EAST LANSING - The attention comes at him faster now, so much so that even before an opponent snaps the ball, he can feel the eyes of the quarterback and the offensive linemen.

He can hear them yelling his number or his position. Twice this year, against Notre Dame and Central Michigan, Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones has felt like that.

Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones tackles a Central Michigan ball carrier during MSU's loss to Central three weeks ago.

AP photo

“I look at that and say ‘It’s going to be a long day,’” Jones said. “It’s fortunate to be a better player but it’s going to be a true test between a good player and a great player, even when everyone is focusing in on you, can you still produce.

“…I’m striving to be a great player.”

For most teams, focusing on the junior middle linebacker makes sense. Often, the middle linebacker is the player the entire defense flows through, like the quarterback of the defensive side of the ball.

And in Jones’ case, the talent level matches it. He was named the Big Ten’s preseason defensive Player of the Year and thus far has backed up the plaudits. He’s second in the NCAA at 13 tackles a game (52 total: 22 solo and 30 assisted) behind New Mexico linebacker Carmen Messina.

He’s also recorded a sack despite consistently being the main focus of the opposing blocking schemes.

“He’s a real explosive player, first and foremost,” Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said. “I mean, he’s always around the ball. You can tell he’s a great conditioned athlete and he tackles.

“When he hits you, you get on the ground.”

Thing is, though, he’s still learning.

Jones started his career at Michigan State on the outside as a SAM linebacker. This after he spent his high school career at Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati bouncing between linebacker his freshman and senior years and defensive end his sophomore and junior years.

At least when he arrived in East Lansing, he knew he’d be in the same position full time.

“I get to be on my feet,” Jones said. “I like that better. I don’t like my hand on the ground a whole lot, but whatever works for the team.”

While he’s been a linebacker his entire time at Michigan State, he did move from outside to the middle. And at first, he wasn’t totally sure about it.

Dantonio approached him the spring before his sophomore year and had him try it out for a handful of plays before moving back outside. And most of last season, he had the ability and flexibility to play both, although the Spartans eventually chose to move him inside full-time.

And this year, he’s adapting as a full-time first year man in the middle.

“When things start to change on you, there’s an adjustment,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. “So sometimes he sees things for the first time. But he’s extremely active.”

Part of that is his ability to blitz, although it has been stymied some as teams have focused on him more in the middle. On the outside, he wouldn’t always be the focal point.

That, obviously, has changed.

“Outstanding player for us,” Dantonio said. “So he’s critical to our program. Very important.”