Big Ten play arrives Saturday with Nebraska and Michigan State both chasing the same thing: a tone-setting result. A win would do just fine, too.
The Cornhuskers will face a Michigan State team that sits at 2-1, with the lone loss coming in a 27-10 defeat at Notre Dame. But the bigger story in East Lansing is the first year of Pat Fitzgerald, a change that has already altered the feel around the program.
To get a better read on what Fitzgerald has brought to Michigan State, we turned to Stephen Brooks of 247Sports’ Spartan Tailgate for some insight. He laid out what has changed, what looks familiar, and why the Spartans already feel different under their new coach.
“The vibes changed right away, and I know you can't measure that, but anyone who was around for the previous coaching staff could feel it immediately. Jonathan Smith and much of his staff were outsiders to MSU and the Big Ten, and while that was obvious at the time, it just gets reinforced in a major way just about every time Fitzgerald is in front of a mic.
I mean, Fitzgerald could be on the Big Ten brochure. He couldn't be a better fit in terms of his philosophies (grinder, underdog mentality, hard work, etc.).
He's supposedly more motivated than ever after sitting out the past three seasons.”
Brooks also pointed to a shift that goes beyond the sound bites. In his view, Michigan State’s energy now feels more connected to what the fan base has long expected from the program.
“So, the energy is way, way different. It's much more familiar in terms of what MSU fans know and appreciate historically.
He's an infinitely better orator than Mark Dantonio, so on the surface, comparisons may seem off, but in terms of the program's identity and overarching principles, there's a lot of overlap. Fitzgerald is a guy who has done it, done it in this league, and done it at a place without every advantage.
Those factors, coupled with being a charismatic personality who inspires confidence, have earned him a level of initial buy-in that Smith never received.”
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