Why Retaining Hawkins, Wozniak is Major for MSU Football
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Michigan State is set to retain two important position coaches for Pat Fitzgerald’s staff.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Spartans are bringing back wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins and tight ends coach Brian Wozniak.
Hawkins played at Michigan State from 1988 to 1991, totaling 132 receptions for 2,104 yards and five touchdowns. He has been a part of the MSU staff since 2020, and Fitzgerald is the third Spartan coach to retain him.
Wozniak joined the MSU staff in 2023 after coming over from Oregon State with Jonathan Smith. He is known for being an excellent recruiter and developer, so it made sense that Fitzgerald would want him back on the MSU staff.
What will these coaches bring to Fitzgerald’s staff? Let’s break down why keeping Hawkins and Wozniak is such a big move for this team.
Keeping Courtney Hawkins at Michigan State
Hawkins has been an excellent recruiter and developer in his six seasons as the Spartans’ WR coach, sending multiple players to the NFL, including Jayden Reed and Jalen Nailor. Hawkins also brought Keon Coleman to MSU before he eventually transferred to Florida State.
Players love ‘Coach Hawk,’ so keeping him in East Lansing was the most sensible thing for Fitzgerald to do. The Spartans are also trying to hold onto four-star wide receiver commit Samson Gash, who continues to rise and receive offers from bigger programs.
MSU’s wide receivers have improved under Hawkins, and he will get the chance to develop some of the younger receivers on the roster, like Braylon Collier and Charles Taplin. MSU also signed Zachary Washington and Rai’Shawn Elmore in this high school class.
Keeping Brian Wozniak at Michigan State
Wozniak, a former tight end at Wisconsin, totaled 15 receptions for 127 yards and four touchdowns for the Badgers from 2010-2013. He is from the Midwest, so it made sense that Smith would want to bring him to MSU a few years ago.
Like Hawkins, Wozniak has been an excellent recruiter and developer. He did a good job coaching Jack Velling and Michael Masunas this past season, and he has also coached NFL tight ends such as Luke Musgrave.
Wozniak also landed two high-level high school recruits who will be freshmen next season: Eddie Whiting and Joey Caudill, both four-star prospects. It makes sense that Fitzgerald wanted to keep a recruiter of Wozniak’s caliber on his staff.
With both these coaches retained, MSU maintains continuity on the recruiting trail and with the development of some of its young, promising talent. Fitzgerald’s staff is taking shape, and it only needs a running backs coach and an offensive line coach.
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Carter Landis studied journalism at Michigan State University, where I graduated in May of 2022. He is currently a sports reporter for a local television station and is a writer covering the Michigan State Spartans