Pat Fitzgerald is wrapping up his first full recruiting cycle at Michigan State, and considering the hand he was dealt, he’s done more than just steady the ship-he’s started to chart a new course.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Fitzgerald inherited a program in a tailspin. Four straight seasons without a bowl appearance, capped off by a 4-8 campaign that lacked energy and direction under Jonathan Smith.
The Spartans didn’t just lose games-they looked like a team searching for identity. And when that happens, turnover is inevitable.
Sure enough, the transfer portal hit hard. Key pieces like Nick Marsh, Alex VanSumeren, Aydan West, Makhi Frazier, Michael Masunas, and Stanton Ramil all entered the portal, leaving Fitzgerald with a roster full of holes and a fanbase full of questions.
But instead of scrambling, Fitzgerald leaned into the challenge. He hit the portal himself, brought in a solid group of transfers, and on Wednesday, officially signed his first high school recruiting class at Michigan State-his first in three years.
And it came with a headline-grabber.
Samson Gash: A Statement Signing
Samson Gash had options. Big ones.
Penn State and Alabama were in the mix, but when signing day rolled around, he chose East Lansing. First thing in the morning, Gash made it official: he’s a Spartan.
The significance? Beyond the talent he brings, this was a recruiting win that sends a message-Michigan State isn’t backing down from the heavyweights.
Gash joins his older brother, Caleb, on the 2026 roster, and there’s already buzz about their younger brother, Gideon, a four-star defensive back, potentially following in 2027. The Gash pipeline could become a cornerstone for Fitzgerald’s rebuild.
Building Beyond the Scholarship Board
It wasn’t just about the scholarship signees. Michigan State also added a number of preferred walk-ons, and one of them stole the spotlight with a quote that perfectly captured the emotion of signing day.
Peyton Babbitt, a quarterback out of Muskegon, signed on as a walk-on and didn’t hold back when talking about what it meant to him.
“Every kid who plays football has their ‘big’ program where they want to go and will die for, and it just happened to be MSU was that school for me. Now I have an opportunity to play there. It’s insane to think about.”
That’s not just lip service. Babbitt is a lifelong Spartan fan, and now he gets to live out the dream of suiting up for his childhood team.
It’s the kind of story that reminds you why signing day still matters-because for players like Babbitt, it’s not just about football. It’s about identity, loyalty, and a dream realized.
Enter Nick Sheridan: The Quarterback Whisperer?
Babbitt will now be working under new offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, who joined the Spartans from Alabama. That alone turns heads-anytime a coach comes from a program like Bama, there’s going to be intrigue. But Babbitt took it a step further, calling Sheridan “a quarterback and athlete’s dream.”
That’s high praise, and it’s not thrown around lightly. Sheridan’s task will be to breathe life into an offense that lacked rhythm and explosiveness last season. If he can unlock the potential in this incoming class, and maybe even find a gem in walk-ons like Babbitt, Michigan State could start looking more like a team on the rise than one stuck in neutral.
The Bottom Line
Fitzgerald’s first recruiting class at Michigan State isn’t going to top national rankings. But that’s not the point.
The point is that he stabilized a program that was bleeding talent and belief. He landed a headline recruit in Samson Gash, brought in a group of transfers to patch immediate holes, and added walk-ons who bring passion and pride to the locker room.
It’s a start. And for a program that’s been searching for one, that’s a big deal.