New Penn State head coach Matt Campbell is trying hard to correct Penn State’s “weak WR production” reputation under the James Franklin era. WR output has been abysmal since the 2022 recruiting class, with talent often slipping away or underperforming, as evidenced by Lex Cyrus’ flip in 2024 or high portal reliance for the unit. To correct it, Campbell is now targeting a Michigan State WR commit and tracing his father’s Penn State roots to land him.

Penn State reportedly hosted 4-star, highly talented WR Samson Gash last week. Subsequently, Matt Campbell’s staff also followed up with an in-home visit for the player. Gash’s recruitment to Penn State is also heating up since his father, Sam Gash, played as a fullback for the Nittany Lions and was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1992’s NFL draft.

A 4-star prospect from South Lyon, Michigan, Gash’s recruitment saw him getting offers from more than 20 programs. That also included bluebloods like Alabama, Georgia, and offers from Michigan State, Illinois and WVU followed suit. Despite the high interest, Michigan State sealed Gash’s commitment in June 2025, which was seen as a big in-state win for the program.

At the time, previous head coach Jonathan Smith recruited the Michigan native, and he remained committed for good. However, when Smith parted ways with the team and new head coach Pat Fitzgerald arrived, Gash delayed signing during the early signing period in December and said he was “weighing all options.” Penn State quickly followed it with a legacy offer on December 8.

Ever since then, both PSU and Michigan State have been locked in a recruiting battle for the 6-foot and 185 lbs WR, and currently, it’s hard to say where he will land.

“I still consider myself committed, but I am weighing all options right now,” Gash said. “The head coach [Pat Fitzgerald] came in for a home visit last night along with a few other coaches, and I have an official visit set for January 31.”

Pat Fitzgerald subsequently hosted Samson on the official visit at an MSU basketball game. The player was seen accompanying the head coach, walking out of the tunnel from courtside. He was then introduced to Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions’ head coach, in attendance.

By the looks of it, both Penn State and MSU are pushing hard for the player, and Gash will now have to make a decision swiftly since the national signing day is on February 4. However, one program has a slight “edge” in Samson Gash’s recruitment for now.

Penn State faces a test against time to land Samson Gash

Samson Gash is as good as a WR can get for his age. The Detroit Catholic Central player received 731 yards in 2024, averaging 17.4 yards per catch. In doing so, he led his high school to an impressive 12-1 record and took the team to Michigan’s Division 1 playoffs.

Before that, in 2023, the 6-foot WR averaged 15.4 yards per catch, showing consistent dominance throughout his career. On top of this, he is also a track and field athlete and has a state record of 10.41 seconds in the 100-meter dash. No wonder both Matt Campbell and MSU are after him aggressively.

However, according to a Rivals report, Michigan State has the upper hand in Gash’s recruitment currently. The program’s staff and facilities made a great “impression” on him, and he got good feedback from his brother Caleb, who is already enrolled at MSU.

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“The Spartans have the momentum with Gash right now,” Rivals’ Greg Smith reported.

Samson has set his commitment date on February 4, and Penn State now will have to do more than just invoke his father’s legacy. Matt Campbell also has a huge rebuilding task to accomplish since his 2026 class has tanked massively. The class ranks 64th nationally after numerous players decommitted post James Franklin’s departure. Samson’s commitment, in effect, can be a band-aid for alleviating some of the recruiting woes.