EXCLUSIVE: Why MSU Needs to Consider DII Star Kannon Katzer

To say the running back has had to grind to get to this point is an understatement. Katzer's story is an interesting one -- he was originally a preferred walk-on at Washington State, just over an hour from his hometown of Spokane, Washington. As an East-sider, Katzer had limited exposure unlike the West-coast talents around the Seattle area and urban Washington.

A family tragedy altered Katzer's plans and it wasn't before long that he ended up transferring to Citrus College, a junior college in California. From there, he found his way to Ferris State, where head coach Tony Annese has amassed a 137-21 record in building the Bulldogs to become the football power of Divison II.

"TA just kind of sold the program and I decided it was a good fit for me," Katzer told me.

He jumped in later than most -- arriving in early August. It didn't matter. Katzer, 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds, didn't need much to get going. In 15 games, he rushed for 1,128 yards on 128 carries for an astounding 8.8 rushing yards per carry. He found the endzone 11 times.

Katzer is a versatile player -- he caught 21 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns; he can also contribute on special teams with a background as a returner.

Not bad when you consider Katzer took the spring off because he was uncertain about his future in the game.

Now, Katzer wants to give it one more shot on the big stage; he has two years of eligibility left and he is fielding calls from dozens of Divison I FBS schools. He just needs someone to pull the trigger.

Darius Hicks, director of scouting, has built a good relationship with Katzer. As for running backs coach Keith Bhonapha, Katzer fits all the measurables. He is nearly identical in size to Lynch-Adams and Carter, the feature backs leading the Spartans in 2024.

"I think a lot of running backs are kind of good at one thing more than others, and I think that I'm a pretty well-balanced back," Katzer said. "I can catch out of the backfield. ... I could step up when the quarterback's passing and be a part of that pocket for the quarterback in pass protection. At Ferris, we ran the ball with the quarterback all the time, so I'd be going up the A-gap and B-gap blocking good-sized linebackers. And then running the ball, of course, that's probably the best thing I can do as a running back. ... I think my balance and yards-after-contact is probably something you can compare to a lot of the better backs at [the Division I level] right now."

Bhonapha wants shifty, fast, angry runners who can block and catch. Katzer can do all of that. Speed? He can top off at 22.75 miles per hour. Factor in Katzer's habits -- tough, dependable student of the game and one who has had to overcome a plethora of trials to get to this point. Hard not to be intrigued by those intangibles.

If the Spartans want a winning, veteran running back with experience, ability, and eligibility to bolster their running backs room, their answer could be found in Katzer, a true-blue football player waiting for his shot.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.