3 Underrated Moves Fitzgerald Made in First Offseason at MSU
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It's been a whirlwind of an offseason for Michigan State.
That's always the case after a coaching change, with Pat Fitzgerald now in charge. Between a brand-new staff, 31 incoming transfers, and trying to keep the 2026 recruiting class together, lots of moves have been made: some big, some small. These three stand out as some of the most underrated.
Hiring of LeVar Woods
One of the splash moves was the hiring of LeVar Woods as special teams coordinator. Woods previously served as the special teams coach at Iowa, becoming one of the best special teams coaches in the sport. Hiring special teams coordinators usually doesn't come with much pizazz, but this is about as flashy as it gets (MSU is paying him like that with an average salary of $1.2 million over three years).
It's a hefty price tag for a special teams coordinator, but it can be a very worthwhile investment. Special teams mistakes were big reasons why the Spartans lost to Nebraska (blocked punt TD) and Iowa (punt return TD, other big returns) last season. Jonathan Smith didn't have a dedicated special teams coordinator, though. That might've been the difference between 4-8 and a bowl game.
Keeping Top End of 2026 Class Together
One major concern during a coaching change is how recruits will react. Especially when these decisions happen so close to the early signing period, it's relatively common to see guys get cold feet and/or look elsewhere. The Spartans lost a few recruits here and there, but Fitzgerald did a good job overall getting everybody to stick around.
That's true at the top end of the class, too. Michigan State had three 4-star recruits in its 2026 class. All stuck with the Spartans. Offensive tackle Collin Campbell and quarterback Kayd Coffman both signed early. Wide receiver Samson Gash took a few more months to decide, but never officially backed off his original commitment to the program.
Retainment of Hall, Milivojevic
Roster retention is also a major factor in starting a new job these days. More than 40 Spartans ended up entering the portal this offseason, in fact. Fitzgerald went 2-for-3 at keeping the top names on my hypothetical list for 2026, though: he managed to keep quarterback Alessio Milivojevic and linebacker Jordan Hall around, but Nick Marsh ended up going to Indiana.
Milivojevic and Hall have already emerged as the respective leaders on offense and defense. Milivojevic only has four (promising) games of starting experience, but his three remaining years of eligibility open the possibility that Fitzgerald already has his "program" QB. Hall is a senior in 2026, but keeping him around is just extremely important for setting the right culture moving forward in East Lansing.
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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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