This past season, MSU football found a spark plug on offense in fullback Trevon Pendleton. His 74-yard catch against rival University of Michigan set the table for a Spartan score in their eventual victory, and in a low-scoring slugfest against Ohio State University, he converted a Tyler O’Connor pass into a touchdown to help solidify a victory.
Now, Pendleton’s absence leaves a hole the size of his blocks on MSU’s offense. But with East Lansing High School’s Reid Burton, a preferred walk-on who had multiple Division I offers, head coach Mark Dantonio might have his solution.
“Of course, it’s really hard to try and replace the position of someone like Pendleton, but I know whoever gets the role, whether it’s me or someone else next year, will be ready to fill in those footsteps,” Burton said. “The key is just working hard and learning a lot about the position and translating the hard work to the field.”
Burton, standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds, is the son of MSU defensive line coach Ron Burton. Reid Burton was a tailback and defensive end during his junior season in high school, where he started every game for the Trojans. A serious knee injury sidelined Burton his senior season, leaving a similar hole in East Lansing High School football coach Bill Feraco’s offense.
“I think when the understanding sank in, he was hurt emotionally,” Feraco said. “So from a psychological standpoint, when you’re young like that you think everything is going to be OK. When the realization that it was going to be difficult to get back on the field his senior season, I think that he was hurt. He adapted very well to it, the things that he did for us, like being at practice and supporting his teammates was very beneficial for him and very, very beneficial to us.”
Feraco, a former MSU quarterback who was part of the championship teams in 1965 and 1966, works extensively with Ron Burton and did even before his son was a member of his team. Feraco has sent both Blake Treadwell and Dan Folino to MSU and his staff has been mentored by Ron Burton, primarily on different defensive line techniques.
Reid Burton didn’t pick MSU because Feraco was a former player or because his father is a coach there. Burton said he picked the Spartans because he wants to be a part of something bigger than himself. Staying close to his home and getting the opportunity to play in the Big Ten for MSU made his decision easy.
As for his father, he expects big things from his son at MSU.
“He has some upside with his strength, great lower body,” Ron Burton said. “We’ll see what he does. He’ll have the opportunity to play both sides of the ball, but we will start him on that (offensive) side, and that’s what he wants to do.”
Dantonio is taking a chance with Reid, who has limited game film because he only played two years of varsity, with the most recent being two years ago.
“We always have guys come on as I like to call free agents, and Reid Burton is of that capacity,” Dantonio said. “We will find a position for him. He will probably start as a fullback, move a guy back there like Pendleton.”
Dantonio recognized the importance of Pendleton and hopes to mold Burton into that same prototype. With the help of the training staff, Burton is excited to get back onto the field and continue to get his knee stronger. More than anything, he feels he has the tools to make it as a fullback at MSU.
“On the defensive line I have worked with leverage a lot, using my hands to get inside the lineman and get on people,” Burton said. “D-line is really a position that encompasses everything, it can translate everywhere on the field. Definitely a great position to play for an athlete.”
For now, Reid said he is ready to work hard and give it his full effort. Being coached by his father and Dantonio is just a bonus for Reid.
“I am excited, and it’s not going to be a lot different because he treats me pretty much the way he treats his players right now,” Reid Burton said. “It’s going to be a little weird looking across and seeing my dad, but it’s something I’ve been used to going to practices and seeing how he operates. It’s going to be interesting being on the same team as him but definitely something I am excited about.”
