Transfer Edge Rusher Breaks Down His Decision to Join Spartans

Michigan State's coaching staff has been hard at work.

Michigan State's offense and defense play each other during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

After spending the last two seasons at Cincinnati, edge rusher Ty Gillison entered the transfer portal and eventually decided to join Michigan State and Coach Jonathan Smith. With his commitment to Michigan State, Gillison follows in the footsteps of his older brother, former Spartans football player Trenton Gillison.

The younger Gillison says as soon as he entered the transfer portal, Coach Smith and Michigan State’s coaching staff immediately reached out to express their interest in him. 

“When I entered the portal, the whole staff reached out to me,” Gillison said. “They were on me real quick. They were adamant about how bad they wanted me. I talked to Coach [Chad] Wilt a lot. Coach [Joe] Rossi also called me when I first entered the portal.”

According to On3 Sports, Gillison says he felt right at home when he visited Michigan State because of his time in East Lansing while his brother played for Michigan State. Gillison is feeling good about his commitment and ready to get to work. 

“It feels real good,” Gillison said. “I am just very blessed and thankful that they wanted me. I’m just ready to get to work.”

“I was pretty familiar up there. My brother went there, so I was up there quite a bit with the players. I was up there a lot with his best friends – Chris Jackson, James Ohonba, Jeslord Boateng, Xavier Henderson, and (Jalen) Speedy Nailor. Those guys were his best friends, so being up there, it felt like a full-circle moment. They didn’t recruit me out of high school, so that is always a fire under me. I am just ready to get to work.”

Gillison says his brother advised him to do what was best for him.

“(Trenton) just wanted me to do what is right for me,” Gillison said. “Obviously, it is a different staff from when he was up there and from when he left and everything. I am really thankful to have him as a big brother. He just told me to do what is best for me, and he is rocking with me no matter what. That’s great to have in your corner no matter what, and my family, my mom and dad, my grandpa, they were really supportive of my decision.”

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