Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald was on the road Thursday, right before a huge recruiting weekend in East Lansing. Fitzgerald has been at the helm for a little less than two full months, and he’s already embracing one of the most important aspects of being Michigan State’s head coach: in-state recruiting. Building relationships with elite in-state programs and recruits is important if Fitzgerald wants to have any success in East Lansing. Samson Gash is the lone Spartan commit who hasn’t signed in the 2026 class, and he’s been considering Penn State as well as Michigan State. In-state recruiting is what contributed to Mark Dantonio having so much success in East Lansing, and FItzgerald is making sure to prioritize it early on.