Michigan State’s rebuild under Pat Fitzgerald starts where a lot of rebuilds have to start: up front.
If the Spartans are going to claw their way back into the Big Ten conversation, the offensive line may end up being the piece that changes everything. Fitzgerald has overhauled the roster with transfers from around the country, and the front five looks like one of the clearest signs that this thing could move in the right direction quickly.
There is some continuity on the right side, where Michigan State brings back starters Conner Moore at right tackle and Luka Vincic at right guard. Vincic is returning after a significant injury in week three last fall, which makes his presence even more important for a unit trying to settle in fast.
The bigger change comes from left tackle through center. UConn transfer Ben Murawski is expected to step in at left tackle, and he brings the kind of size that jumps off the page at 6-foot-7, 340 pounds. On tape for the Huskies, he showed up as a lead blocker for star running back and transfer Cam Edwards.
Inside, the Spartans add another massive body in Nick Sharpe, a sixth-year senior from South Carolina. At 6-foot-2 and 351 pounds, he gives Michigan State a huge presence in the middle and a chance to win some of the physical battles that define Big Ten football.
At center, Michigan State is moving on from standout Matt Gulbin and turning to North Dakota State transfer Trent Fraley. Fraley is making a major leap from the FCS to the Big Ten, and he’s the smallest starter in the group, but his role matters just as much as anyone’s.
That’s because this offense seems built to lean on the run. With Edwards in the mix, Fitzgerald has every reason to make him the feature piece and hammer away early and often. The line’s sheer size suggests offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan may spend plenty of the regular season trying to create movement and running lanes first, then building from there.
For a fan base wondering whether things can really be worse than last year, the answer from this group looks like no. At minimum, this line has a chance to become a strength, which would be a major boost for Sheridan, Edwards, starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, and his new-look receiver group.
A line that can protect the quarterback and open real creases in the run game changes the whole equation. It gives Michigan State a path to more wins, a better shot at bowl eligibility in December, and a ceiling that looks even higher in 2027.
Murawski, Sharpe, and Moore should all matter a lot to what the Spartans want to do. And when Michigan State lines up against teams like Notre Dame and Oregon, this front could be the part of the roster that tells the real story of the program’s resurgence.
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