Michigan State football: WR Christian Fitzpatrick announces his next school

Christian Fitzpatrick is the second former Michigan State football wideout on Friday to announce a transfer destination.

On Friday, former Michigan State football wide receiver Christian Fitzpatrick announced his destination for the 2024 season. The former Louisville Cardinal and Spartan will be heading to finish his career at Marshall. He is coming off of a season with 18 catches for 252 yards and a touchdown. He should have two years of eligibility left.

Christian Fitzpatrick is coming off his best collegiate season

Fitzpatrick, younger brother of former Louisville Cardinal and current Pittsburgh Steeler Dez Fitzpatrick, originally committed to Louisville as a member of the 2020 class. The Southfield product was rated as the No. 740 prospect in the country per the 247Sports Composite. After a freshman season where Christian started one game but recorded no stats, and older brother Dez left Louisville for the NFL draft, the younger Fitzpatrick hit the portal.  

Fitzpatrick’s first journey in the transfer portal was a short one. He entered in March 2021 and was committed to Mel Tucker’s Spartans a mere six days later. In his first season repping green and white, Fitzpatrick played in 11 games but had less than 100 snaps total for the season. Fitzpatrick also recorded his first two catches, a one-yarder, and a two-yarder, in losses to Purdue and Ohio State. That said, he was a part of the Peach Bowl-winning 2021 Spartans. 

However, 2022 was not much of an improvement for Fitzpatrick, as he saw the field for the first five games, but was then lost for the season due to injury. He had two receptions again, these coming for 17 yards against Akron. 

Fitzpatrick finally caught a break in 2023, with Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman each off to the NFL and Florida State, respectively. In the season opener, Fitzpatrick had a career-long 72-yard reception against the Central Michigan Chippewas. He was run down inside the 10, leaving his first score for another day. Against Washington, Fitzpatrick had arguably the play of the day, recording a 61-yard catch and run. The rest of the season saw Fitzpatrick as a rotational wide receiver, never recording more than two catches in a game. However, he did record his first career touchdown, coming against Nebraska. Following the final game on Nov. 28, Fitzpatrick entered the portal.

In the portal, Allen Trieu reported that Fitzpatrick held offers from NC State and South Carolina on Dec. 3. However, it appears Fitzpatrick was done with the opportunity to be a rotational receiver, as he elected to join the Marshall Thundering Herd. 

Fitzpatrick will be coached by Charles Huff, a coach whom readers might be familiar with. Huff was a coach who had a lot of early hype for Michigan State’s head coaching vacancy, but that appeared to faze out after Marshall limped home to a 6-6 season. 

Portal recap

Fitzpatrick and Tyrell Henry (Wisconsin) each announced their commitment on Friday. Of the four receivers to enter the portal, Sebastian Brown and Jaron Glover remain uncommitted. Fitzpatrick is the second Spartan to join the Sun Belt this offseason. He will now be facing off against quarterback Noah Kim, who transferred to Sun Belt East foe Coastal Carolina. 

On a brighter note…

With Nick Marsh coming in this offseason, two rotational pieces officially taking their talents from East Lansing are making his route to the field clearer by the day.