Spartan Pupdate is taking a few years off

Siskiyous junior college running back Aaron Williams was a highly recruited track star in high school, but after taking some time off, he made his return to the gridiron instead.

"I took time off after high school following the death of my grandmother," Williams told me. "After a while I send out e-mails to junior colleges because I figured it would be harder to get straight to Division 1 like that, with just high school tape. The coaches at Siskiyous emailed me back and said to come on out."

The one-time Florida track commit, who won events at both the state and national level before graduating from Fort Meade (Md.) in 2009, knew his track times would be out of date, and football emerged as an option.

"Football seemed easier to make happen," Williams said, "and football was my first love. It wasn't as much in high school because the team wasn't that good, but the track team was really good."

Now, Division 1 football teams are taking notice, including Michigan State, as Jim Bollman stopped by Siskiyous last week, but Williams was taking an exam so Bollman just left information and said to be in touch.

As it turns out, the Spartans were one Williams' favorites growing up.

"Michigan State has been one of my favorite programs," he said. "I loved watching them and last year, with Le'Veon Bell ... I loved his style. We are pretty similar and I saw he went to the draft as a junior and they didn't really have anyone left, so I knew they would be recruiting heavily for running backs.

"I want to keep doing more research, but it really is a dream come true, so hopefully I get an offer."

Williams also been hearing from Kansas, Utah, Utah State, Texas Tech, Marshall, Cal and Idaho. He said he is just waiting on an offer, but one in particular.

"If MSU offers, I'm definitely going to commit," he said. "I know that for sure."

He will graduate in December and be able to enroll for spring ball wherever he winds up.

-- Houston Lamar wide receiver Shelby Walker committed to Southern Methodist early in the recruiting process, but as bigger offers have come in, Walker is taking time to reconsider his options.

Walker received an MSU offer in early May, and said it definitely adds ...

"It just keeps my options open" Walker told me. "I'd like to see what MSU brings to the plate. it's the same with other schools, I just want to go to where is best for me and my family. I just want to see what everyone has to offer."

Walker said he initially committed to SMU because they offered early at their camp last summer, before they saw him play a real game, something Walker says he respected. Combined with liking the coaches and the campus, he "went ahead and committed."

Since then, Boise State, Utah, Tulsa, Houston, as well as MSU have joined the race for his services.

The MSU offer came as a big of a surprise to Walker, as it was the first time he heard from the Spartans.

"Coach Samuel came down and said he looked at my tape," Walker said. "He talked to my receiver coach and said I could bring a lot of things to the school, so he offered. I was shocked that it was MSU in the office."

Walker said he doesn't know a lot about the Spartans, but had a couple things to say.

"I know they have a good receiver on the Texans in Keshawn Martin," he said. "They have a big rivalry with Michigan and play in a great conference and it's a great school."

Walker said proximity to home isn't necessarily a factor in his recruitment, but fitting into a system and comfortable with the system, coaches and players is the most important thing to him.

Walker said he would like to take a visit up to Michigan State and it could come during official visit season or in the summer, depending on when he can coordinate a trip with his family.