Two more massive staff moves were made by Pat Fitzgerald on Sunday evening as news broke that the new Michigan State head coach had retained a couple of Jonathan Smith era assistants.
While that may sound like a negative move, especially since that puts Fitzgerald’s staff up to four retained assistants from the Smith era, it’s actually a net positive because the new head coach has now retained arguably the four best assistants from the previous regime.
The two coaches that were retained on Saturday had pretty much all Michigan State fans cheering.
According to reports from Pete Thamel and later confirmed by Justin Thind, Michigan State is officially retaining receivers coach Courtney Hawkins and tight ends coach Brian Wozniak.
Those two were the best assistants on the offensive side of the ball, and you could argue that Hawkins was the top coach on Smith’s staff. He was probably the best recruiter, and he had helped turn multiple receivers into NFL draft picks. He’s responsible for guys like Jalen Nailor, Keon Coleman, and Jayden Reed making it in the league.
Wozniak, too, has been responsible for tight ends making it to the NFL, and he was turning Jack Velling into a potential All-American before Brian Lindgren ruined the offense.
Two more great hires by Pat Fitzgerald.
The new Michigan State football staff is almost complete
With these two hires and the rumored interest in Hank Poteat as a defensive backs coach, it looks like Michigan State’s staff is almost complete under Fitzgerald.
The new coach has taken care of offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, linebackers coach, safeties coach, (potentially) defensive backs coach, receivers coach, and tight ends coach. That leaves defensive line, offensive line, and running backs coaches as the last guys to finish off the staff.
Fitzgerald has also done a great job of avoiding hiring a bunch of old buddies from Northwestern which is what fans were worried about. He has done a good job of mixing things up.
He’s landed his co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from Notre Dame, his special teams coordinator is from Iowa, and his offensive coordinator is from Alabama. And, if all goes as planned, Fitzgerald’s secondary coach would be from Iowa State.
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling good about this coaching staff.