Michigan State to Hire Ex-Alabama Coach as New Offensive Coordinator

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The Pat Fitzgerald staff continues to grow, and for the first time, that growth has officially reached the offensive side of the ball.

Per sources speaking with Spartan Tailgate and CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Michigan State is expected to hire Alabama co-offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan as its new offensive coordinator. Sheridan will take over full-time play-calling duties for the Spartans, and on paper, it looks like another strong addition for Fitzgerald’s rebuilding staff.

Proven Production at Alabama

In 2024, Sheridan helped guide an Alabama offense that averaged 33.8 points per game, the third-best mark in the SEC. This season, new head coach Kellen DeBoer brought in Ryan Grubb as a co-offensive coordinator alongside Sheridan, further solidifying one of the most respected offensive staffs in college football.

The Crimson Tide advanced in the College Football Playoff on Friday with a 34–24 win over Oklahoma. Alabama is now set to face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Day (3 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Sheridan previously worked under DeBoer as Washington’s tight ends coach in 2022 and 2023 after spending five seasons at Indiana, building a résumé that blends quarterback development, tight end play, and full offensive coordination.

A Familiar Coaching Tree

Sheridan becomes the second Alabama assistant to leave for a new opportunity this offseason, joining former wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard, who was recently hired as Oregon State’s head coach.

His coaching career began in Saline, Michigan, where he served as a quarterbacks coach in 2010 for Saline High School. From there, Sheridan bounced between Western Kentucky, South Florida, and Tennessee before landing at Indiana.

At Indiana, Sheridan wore many hats:

  • QB coach (2017–18)
  • Tight ends coach (2019)
  • OC/QB coach (through 2021)

While in Bloomington, Sheridan was instrumental in recruiting Michael Penix Jr., one of the most impactful quarterbacks in program history. From Indiana, he followed DeBoer to Washington before making the jump to Alabama, where he spent two seasons as offensive coordinator and co-OC.

Now, he arrives in East Lansing, tasked with preparing Alessio Milivojevic—or whoever ultimately wins the starting quarterback job—to compete and win in the Big Ten.

Playing Roots in the Big Ten

Before coaching, Sheridan was a walk-on quarterback at Michigan in 2006. He earned a scholarship by his junior year and made four starts in 2008, giving him firsthand experience in the intensity and expectations of Big Ten football.

He is also the son of Bill Sheridan, a longtime football coach who served as defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is currently the linebackers coach for the Arlington Renegades.

A Different Kind of Challenge

While this hire has not yet been officially announced, all signs point toward it becoming official soon.

Sheridan’s return to the Great Lakes State feels full circle — a coach who played in Michigan, began his career in Michigan, and now returns to Michigan at a pivotal moment for the Spartans.

However, this will be a challenge unlike any he’s faced.

Coordinating an offense at Alabama is vastly different than rebuilding one at a Michigan State program that lost its leading passer, rusher, and receiver to the transfer portal. Even with those players, the Spartans’ offense was far from explosive.

In fact, it wasn’t until Aidan Chiles went down with injury and redshirt freshman Milivojevic stepped in that the offense began to show signs of life. Yet even then, inconsistent and conservative play-calling from Jonathan Smith’s staff felt like an anchor, dragging any momentum back underwater.

What Comes Next

Sheridan now steps into a role where creativity, adaptability, and player development will matter just as much as scheme.

If Michigan State is going to climb back into Big Ten relevance, the Spartans need an offense with grit, tempo, and just enough razzle-dazzle to keep defenses honest.

That challenge now belongs to Nick Sheridan.

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