Smith chooses MSU over UM
Detroit wide receiver Fred Smith made MSU fans very happy on Sunday evening. The 4-star wide receiver was down to MSU and UM as his final two choices and is said to have favored Michigan as recently as this weekend. That had many recruiting “gurus” predicting he’d would be a Wolverine. He’d even mentioned in previous interviews that he grew up a UM fan.
What many didn’t anticipate though was the Tom Izzo factor. Smith, who is also a top ten basketball player in the state, reportedly paid a visit to East Lansing over the weekend and spoke with Izzo about walking on to MSU’s basketball team. Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press writes the decision came down to the opportunity to play basketball as well as Smith’s friendship with teammate and fellow MSU commit Charles Burrell. Smith is also good friends with Kalin Lucas.
The decision capped a weekend where Smith admitted to changing his mind between MSU and Michigan at least twice.
“He went back and forth,” Southeastern coach Donshell English said. “I think U-M had been leading.”
Two factors led to Smith’s decision. One, he was promised that he would be allowed to play basketball. And you can guess Burrell’s decision helped influence Smith’s.
“I think it had a lot to do with it,” English said of Burrell’s commitment. “I think it played a major role, to be truthful.”
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