Another day, another transfer portal announcement from a Michigan State player.
Just one day after it was reported that Joe Rossi would be returning under Pat Fitzgerald’s new staff along with safeties coach James Adams, a Jonathan Smith era transfer decided to hit the portal for the second time in his young career.
Jeremiah Hughes, a transfer from LSU, is back in the portal just two years after coming to Michigan State from Baton Rouge.
Michigan State cornerback Jeremiah Hughes is entering the transfer portal, a source tells @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 8, 2025
Hughes, who began his career at LSU, has played in 26 career games. pic.twitter.com/HFmoEhNTct
Jeremiah Hughes just never panned out at Michigan State
Fans were hopeful that he would bring that SEC pedigree to East Lansing and make a huge impact on the defensive backfield. I mean, he did play 13 games with LSU as a true freshman, recording six total tackles. Unfortunately, he played just 13 games with Michigan State, recording seven tackles, and he didn’t play after the USC game this season, likely to preserve a redshirt.
While it might not be totally fair to call him a “bust”, he just never saw the field enough to make an impact, and he never grew into the player that many thought he could become.
Hughes seemingly had the tools to become a legitimate defensive backfield contributor in East Lansing, but for whatever reason, he just didn’t fit Rossi’s scheme. He was Ade Willie’s backup at nickel to begin the season, but Hughes just never really made an impact. It makes sense that he’s opting to transfer given the fact that he couldn’t see the field under the two defensive coaches that are being retained.
Hopefully it all works out for the former LSU Tiger as he tries to find his third home in four years, and potentially a smaller conference team where he can showcase his talents as a starter.
I don’t necessarily believe that Hughes didn’t succeed in East Lansing all because of his own doing, but rather it just felt like he wasn’t put in spots to succeed with Smith in charge. There just didn’t seem to be any development happening under the last staff’s control.
The hope is that Pat Fitzgerald changes that, and he has proven in the past that he can develop with the best of the best.