Under Third Head Coach, MSU's Parachek Ready To Step Forward

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Plenty of guys find a new place to play after one coaching change, let alone two.

The 2026 version of Michigan State football will have its third permanent head coach in four seasons. The list of players from the 2023 team that began with Mel Tucker at the helm who have stayed the whole time isn't very long. Tight end Brennan Parachek is one of the few players who have stuck around.

Sep 28, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans tight end Brennan Parachek (82) runs through Ohio State Buckeyes tacklers in the third quarter at Spartan Stadium. | Dale Young-Imagn Images

"You guys can see Coach [Pat Fitzgerald], the energy he has, the passion he has for the game," Parachek said when asked why he stayed. "I don't see another coach in the country that you would wanna play for. He comes in the building fired up, getting us ready to go."

Parachek has been waiting for his shot at being a significant contributor in the Spartans' offense since he got to campus in '23. This fall may be his shot.

Video of Parachek

Role for Parachek

There's a lot of room to fill in Michigan State's tight end room. The Spartans' top two tight ends from last year, Jack Velling and Michael Masunas, are both gone. Velling, who led the room with 359 receiving yards, is out of eligibility. Masunas, who had 232 receiving yards, transferred away to Texas.

That much production going out the door means opportunity. Parachek perhaps could've contributed a bit more last year, but he ended up appearing in only four games. That allowed him to accept a redshirt and preserve that year of eligibility.

MSU ended up taking just one tight end from the portal: Ferris State tight end/athlete Carson Gulker. Joey Caudill and Eddie Whiting are tight ends in the 2026 recruiting class, but seeing them rise to the top of the depth chart immediately as three-star recruits would still be a surprise. Redshirt freshman Jayden Savoury and redshirt senior Kai Rios help round out the room.

The retention of tight end coach Brian Wozniak also helped keep Parachek around. Wozniak was brought over from Oregon State with Jonathan Smith, but the former Wisconsin player impressed Fitzgerald enough to stick around.

"He's a great coach, great mentor, someone that you look up to and you trust," Parachek said of Wozniak. "He's just been by my side. He's made me a better player. That's all I can ask for."

Parachek has 14 career receptions for 118 yards. Gulker is an interesting portal pickup who can be utilized in a lot of ways, but the Spartans' portal activity at tight end seems to indicate that they like what they've got at the position, most likely with Parachek and Savoury at the top of the list of returners.