Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker has turned to one of the Spartans’ greatest receivers to join the staff in East Lansing.

Wednesday, Michigan State announced that it has hired Courtney Hawkins to be the team’s wide receivers coach. Hawkins was a member of the football program in East Lansing from 1988-91, playing under George Perles. He also enjoyed a nine-year career in the NFL.

Since 2006, Hawkins has been the football coach at Flint Beecher. This will be his first job in the college ranks.

“Courtney Hawkins was a phenomenal player here at Michigan State who went on to have a very successful career in the NFL,” Tucker said in a release. “He’s shown tremendous leadership serving as both the athletic director and head football coach at Flint Beecher High School. I’m really excited to get him here on campus.”

Hawkins caught 138 passes for 2,210 yards and 12 touchdowns during his four years with the Spartans. He was selected in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992-96) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1997-2000) during his professional career.

In nine NFL seasons, Hawkins totaled 4,573 yards and 18 touchdowns on 366 catches.