EXCLUSIVE: Legendary Spartan Bill Feraco Chose Calling Over Money, Touching Hundreds of Lives
Bill Feraco played for Michigan State in the 1960s. He joined the team in 1965 and started at quarterback for Hall-of-Fame head coach Duffy Daugherty in 1968.
Feraco was a 5-foot-11, 186-pound dual-threat quarterback from Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Now, Feraco is 76 years old and the head coach at East Lansing High School, where he has led the Trojans in three different decades. Feraco was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Assocation Hall of Fame in 2019.
Multiple college coaches from various teams and conferences have told Spartan Nation Feraco was "clearly talented enough" to coach at the "highest levels of college football," often saying, "Feraco's devotion to players at the high school level is a true calling for his life."
Feraco recently spoke with Spartan Nation about coaching.
"I've formed a lot of great relationships with kids," Feraco said of his time as a coach. "I've watched kids grow up, which is probably the most gratifying thing -- I'm not talking about football players [either], just growing up as young men and having football help them do that. That's the best part of this vocation."
Feraco said that among all of the things he picked up from Daugherty to use as a coach himself, it was surrounding himself with great coaches and allowing those coaches to coach. He cited the many greats on Daugherty's coaching tree -- Hank Bullough, Super Bowl-winning defensive coach Woody Widenhofer and Rose Bowl-winning Spartans head coach George Perles.
Feraco said another thing he took from Daugherty was the way he approaches his players.
"Try to form a little bit deeper relationships than just [be their coach] ... [reach them] on the human side of things," Feraco said.
When it comes to player development, Feraco keeps it simple with what he instills in his players.
"The willingness to value preparation, and we always talk about being part of something a little bit bigger than yourself," Feraco said. "Value hard work ... that's the way [the coaching staff] approach things ... and we throw quite a bit at [the players]."
Feraco has been through the recruiting process as a player. As a coach, he has sent numerous recruits to the Division I level.
One of Feraco's most notable players was Spartan offensive lineman Blake Treadwell, who started in 24 games for the Green and White. Of those games, 14 were with the record-setting 2013 Rose Bowl team, of which he was a captain. Treadwell was named second-team All-Big Ten that season.
Under Feraco, Treadwell was a PrepStar All-American and one of the top-five centers in his recruiting class.
Feraco tells all of his players that are receiving interest from college programs the same thing. It is what he told the latest Spartan 2025 commit, running back Jace Clarizio.
"When a kid is being recruited, like Jace ... I always thought it was important to tell them, you know, where do you see yourself going to class?" Feraco said. "Where do you see yourself maybe interacting with people who are not necessarily athletes ... I got that advice when I was being recruited. The football stuff, that all takes care of itself ... This is where you're going to advance yourself, and in my case, a big directional pull after you're done with college, done playing ball. And I'm right here where my father dropped me off in 1965."
Feraco wants visiting coaches to see that potential recruits from his team are "getting coached the right way" from technique to accountability. He admitted that though his perspective is subjective, he feels there is no better route than playing ball while earning a college degree.
"If you're fortunate enough to have some of that education paid for, that's great," Feraco said. "We talk to our kids about character and we talk to them about academics ... We tell them from an academic standpoint that if you're not where you need to be, then it is going to be awfully difficult to [sell yourself]. When we start to identify the kids that seem to have the skills and abilities that they may be recruited [for] ... we tell them that 'what you do with it depends on you.'"
Feraco battled an injury in 1968 but still rushed for seven touchdowns, scoring three of them in a 39-0 win against No. 19 Wisconsin.
Feraco will be 77 years old in June. His Trojans are currently amidst an eight-season playoff streak.
Last season, the Trojans' playoff run ended in the Division II semi-finals. It is the furthest Feraco has been in his career.
Clarizio spoke with Spartan Nation and said that there are a lot of returnees for this upcoming season. The goal is to win a state championship for the storied head coach.
Regardless of a state championship, Feraco can be summed up by what he told Spartan Nation:
"It's not only what you do and how you do it, but why you're doing it."
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.
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