EAST LANSING — Luke Newman took a chance on himself.

To leave a comfortable situation at Holy Cross. To explore turning pro. To come home to try and better his NFL draft prospects.

"Obviously, it's been very challenging. We're learning a new position, a new playbook, all that comes with it," Newman, the new Michigan State football offensive lineman from Bloomfield Hills, said Thursday. "But I came here for a challenge, and I think that's exactly what I'm getting here three weeks into camp. It's really fun to go in — day in, day out — and push myself and become a better player."

After spending four years at the Football Championship Subdivision level and twice being named All-American, Newman is expected to become an integral component to a revamped offensive line under new head coach Jonathan Smith and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik as they attempt to revive the Spartans’ languishing run game.

"I think (Newman) brings a lot of experience, a lot of high-level play," said center Tanner Miller, another transfer who followed Smith and Michalczik from Oregon State. "I think he's a really smart player. I think he's picked up the playbook extremely fast, and also it's just another set of eyes. He's played a lot of ball, just like everybody. So I’m asking him, ‘Hey, what'd you see here? Why'd you do this?’ and I'm like, ‘Oh, OK, now I see that.’ It kind of helps elevate the football IQ of the group, which is good."

Newman only had two offers coming out of Birmingham Brother Rice, both at the Football Championship Subdivision level. He chose Holy Cross over Lafayette and embarked on a four-year career in Worcester, Massachusetts that included three All-Patriot League honors, a first-team All-American nod in 2022 and second-team honors last season. Newman started at left tackle his last 37 games with the Crusaders, who made the FCS playoffs in three of his four seasons.

After entering the portal in late November and considering testing the NFL draft, the 6 feet 4 and 315-pound Newman decided to move up a level with a plan to work at guard or center at a major conference program. He connected with Smith and Michalczik shortly after they were hired. By January, after deciding against turning pro, Newman picked the Spartans but remained at Holy Cross through the winter semester to finish his undergraduate degree in economics.

"At this point last year, when I was at Holy Cross, I definitely thought this was my last year of college football," Newman said. "But as the year kind of went along, I gathered myself and I thought that, hey, maybe I'd like to showcase a little guard and center, somewhere on the interior, that would (give) my name a little better appeal, I guess I would say, for NFL teams, given I just played left tackle for all four (years).

"I thought that coming to Michigan State would certainly challenge me, push me, to learn a new offense, learn a new position, and really just get acquainted with a whole ton of great guys. And I can certainly say that it's been great so far. We're making good progress, and just looking to keep it going."

Newman’s parents, John and Tinney, are both MSU alums. They took their son to games in East Lansing and sent him to camps there and around the Midwest. They are “thrilled” he will be playing closer to home this fall. However, it took starting his college career at the lower level of Division I before Newman blossomed into the player the Spartans’ new coaches are counting on to become their starting left guard.

"Unfortunately, I didn't quite have the size coming out of high school," Newman said. "I was undersized, 250ish, 6-3, and then took a chance out East in the FCS at Holy Cross. I got here in a very unconventional way, but I got here nonetheless. And I'm very happy to be here. … I mean, this is such a storied program. I grew up knowing some of the big names that came through here — Kirk Cousins, Connor Cook, Jack Conklin. All these great names that have had the honor of wearing the green and white. I'm happy to follow in those steps as well and hold myself to the standard that they set here many years ago."

READ MORE: Michigan State on its new offensive line: 'We're gonna need them all'

Michalczik said he has mostly kept Newman at left guard to master one spot, getting him some reps at center, but he likes the versatility and experience Newman has at other positions.

"Luke's adjusted really well," Michalczik said after practice Thursday. "I mean, he's a sharp kid, competitive, strong. I can't say enough good things about him."

The step up in competition level is a challenge Newman acknowledged, calling the Big Ten “the best conference in college football, in my opinion.” But he also admits it is the type of challenge he relishes.

"I believe in myself," he said. "I know that I've been able to do it against higher competition in some of the FBS games that we played at Holy Cross. And really, it's just taking it day by day. Obviously it's more repetitive with the amount of skill level that you're going against every day, whereas Holy Cross, you play one or two FBS teams a year. So it's certainly a big grind day in and day out.

"But I don't think there was really ever a doubt. I was very confident my abilities. Obviously, there's still a lot of work to do. But confidence is not an issue."

And when he runs out of the tunnel at Spartan Stadium for the opener Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic (7 p.m., BTN), Newman will no longer be the underdog trying to make a name for himself. He will be a Big Ten football player showcasing his talents for scouts.

As a Spartan.

"To be wearing the green and white has been a dream of a lifetime for me," he said. "It's just something that makes this whole journey coming here, a whole lot (more) special."

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

 Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

For openers: Owls

Matchup: Michigan State (4-8 in 2023) vs. Florida Atlantic (4-8 in 2023).

Kickoff: 7 p.m. Aug. 30; Spartan Stadium, East Lansing.

TV/radio: Big Ten Network; WJR-AM (760).

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: OL Luke Newman takes unconventional journey to Michigan State football