EXCLUSIVE: MSU Great Bob Apisa Praises Smith for the 'Pineapple Pipeline'

Michigan State has been targeting Polynesian talent heavily under Coach Jonathan Smith. It isn't going unnoticed, and Spartans icon Bob Apisa is vocal about it.

Oct 1966; East Lansing, MI, USA; FILE PHOTO; Michigan State Spartans running back Bob Apisa (45) in action at Spartan Stadium during the 1966 season. | Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

Michigan State is bringing back an important recruiting pipeline under Coach Jonathan Smith. No, it's not Michigan or the Midwest.

It's the Polynesian pipeline.

Michigan State was once a champion for the pipeline, with many key players in program history throughout the 1960s under Duffy Daugherty onward claiming such heritage.

Perhaps the greatest of them all was Michigan State fullback Bob Apisa, a key fixture on the national championship teams that went a combined 19-1-1 in 1965 and 1966.

Apisa recently told our Hondo Carpenter how proud he was of Smith for rebuilding the pipeline with Polynesian talent.

"I'm overjoyed," Apisa said. "I think Jonathan is doing the right thing, re-establishing that pipeline. The Pineapple Pipeline. I, along with Dick Kenney and Charlie Wedemeyer, who both passed, along with Roger Lopes ... in the past. We wanted to go up to Michigan State because, first of all, Charlie Ane, he went to Michigan State because he saw me play up there. And he wanted to do the same thing, so he ended up at Michigan State and he played with [the Kansas City Chiefs] as a center. Jimmy Nicholson, who played at Michigan State and went up to K.C. as well. We inducted Jimmy this past couple months ago in the Hawaiian/Polynesian Hall of Fame. That Hall of Fame is just short of the NFL Hall of Fame, because you have so many guys -- Junior Seau in there, you got Troy Polamalu in there."

The former fullback was a two-time first-team All-American (one of just 15 players in program history to earn that distinction) and amassed 1,343 yards on 262 attempts while leading the way as a blocker for fellow two-time All-American and eventual NFL No. 2 overall draft choice Clinton Jones.

Apisa's 10 rushing touchdowns in 1965 were tied with Jones for the Big Ten lead. He is in the Michigan State Hall of Fame as well as the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. He later embarked on a 30-plus year career in Hollywood as an actor and stuntman.

The Spartans have targeted several highly-rated Polynesian players in the 2025 and 2026 classes.

For the latter, they are after several edge rushers who are Polynesian, most notably Simote Katoanga, of J Serra Catholic in California. Katoanga was vocal in his admiration of the pipeline, telling me in July, "[Defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa]'s trying to bring the [Polynesian] pipeline to Michigan State."

Other Polynesian prospects have noted to me privately that they recognized the Spartan pipeline and that it is a source of pride.

Suiaunoa is American Samoan and has played a big role in recruiting Polynesian players for Smith at both Oregon State and Michigan State.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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