Michigan State enters Friday night with a new coach, a heavily rebuilt roster and a clear message from Jonathan Smith’s successor, Pat Fitzgerald: the program needs to match the energy that’s been building around East Lansing.
“The hunger and the want and the need - [the fans] deserve it, and we’ve got to go out and play that way,” Fitzgerald said at his press conference on Monday.
Since Fitzgerald was hired in November, the mood around the program has shifted. He said that change has become even more noticeable now that students are back on campus, with the Spartans sensing a new kind of anticipation ahead of the 2026 season.
“There was definitely a different buzz in the air,” Fitzgerald said when describing the shift in energy.
That buzz is tied to just how much has changed. Michigan State brings in 32 transfers, one of the larger incoming groups in the country, after losing 37 players to the portal following a 5-7 season a year ago. On top of that, Fitzgerald added 11 new coaches, leaving the opener as the first real look at how all of those pieces are going to come together.
The turnover also guarantees a long list of position battles and a roster that is still very much being shaped. With so many newcomers, Fitzgerald and his staff have a chance to build the team around their own culture and vision.
According to Ourlads, 12 of the 32 transfers are projected to start on either side of the ball, which means a good chunk of the new faces should be on the field right away. Friday night will give fans their first chance to see how quickly those additions can settle in.
Among the returners, redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic stands out as one of the most important pieces. He’ll be asked to set the tone after a disappointing finish to last season, and Fitzgerald said the quarterback has taken major steps over the offseason.
“I think pressure is a privilege. I really do.
I think that means you’re prepared for an opportunity,” Fitzgerald said. “So, I look forward to the challenge.
I don’t look at it as pressure. I look at it as an unbelievable opportunity.”
That opportunity arrives Friday night, and for Fitzgerald it marks the beginning of his time leading the program. For Michigan State, it’s the first crack at a fresh start.
“The fan base has been amazing. Spartan nation has been incredible since day one,” Fitzgerald said. “Now we have to do our part."
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