Biggest Questions Headed Into First Full Week of MSU Camp
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Practices are now in full swing at Michigan State.
The Spartans are now starting their first full week of fall camp as the first season of the Pat Fitzgerald era draws nearer. These are a few pressing questions I have entering the coming week:
How Does the WR Battle Evolve?
MSU's wide receiver battle will be the main thing I'm looking at all the way up to Week 1 of the regular season. I'd say the list of contenders is now six, with Bryson Williams joining Charles Taplin, Rodney Bullard Jr., Samson Gash, KK Smith, and Fredrick Moore, from what I saw during the first day of practice this past Thursday.
I'm leaning toward Taplin and Bullard as the leaders to start alongside Chrishon McCray right now. Bullard is still awaiting word on his eligibility from the NCAA, though, so there is still a chance of a massive wrench being thrown into the competition at any given moment.
If and when Courtney Hawkins is made available, the other question is just how firm those starting spots will be. The gap between Nick Marsh, who got the second-most snaps among wideouts last year, and Bullard, who was the primary backup, was 540 snaps. That difference would've played the seventh-most snaps on the offense last year.
The skill gap between the starters and the backups won't be as large this year, though. Michigan State could still rotate in the second-teamers in order to get some fresher legs out there sometimes.
Could Shaw Truly Carve Out LB Role?
One freshman's name who keeps popping up is Adam Shaw. He's the son of former Michigan State All-American offensive lineman Scott Shaw, so he's got a lot to live up to, but Adam seems to be off to a great start. Fitzgerald singled him out as one player who had transformed his body since his arrival, saying he and fellow linebacker Cam Stodghill had gained around 15 pounds.
Shaw has a great pedigree from his family, but he wasn't the most hyped recruit in MSU's recruiting class. He missed nearly his entire senior season due to an injury, and he spent most of his high school career playing quarterback, rather than linebacker. There is usually a real learning curve for players like him entering college, but Shaw is certainly ahead of schedule right now.
Even if Shaw is a revelation, he's in a relatively packed linebacker room. Michigan State has a lot of proven experience, with Jordan Hall, Auburn transfer Caleb Wheatland, and Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford. All three of those guys are fourth- or fifth-year players.
Shaw being even the fourth linebacker would be a success, though. MSU pretty much gave four linebackers last season snaps on a weekly basis, and with no more redshirts to worry about under the 5-in-5 system, there wouldn't be any reason to hold Shaw off.
How Will RBs Be Utilized Beyond Edwards?
Another battle to watch is the competition for carries behind Cam Edwards in the Spartans' backfield. Edwards will be the clear-cut lead back this year. That was clear from the moment he committed to Michigan State out of the transfer portal in the winter. Edwards won't have a near-monopoly on the running back carries at MSU as he did at UConn last year, though, as there are three names who will be seeking out those secondary and tertiary carries as well.
Western Kentucky transfer Marvis Parrish, Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson, and returnee Brandon Tullis help make running back perhaps the Spartans' deepest position group. Parrish was a Group of Five RB1 as a true freshman, Patterson has tons of experience as a Big Ten RB2/3, and Tullis was MSU's third-leading rusher last year.
Even if Edwards didn't come to Michigan State in the winter, I'd feel fine about the running back room. Parrish should be MSU's best option among the backs in the pass game, having made 36 catches last year. Patterson has run for a sturdy 4.9 yards per carry in each of his last two seasons. Tullis can be turned to a lot in short-yardage situations.
Nebraska transfer Kenneth Williams provides another option. He probably won't regularly get carries and will primarily serve as MSU's kick return specialist, but his lone carry during the spring game was a 60+-yard touchdown, and his history as a kick returner indicates that he's somebody who can just make things happen with the ball in his hands.
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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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