This has been an ongoing subject for a few days, new information from Congress:


BREAKING: Congressman Jeff Van Drew reports that Iran has deployed a “mothership” off the U.S. East Coast, allegedly launching drones currently operating over New Jersey. This development follows a recent deal between Iran and China involving the acquisition of advanced motherships and related technology.

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The Michigan State football staff has been busy on the first official day of the transfer portal for the 2024-2025 winter window.

The portal opened on Monday, Dec. 9 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 28.

The MSU staff has already scheduled several visits. Please keep in mind that recruiting the portal is very fluid. Planned visits can change quickly, so I am only including those who have told Spartans Illustrated a firm date (or those based on a reliable report that we trust).

This is a running list that will be updated as more news comes in.

Here are the transfer portal visitors who are planning to take a visit to Michigan State (with date):

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Not only did she ruin these kids' lives, but I and other reporters caught hell for saying the facts did not add up.

We were called misogynists, racists, and haters and told we were "being uninformed about rape."

To this day, I do NOT believe all women; I believe all facts. PERIOD.



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West Virginia is hiring Jacksonville State HC Rich Rodriguez as their next Head Coach, per @PeteThamel

Rodriguez had a good run at WVU previously.

I mentioned earlier this week that sometimes we know stuff but our sources ask us not to share for strategic reasons. Regarding the Nick Marsh NIL situation, I can share further information now.

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Update: Many MSU fans will want to discuss the Lions because of expectations. Let's create one ongoing thread so we can keep it in one place.
















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Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs suffered a hamstring injury at practice Monday night, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Gibbs was being evaluated for a leg injury after departing the practice session early, though it was unclear on which play he was injured.

Gibbs, 22, is coming off a Pro Bowl rookie season in which he rushed for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns to go along with 316 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.

Michigan State travels to Minnesota for a huge Big Ten series.

Game 1 is on Friday at 8:30 on BTN
Game 2 is on Saturday at 6 on B1G+

Preview by @Caden Handwork

This was reported by Larry Fitzgerald's father, Larry Fitzgerald, SR.

He first said he had a problem with his eyes, which may be jaundice.

"HOF Randy Moss has liver cancer. Let’s show the power of prayer and pull Moss through this," Fitzgerald Sr. wrote. "I love you Randy."

Isaiah Chisom was previously offered by Mel Tucker and MSU in 2022, but signed with Oregon State out of Santa Clarita, CA.

He recorded 30 solo tackles and had 75 tackles overall with the Beavers in 2024.

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Darrin Jones Jr.

@DarrinJonesJr

"#AGTG Blessed to receive an offer from Michigan State University!"


I'm unsure what the offer is, whether a complete offer or PWO; Ryan can check on that.

Tyler Morris was a highly recruited WR who could not get touches with the UM scheme and QB play.

Tommy Doman was a highly regarded punter who has an off year

Highly touted Cole Cabana RB is jumping in the portal

OL Andrew Gentry has jumped into the portal.

LB Micah Pollard has jumped into the portal.

QB Alex Orji to the portal

I caught up with Tom Izzo in Maui and dug into his recruiting approach, roster building, and what it all means moving forward for a Michigan State basketball program desperate to get back to the top of the college basketball world once again.

I know there's more affiliations between SI and Nudge (whom I fully endorse by the way) but these knitted sweaters from Homefield are really nice.
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As Spartans Illustrated subscribers heard first here on Monday, the Board of Trustees at MSU will be voting on proposed enhancements and improvements on Friday. More details are now public and can be shared.

He was Army's offensive line coach.


Matt Drinkall is an American college football coach. He is the head coach for the Central Michigan Chippewas. He previously held various offensive coaching positions at Army from 2019-2024.

He previously served as the head football coach of Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas, starting in January 2014. He had worked previously as a football coach at the high school and college levels before being hired as head coach. In 2015, Drinkall was the second-youngest head college football coach in the country behind Cornell's David Archer and took the Coyotes to the 2015 playoffs.

On January 14, 2019, Drinkall announced his resignation of the head coaching position at Kansas Wesleyan to join the staff of the Army Black Knights as an offensive quality control coach. He had compiled a 42–17 record as head coach. Drinkall has worked primarily on the offensive side of the ball.

On December 8th, 2024, Drinkall was hired by Central Michigan University as the next head coach.

