EAST LANSING - As the son of a football coach, Edward Warinner knows changing jobs is part of the business.

This time, however, it was different.

Warinner had already signed with Michigan State's 2018 class and was an early enrollee who arrived on campus in January. A few weeks later, the linebacker's dad, Ed Warinner, was hired to join Jim Harbaugh's staff at rival Michigan.

"It was funny," Warinner said after practice on Thursday. "I laughed, I mean I was happy. It's not a big deal. He can do his thing, I do my thing. I committed before he took the job. It's not weird. He's my dad, I'm as close with him as I am anybody. I love it, I think it's fun."

At about the same time Warinner was answering questions from a few media members wearing a white, cut-off Spartan T-shirt inside the Duffy Daugherty Building in East Lansing on Thursday night, his dad was clad in maize and blue talking to the press 65 miles down the road at Schembechler Hall. On Oct. 20, father and son will be on opposite sidelines at Spartan Stadium.

"It's a big deal," Warinner said. "I know a lot of schools don't like Michigan and I know it's our biggest (rival). It will be fun."

Warinner already planned on lining up against his dad in a Big Ten battle. Ed Warinner, who was a graduate assistant at Michigan State from 1985-86, was Minnesota's offensive line coach and run game coordinator last season before being hired at Michigan. He has more than 30 years of coaching experience, including as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State for two years before arriving at Minnesota. He was hired by Michigan in January as a senior offensive consultant and promoted to offensive line coach in March after Tim Drevno resigned.

Although Warinner was committed to Michigan State for more than eight months before signing, he said his dad doesn't have any Spartan gear in the closet. The close tie to the rival down the road also hasn't resulted in much hassle for the newcomer on the team.

"They know where my heart is," Warinner said, admitting he has heard only a joke or two. "No one has given me crap."

Warinner, a former three-star prospect from Olentangy Liberty High School in Ohio, was one of seven players in Michigan State's 22-member 2018 signing class who enrolled early. He has been on campus for three months and doesn't regret cutting his senior year of high school short.

"Graduating early is a big decision and I'm definitely glad I did it," Warinner said. "College is faster, the linemen are a lot better, the running backs are a lot better and just the defense is more complicated so you've got to put a lot more time and effort into taking care of your body and in the film room so you know what to do. Especially as a middle linebacker, I'm responsible for all the calls up front and kind of the front seven so they expect a lot out of you."

Warinner is getting a head start on acclimating to college life and studying the defense and has veterans to learn from at middle linebacker. Junior Joe Bachie is coming off a breakout season while fifth-year senior Byron Bullough has impressed coaches this spring as a backup.

"They know a lot, they take pride in what they do and they know the defense inside and out," Warinner said. "Any time I can ask them or pick up on what they do, I've got to take advantage of it. I think Joe is the best linebacker in the Big Ten and I know Byron is really good too so I have good older guys that I can learn from."

Michigan State played 13 true freshmen last season, which was a record during coach Mark Dantonio's first 11 seasons leading the program. The youth movement was key in the Spartans setting a program record for single-season improvement at seven wins while finishing 10-3 but Warinner has veterans in front of him on the depth chart, which he isn't worried about.

"I think this summer with training, just got to get my body right, put good weight on, get faster and get stronger and then really get after it in fall camp. If I redshirt, I redshirt, that's fine," Warinner said. "I love it here, I have no problem staying another year. If I make travel squad, if they throw me in somewhere, then I'll be ready."