The Great North continues to be kind to the MSU football team.

Tom Kaczmarek, a 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound defensive lineman from London, Ontario's Catholic Central High School, gave an oral commitment to the Spartans' football program last weekend. Despite playing defense at the prep level, he said he was recruited as a big, blocking tight end for the Spartans' 2004 recruiting class.

"I played both ways in high school, so I'm pretty confident in both positions right now," Kaczmarek said. "I got a lot of playing time in high school (on offense)."

Next season, Kaczmarek will join freshman wide receiver Samuel Champagne (Cap Rouge, Ontario) and freshman offensive tackle Mike Gyetvai (Old Castle, Ontario) as the newest product of Canada to land on the Spartans' sideline. Senior linebacker Mike Labinjo, senior defensive end Luc Mullinder and senior wide receiver Ziehl Kavanaght all hail from Canada, but are in their last season of eligibility.

"It's always nice to see guys from your home province," Kaczmarek said.

He added that Canadian teammates didn't factor into his decision to head to East Lansing.

"It was the atmosphere of Big Ten football," he said.