As Trishton Jackson signed his name to a letter of intent for Michigan State in West Bloomfield High’s media center Wednesday, football coach Ron Bellamy pledged to root for Jackson “every weekend but one.”
Earl Wright poses for a picture with his nephew, Michigan State signee Trishton Jackson, during West Bloomfield’s signing ceremony Wednesday.
That’s because Bellamy, who has coached at West Bloomfield since 2010, is best known outside Lakers circles as a Michigan man — a Wolverines wide receiver in 1999-2002. He was later on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad in 2006-07 and played for the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens.
“I’ll be honest — I tried to get him to go to Michigan, but he wasn’t feeling Coach Harbaugh,” Bellamy quipped before the jam-packed room.
Jackson was quarterback for the Lakers for four years and was primarily responsible for elevating the program, winning the OAA Red Division last season and posting the school’s first undefeated regular season since 1962.
Next, he aims to make a mark at MSU, where he will play receiver.
“They always were my dream school,” Jackson said. “When I got to high school as a freshman on varsity, I always took that as an opportunity to reach out to (college) coaches and visit the campus. … I fell in love with the school, I fell in love with the coaches and I love winning, and that’s what Michigan State does.”
After Jackson quickly committed to the Spartans at the end of his junior year, he got Bellamy’s full blessing.
West Bloomfield’s Navon Mosley signed a letter of intent to play football at Purdue.
“Without question, Michigan State was the best place for him, and when Trishton told me he was going to go there, the pressure was off at that moment,” Bellamy said. “It was like ‘let’s focus on State and no one else but State.’ ”
Jackson highlighted a parade of 14 Lakers athletes at the school’s signing day ceremony, including a class of 10 from the football squad. While Jackson was the first of the group to commit, the latest one — offensive lineman Tony Kay, who didn’t decide until last weekend — no doubt made his coach just as proud. That’s because he is Bellamy’s first player to commit to the Wolverines. He will be a preferred walk-on.
“He’s always wanted a football player at Michigan, so I’m excited that I’m the first,” Kay said of Bellamy.
“It’s going to be great to see him at practices and games and functions at Michigan. He was my high school coach and he’s played such a big part at Michigan. There’s really nothing else to say, it’s an awesome feeling. I’m excited to be a Wolverine.”
Son of ex-Lion Jon Kitna will walk on at MSU
More signings
Other West Bloomfield signings:
Grant Bingham (Mt. Union)
Justin Clark (Toledo)
Evan Foster (Syracuse)
Ari Goldberg (Concordia)
Theo Majette (Kent State)
Kordell McNeal (Concordia)
Navon Mosley (Purdue)
Jacob Phillips (Grand Valley State).
Other sports
Brendan Bilkovic (Wayne State baseball)
Bianca Hoban (Davenport cheerleading)
Jake Hwier (Madonna lacrosse)
Skylar Jeppesen (Cleveland State soccer).