3 Things We've Learned About MSU's New Offense So Far
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Michigan State's offense is going to look a lot different this season.
The only full-time starters coming back from last season are Conner Moore and Chrishon McCray. Other key players are also back, but the Spartans will have a new starting quarterback, several new running backs, a rebuilt offensive line, several new wide receivers, and a new offensive coordinator, Nick Sheridan. Here are some things we know so far from fall camp:
Shift Perhaps in Works for Moore
One thing that caught my eye during the first day of camp was that Moore seemed to be working on the left side of the offensive line. Moore was Michigan State's starting right tackle last season, but it doesn't seem like he's going to be at the same spot during his second season with the Spartans. Moore was repping at right guard during the spring game, though his moving to left guard wouldn't be a stunner, either.
A major reason for this could be the other options MSU has at right tackle now. The Spartans went and got Georgia Southern transfer Robert Wright Jr. from the portal. Wright started at right tackle last season and didn't get flagged once all season. He allowed five catches with 20 pressures, according to PFF. Moore, on the other hand, was flagged six times with six allowed sacks and 30 pressures. He also can't be the starting left tackle, as that's Ben Murawski's turf.
Returning junior Rakeem Johnson could also start at that spot. He was starting there during the spring game. Johnson and Moore being where they were seemed a little odd, since most of Johnson's snaps last season were at right guard.
Nick Sharpe is the other part of the equation. He played left guard at South Carolina last season, but he played nothing but right guard during his four seasons at Wake Forest. Sharpe was coached by offensive line coach Nick Tabacca there, and now the two of them are back together at Michigan State.
Early Answers at Tight End
Thursday also provided the first glimpse in a while of where things may stand with the tight ends. The first two players who were getting reps during a drill with the quarterbacks were Jayden Savoury and Brennan Parachek. It was one drill, but Savoury stood out quite a bit to me. True freshman Eddie Whiting, who went with Kai Rios in the second group, also looked pretty solid for a young guy.
Savoury maybe should have been Michigan State's third tight end last year, or at least someone who played a few snaps here and there. He appeared in a few early-season games, but didn't see the field during the back portion of the season in order to preserve his redshirt. Savoury made one catch against Boston College, an impressive high-point grab that gained 16 yards.
Parachek, who was a junior last fall, also redshirted. He appeared in four early-season games as well, not making a catch, before not appearing for the rest of the season. Parachek was listed as "out" on the team's availability reports, but he also eventually got Scout Team Player of the Week honors once, indicating fair health. Parachek is entering his fourth year with the program with 14 career receptions for 118 yards.
Carson Gulker is the interesting part here. He seemed to be the fifth tight end on Thursday, but his athleticism and versatility as a passer, rusher, and receiver make him a valuable asset this season.
Outlook Further Down QB Depth Chart
Some cameras may also have given away who the QB3 is right now. Alessio Milivojevic will be the starter, and Pat Fitzgerald has also already named UCF transfer Cam Fancher as the primary backup. Michigan State is putting cameras on its quarterbacks' helmets to get a first-person look at the film. There were only three of them, though. The third was on the helmet of second-year player Leo Hannan.
This probably means that 4-star true freshman Kayd Coffman is the QB4 for now. There is also freshman walk-on Peyton Babbit as the fifth quarterback in the room -- he, interestingly, chose to wear No. 23.
Hannan didn't appear in a game last season, spending most of the year as the QB3. He was the primary backup for a couple of games later in the year while Milivojevic was the starter and Aidan Chiles was out with a foot injury.
Coffman is one of the most exciting recruiting additions for Michigan State this year. He was the No. 19 quarterback in the class of 2026, per the 247Sports Composite, as well as the No. 6 overall prospect from Michigan. His offer list would've probably been a lot better had he not committed to MSU rather quickly.
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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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