Lazarus not considering others
Michael Lazarus was being courted by some Big 10 schools and some Pac-12 programs, but the three-star linebacker liked everything at Fresno State and decided to commit.
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The Berkeley, Calif., standout picked the Bulldogs right before Christmas and even with schools attempting to get involved in the last few weeks, Lazarus said he's sticking with his decision.
Lazarus said he feels the best fit for him is at Fresno State.
"It came down to Fresno because of loyalty and what I felt was right," Lazarus said. "It felt like home. I didn't want to go too far. I didn't really want to leave my mom - I'm close with my mom and I have a close relationship with the coaching staff."
Lazarus' recruitment was a whirlwind. Some teams showed serious interest and then backed off. Others got involved late and some wanted him to visit even after he committed.
How Fresno State's coaching staff handled his recruitment from the beginning was definitely a big deal to Lazarus, who looked good last week at the B2G West Coast Bowl.
"They stuck with me through the whole process even though schools came up like Wisconsin and Nebraska tried to come in and they wanted me to visit, but I decided not to take any other visits," Lazarus said. "Fresno stayed true with me and I have an opportunity to come in and be an early-impact player. They got some special things going on."
Lazarus said his ongoing relationship with Fresno State coach Tim DeRuyter and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Nick Toth played the biggest factors in his decision.
"Coach DeRuyter is a defensive coach and he has a defensive mindset, so I feel like he will get me right throughout the whole season," Lazarus said.
Adam Gorney is a West Region football recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.
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