With more than 20 football scholarship offers thrown his way, Joe Karaska had a tough decision at hand.

On Sunday, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound offensive lineman picked the green and white, becoming the Spartans’ 15th commitment for the 2002 season.

“It was kind of both me and my mom’s decision,” Karaska said. “I just had a good feeling toward Michigan State.”

Patricia Giebel, Karaska’s mother, said all she wanted was for him to pick a school since it was free. However, as an MSU alumna, she didn’t hesitate to play favorites.

“I gave him the decision, but I plastered all the State letters he received all over the walls,” Giebel said.

Overall, Karaska had letters from all the Big Ten schools, some Mid-American Conference schools, and other Division I powerhouses, such as Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Missouri.

Bill Kurelic, football recruiting expert for MidwestRecruiting.com, said Karaska is one of the top lineman in Michigan and is an asset to any program.

He also is listed as the No. 38 offensive tackle in the country by Rivals100.com, a football recruiting Web site.

Karaska played at Southfield Lathrup High School and was left tackle on the varsity team for three years. Each year a different running back gained more than 1,000 rushing yards behind him.

Karaska said he’d love to join the team as soon as possible, but said he was told the best thing to do was red shirt.

But, when Karaska imagines himself on the grass in Spartan Stadium, he said “it’s something I can’t explain.”

“Sometimes, I sit down and think about it and I get excited,” he said. “It does give me a good warm feeling inside.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m good with challenges.”

Chris Mackinder