Honestly, the mood around East Lansing right now is a bizarre cocktail of "what just happened?" and "let's go." If you’ve been following the whirlwind of Michigan State football news over the last few months, you know the Jonathan Smith era didn't just end—it evaporated. After an eight-game losing skid to close out 2025 and a mess of vacated wins, the Spartans find themselves under the command of Pat Fitzgerald.
Yeah, that Pat Fitzgerald.
It's Jan. 17, 2026, and the transfer portal has basically been a revolving door at the Skandalaris Center. The dust is still settling, but the picture is getting clearer. Fitzgerald isn't just trying to win games; he’s trying to perform a full-scale cultural exorcism on a program that felt like it was drifting into the abyss.
Why the Quarterback Room is a Total Wildcard
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Aidan Chiles is gone. He’s headed to Northwestern to play for Chip Kelly. It’s a bit of a gut punch considering the hype he brought from Oregon State, but the stats didn't lie in 2025. While he flashed brilliance, those 10 touchdowns against a mountain of pressure weren't enough to keep the job once Alessio Milivojevic started pushing him.
Milivojevic is the guy now. He’s already publicly committed to staying for 2026, which is huge for stability. But here is the kicker: Michigan State’s 2026 schedule is a psychological minefield. The Spartans are slated to face three of their former starting quarterbacks next season.
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- Aidan Chiles (Northwestern)
- Katin Houser (Illinois)
- Sam Leavitt (Potentially Kentucky or LSU, but if he lands in the B1G, watch out)
Imagine the atmosphere in Spartan Stadium when Chiles walks out in a purple jersey. It’s going to be toxic and electric all at once. Fitzgerald has to prep a kid like Milivojevic to handle that noise while the roster behind him is still being built with "portal duct tape" and high school upside.
Recruiting: The Battle for Samson Gash
If you want to know if Fitzgerald still has his "fastball" on the recruiting trail, look at the Samson Gash situation. Gash is arguably the most important recruit in the state of Michigan for the 2026 class. He’s a four-star wideout from Detroit Catholic Central who hasn't signed his Letter of Intent yet.
He’s currently tearing it up at the Polynesian Bowl, showing everyone why Alabama and other blue bloods are sniffing around.
Fitzgerald has been on FaceTime with him constantly. The 2026 class currently sits around No. 46 or No. 50 nationally, depending on which site you trust. That’s not "elite," but considering the 4-8 disaster last year, keeping 16 of the 20 original commits is a minor miracle.
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The Names You Need to Know for 2026
- Collin Campbell: A 6-foot-7 mountain of an offensive tackle from Arizona. He’s the crown jewel of the class and someone who might actually have to play early given how thin the O-line looks.
- Kayd Coffman: The local Grand Rapids QB. He’s a four-star guy who represents the "Wall around Michigan" strategy Fitzgerald is trying to revive.
- Kenneth Williams: The Nebraska transfer. He was Second Team All-Big Ten as a return specialist. For a team that struggled with field position for two years, this is a massive get.
The Transfer Portal Is Doing Heavy Lifting
We have to be real: the roster is thin. Fitzgerald lost his top three wide receivers and his two best running backs to the portal or graduation. You can't replace that with just high school kids.
The backfield is being rebuilt from scratch. Pat Fitzgerald went out and snagged Cam Edwards from UConn and Jaziun Patterson from Iowa. It’s not the flashiest group, but it’s Big Ten-style "three yards and a cloud of dust" football. It feels like the old-school Michigan State identity is being force-fed back into the program.
The defense is also a giant question mark. Jordan Hall is back at linebacker, which is the soul of that unit, but the depth behind him is scary. Like, "don't get injured" scary. Fitzgerald has always been a defensive mastermind, but he’s currently working with a cupboard that’s half-empty.
What to Watch for in Spring Ball
Spring practice usually starts in mid-March, and the storylines are already writing themselves. We need to see if the "Hawaiian Pipeline" that Jonathan Smith started actually survives under Fitzgerald. More importantly, we need to see how the offensive line gells.
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Stanton Ramil’s status at left tackle is still a "wait and see" situation. If he stays, Milivojevic has a blindside protector. If he leaves, the Spartans are starting from zero on the most important part of the line.
Actionable Insights for Spartan Fans:
- Monitor Samson Gash: If he signs in February, the Fitzgerald era has its first major "statement" win. If he goes to Alabama, it’s a sign that the "Wall around Michigan" is still crumbling.
- Watch the O-Line Portal: Expect at least two more veteran additions before spring ball. The current depth chart is too dangerous to take into a Big Ten schedule.
- Ticket Check: The 2026 home slate includes Oregon, Washington, and Nebraska. If you're planning to go, the secondary market is going to be brutal because of the "Fitzgerald Factor."
The rebuild is officially on. It won't be pretty, and 2026 might be a year of "growing pains" (a polite way of saying 6-6 is a success), but the energy has shifted. For the first time in a long time, there’s a clear, albeit difficult, path forward in East Lansing.