Michigan State Football in a Period of Self-Reflection

It’s been a strange few years for Michigan State football.

From the Mel Tucker tumult to the frustrating following years of Jonathan Smith, MSU has not been able to find its footing as a program. The Spartans have needed someone to come in and be a stabilizing presence.

They thought Smith would be that, but the situation he inherited was too much for him to clean up. Despite a worse season in the win-loss record, the Spartans made progress as a program under Smith.

It was not enough progress to save his job, and Smith was let go at the end of the season. Athletic Director J Batt quickly brought in Pat Fitzgerald to replace him as MSU’s head coach.

Where does the Spartan football program go from here with Fitzgerald leading the way?

The Michigan State football program's current stance

Greg Williams, left, shakes hands with Michigan State's new football coach Pat Fitzgerald during the coach's introductory press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at the Tom Izzo Football Building in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fitzgerald’s year-one expectations should be tempered, as the program has been in a tailspin for the past few years. If Fitzgerald shows his teams can compete on both sides of the ball, fans will be on board with his first season.

One of the biggest reasons a reset with a coach like Fitzgerald was needed is that he is a proven winner, but unlike Smith, Fitzgerald did it at the Big Ten level at a school that is difficult to win at.

Not only will Fitzgerald bring a winning pedigree to East Lansing, but he will also build a culture similar to what Mark Dantonio instilled, which made the Spartans one of the best programs in college football in the early 2010s.

Fans of the old Michigan State program are excited about Fitzgerald bringing back the classic feel of a Spartan football team.

Another one of the biggest perks of the MSU football job is the newest financial gift from Greg and Dawn Williams of Acrisure. The $401 million donation gives the athletic program financial flexibility to improve teams, including the football program.

Greg Williams, left, speaks during an event announcing his $401 million donation to Michigan State University on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. MSU President KevinÊGuskiewicz, center, and athletic director J Batt join Williams on the stage. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Spartan football will have the money to offer competitive NIL deals to recruits and transfers, something the program did not have in recent years. Fitzgerald does not have any academic restrictions to recruit against like he did at Northwestern, either.

MSU has a chance to do some reflecting and find out who it wants to be as a football program. Fitzgerald brings a clear identity to this program, and it’s one that fans are happy to have back.

What will this offseason and the next few years bring to Spartan football? We’ll find out as Fitzgerald establishes a culture.

Sep 7, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of Michigan State Spartans helmet on the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

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