Eddie George playfully forbids son from going to school at Michigan

Tennessee State football coach and former Ohio State running back Eddie George has a couple of recruiting guidelines for his son, even if they are a little tongue-in-cheek.

George told The Tennessean that Eriq George, a senior at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, has the freedom to choose whatever school he would like, with two exceptions.

"He can't go to Jackson State," Eddie George said. "He's not going there or that team up north. But I tell him to see all that's out there and ultimately trust your intuition, trust your gut."

Michigan is obviously the rival of the Heisman Trophy winner's alma mater. And there's no love lost between Tennessee State and Jackson State after the latter announced in February that it was pulling out of the annual Southern Heritage Classic game following this year's matchup. Tennessee State called the decision "an insensitive and irresponsible act."

Eriq George, at 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, has an offer from Marshall and is being recruited by several FCS schools, including Furman and TSU.

He plays defense defensive end.

"I started out as a running back but my coaches told me I could get on the field earlier on defense, and I would be a good asset at end," Eriq George said. "I had the size, build, hands and feet, so I trusted them. Now I love it. I love the position. I also kind of wanted to be my own man. Get out of my dad's shadows."

Something similar happened to his father when he was in high school. Because of his size and ability, his coaches put him at defense end. It didn't take.

So what does the father think about his son stepping out on his own and playing defense?

"I love it. He's blazing his own path and that's exciting to see," Eddie George said. "He's embracing the game."

He's also embracing the good natured ribbing that comes from playing on the other side of the ball as his famous father.

"We make jokes about how if I saw my dad in the hole, who would win that?" Eriq George said. "Personally, I think I would win that. But we'll never know. He's got messed up knees, so we'll never do it now."

Tennessean reporter Mike Organ contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ohio State great Eddie George forbids son Eriq from going to Michigan