What Pat Fitzgerald Must Consider in OC Hiring

The Michigan State Spartans are moving forward with Pat Fitzgerald as their new head coach.

Fitzgerald is in the early stages of his tenure as head coach in East Lansing, so he has a lot of work to do before he is ready to tackle the offseason. He has already done a good job keeping most of the recruiting class compiled by the previous staff home.

MSU has not been competitive in recent seasons, and Fitzgerald wants to get the Spartans back to the level fans are used to. That begins with building a strong offensive staff, led by an offensive coordinator.

It is unknown when Fitzgerald may make a hire, but it may define his tenure in East Lansing. He had poor offensive teams in his last few unsuccessful seasons at Northwestern, so it is imperative that he nails the hire.

Dec 2, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State head football coach Pat Fitzgerald watches the Spartans defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images

What does Fitzgerald need to focus on as he looks for the right playcaller? Let’s break down what he absolutely must look for.

Who's the right MSU OC?

Michigan State Spartans head football coach Pat Fitzgerald points while introducing himself to the crowd at a men's basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Fitzgerald was officially hired by MSU on Monday. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

To start, Fitzgerald needs an innovative playcaller. His offenses got stale and uncreative in his last few years with the Wildcats.

Fitzgerald must look at what has worked across college football and find someone who can replicate it, at least philosophically. That does not mean he has to find a coach who runs the spread offense; he just needs someone who knows how to run a modern-day offense.

Fitzgerald also needs an offensive coach who fits his identity. There is still a place in today’s college football for strong offensive lines and dominating defenses by running the football relentlessly.

Those coaches are out there, and Fitzgerald has had plenty of time to look for them.

Nailing the offensive line coach hire will be important, too, and if Fitzgerald can get Kurt Anderson to join him in East Lansing, a coach who has developed NFL talent, the Spartans should be in good shape.

Sep 30, 2017; Madison, WI, USA; Northwestern Wildcats offensive lineman Rashawn Slater (70) during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Back to the offensive coordinator hire, Fitzgerald needs someone who aligns with his vision but won’t be afraid to push back on him if he has different ideas. Groupthink can be fine in some places; football isn’t one of them.

Fitzgerald needs an offensive coach who will develop talent. Until the Spartans can start landing big-fish recruits, the coaching staff will need to develop young players into contributors at the D1 level.

We still don’t know who Fitzgerald will hire for the role, and we have not heard any names linked to the job. However, these should be the requirements Fitzgerald seeks in the next Spartan playcaller.

A safety helmet is used inside of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University in Lansing on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. | Sarahbeth Maney / USA TODAY NETWORK

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