3&Out: Three takeaways from Michigan State spring football practice

EAST LANSING, Mich. - My three main takeaways from this week’s access to Michigan State spring football practice and interviews with players and coaches: 1. COURTNEY HAWKINS, STATEMENT I  When Michigan State wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins said “We have the right guy” in talking about new head coach Pat Fitzgerald, I felt it landed with sincerity and depth.  Any assistant for a first-year head coach is going to rave about the new boss. But Courtney doesn't play that. He isn’t going to say anything he doesn’t believe in. He wears his coaching ball cap down tight, with a hard half-smile, and a steel-eyed glare that is all square business.  He’s been a Spartan since 1988. Four years as a Michigan State football player, nine years in the NFL, then 13 years as head coach at Flint Beecher High School. Regardless of where his feet were, his heart remained pure Spartan green. And he's become even more invested since becoming wide receivers at Michigan State in 2020.  He played for George Perles. He has coached for Mel Tucker, Jonathan Smith and now Fitzgerald.  When he says “We have the right guy,” Hawkins has seen a few. (MORE inside SpartanMag. Join SpartanMag: 50% off, and enjoy a complimentary year of The Athletic included with your membership. Get Deal Now! 👉 https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-state-spartans/join/)