One word that describes the current state of recruiting in college football is “whirlwind.” With players rapidly contacting and visiting multiple schools across the country, the process can quickly turn chaotic, and coaches may hardly know who is on their roster by winter workouts.
That process can feel even more overwhelming for a coach who had been away from college football since 2022, but Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald arrived in East Lansing prepared. After countless phone calls and nonstop campus visits, his first recruiting class at Michigan State has been assembled.
“We signed 30, I think we had about 100 families here, it was awesome. I mean it was speed dating with a game of musical chairs,” Fitzgerald said at his signing day press conference Wednesday. “In came one group, then in came another. It was a lot of fun, it was a blast, and I think we put together a great group.”
Most of the high school recruits joining the Spartans for the 2026 season signed with the program less than 24 hours after Fitzgerald’s introductory press conference, but one athlete kept his recruitment open: wide receiver Samson Gash.
His retention quickly became a key priority for Fitzgerald, as Gash is not only one of Michigan’s top players but the state’s top wide receiver. The speedy receiver, Michigan’s reigning 100-meter dash champion in track, took a visit to Penn State before ultimately making his commitment official with the Spartans after spending a weekend at MSU. He will join his brother, Caleb, a redshirt junior safety on the team.
“Samson is obviously the fastest athlete in this state, but also one of the fastest in the country,” Fitzgerald said. “To add that type of dynamic athleticism is exactly what we’re setting out to do at every position.”
Gash’s decision to sign with the Spartans serves as proof of the recruiting philosophy Fitzgerald has preached since arriving: recruiting will start and end in the state of Michigan.
Fitzgerald’s plan is to build the program around high school recruiting while plugging designated areas of need with older players from the transfer portal. With an emphasis on convincing the best players in the state to stay home, Fitzgerald aims to rebuild MSU’s presence not just in Michigan but throughout the Midwest.
“Samson hopefully will be a huge catalyst, not only for this year, but also to make a statement to the great players here in the state of Michigan to stay home,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s what our expectation is, from my standpoint to our personnel staff and to our coaches, that we want to keep our best players home.”
The art of bringing in 18-year-old freshmen and developing them into All-Americans who lead a championship charge grows less likely by the year. Fitzgerald understands that and recognizes the necessity of the transfer portal, but he believes high school recruiting does more than bring in future talent — it helps build a culture.
