During head coach Mark Dantonio’s National Signing Day press conference Wednesday, he talked about the importance of remaining true to who he is as a person during the recruiting process and not altering his personality to impress potential recruits.
“We are who we are,” Dantonio said. “I think that’s what we try to be," Dantonio said. "I think it’s very important to walk into somebody’s home and be who we are. This is not easy. It’s not easy to play college football … If you spend enough time with people, you tend to see people for who they are, and they really don’t change all that much.
“I try and be the same guy that’s recruiting them as the guy who will be sitting in the chair when they come in to see me in the office. And I don’t want there to be a difference for them to show up at my office and say, ‘Who is that guy, because I’ve never met him during recruiting?’ I think that’s very important. That’s how we’ve always done it.”
MSU early enrollees — wide receiver Hunter Rison, cornerback Josiah Scott and tight end Jack Camper — all said they agree with Dantonio’s statement.
Rison said Dantonio’s authentic personality is the main reason he decided to come to MSU.
“(Coach Dantonio is) such a down to earth guy, and I love that about him,” Rison said. “He just makes me feel at home. And so, to see a coach like that and who’s accomplished so much still be like that and not change for anybody and not hand any kid anything and make them work so hard, I fell in love with that. So that’s exactly why I came here.”
The 6-foot-0 receiver added that his view on MSU as a whole, in comparison to Dantonio's identity, hasn't changed since his arrival on campus.
"It's the same school," Rison said. "It's the same great school. The same school that won Rose Bowls and Cotton Bowls, and came back against Baylor (in the Cotton Bowl). It's the same school, and I'm really excited to see — we're so young — I'm so excited to see how we grow together, and eventually win some big-time games."
Scott — a 5-foot-10 cornerback from Fairfield Senior High School in Hamilton, Ohio — said since arriving on campus he has not experienced a change in Dantonio’s persona.
“He’s been real throughout the whole process of recruiting-wise, and now getting here he hasn’t changed a bit,” he said. “He’s still stayed the same person as he was when he was recruiting me, so I feel like he’s just real all the time to me.”
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