(Per Wiki)

Jaron

@JaronGlover13_

New Home

DanHayesMLB

@DanHayesMLB


Sources confirm Phoenix Suns/Mercury owner Mat Ishbia and his brother Justin Ishbia are interested in purchasing the #MNTwins. Three days after they were approved as owners in Feb. 2023, the Suns acquired Kevin Durant. Bloomberg was first with the report.

"After a great visit I’m blessed to receive an offer from @MSU_Football"

Nicholas Hardy is a 2025 WR also offered by Army and Wayne State, likely a PWO.

Groves high school C/O ‘25 | WR/ATH 6’2 180 |3.6 GPA | D2 MI All-Region WR

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He's on the Ram's punt return squad. Interesting.

Good luck to Turner, who was a Redshirt Senior.

First-year report card: Letter grades for every college football coach after debut season​

​

A++: Curt Cignetti, Indiana (11-1)​

The program’s previous single-season wins record was set in 1945 and tied in 1967. Six other teams had won eight games in a year, including in 2019. Cignetti lifted Indiana into a different stratosphere and deserves every piece of postseason hardware as the unquestioned coach of the year in the FBS.

A+: Spencer Danielson, Boise State (12-1)​

Danielson took over as the interim coach for Andy Avalos late last season and led Boise State to the Mountain West championship. In his first full year, the former defensive coordinator piloted the Broncos to another conference crown and the No. 3 seed in the playoff. This has been a remarkable start for him and the program.

A: Fran Brown, Syracuse (9-3)​

Brown has the Orange at No. 25 in the US LBM Coaches Poll after upsetting Miami to end the regular season. After inheriting a program with just two winning seasons in the previous decade, Brown’s nine wins are the second-most by a first-year coach in program history. The success was spearheaded by the addition of Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord.

A: Manny Diaz, Duke (9-3)​

Diaz also posted nine wins in his debut, tying his predecessor, Mike Elko, for the most wins by a first-year hire in Duke’s history. That included four wins against eventual bowl teams. The Blue Devils also came within a whisper of knocking off SMU in late October but still managed defeats of rivals North Carolina, North Carolina State and Wake Forest.

A: Pete Lembo, Buffalo (8-4)​

Back in the MAC for the first time leaving Ball State in 2015, Lembo led Buffalo to eight wins for the fifth time since the Bulls transitioned to the FBS. A win against Northern Illinois in September was just the second ranked victory in school history.

A-: Mike Elko, Texas A&M (8-4)​

Elko’s debut lost some steam down the stretch with losses to Auburn and Texas. But to take over the messy wreckage of the Jimbo Fisher era and have the Aggies in the mix for the SEC championship game in the season finale makes this an outstanding start.

A-: Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State (7-5)​

SJSU exceeded expectations and then some under the former Navy coach. After being picked 10th in the preseason Mountain West poll, the Spartans clinched bowl eligibility in early November. Four of those five losses came to teams with at least eight wins, including Boise State and UNLV.

A-: Jon Sumrall, Tulane (9-4)​

Like Elko, Sumrall’s debut tailed off late in the year with losses to Memphis and Army, the latter in the American Athletic championship game. The former Troy coach still put together the sort of season that supports his case for being seen as one the up-and-coming stars in college coaching.

B+: Major Applewhite, South Alabama (6-6)​

South Alabama matched last year’s regular-season win total but were much better than that, with four losses by a single possession and a marquee win in November against Louisiana-Lafayette.

B+: Bronco Mendenhall, New Mexico (5-7)​

Mendenhall is already on the move, signing a new deal with Utah State not long after the Lobos’ loss to Hawaii left them one win short of bowl eligibility. The program hadn’t won more than four games in a season since 2016. Losing one of the most consistently successful coaches of this generation is incredibly painful for UNM.

B: Bob Chesney, James Madison (8-4)​

JMU did smoke North Carolina in non-conference play for one of the biggest wins in the program’s FBS existence. But amid a pretty large exodus of talent after Cignetti’s move to Indiana, the Dukes lost four times in the Sun Belt and were never a player in the Group of Five's playoff chase.

B: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama (9-3)​

There were good moments, including wins against Georgia, South Carolina, LSU and Missouri. There were also some pretty sour moments, most recently in the 24-3 loss to Oklahoma that held Alabama out of the playoff. DeBoer's first year reinforced how hard life will be for Alabama in the post-Nick Saban era.

B: Sherrone Moore, Michigan (7-5)​

Moore’s grade would’ve been much lower had he not led Michigan to yet another win against Ohio State. That changes the complexion of a season that had to that point been defined by missed opportunities and one of the worst offenses in recent program history.

