Spartan Football Preseason Camp Preview

Pat Fitzgerald walks the field during a spring practice in Spartan Stadium.

8/4/2026 1:45:00 PM | Football

2026 Roster 2026 Roster (PDF)2026 Media Guide (PDF)Preseason Preview: Offense Preseason Preview: Defense and Special Teams Big Ten Media Day Coverage

MSU starts practice on Thursday, Aug. 6.

PAT FITZGERALD ENTERS FIRST SEASON AT MSU
• Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald, one of the winningest coaches in Big Ten history, was named Michigan State's 27th head coach on Dec. 1, 2025. Fitzgerald and the Spartans will open preseason camp on Thursday, Aug. 6 in preparation for the season opener on Friday, Sept. 4 against Toledo in Spartan Stadium.

• Over 17 seasons as the head coach at Northwestern University from 2006-22, Fitzgerald won 110 games, while guiding the Wildcats to 10 bowl games, five AP Top 25 finishes and a pair of appearances in the Big Ten Football Championship Game after winning the Big Ten West Division title in both 2018 and 2020. He was named the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, and in 2020, won the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year Award after leading the Wildcats to a No. 10 national ranking and a win in the Citrus Bowl over Auburn.

• Fitzgerald's 110 wins rank 14th all-time for a Big Ten football coach, while his five bowl game victories rank tied for 12th among conference coaches.

QB ALESSIO MILIVOJEVIC RETURNS IN 2026
• Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic started the last four games of the 2025 season for the Spartans, completing 58 percent of his passes (79-of-136) for 986 yards and seven touchdowns in his four starts. Overall in nine games of action, Milivojevic connected on 64 percent of his throws (111-of-173) for 1,267 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.

• The Spartans also brought in sixth-year graduate transfer Cam Fancher, who has played in 37 career games at quarterback, including 28 starts. Fancher has played at Marshall (2021-23), Florida Atlantic (2024) and UCF (2025).

CAPTAIN JORDAN HALL IS BACK FOR SENIOR SEASON
• Senior linebacker Jordan Hall, who was voted a co-captain in 2025, led the Spartans with a career-high 88 tackles last season, including 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks to go along with three forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.

• Hall enters 2026 as a first-team All-Big Ten preseason selection by Phil Steele.

SPARTANS WELCOME 32 TRANSFERS IN 2025
• The Spartans are welcoming 32 transfers to the 2026 roster.

• MSU added 15 transfers on defense that have started a combined 181 games in their careers, while the 13 transfers on offense have started a combined 176 games.

Here's a breakdown of the incoming transfers by position:

OFFENSE (13)
»WR (3): R-Sr. Jameel Gardner Jr. (Jackson State), R-Jr. Fredrick Moore (Michigan), R-Jr. KK Smith (Notre Dame)

»OL (4): R-Sr. Trent Fraley (North Dakota State), R-Sr. Ben Murawski (UConn), Gr.-6 Nick Sharpe (South Carolina), R-Jr. Robert Wright Jr. (Georgia Southern)

»TE (1): Gr.-6 Carson Gulker (Ferris State)

»RB (4): R-Sr. Cam Edwards (UConn), So. Marvis Parrish (Western Kentucky), R-Sr. Jaziun Patterson (Iowa), R-Jr. Kenneth Williams (Nebraska)

»QB (1): Gr.-6 Cam Fancher (UCF)

DEFENSE (15)
»DL (2): R-Jr. Eli Coenen (Illinois), R-So. Carlos Hazelwood (Toledo)

»EDGE (4): R-Jr. Aidan Boehle (Winona State) R-So. Trey Lisle (Southeast Missouri State), Gr.-5 Kenny Soares Jr. (NC State), R-Sr. Keahnist Thompson (Weber State)

»LB (3): Sr. Dion Crawford (Buffalo), Sr. Cam Stodghill (Albany), R-Sr. Caleb Wheatland (Auburn)

»CB (3): R-Sr. Tre Bell (Iowa State), Gr.-6 Charles Brantley (Miami), R-So. Tyran Chappell (Houston Christian)

