Spartans scout FCS talent, seeking a breakout quarterback. Elon's Landen Clark, a proven freshman starter, could be the next big opportunity.
“No stone unturned” appears to be the guiding principle for Pat Fitzgerald and his staff this offseason.
Per Corey Robinson of 247Sports and CBS Sports, Michigan State is set to extend an offer to Elon quarterback Landen Clark, an FCS starter who started all 12 games as a freshman.
At one time, the idea of seriously pursuing an FCS quarterback may have seemed far-fetched. But that thinking is quickly fading. Just look at former Ferris State quarterback Trinity “Trinidad” Chambliss, who grew up outside Grand Rapids and didn’t receive serious interest from Michigan or Michigan State out of high school. Chambliss just led Ole Miss to a win over Georgia in the second round of the College Football Playoff and into the semifinals.
What once sounded crazy is now becoming common practice: finding quarterbacks who didn’t get a fair shake out of high school and giving them a real opportunity. It’s one of the biggest positives of the transfer portal and NIL—creating genuine parity in college football. And Fitzgerald and his staff have wasted no time exploring the possibility of finding the next FCS-to-FBS breakout star.
Michigan State’s quarterback room is solid as it stands—especially if you ask the truest Alessio Milivojevic believer... Me.
Milivojevic stepped in last season after Aidan Chiles went down and made his first start against Minnesota. Despite the loss in overtime, he showed fearlessness and confidence immediately. The Spartans dropped that game along with losses to Penn State and Iowa, but in the season finale, Milivojevic led MSU to its only conference win.
Across those four games, it became increasingly clear he was the best quarterback on the roster, raising questions about why Jonathan Smith remained so committed to Chiles. But both, Smith and Chiles, are gone now, and there’s no reason to dwell on the past.
If Clark were to accept the offer, he’d most likely compete with redshirt freshman Leo Hannan and incoming four-star freshman Kayd Coffman. That competition shouldn’t scare Clark off. If the offensive line resembles anything close to last season’s unit—hopefully it doesn’t—Milivojevic could be in for a difficult year regardless. His willingness to stand in the pocket as it collapses like a true quarterback is admirable, but it also invites risk. Opportunity has a way of presenting itself, even when you don’t want it to.
Clark completed 67% of his passes, going 155-of-277 for 2,321 yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as a freshman. He’s not just an accurate passer with a quick release—he’s dangerous with his legs. Clark logged 189 rushing attempts for 614 yards and 11 touchdowns, totaling 29 touchdowns on the season.
As a redshirt freshman, Clark appeared in four games, throwing just one incomplete pass and rushing four times for 11 yards, mostly in late-game situations.
Fitzgerald knows better than most how quickly rosters can turn over. With more than 40 players leaving East Lansing, the Spartans have been left thin—but not inactive. With each passing day, another intriguing name is being linked to Michigan State, and Landen Clark may be one of the most interesting yet.