Spartan Pupdate is saying "that's my quarterback"

Last night, Michigan State received a verbal commitment from Youngstown Ursuline quarterback Chris Durkin.

It didn't take long for the 6-foot-4, 216-pound recruit to commit on his visit to East Lansing, as he committed before his unofficial visit ended Thursday..

He threw for 1,500 yards and rushed for 1,100 last fall as a junior while totaling 23 touchdowns.

Read the Welcome Aboard post on Durkin.

-- Detroit Country Day wide receiver Moe Ways was at Michigan State last weekend, but not for an unofficial visit. He and the Yellowjackets basketball team were at Breslin Center winning the Class B state title.

On Thursday, Ways came back to East Lansing for his third unofficial visit and gained more perspective on MSU.

"The visit was really great, I sat in on team meetings and wide receiver meetings with Coach Samuel," the 6-foot-3 receiver said. "Both were great experiences and allowed me to get a feel more of what college teams are like and I learned the terminology."

"There was a real family oriented feel in the position meeting ... everyone was cracking jokes and there was a sense they all were friends and family."

Ways already is close with one Spartan -- Bennie Fowler, a fellow wide receiver from Country Day.

"Bennie's my big brother," Ways said. "When I first got there he took me under his wing and showed me around. We threw a ball around before practice and he introduced me to some of the other receivers."

He also left practice impressed with the level of intensity.

"Practice was so live and fast. It's only March and there is six months to go before a game," Ways said," but there was so much intensity. It was great."

Ways has yet to receiver an offer from the Spartans, but his primary recruiter, Brad Salem, told him when he was leaving that "they are close."

Ways will head to Michigan today and Ohio State on Tuesday, with possible visits to Western Michigan and Iowa on the horizon.

-- Michigan State has made a habit of looking for wide receivers from Florida under Mark Dantonio and the staff has its eyes on another Sunshine State product.

Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.) wide receiver Kadeem Goulbourne started hearing from Michigan State a little more than a week ago.

"They contacted me, specifically Coach Barnett. I like him a lot, even from his days at UC," he said. He added that he wants to hear from Barnett and the Spartans more.

While the 6-foot-4 receiver doesn’t have an MSU offer at this point, Goulbourne stated, "if they do offer, they will be in my top five for sure" -- and he knows exactly why.

"The tradition of playing big receivers like me is good and the stability of the coaching staff," he said. "The good defense, too. As an offensive player you want a good defense so they will be three-and-out and you will be back on the field.

"They also have a player from Broward County … Macgarrett Kings … I want to talk to him and see about his experience."

As for visiting East Lansing, Goulbourne and his parents are focusing on schools that have offered before visiting schools that haven’t offered – especially given his plans to enroll early. He has roughly a half-dozen BCS offers.

-- Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep cornerback Felix Manus-Schell made his first visit to East Lansing on Tuesday and enjoyed the recent change to MSU's spring practices.

"The visit was great, I liked how they hit non-stop and made everybody live for practice -- even the QB," Manus-Schell said.

Manus-Schell got his first offer from Toledo on Thursday. He is keeping in touch with Mark Staten and the coaches at MSU want to see him in camp this summer before a potential offer comes his way.

The high school teammate of MSU commits Damion Terry and Delton Williams said it would mean a lot to play in college with not only teammates, but friends.

"They are great kids and even better leaders," Manus-Schell said. "Also, they would make me feel more at home and less pressure coming in as a freshman."

-- A trio of 2014 prospects from Detroit King will be at MSU on Tuesday, headlined by defensive back Jalen Embry. He will be joined linebacker Carl Fuller and athlete Avonte Maddox. Embry is a player who has a good chance of winding up with an MSU offer.

More

Gianacakos returns to to MSU (Rivals) - St. Charles (Ill.) North offensive tackle Chase Gianacakos visited MSU for two days with his parents and left with a good picture of everything MSU offers. The Spartans appear to be sitting well with the big lineman.

James visits MSU, lands offer (247) - Niles (Ill.) Notre Dame running back Chris James was majorly impressed with his visit to East Lansing, saying he "loved everything about it."

New Offers (3/22/13-3/28/13)

Defensive end Kurt Holuba, Oradell, N.J. (Bergen Catholic)

Defensive end Terry Ramsey, Clayton, Ohio (Northmont)

Defensive back Montae Nicholson, Monroeville, Penn. (Gateway)

Tight end Ethan Wolf, Minster, Ohio (Minster)

Offensive tackle Alex Bookser, Pittsburgh, Penn. (Mt. Lebanon)

Running back L.J. Scott, Marion, Ohio (Harding)

Running back Chris James, Niles, Ill. (Notre Dame For Boys)