»S (3): R-Jr. Trevaughn Martinez (Western Carolina), Sr. Michael Richard (Louisiana Tech), R-Jr. Devin Vaught (Maine)

SPECIAL TEAMS (4)
»PK (1): Gr.-5 Liam Boyd (Charlotte)

»P (2): Jr. Rhys Dakin (Iowa), R-Fr., Alex Weeks (Northern Arizona)

»LS (1): R-Jr. Nick Duzansky (Oregon)

Additional Transfer Breakdown:
By Class:
• Seniors (Graduate/Sixth-Year/Fifth-Year/Fourth-Year): 17
• Redshirt Juniors/Juniors: 10
• Redshirt Sophomores/Sophomores: 4
• Redshirt Freshmen: 1

QUICK LOOK AT THE 2026 SCHEDULE
• Michigan State opens the season with back-to-back home nonconference games against Toledo (Friday, Sept. 4) and Eastern Michigan (Sept. 12) and wraps up nonconference action at Notre Dame (Sept. 19).

• MSU will begin conference play Sept. 26 at home against Nebraska. The Spartans then travel to Wisconsin Oct. 3 before hosting Illinois Oct. 10 and Northwestern Oct. 17. The Green and White close the month at UCLA Oct. 24.

• Following a bye on Halloween, MSU travels to Michigan Nov. 7. The Spartans' last two home games are against Washington (Nov. 14) and Oregon (Friday, Nov. 20). The regular-season finale is set for Nov. 28 at Rutgers.

SPARTAN COACHING STAFF
• Michigan State has eight new assistant coaches on the 2026 staff, including offensive offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan and assistant head coach/special teams coordinator LeVar Woods.

• A coaching veteran of 15 years in the collegiate ranks, Sheridan has previous experience as an offensive coordinator at Alabama and Indiana. In his first season as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Alabama in 2024 under Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide ranked third in the SEC and No. 22 in the FBS with 33.8 points per game.

• One of the most respected special teams coaches in college football, Woods spent the previous 18 years under Kirk Ferentz at Iowa, including the last 14 coaching special teams, with coordinator duties added in 2017. He has led some of the best special teams units in the country throughout his career and has coached multiple All-Americans, national award winners, NFL Draft picks, Pro Bowlers and all-conference players.

• Max Bullough (co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach), Winston DeLattiboudere III (defensive line coach), John McNulty (quarterbacks coach), Hank Poteat (cornerbacks coach), Devon Spalding (running backs coach) and Nick Tabacca (offensive line coach) are also new to the Spartan staff.

• Four assistant coaches are back in 2026 for the Spartans: defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, safeties coach James Adams, wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins and tight ends coach Brian Wozniak. Rossi will be in his third season coordinating the defense for the Spartans.

• Andrew Bindelglass, who was an assistant linebackers coach in 2025, was promoted to rush ends coach.

SPARTANS EARN PRESEASON HONORS
Several Michigan State Spartans have earned preseason honors entering the 2026 season.

• CB Tre Bell (Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• P Rhys Dakin (Preseason All-Big Ten: Phil Steele, second team; Athlon Sports, second team)

• RB Cam Edwards (Maxwell Award Player of the Year Watch List; Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• C Trent Fraley (Preseason All-Big Ten: The Athletic, second team; Phil Steele, second team; Shrine Bowl 1000 list)

• LB Jordan Hall (Preseason All-Big Ten: Phil Steele, first team; Athlon Sports, third team; AFCA Good Works Team nominee; Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• S Nikai Martinez (Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• WR Chrishon McCray (Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• OL Conner Moore (Preseason All-Big Ten: Phil Steele, second team; Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• OL Ben Murawski (Outland Trophy Watch List; Preseason All-Big Ten: Phil Steele, second team; Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• DB Michael Richard (Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• EDGE Kenny Soares Jr. (Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• EDGE Keahnist Thompson (Shrine Bowl 1000 List)

• KR Kenneth Williams (Preseason All-Big Ten: The Athletic, second team; Phil Steele, second team; Athlon Sports, second team)