Michigan State fans got the answer they wanted from Pat Fitzgerald on Monday, and it came without any hedging, soft-pedaling or awkward detours.
“From the minute I took the job, I think I was pretty clear that I understood what this rivalry meant.” Fitzgerald also said it had been “top of mind” since his first day on the job.
That was the kind of response that lands with a fanbase that wants its coach to sound like he gets it. It stood in sharp contrast to the way Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham handled questions after Michigan’s narrow road win over Rutgers on Saturday, when he said he was “very interested” in being part of the Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry, called it big but not the biggest, and then followed up on Monday by saying he understands how intense it is and noting there was even a fight in the tunnel.
To Michigan fans, it came off like he didn’t quite understand the weight of it.
Fitzgerald, though, came across as someone who did. His answer had the kind of directness that makes a rivalry feel personal to the program, the alumni and the fanbase. It was the sort of statement that makes clear he knows exactly what this game means.
That’s why the reaction was so different. Whittingham’s comments felt like he was dancing around the question, while Fitzgerald sounded locked in from the start. The contrast was obvious enough that even Michigan fans were left wishing their own coach would take notes from Michigan State’s head man.
Now comes the part that matters most: turning the right words into the right result.
Michigan State fans have heard plenty of talk before, and Fitzgerald’s energy is a welcome change after two years of stale “man, I want to win that thing” comments from Smith. But the attitude only goes so far if it doesn’t show up on the field.
A win over Michigan on Saturday would do more than settle the rivalry question for one week. It would buy Fitzgerald a year of good will with the fanbase and create real momentum heading into what is likely to be a long bowl-less winter.
For now, Fitzgerald has said everything the fanbase wanted to hear. The next step is simple: win the game, and let the rest take care of itself.
In Other News...
Michigan State Opens With Pressure On Its New-Look Frontcourt
Michigan State opens its basketball season Tuesday night at the Breslin Center against Quinnipiac, with the Spartans carrying the weight that comes with a No. 6 preseason ranking and the familiar expectations that follow a Tom Izzo team. It is Izzos 32nd season in East Lansing, and this opener offers the first real look at how a reshaped frontcourt fits into the bigger picture, especially with the kind of lineup questions that tend to matter early before the rotation settles.
Quinnipiac arrives with Tom Pecora on the sideline and enough structure to make the matchup more than a routine tune-up, even if the Spartans are supposed to have the deeper and more talented roster. The projected lineups, team updates and strengths-and-weaknesses breakdown suggest Michigan State has clear advantages, but also a few areas worth watching as the season begins and the new-look front line gets tested in a game that should reveal plenty about where this team stands. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Opener Puts Two Early Rotation Concerns Under The Spotlight
Michigan States season opener against Quinnipiac arrives with a couple of early rotation questions already hanging over Tom Izzos team. Coen Carr remains one of the most intriguing pieces on the roster, but his role still comes with a familiar caveat: the Spartans need more from his jump shot and his work on the glass if he is going to take the next step. The opener should offer an early look at how much progress he has made, and how Izzo wants to use him in a lineup that is still taking shape.
Anton Bonke is another name worth watching after seeing limited minutes in the exhibition games, while Kaleb Glenns return from injury adds another layer to the frontcourt picture. Izzo has already signaled that player development and lineup flexibility will matter as the Spartans sort out their best combinations, and the first game of the season is often where those plans start to become clearer. For a team trying to establish its identity right away, the early rotation choices could say as much as the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Opens With Pressure To Look Like A Contender
Michigan State opens its regular season against Quinnipiac with the kind of early test that can tell you a lot about where a team stands before the calendar really gets going. The Spartans are favored by statistical models, and they bring back much of last seasons core while also adding a strong recruiting class, which is exactly the sort of combination that tends to raise expectations in East Lansing.
Quinnipiac has shown in the past that it can hang around against high-major opponents, so this is not the sort of opener Michigan State can treat casually. The game will be available on B1G+ and on various radio stations, giving fans their first real look at whether the Spartans can start looking like the contender their roster suggests they should be. [Read more 🡒]