EAST LANSING- Michigan State football’s final spring practice of 2026 was held on Saturday at Spartan Stadium and the public’s first look at new head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Under a gloomy sky, more than 50 new faces across the roster and coaching staff gave the Spartans faithful the chance to see the fruits of a long offseason of change.
Here are some things to take from the 2026 Spring Showcase.
(Nearly) Everything Is Subject to Change
Coach Fitzgerald stressed in earlier press conferences that the depth chart is fluid, save for three players: quarterback Alessio Milivojevic will start under center, senior Jordan Hall will be the MIKE linebacker, and Iowa transfer Rhys Dakin will be punting.
In his statements after today’s showcase, he doubled down, saying he “reserve[s] the right” to play the best 11 players on both sides of the ball, regardless of seniority.
Fitzgerald’s words were an accurate reflection of the scrimmage that rounded out the final half of the on-field festivities. It featured a number of players seeing time on the field, testing both matchups and on-field chemistry.
Summer practices will see an emphasis on finalizing the depth chart, when Fitzgerald has the chance to evaluate the team’s growth over the summer as well as assimilate the 13 incoming high school recruits – plus Jackson State transfer wide receiver Jameel Gardner Jr., who committed to Michigan State mere hours after the Showcase was over – into their respective place within the team.
Another Punter Joins the Fray
The biggest commonality between this year’s team and last year’s is the situation at punter. Junior Rhys Dakin, originally from Melbourne, Australia, has inserted himself as another link in the chain of elite punters to don the Green and White.
During position-specific drills, he booted several punts over 60 air yards and had a punt during the scrimmage that pinned the second team offense inside their own 10-yard line.
Dakin’s previous seasons at Iowa saw a punting average of 43.9 yards across his 26 appearances, leading to several All-Big Ten honors and making him one of the top punters in transfer portal rankings.
“Competitive Depth”
Fitzgerald’s comments stressed the concept of “competitive depth,” meaning every spot on the field will be earned. Most evidently among the running backs, which “was by design,” according to him.
“It’s a very competitive room,” Fitzgerald said, “we’re gonna need that group to play well running the ball, play well in protection, play well catching the ball out of the backfield.”
Play well, they did, as possibly the standout positional group of the day. Headlined by returning players Jace Clarizio and Brandon Tullis, along with transfer backs Marvis Parrish, Cam Edwards, and Kenneth Williams – who scored the only touchdown of the day on a 67-yard run – the group as a whole tore holes in the defensive line.
On the defensive side, the secondary shined. Numerous pass breakups and an interception from both Tyrann Chappell and NiJhay Burt showed promise of improvement from a defense that allowed over 230 yards through the air and nearly 150 yards on the ground per game last season.
Now that the Spring session is over, Fitzgerald has set his eyes on the road ahead into next season, counting down the days until the team gets back together to continue the work they’ve done all offseason.
“We will be back in 110 days. We will be back in Spartan Stadium for the opener in 141, and we go down the road to take on Michigan in 203,” Fitzgerald said. “Those things are all top of mind with me, with our coaches, with our program.”
Fitzgerald also credited Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz and Athletic Director J Batt for their “alignment” with him regarding the vision and needs of the football program.
“To have that alignment is something that I’m very grateful for,” Fitzgerald said, “I’m very thankful for [that] as we move forward, and I just couldn’t be more excited about the future of Michigan State football.”
Michigan State will take on Toledo to open its 2026 season on Saturday, September 5.
