Why Alessio Milivojevic Could Be Spartans' Next Big Star
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The Michigan State Spartans have had their fair share of talented quarterbacks come through the program throughout the 21st century.
There was Drew Stanton in the early 2000s, Kirk Cousins in the late 2000s, program great Connor Cook in the mid-2010s, and Brian Lewerke at the end of the Mark Dantonio era. Since then, it has been a roller coaster of signal-callers for the Spartans that didn't seem to have an end in sight until Alessio Milivojevic was named the starter halfway through the season.
How Alessio Milivojevic Could Become Star of Spartans Rebuild
With 10 passing scores and only three interceptions, there's upside to be excited about with Milivojevic. Michigan State is in desperate need of revival across the program, as head coach Pat Fitzgerald looks to infuse that this offseason in hopes of scoring the Spartans' first season at .500 since 2021. The quarterback's progression would certainly accelerate the timeline.
Milivojevic flashed potential as a passer last year despite a horrific offensive line that gave him little time in the pocket to navigate or progress through reads. I've seen quarterbacks develop bad habits of drifting in the pocket to avoid pressure that isn't there, only creating it by doing so. What encouraged me was that he didn't do that as often as you would expect; Milivojevic stayed poised and delivered some impressive throws under duress in the pocket.
Milivojevic still has much to learn, as the inexperience is legitimate. He is only a redshirt sophomore, but the talent was clearly there if the Spartans chose to start him over NFL talent Aidan Chiles. The arm talent is there to make throws to every level of the field, and I've seen some impressive hole shots between the cornerback and safety against Cover 2 shells.
The biggest key to accelerating a program in rebuild mode, like Michigan State, is the progression of a young starting quarterback. The more Milivojevic continues to play games and sees different defensive looks, the more he'll learn and grow, which, given his physical traits, could open up the Spartans' passing game under offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan.
Milivojevic's Upside Is Key to MSU Football Success
There is no guarantee of triumph for Milivojevic. He has to prove it on the field with significant challenges against the likes of Oregon and Notre Dame. He doesn't have Nick Marsh this year, but he possesses a wide receiver trio with upside that could create a fascinating passing attack if things go well.
I'm hopeful that Milivojevic proves others wrong, as he has the upside to surprise the Big Ten in a big way, no pun intended. The former three-star recruit could go from relative unknown to the biggest impact player on the Spartans' roster, with the potential to lead them to an impressive turnaround in 2026.
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Jared Feinberg, a native of western North Carolina, has written about NFL football for nearly a decade. He has contributed to several national outlets and is now part of our On SI team as an NFL team reporter. Jared graduated from UNC Asheville with a bachelor's degree in mass communications and later pursued his master's degree at UNC Charlotte. You can follow Jared Feinberg on Twitter at @JRodNFLDraft