Pat Fitzgerald inherits a new era at Michigan State, seeking to rebuild after significant attrition and a losing streak.
The Pat Fitzgerald Era in East Lansing, Michigan has begun and there's a new outlook on the program. The former Northwestern head coach took the job earlier this offseason after finishing with a 110-101 record with the Wildcats. So far, he's surrounded himself with a solid staff including Notre Dame's former linebacker coach Max Bullough who returned to his alma mater to be co-defensive coordinator.
Fitzgerald will have his work cut out for him in year one. Michigan State hasn't finished a season with a winning record since 2021 when they went 11-2 under former head coach Mel Tucker. Since then, the Spartans have a combined record of 18-30 but Fitzgerald is looking to turn it around. It won't be easy this season as they're set to face Notre Dame on the road, Oregon, Illinois and Michigan on the road. But this was still a strong hire for Michigan State.
Let's take a look at the Spartans.
2025 Record: 4-8 / 1-8
2024 Record: 5-7 / 3-6
Michigan State Offense
Starters Returning - QB Alessio Milivojevic, RB Brandon Tullis, WR Chrishon McCray, LT Rustin Young, RG Rakeem Johnson, RT Connor Moore
Starters Lost - QB Aiden Chiles (Transfer - Northwestern), RB Makhi Frazier (Transfer - Ole Miss), WR Nick Marsh (Transfer - Indiana), WR Omari Kelly, TE Jack Velling, LG Caleb Carter, C Matt Gulbin,
After any head coaching change, attrition is expected. Michigan State lost 44 total players to the portal but do have some returners expected to play a big role in this year's offense. Milivojevic (111-173, 63.1%, 1,267 yards, 6.9 YPA, 10 TD, 3 INT) finished the season as the No. 1 quarterback starting games against Minnesota on the road, Penn State, Iowa on the road and Maryland at home where they ended their season with a win.
Tullis (69 att., 301 yards, 4.4 YPC, 4 TD) also returns to the backfield. The Dallas, Texas native started in several games last season and ended as the team's third leading rusher. McCray (24 rec., 330 yards, 13.8 YPC, 3 TD) is the lone receiver returning to East Lansing while Young and Moore hold down the right side of the offensive line. Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan will have some experience returning on offense combined with some much-needed portal additions.
Michigan State Defense
Starters Returning - DT Ben Roberts, EDGE Isaac Smith, LB Jordan Hall, DB Nikai Martinez
Starters Lost - DE Jalen Thompson (Transfer - Arizona State), DT Alex VanSumeren (Transfer - USC), DT Grady Kelly, LB Wayne Matthews III, LB Darius Snow, NB Ade Willie (Transfer - North Carolina), CB Malcolm Bell, CB Ayden West (Transfer - Minnesota), CB Joshua Eaton, S Malik Spencer, S Armorion Smith (Transfer - Toledo)
There was no shortage of attrition on the defensive side of the ball either. Key depth pieces and five starters from 2025 all hit this portal after the new head coaching hire. Thankfully, players like Hall (88 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT) return to the linebacking corps and Martinez (24 tackles) was granted a 6th year of eligibility to give a depleted secondary a veteran presence.
Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, along with Bullough from Notre Dame, will also be relying on Roberts (11 tackles) and Smith (26 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1.0 TFL) to anchor the defensive line. Similar to the offensive side of the ball, portal additions will play a major role, especially on the back end after losing two safeties with starting experience, their starting cornerbacks and starting nickel corner to the portal of NFL Draft.
Portal Additions
Top Transfers - Offense: RB Cam Edwards (UConn), WR KK Smith (Notre Dame), LT Ben Murawski (UConn), LG Nick Sharpe (South Carolina), C Trent Fraley (North Dakota State) RT Robert Wright Jr. (Georgia Southern),
Top Transfers - Defense: EDGE Keahnist Thompson (Weber State), EDGE Trey Lisle (SE Missouri State), DL Eli Coenen (Illinois), LB Dion Crawford (Buffalo), LB Kenny Soares Jr. (NC State), CB Tyran Chappell (Houston Christian), CB Tre Bell (Iowa State), S Devin Vaught (Maine), S Cam Stodghill (Albany),
Edwards (210 att., 1,240 yards, 5.9 YPC, 15 TD) leads the charge in this offensive portal class. He was UCONN's leading rusher in 2025 and looks to repeat his production this season for Michigan State. Smith (8 rec., 123 yards, 15.4 YPC, 2 TD) gives this receiving corps an element of speed and big play ability it lost with Marsh entering the portal. A handful of starting offensive lineman from UCONN, South Carolina and North Dakota State are all expected to compete for starting spots the minute spring ball starts.
Defensively, they reloaded as well. They got a lot of size along the line in Lisle from SE Missouri St who is a 6-6, 230-pound edge rusher. Michigan State also picked up Coenen from Illinois who is a 6-7, 275-pound defensive lineman. At linebacker, they snagged Soares Jr. (80 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 2 passes defended) from NC State who the Irish have familiarity with. They also picked up significant size and experience in the secondary including Bell (36 tackles, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 2 INTs) from Iowa State.
2026 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 47 Rivals/On3 - No. 48 247Sports
2026 SCHEDULE
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