”Concerning” isn’t a word I would use to describe Michigan State’s recruiting under Pat Fitzgerald, but rather it’s been encouraging. The first-year head coach is making inroads with some of the state’s top coaches and recruits and he’s building relationships on the fly.
It’s actually impressive what he’s been able to do in such a short period of time given the circumstances of the program being in the dumpster after Jonathan Smith and Mel Tucker.
Fitzgerald has been setting up official visits with some of the state’s top recruits and he’s sent coaches to check in on these guys, too. He’s currently working on getting an official visits set with the top priority in the state, top-100 defensive back Gideon Gash.
While that’s in the works, it looks like Michigan State may be losing its grip on another priority target from the state of Michigan.
Michigan State locked in an official visit with four-star edge rusher Myles Smith from Farmington, Mich., not too long ago for May 29 but if we’re going by the 247Sports visit schedule, that’s no longer the case. Oklahoma has apparently locked in an official visit with Smith on May 29 which means that the Spartans have been replaced on his summer slate.
If Michigan State doesn’t reschedule, that’s means that it’s out of the race and the recruitment is likely down to Indiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, and Michigan which are the schools that he’s visiting over the next month — he’s fresh off his Indiana trip.
This is bad news for Winston DeLattiboudere III and Michigan State regarding the nation’s No. 246 recruit.
May 29 is still a big weekend for Michigan State
I’m not sure what the reason for the Michigan State visit cancellation is, but the Spartans will still have some big names on campus that weekend like four-star offensive tackle Caleb Johnson, four-star defensive lineman Marvin Nguetsop, four-star tight end Anthony Cartwright, and four-star defensive line commit Ohimai Ozolua.
Fitzgerald is going to be able to hone in on these guys but not having Smith there hurts, especially when you consider that there will be two other four-star defensive line targets on campus that weekend who he could have built relationships with.
I’m no recruiting expert but I would guess that Oklahoma replaced Michigan State not just on his official visit schedule, but on his list of top schools.
Fitzgerald is going to have to knock that weekend out of the park.
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