MSU's Fitzgerald's 3 Top Priorities Following Spring, NFL Draft

Football offseason is basically in full swing (or is it a dead heat?).

Michigan State football wrapped up its round of 15 spring practices the other week, and now the NFL Draft has concluded. The Spartans had two players get picked: center Matt Gulbin (209th overall to the Washington Commanders) and punter Ryan Eckley (211th overall to the Baltimore Ravens).

Pat Fitzgerald is hoping to turn the Spartans' program around sooner rather than later after Jonathan Smith's short, two-year stint only dug MSU into a deeper hole. Michigan State hasn't made a bowl game since the 11-2 season in 2021. To make matters worse, Vegas expects the Spartans to only win three or four games during Fitzgerald's first season.

Obviously, 3-9 or 4-8 is not the goal or the bar in East Lansing. For Fitzgerald, these are the top priorities right now to both avoid another losing season and to also build for the future:

Hit Recruiting Trail

Michigan State's head coach Pat Fitzgerald addresses the team at the end of the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Late spring and summertime are when a big chunk of recruiting classes are built. Lots of 2027 recruits will generally want to commit to a school before June or July so that they can enjoy their respective senior seasons without having to worry too much about which college or program they end up with.

This will be the main priority for pretty much every program, but it's especially so at MSU. Fitzgerald and his staff already have experience and relationships, but this will be the first offseason where they're going out to visit coaches or prospects wearing that Spartan helmet logo for the majority of the people inside the building.

Get Milivojevic, WRs Acclimated

Fitzgerald also has to ensure that his starting quarterback is getting on the same wavelength with his receivers. Alessio Milivojevic got some starting experience at the end of last season, but it's a whole different story now when it's clear he's going to be QB1 and all 12 opponents on the schedule are expecting to see him, rather than Aidan Chiles.

Chemistry with all the receivers will be important. The only guy at receiver you can put into the starting lineup in ink is Chrishon McCray, who works out of the slot. Plenty of playing time is up for grabs at X and Z, which means Milivojevic must get to work with all of those guys in the running for a starting spot during the summer.

Hitting the Gym

Summer will also be a time to both get players healthy and get stronger. The team will be able to have some workouts over the summer to get physically ready for fall camp and the season ahead.

Fitzgerald seemed pleased with the work head strength and conditioning coach Joel Welsh Jr. did during the winter, claiming the average player had gained six pounds after the "Spring Showcase." These few months before fall camp can be a time for players to continue preparing and improving their bodies.

Add us as a preferred source on Google