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Multiple recruits have told me they just spoke to Harlon Barnett, and he told them he will be staying with the Michigan State program under the new regime. What his exact role will be is unclear right now.

Update: Barnett will not be retained.

Wednesday marked the opening of the early signing period for the class of 2024, and Michigan State head football coach Jonathan Smith was available to discuss the incoming Spartans.

"We're not done," Smith said. "I mean, this thing, this landscape now, college football, you can add to your roster 365 days a year. We're in the midst of the (transfer) portal being opened, and so there's opportunities there as well. Visits early in January, got a second signing day in February that we're gonna attack, same time, the portal will open again end of April. I feel confident we'll continue to add to the roster throughout the year. "But back to this day, first day starting, signing day, I feel awesome about this group of young men we're bringing in."

Much more here:

Good evening from the banks of the Red Cedar. I am back again tonight along with @DavidHarns and @Ryan OBleness

Michigan State kept the good times rolling on Thursday night against Stony Brook, check out the recap below!

Ryan, Good morning, thanks for all the work you did over the past few months....

I'm concerned about the DL situation. Are you? Any news whatsoever on potential late signee's and Harmon?

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Four Michigan State Spartans – redshirt freshman punter Ryan Eckley, redshirt junior linebacker/long snapper Sam Edwards, redshirt senior defensive tackle Maverick Hansen and sophomore safety Jaden Mangham – have been named to the Academic All-District Football Team for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

The team was selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC); student-athletes needed to be a starter or significant contributor to the team while also posting a minimum 3.5 grade-point average for consideration.

The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA. All four of Michigan State’s all-district honorees will advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot to be voted on by CSC members.

Eckley, who was named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and a second-team All-Big Ten honoree by the league’s media and coaches, ranks second in the Big Ten and seventh in the FBS with his 46.8-yard punting average, which was the fifth-longest average in MSU single-season history. The Kinesiology major also ranks second in the Big Ten in 50-plus yard punts (24) and fourth in punts inside the 20 (23). He also had four punts of 60-plus yards and 15 inside the 10-yard line.

Edwards was the team’s starting long snapper on field goals and PATs the final eight games of the season and saw action on multiple special teams units. He made a total of 137 appearances on special teams, fifth most on the team, and also played 16 snaps at linebacker. The Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy/International Relations major appeared in all 12 regular-season games and posted tackles against Michigan and Penn State.

Hansen, who was named a Campbell Trophy semifinalist for the nation’s top scholar-athlete by the National Football Foundation, recorded 21 tackles, including 1.5 sacks in playing 11 games. A Hospitality Business major, Hansen has 90 career tackles and eight TFLs with five sacks in 42 career games.

Mangham led the team and ranked tied for sixth in the Big Ten in the regular season with a career-high four interceptions. Mangham, a Communication major, started in 10 of the 12 games at safety (DNP at Iowa due to injury) for the Spartans, and also had three pass break-ups and 53 tackles.

For more information about the CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.

Full press release here:

I had a chance yesterday to attend Coach Smith’s first signing day press conference. It was also the first time that I had been in the same room with the new coach, so that was a cool experience.

He did not speak for very long, but he did have some interesting thing to say about some of the newest Spartans, his sales pitch to them, and a little about the path forward. Here is my article


One thing that I did not include is that Smith said it was not clear at this point if MSU was going to have a Spring football game or not. He implied that there was too much uncertainty in the roster, and that he was not sure if he would have enough players.

That said, I would be shocked if there is not some version of a Spring Game. From a pure PR standpoint, MSU needs to find a way to do it, and I am confident that they will. I would also be pretty surprised if they use the weird practice-like format that Tucker used. That was odd and I don’t think anyone liked it.

Finally, Smith comes off as a very friendly dude, but there is some quiet intensity to him. Some of his quotes about the players currently in the transfer portal were eyebrow raising.

“We're definitely aggressively trying to retain a few, not all, but a few."

Oh my…

It is also clear that he expects to be competitive in the new Big Ten right now, and it will not surprise me at all if he has this team in a bowl game next season. He has already assembled a better recruiting class in 25 days at Michigan State than he ever did at Oregon State. There were also two words that came up a lot on Wednesday: “opportunity” and “development.”

So far, I like what I see from Smith, but there are an awful lot of unknowns going into next year. It should be a fun ride.

Of the 11 Spartans still in the transfer portal, the 5 I hope Coach Smith goes after hard are (in order) D Harmon, J Glover, Z Young, J Windmon and D Butler.

We're expecting more good news to be announced for Michigan State on the recruiting trail tonight. I would suggest paying attention to social media and our website around 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Was on campus this weekend quietly. Staff had given him an offer for Oregon State.

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The fifth transfer portal addition of this cycle.

Story soon.

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We're tracking all of Michigan State's class of 2024 signings and official transfer additions in the article below. Follow along!

Jonathan Smith joined Adam Gorney on the Rivals National Signing Day Studio Show.

Watch the interview here:

Michigan State has landed a commitment from an important in-state linebacker as 2024 three-star prospect Brady Pretzlaff pledged to the Spartans. He will sign his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday as well.

"My message to Michigan State fans is I will do everything in my power to bring as much success to East Lansing as possible," Pretzlaff said.

More here:

The Gaylord, MI LB just announced for the green and white in a ceremony at the high school.

Jonathan Smith will have his signing day press conference to talk about Michigan State's 2024 class at 2 p.m. ET.

Spartans Illustrated will have coverage from East Lansing as @Ryan OBleness and @Dr. Green and White will be on site as I hold the fort down from home.

In mean time, check out the Spartans Illustrated signing day tracker for the latest info:

With the early signing period opening on Wednesday (Dec. 20), Michigan State's strong run of commitments continues, as 2024 three-star defensive end Kekai Burnett has given his pledge to the Spartans.

Burnett was previously committed to Oregon State under head coach Jonathan Smith and defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa. Now with Smith, Suiaunoa and many other former OSU coaches at Michigan State, Burnett chose to follow the staff to East Lansing.

"Coach Smith is going to change this program around just like how he did at Oregon State," Burnett told Spartans Illustrated. "I love how Coach Legi (Suiaunoa) coaches. He knows his stuff. Both Coach Legi and Coach Smith are not only great football coaches, they are great people. And that’s what I like most about them."

More here:

It feels like Phoenix rising from the ashes! The cupboard was pretty bare before he arrived, but he is on a recruiting roll. The first year will not be easy, but a whole new look in offense and defense augurs well down the road. Go green!

. . . Francis Brewu?

More here:

The four-star quarterback from Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove decommitted from Duke earlier today and now has Indiana and Michigan State as the two schools he will consider in his recruitment.

Getting to know both coaching staffs, being pursued by both. Will be interesting to see how this plays out down the stretch.

Right here: