5 Bold Predictions for Michigan State Football's Fall Camp
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Michigan State football training camp officially begins on Thursday morning.
The Spartans are hoping this year, the first under Pat Fitzgerald, can result in their first bowl game since 2021. MSU actually has more new players on the roster (62) than returning players from last year (49), making this year's fall camp an especially important one. Here are five bold predictions for how things will go in the facility this August:
Returnees Emerge at WR
This is largely contingent on the NCAA's pending decision regarding Rodney Bullard Jr. He's been awaiting a decision since January, but nothing has come down yet. Bullard would be a real contender for a starting spot on Michigan State's offense if he were to be granted a waiver.
He and second-year player Charles Taplin were among the starters in MSU's spring game back in April. It is worth noting that that was with Notre Dame transfer KK Smith unavailable. I have Smith listed as a projected Week 1 starter, but that is partly due to the uncertainty around Bullard's eligibility status.
There is a real shot that Michigan State's three starting wideouts will be returning players if Bullard gets the chance. Chrishon McCray can be penciled in as the Spartans' starting slot receiver, but there is real competition at X and Z receiver.
MSU brought in three transfers at wide receiver this offseason: Smith, Fredrick Moore (Michigan), and Jameel Gardner Jr. (Jackson State). Smith and Moore are also on the list of contenders for a starting role, while Gardner will likely give the Spartans some experienced depth. True freshman Samson Gash should also be in the discussion.
Conner Moore Works Somewhere Other Than RT
MSU might be looking at a shift on the offensive line for Conner Moore, at least temporarily. There is a bit of a hole at right guard for the Spartans as Luka Vincic continues to recover from an injury he suffered last fall. Moore was getting some reps at right guard during the spring.
Moore playing left or right guard wouldn't be a stunner. He played 175 snaps of left guard back at Montana State, but that's compared to more than 2,000 career offensive snaps at either left or right tackle. He's never played right guard during a college game before. Nick Sharpe played left guard at South Carolina last year, but he played the right side when he was with Nick Tabacca at Wake Forest.
I still think Moore will move back to right tackle once Vincic is healthy, but the timeline for that is uncertain. Fitzgerald didn't indicate whether he'd be available for the opener or not, but said that the reports from his rehab have been "A+" so far.
Adam Shaw Carves Out Immediate LB Role
True freshman Adam Shaw was one of the biggest winners of the spring. He was on the field a ton during the Spartans' spring game, often with the second-teamers. Linebacker is already one of the strongest position groups MSU has, with Jordan Hall, Dion Crawford, and Caleb Wheatland all set to rotate around those two starting spots.
All of those guys are either fourth- or fifth-year players, but Shaw might be in a position to make a case for some playing time as a true freshman. He's the son of former Michigan State team captain and All-American Scott Shaw, which certainly isn't a bad sign.
Kicker Competition Emerges
LeVar Woods could also make the two kickers on MSU's roster compete for the starting role, or at least certain usages in certain situations. Michigan State brought in Charlotte transfer Liam Boyd from the portal and added Stephen Gonzales to its 2026 recruiting class.
Boyd is 10-for-13 on field goals during his career, but two of those misses are from inside 30 yards, and his career-long in college is 42 yards (he did make a 50-yarder in high school). Gonzales will have the bigger leg of the two. He made a 57-yarder last high school season. Maybe Gonzales is only brought in for longer-range field goals, but his being the kickoff guy would feel about right, too.
No Clear Winner in TE Battle
The competition in Michigan State's tight end room might stretch into the season. MSU has at least four players with a decent shot at playing time: Carson Gulker, Brennan Parachek, Kai Rios, and Jayden Savoury, with perhaps Eddie Whiting as a wild card.
Using those first two games against MAC opponents as a time to rotate everybody in and see who does well against a live opponent may be wise. All those tight ends above will be better in certain situations, so the Spartans never having a true, obvious, go-to TE1, but rather a by-committee approach, wouldn't be a surprise either.
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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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