Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins retained by Pat Fitzgerald

It has been a whirlwind of news cycle for Michigan State football over the past few weeks. The Spartans experienced their first Big Ten win of the 2025 season, fired head coach Jonathan Smith, hired Pat Fitzgerald as his replacement, signing the majority of the 2026 recruiting class and hired various assistant coaches on Fitzgerald's staff all since Nov. 29.

Another key member of Fitzgerald staff's was made public on Dec. 21, as ESPN Pete Thamel's reported that current wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins will be retained and continue is his current capacity with the new regime. Spartans Illustrated can also confirm that Hawkins will remain in East Lansing.

Hawkins joined the Michigan State coaching staff in 2020 under Mel Tucker after a 14-year stint as the head football coach and athletic director at Flint Beecher High School (Flint, Michigan). When Smith was hired in December of 2023, Hawkins was the only member of the Tucker staff who was retained. Two years later, Hawkins has once again made it through a regime change and will make the transition to a new staff, this time under Fitzgerald.

The wide receivers room has been a strength of the Michigan State program over the past five years. Hawkins has coached three wideouts who are now in the NFL, including Jayden Reed (second round, No. 50 overall to the Green Bay Packers), Jalen Nailor (sixth round, No. 191 overall to the Minnesota Vikings) and Keon Coleman (second round, No. 33 overall to the Buffalo Bills). Coleman notably transferred to Florida State for his final year of college ball, but accumulated over 800 receiving yards in his two years in East Lansing.

All three players have made an impact on their current NFL teams. Combined, the trio of former Spartans have played in over 100 NFL games, accounted for close to 3,500 yards and scored 28 touchdowns.

When the time comes, wide receiver Nick Marsh is poised to potentially add his name to the list of NFL pass catchers coached by Hawkins. Marsh recently announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. It is not clear how much the retention of Hawkins will impact Marsh's decision on his future. But, the chance to continue to work with Hawkins likely increases the odds that Marsh will return to East Lansing next year as well. With that said, there is no indication yet that Marsh will remain a Spartan in 2026.

Either way, Hawkins brings with him deep connections to the Michigan high school network, as well as deep ties to Michigan State football. Hawkins is an alumnus of Flint Beecher High School and was a four-year letterwinner as a wide receiver with the Spartans under head coach George Perles from 1988 to 1991.

Hawkins is still in the top-10 in several statistical categories for his accomplishments at Michigan State. He is currently No. 6 in kick return yards with 1,571, No. 6 in receiving yards (2,210), No. 9 in receptions (138), No. 8 in all-purpose yards (4,125) and No. 17 in touchdown receptions (12).

Following his time in East Lansing, Hawkins joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being draft No. 44 overall in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft. Hawkins spent five seasons in Tampa Bay before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers for the final four years of his career from 1997 to 2000. In total, Hawkins caught 366 passes for 4,573 yards and 18 touchdowns during his nine-year NFL career.

Hawkins recently helped Michigan State sign three wide receivers in the 2026 class, including three-star prospect Zachary Washington, three-star wideout Rai'Shawn Elmore and preferred walk-on Colin Charles. Four-star wide receiver Samson Gash remains committed to the Spartans, but has not signed yet.