Retaining Milivojevic Early Must for Fitzgerald at Michigan State
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The differences in the 2026 roster and the 2025 roster at Michigan State will probably be difficult to understate. Jonathan Smith is out, and Pat Fitzgerald is now in as the head coach of the Spartans. In this current college football climate, that means a lot of players will be going out, and a lot will soon be coming in.
MSU and Fitzgerald must do everything they can to keep Alessio Milivojevic from becoming one of the players who leave.
Milivojevic's 2025 Season
Milivojevic's redshirt freshman season started as poorly as it could go. He came in relief of Aidan Chiles in the season opener against Western Michigan, and his only pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown --- the Broncos' only points of that game. His only pass as a true freshman was an interception against Rutgers in last year's season finale, too.
Despite the early adversity, Milivojevic bided his time and waited for more on-field opportunities to prove himself. His first real game action of his career was against Nebraska, when Chiles was removed from the game in the middle of a promising drive. Starting in the red zone, Milivojevic ended up getting his first career touchdown pass to Jack Velling. During garbage time towards the end of the game, Milivojevic led a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.
After a few other promising-looking drives towards the end of games and a long losing streak, Milivojevic got his shot at being a starting quarterback ahead of the game against Minnesota. He instantly proved his worthiness at the spot, throwing for 311 yards during the overtime loss.
Milivojevic also looked solid during games against Penn State and Iowa, throwing for 128 and 255 yards, respectively, during both of those contests against pretty good defenses. He then ended the season on an even higher note, throwing for 292 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception against Maryland on Saturday --- picking up his first win as a starting QB in the process.
So Much Time to Grow
A major reason why Milivojevic should be a top priority for Fitzgerald in the early days of his Michigan State tenure is that he is still so young. This was just his redshirt freshman season, meaning he has three years of eligibility remaining.
It won't be an easy task. A quarterback who could be a quality starting QB for three seasons is always a valuable asset for any college football program. Fitzgerald has to convince Milivojevic that his best path forward is at MSU after quickly replacing Smith and the staff that recruited him to MSU and that he's spent two seasons with.
If Fitzgerald can keep Milivojevic in East Lansing, that instantly pencils in a quality starter for his first team at the most important position in the sport. One of the downfalls of the Smith era was the lack of development seen in Aidan Chiles, which is a reason why Milivojevic got a shot at being a starter in the first place.
Even though he only started four games, it's clear that the future is bright for Milivojevic. He makes good decisions with the ball, delivers with accuracy, and is on the tougher side --- mentally and physically.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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