How Fast Can Pat Fitzgerald Fix Michigan State Football?

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Sometimes doing what needs to be done isn’t the easiest path. From a young age, we’re taught to do the right thing, even when it’s hard — a lesson we hope people carry with them into adulthood. Michigan State found itself staring down one of those hard decisions, and this week, they finally made it.

The hiring of Jonathan Smith was, on paper, as promising as it gets — a respected name, a modern offensive mind, and what felt like the start of a new era. The move signaled an evolution from old-school, ground-and-pound Big Ten football to a West Coast-inspired, wide-open attack imported from Oregon State.

But the promise evaporated almost instantly, balloon popping the moment it hit the grass at Spartan Stadium.

Smith’s first season — a five-win campaign — already tested the patience of Michigan State fans. Even then, the belief was that there was only one direction to go: up. Surely it couldn’t get uglier than two conference wins.

Then 2025 happened.

And it made last season look like a playoff push. Michigan State imploded, once the Spartans hit Big Ten competition, they were treated like ragdolls, outmatched and out-toughed every single week.

The offense had nothing. It was limp, predictable, vanilla, and flat-out embarrassing. Creativity was nonexistent. Execution was worse. There was no chemistry, only individual players running around trying to stand out. Quarterback Aidan Chiles looked lost — and so did his coach.

So after just two years — or, in Tom Izzo’s eyes, “two weeks” — Michigan State pulled the trigger on a move that cost more than $30 million: firing Jonathan Smith. It was the right call. Painful, but right.

And now, Pat Fitzgerald walks into East Lansing with a culture in desperate need of rebuilding.

The Fitzgerald Era Begins

After 17 years at Northwestern, Fitzgerald’s name is synonymous with Big Ten football. He inherits a depleted locker room craving leadership — something Smith never established with fans, media, or even his own players. Smith often looked like a stiff puppet on the sideline; Fitzgerald will demand respect, accountability, and results.

Fitzgerald finished above .500 at Northwestern, one of the toughest programs in the country to sustain success at. If he brings Michigan State back to 9–10 wins a season, it would rival his own turnaround in Evanston — like the Hulk picking up a car and spinning it around on the freeway.

But how fast can he turn things around? Faster than people expect — if certain things fall into place.

1. Lean on Alessio Milivojevic

Redshirt freshman Alessio Milivojevic was, at one point, the only reason to tune in to Michigan State football.

Once Michigan demolished the Spartans midseason, the team checked out mentally. The offense regressed into a run-heavy, Chiles-centric attack that worked for about five minutes. After UCLA injured Chiles, it was over — especially in the Michigan game, where he was clearly limited.

When Milivojevic finally got the call, things changed. For the first time all year, Michigan State’s quarterback play looked competent. Despite being sacked seven times and dodging defenders like a live-action video game, he kept MSU competitive against Minnesota in his first career start.

He even had MSU in position to win until the defense gave up a game-tying touchdown and later the OT loss.

Milivojevic then started the final four games and delivered the Spartans’ lone conference win to end the season against Maryland.

He’s the future. He’s the foundation. And Fitzgerald would be wise to center the offense around him from day one.

2. Fix the Offensive Line

This section could honestly be titled Fix the Trenches, because the defensive line is also in shambles. But let’s start with the offense, because it was the worst unit on the field.

The offensive line was pitiful — putrid — hot garbage. Pick any word to describe a bag of trash left outside for four months in the July Texas heat. Use that word for the 2025 MSU offensive line.

The group had always been bad, but Chiles’ mobility masked it. Once Milivojevic took over and tried dropping back like a normal quarterback, the truth became obvious: this line was dismal.

It took until the final three weeks before Milivojevic even looked slightly comfortable, and even then, only because he accepted he was going to get hit on every play.

Fixing this will take more than scouting the biggest kids from rural towns. Fitzgerald needs tough, physical, development-driven coaching — the kind he’s known for.

3. Overcome the Odds

The odds are stacked high against Fitzgerald.

He comes in with a legacy bruised by serious allegations — allegations that cost him his job and kept him off the sideline for years. Michigan State has been out of sync for nearly a decade. And to make matters worse, NCAA restrictions will handcuff MSU for the next three years.

A lot of fans believe Fitzgerald is just a band-aid hire, someone to keep the boosters quiet and the wheels turning until MSU can find its true long-term coach.

I don’t believe that — but many do.

The frustration around the program is justified. Yes, MSU can lean on basketball and hockey, but football is what drives the machine, and the Spartans are desperate to rejoin the Big Ten elite.

Fitzgerald has to overcome all of it.

And he can.

He’s the right fit, the right personality, and the right stabilizing force for a program that’s been spiraling.

So… can MSU fans expect an immediate turnaround?

Not instant glory.

But real improvement, real identity, and real leadership?

Absolutely.

Michigan State finally made the hard decision. Now they’ll need patience — and a little faith — as Fitzgerald tries to turn this program around the right way.

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