Just two days before National Signing Day, Pat Fitzgerald became the new head coach of Michigan State. That created the challenging task of trying to retain as many of MSU’s current recruits as possible — players who had previously committed to former head coach Jonathan Smith.
It led to constant FaceTime calls with recruits from the moment Fitzgerald officially took over, and the effort ultimately paid off. MSU signed 18 players for the 2026 class, retaining 16 of the 20 recruits who had committed before the coaching change.
"My voice is a little raspy for a reason," Fitzgerald said at his opening press conference Tuesday. "The amount of FaceTime I was on last night, I think it stopped at 11:30 p.m. When it was like okay, I think this is too late to be calling kids in their homes, and so I still have some more to get to today [Tuesday]."
The ability to retain a majority of recruits brought in by a completely different coach is impressive and shows the incoming players’ contentment with the hire. It helped MSU finish with the No. 46 recruiting class — not great, but not terrible considering the 4-8 record and the arrival of a new head coach.
The players headlining the class are Collin Campbell and Kayd Coffman, who are both four-stars, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Campbell is the Spartans’ top recruit, an offensive tackle from Gilbert, Arizona, ranked among the top 200 recruits nationally. He is the second-best player from Arizona and stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 280 pounds.
"After having a couple of conversations with Coach Fitzgerald I can see and feel what the culture of the program is going to be," Campbell posted on X on Friday. "I am lucky and excited to be a Spartan. East Lansing is a special place to call home."
Coffman, on the other hand, won’t have far to travel. The quarterback is from Grand Rapids, MI and played at East Kentwood High School. He is 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and is ranked as the fifth-best player in Michigan.
Three-star wide receiver Zachary Washington was another key retain. During the coaching change, he stayed committed to MSU but decided to reopen his recruitment.
In the end, it didn’t matter. The 6-foot-2, 183-pound receiver signed with the Spartans, bringing 4.37 speed to the roster. Washington is also a former teammate of current redshirt freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic.
Not only were players retained, but MSU was able to flip a pair of three-stars as well. Jack Ziarko, an interior offensive lineman from Canton, Ohio, flipped his commitment from Miami (Ohio), and Jonathan Granby, an athlete from Roswell, Georgia, flipped from Georgia Southern.
Still, not everything went MSU’s way during the early signing period. Jordan Vann, a three-star safety from Middletown, Ohio, was the first to flip, committing to Louisville on Tuesday. Then, a pair of three-star defensive ends decommitted on National Signing Day: Fameitau Siale chose Utah, and Chris Addison opted for Mississippi State, both selecting programs closer to home.
The biggest lingering question now becomes four-star wide receiver Samson Gash who did not sign his letter of intent to make it official. Gash is a highly coveted recruit, ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver in Michigan, and has taken multiple visits to Alabama. Now the question becomes whether he will join his brother, redshirt sophomore defensive back Caleb Gash, in East Lansing or choose his own path.
Samson announced he will be signing in February and that MSU will remain in the mix.
Nonetheless, the Spartans’ recruiting class could have been worse. Fitzgerald brought in 18 players and only lost three in the process. Now, it all depends on what happens in the transfer portal — a pivotal part of the offseason that will play a major role in determining how competitive the team will be next year.
Michigan State Football 2026 Commits:
Collin Campbell | Offensive Tackle | Williams Field High School | Gilbert, Arizona
Kayd Coffman | Quarterback | East Kentwood High School | Grand Rapids, Michigan
Joey Caudill | Tight End | Lexington High School | Mansfie ld, Ohio
Eli Bickel | Offensive Tackle | North Branch High School | North Branch, Michigan
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Zachary Washington | Wide Receiver | St. Francis High School | Wheaton, Illinois
Eddie Whiting | Tight End | Jefferson High School | Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Brayden Thomas | Safety | St. Edward High School | Lakewood, Ohio
Jack Ziarko | Interior Offensive Lineman | Hoover High School | Canton, Ohio
Adam Shaw | Linebacker | Pascack Valley High School | Hillsdale, New Jersey
KJ Deriso | Cornerback | Whitewater High School | Fayetteville, Georgia
Tristan Comer | Offensive Tackle | Freeland High School | Freeland, Michigan
Eliyjah Caldwell-Hardy | Safety | Global Impact Ministries Academy | Jacksonville, Florida
TJ Umenyiora | Cornerback | Blessed Trinity Catholic High School | Roswell, Georgia
Cory House | Defensive End | Whitehaven High School | Memphis, Tennessee
Hudson Aultman | Defensive Lineman | Olentangy Berlin High School | Delaware, Ohio
Jeremiah Favorite | Cornerback | Boiling Springs High School | Boiling Springs, South Carolina
Rai'shawn Elmore | Wide Receiver | Porter Ridge High School | Indian Trail, North Carolina
Jonathan Granby | Athlete | Fellowship Christian School | Roswell, Georgia
(Listed by 247Sports Composite ranking)
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