Pat Fitzgerald made a big move over the weekend that has already paid dividends for the future of the Michigan State football program.
The former Northwestern head coach announced that he’d be retaining Courtney Hawkins as receivers coach and Brian Wozniak as the team’s tight ends coach. That means that most of the coaching roles are filled with the exception of a running backs coach, offensive line coach, defensive line coach, and another defensive backs coach.
The staff is coming together, slowly but surely.
With the retainment of Hawkins and Wozniak, some key players have hinted at returns for the 2026 season. Evan Boyd and Braylon Collier were more than pleased to see Hawkins back, and it sounds like those two are planning a return in 2026.
On top of them, Nick Marsh now has something to really think about. The position coach who recruited him out of high school and has been with him throughout his college career is returning, and he has a track record of getting guys to the NFL. Marsh will have to weigh his options and see if more money elsewhere is worth throwing away one of the best receivers coaches in the country.
But there’s another rising star on the roster who looks like he’s leaning toward a return.
Jayden Savoury looks like he’ll remain with Michigan State
Jayden Savoury, a freshman tight end who earned rave reviews all preseason, had to love the news he got over the weekend about his position coach being retained by Fitzgerald.
Heck, even his dad weighed in on the news to Kenny Jordan, stating that he trusts Wozniak to coach his son and doesn’t have to think twice about sending Jayden to play for him.
Brian Wozniak's return draws rave reviews from family of Michigan State TE Jayden Savoury
— Kenny Jordan (@Kenny_Jordan5) December 23, 2025
I spoke with Mark Savoury (Jayden’s father), following the news Wozniak would be retained on the staff.
“He’s trustworthy and a family man, which makes me as a father trust him with… pic.twitter.com/WJ3PfjnhrQ
Hearing parents rave about the returning coaches has been a breath of fresh air. Wozniak, Joe Rossi, James Adams, and Hawkins were all stars of Jonathan Smith’s coaching staff, and they were far from the problem of the previous regime. Bringing them back will not only help retain key players on both sides of the ball, but they’ll also be huge for recruiting.
Savoury is a guy that Spartan fans were hoping would return just based on the praise he got all preseason long; his potential is through the roof.
Add him to the list of young players who have hinted at or announced their returns for the 2026 season along with Brady Pretzlaff, Derrick Simmons, Braylon Collier, Alessio Milivojevic, Aydan West, and Martin Connington, among others.
Fans have to love the last two re-hires because the players sure do.