B: Bryant Vincent, Louisiana-Monroe (5-7)​

Winning five games at ULM is cause for some celebration. The Warhawks were picked dead last in the preseason Sun Belt poll. But the disappointment comes from the fact they were 5-1 at the midseason point before swooning down the stretch.

B-: Jedd Fisch, Washington (6-6)​

The Huskies also petered out as the schedule grew tougher in October and November, capped by a blowout loss to rival Oregon to end the regular season. Given what the team lost from last year’s national runner-up, though, this was an acceptable debut for the former Arizona coach.

B-: Willie Fritz, Houston (4-8)​

This was only Fritz’s second losing season since 2017 and just his sixth overall since starting as a college head coach at Central Missouri in 1997. A weak offense was a season-long concern, but the Cougars showed enough fight to suggest another Fritz-led turnaround is coming fast.

C+: Scotty Walden, Texas-El Paso (3-9)​

UTEP went 3-3 in the second half and made some noticeable strides on offense in wins against Kennesaw State and New Mexico State. The Miners lost twice to Power Four competition and another four times to teams that finished with eight or more wins.

B-: Willie Fritz, Houston (4-8)​

This was only Fritz’s second losing season since 2017 and just his sixth overall since starting as a college head coach at Central Missouri in 1997. A weak offense was a season-long concern, but the Cougars showed enough fight to suggest another Fritz-led turnaround is coming fast.

C+: Scotty Walden, Texas-El Paso (3-9)​

UTEP went 3-3 in the second half and made some noticeable strides on offense in wins against Kennesaw State and New Mexico State. The Miners lost twice to Power Four competition and another four times to teams that finished with eight or more wins.

C-: Trent Bray, Oregon State (5-7)​

This was a definitely a step-back season given the Beavers’ easier schedule as the one of two remaining members of the disbanded Pac-12. Oregon State lost to Nevada and was blown out by California and Air Force.

C-: Jeff Choate, Nevada (3-10)​

Nevada added only one win from 2023 and still finished last in the Mountain West. But the Wolf Pack were much, much more competitive, losing by a possession to SMU, Georgia Southern, San Jose State, Fresno State, Boise State and Air Force.

C-: Jonathan Smith, Michigan State (5-7)​

Michigan State had a very nice win against Iowa in October. But the remaining four wins were Florida Atlantic, Maryland, Prairie View and Purdue. Smith’s grade is docked for the Spartans’ 41-14 loss at home to Rutgers in the season finale to fall one win short of the postseason.

D+: Sean Lewis, San Diego State (3-9)​

SDSU failed to score more than 27 points in a game against FBS competition, a surprising development given Lewis’ background as an offensive coach. The three wins were the Aztecs’ fewest in a season since 2008 and tied for the fewest by a first-year coach since 1945.

D+: Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee State (3-9)​

Picked fourth in the preseason Conference USA poll, MTSU beat only Kennesaw State and UTEP to finish in a three-way tie for last place. Mason’s first year was defined by a series of blowouts; all nine losses were decided by double digits, and all but one of those nine by at least 17 points.

D+: Jay Sawvel, Wyoming (3-9)​

Sawvel’s debut seemed to turn a corner in November with wins against New Mexico and Washington State. But the season was littered with close losses, including a near miss against Boise State in November. Sawvel will have to put some tough lessons to use this offseason in order to get Wyoming back into the top half of the MWC.

D: Brent Brennan, Arizona (4-8)​

Arizona was ranked No. 21 in the preseason Coaches Poll and fifth in the preseason Big 12 poll, as one of five teams to earn at least one first-place vote. The Wildcats ended up one spot from the bottom in the conference standings and were embarrassed in November with blowout losses to Central Florida, TCU and rival Arizona State. While not a Florida State-level disappointment, Arizona was one of the biggest letdowns in the FBS.

D: Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State (2-10)​

The former Mississippi and Oklahoma offensive coordinator and first-time head coach led the Bulldogs to wins against Eastern Kentucky and Massachusetts — and that’s it. MSU was blown out by an average Toledo team in non-conference play and lost all eight SEC games by double digits.

Stephen Rusnak
@stephenrusnak

After much thought and consideration, I have entered the Transfer Portal for my final year of eligibility. Thank you to Charlotte for everything, forever a 49er. 11/11 FG Long of 54 yards, 78% Touchback Percentage.

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