2024 Rivals250 RB Anthony Carrie commits to MSU: 'It just feels like home'
Michigan State has its first running back commitment of the 2024 cycle. Anthony Carrie, a four-star running back out of Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, Florida, announced his pledge to the Spartans on Saturday.
"I would say it just feels like home," Carrie told Spartans Illustrated about why he committed to Michigan State. "They have all the resources to make my dreams come true on and off the field, and I feel like they have a true plan for me and what I can be in the next three to four years."
As a Rivals250 prospect, Carrie is not only ranked as one of the top running backs in the nation, but also one of the top recruits regardless of position. He is currently considered the No. 10 running back, No. 19 player in the talent-rich state of Florida and No. 103 prospect overall in the 2024 class. He is now MSU's highest-rated commit in the cycle.
Michigan State hosted Carrie for his official visit during the weekend of June 9 through June 11. He also took an unofficial visit to MSU in June 2022, and another unofficial trip on March 25, 2023.
Carrie took his uncle, Shawn Burney, on the official visit. While on the trip, Carrie was hosted by senior running back Jordon Simmons, who he got along well with. Carrie noted that he got to do "all of the official visit stuff," such as fine dining, meeting with academic coordinators, learning from the strength and conditioning staff, hanging out with coaches, building bonds with current players, having meals at head coach Mel Tucker's house and more.
"My favorite part of the official visit was dinner at Coach Tuck's house," Carrie mentioned. "That was pretty cool, to be honest."
During the official visit, Carrie also got to connect with fellow Michigan State commits Andrew Dennis, Reggie Powers III and Camren Campbell. At the time, all three prospects were also on their official visits with Carrie. Dennis was already committed to MSU, while Powers and Campbell would announce their commitments a few days later. Carrie was already familiar with Campbell, as they both reside in Tampa.
Carrie noted that he hit it off with all of the recruits on campus during that weekend.
"We were there together all weekend, so you're gonna (naturally) connect with those guys," Carrie said about his relationship with MSU's other commits. "I'm a people person, so I pretty much just get along with everybody."
It is evident that running backs coach Effrem Reed has built a strong relationship with Carrie for a couple of years now, which played a big role in the decision. Reed, along with his assistant Erik Highsmith, Tucker and the rest of the Michigan State staff did a very nice job on his official visit and allowed Carrie to be comfortable enough to commit to the Spartans.
"Me and Coach Reed go way back, he's been recruiting me since I was a freshman (in high school)," Carrie said. "Obviously, our relationship is really thorough and deep. Both spiritually and on the field (I feel like he is the right person to develop me). He's my everyday guy, so I wouldn't have chosen a school if I didn't feel like my everyday guy could help develop me on and off the field."
Carrie's relationship with Tucker is also very strong. Often, the head coach at certain programs isn't always involved early in recruitments, but that was not the case between Carrie and Tucker. Michigan State's head man made Carrie a priority from the start, which also played a factor in the running back's decision.
"Coach Tuck's always been involved in my recruitment, even when I was young," Carrie said. "Usually whenever you're young, the head coach isn't too involved in your recruitment, but he's always been involved in my recruitment since I was a freshman as well. So our relationship, again, is thorough, really natural and it just kind of flows with us."
However, the connection Carrie feels to the Michigan State program goes beyond the head coach and his position coaches. The entire staff has already made Carrie feel like part of the team.
"I really have a good relationship with everybody on staff," Carrie said about the Michigan State program. "I talk to literally everybody on the staff. When I was on the OV, I would literally leave my running back coach and be with Coach (Harlon) Barnett, the DB coach, and talk to him, stuff like that. So, the relationship is built well throughout the entire staff, even all the way down to the recruiting coordinators, down to the director of player personnel, everybody. I'm pretty close with everybody there."
Carrie’s scholarship offers count is well over 40. In addition to Michigan State, he had offers from Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami (FL.), Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Texas A&M, Auburn, LSU, USC and many others.
In late March, Carrie released a top-six that included Michigan State, South Carolina, Mississippi, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Oklahoma. The Gamecocks were considered the leader in Carrie’s recruitment earlier this spring, but things shifted and MSU quickly took the momentum.
North Carolina was Carrie's other finalist before the decision was made, and he took an official visit to check out the Tar Heels last weekend, but Michigan State was ultimately his choice.
The 6-foot, 200-pound running back averaged 121.5 all-purpose yards per game during his junior campaign in 2022. According to MaxPreps, he totaled 919 rushing yards on 141 carries (6.5 yards per carry) and 16 rushing touchdowns last season. Over the past three seasons, Carrie has rushed 369 times for 2,618 yards (7.1 yards per carry) and 43 rushing touchdowns.
"I'm a slasher," Carrie said when asked to describe his playing style. "I'm extremely versatile. I run routes like receivers, catch the ball like receivers, but still have those traits to be an every-down back — run between the tackles and play hard-nosed football. I feel like I'm the most versatile back in the country. I do it at an extremely high level."
Carrie has also run track in high school, competing in the 100-meter dash and other events.
As for his upcoming senior season at Carrollwood Day, Carrie has lofty expectations for himself and for his team.
"My goals are 1,500-plus yards, 20 touchdowns and a state championship, honestly," Carrie said. "Leading my team to a state championship (is the big goal). It's our last go-round, it's my last chance to make it (happen)."
Also of note, Carrie was previously high school teammates at Carrollwood Day with current Michigan State true freshman cornerback Eddie Pleasant III.
With Carrie, Michigan State’s number of commitments for the 2024 class grows to six. He joins four-star cornerback Jaylen Thompson, three-star offensive lineman Andrew Dennis, three-star offensive lineman Logan Bennett, three-star defensive back Reggie Powers III and three-star cornerback Camren Campbell.