With all coaching changes, there comes a period of time where the new head coach evaluates the current staff and considers retaining some guys. Jonathan Smith did it with Mel Tucker’s staff, and now Pat Fitzgerald is presumably doing it with Smith’s.
And it looks like a popular assistant could find his way back onto the staff through a second round of coaching changes at Michigan State.
Courtney Hawkins has become a fan favorite in East Lansing for his ability to develop elite wide receiver talent, and he’s also been one of the program’s best recruiters since Tucker.