Former Missouri Wolverines 7th & 8th Grade MVP in 2007, Michael Rose becomes the first Missouri Wolverines alumni to play for a Division I school as he committed to playing football at the University of Nebraska in 2012.

MissouriWolverines.com talked to two of Mike Rose's former youth football coaches Jim Tuso and Joe Tuso who both had smiles from ear to ear to hear about the news. Not only because of Mike's opportunity to play at the college level but Mike is a member of the same football fraternity as them. Both of the Tusos are Rockhurst's alums with Jim Tuso('94) being a member of the Rockhurst All-Team football team and Joe Tuso('96). How ironic that Mike will be heading to Nebraska to play for two brothers where one is the head coach and the other one is a defensive coordinator.

"I remember the day I got the chance to meet Mike Rose... the late Bill Kelso called me and said there was player I needed to come meet at his son's baseball game. In the past I seldom took time to go talk to a potential player however Bill was so animate about me coming to meet this kid that out of respect for Bill I ran up to Fountain Bluff Park in Liberty to watch Mike play his baseball game where he was scheduled to play against Bill's son Krae. Krae had already told us he was coming to the Wolverines that year. On the way there, I made a phone call to a coach who played against Mike the previous year in the Blue Springs youth league... I asked him what he could tell me about Mike Rose... he said if wants to talk to you then you best do whatever you can to talk to him. He went on to say that Mike was the best player he had ever seen play at the youth level and this was coming from a coach who had won 5 straight championships in that league before a Mike Rose led team beat him the year before.

"Mike was by far the best linebacker I have ever seen play in the NSYFL. For those who are familiar with our league, they know how good some of the teams can be and against the Super Bowl runner-up that year in our regular season game, Mike had 13 total tackles with 7 of those being tackles for loss. To put this in perspective, I bet the team we were playing did not have 7 plays for a loss the rest of the year that is how good they were and for this one kid to have 7 solo tackles for a loss in one game just tells you a tad bit of how good he was when he was playing youth football... he was a game changer for sure and an honor and a pleasure to coach and he just keeps getting better and keep in mind he is only a Junior." commented Mike's former youth football defensive coordinator Joe Tuso.

KC Rockhurst linebacker first in NU’s 2012 class

Michael Rose saw no reason to wait.

“I just felt so comfortable up there (at Nebraska) with the coaches and everything else,” said the 16-year-old linebacker from Kansas City, Mo., who announced Monday night that he has verbally committed to the Huskers’ 2012 scholarship recruiting class.

“By going to Nebraska, I feel I can become not only a better football player, but a better man.”

The 6-foot, 210-pound Rose becomes the first player known to pledge to Nebraska’s class of 2012. Thirteen players are known to be committed to the Huskers’ 2011 class.

“I told them (Nebraska coaches), ‘If you’re firm on your end, I’m firm, too,’” said Rose, a part-time starter as a freshman at Rockhurst High School and a full-time starter last season as a sophomore.

“There’ll be no de-committing, trying to be the center of attention, or anything like that.”

Rose said Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini and Husker linebackers coach Mike Ekeler played lead roles in his recruitment.

Rose ran a 4.75-second 40-yard dash a few weeks ago at Nebraska’s summer camp. He’s played all three linebackers positions at Rockhurst, but is being recruited by Nebraska as a weakside backer.

“I believe my biggest asset is putting on the pads and just going out and playing football,” Rose said. “It’s pretty easy when you love something to put your all into it.”