Loss of Nick Marsh Leaving Sting for MSU, Hawkins

Michigan State losing its top receiver hurts in plenty of ways.

Indiana's Nick Marsh (11) during spring practice at Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EAST LANSING, Mich. --- The transfer portal can sting.

One that left a mark on Michigan State in several ways was the departure of Nick Marsh to Indiana via the portal. His decision to go in the midst of a coaching change to play for the national champions was anything but shocking, but it still stinks to see an in-state talent leave MSU to go play for a conference rival for what will likely be one final college season before kickstarting an NFL career.

Michigan State's Nick Marsh catches a pass while warming up before the game against Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins had been recruiting Marsh for some time. The Spartans and Hawkins sent an offer when Marsh was 14. He was on an unofficial visit to MSU when Kenneth Walker III scored five touchdowns against Michigan in 2021.

A lot of time and energy was spent on getting Marsh to East Lansing. But when he gets drafted, it'll say "Indiana" next to his name.

Hawkins on Marsh's Departure

Michigan State's wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins looks on during the spring game on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King / USA TODAY NETWORK

"He made what he thinks is the best decision for him and his family," Hawkins said Tuesday. "I wish him well. Obviously, when you recruit guys, one of the biggest things that we as football coaches harp on and is very important to me is relationships."

"Is it easy to see a guy leave that you recruited since they were, I don't know, 14, 13 years old and all that? I'd be lying to you if I said just like, 'Oh, well.'"

Michigan State's Nick Marsh smiles while warming up before the game against Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That doesn't mean there is any sort of ill will going around. It probably helps that Michigan State and Indiana aren't scheduled to play one another during the 2026 season, but everyone always has their reasons.

Maybe he wants to go somewhere when he knows he'll win more; maybe it's financial; maybe it's a mix of that and other stuff. Whatever it is, what is done is done.

Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins speaks after a spring practice at the Skandalaris Football Center on the morning of Tuesday, April 7, 2026. | Jacob Cotsonika, Michigan State Spartans on SI

That's why it's necessary to move on internally. Marsh would be the star player at MSU right now, but he's not. The Spartans will try to put the pieces back together as best they can after a hectic portal season with a coaching change. Hawkins and new head coach Pat Fitzgerald are making sure that the goals being set are lofty, insisting that "we're not far away, not far away at all."

"My focus is that I've got 13 [receivers] that are gonna help us win the Big Ten Championship," Hawkins also said. "That's what I'm about at this point in time."

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