me. That was a very special moment for me."

Like every year, Bullough went to Michigan State's camp in June.

"They've watched my sophomore film and seen me go to camps there all throughout my life and they liked everything they've seen from me," he said. "They know about my family and our work ethic. They said I can bring great things to the table there at Michigan State."

He said Dantonio wanted him to play linebacker at Michigan State — the position of choice for the family. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he still has time to add some bulk to get up to a more prototypical college linebacker size.

"I still have two years of high school left," Bullough said, "so I should definitely be ready to go by the time I move down there."

Bullough's Gladiators are coming off an 11-2 season that saw TCSF advance to the Division 7 semifinals and win the Lake Michigan Conference in their final year in the league. The Glads open the season Aug. 24 against Kingsley at Rodes Field.

"I think we have a great chance this year," Bullough said. "Playing at St. Francis, we always have high expectations and great tradition. We're working really hard right now. We've got some players injured, but we're pushing through it and trying to work forward. The first game against Kingsley, we're really looking froward to it."