Evaluating where Michigan State's on-field coaching staff currently stands
Let's take a look at the hires Pat Fitzgerald has made (or reportedly made) and what work he still has to do.
A New Era in East Lansing: Pat Fitzgerald’s Vision
When Pat Fitzgerald was introduced as Michigan State’s 27th head football coach in early December 2025, the announcement was framed as the start of a new identity for Spartan football — one rooted in toughness and discipline, and ready to tackle the new era of college football head on. Fitzgerald arrives to East Lansing with a reputation for defensive rigor and player development from his long tenure at Northwestern, where his teams were consistently competitive in the Big Ten.
With that mission in mind, Fitzgerald quickly set about assembling a coaching staff that blends continuity with respected coaching minds from across the country — reinforcing strengths while correcting weaknesses from recent seasons. Many of these hires signal a purposeful shift toward maximizing execution in all phases — offense, defense and special teams.
Let's examine which coaches Fitzgerald has hired or is targeting so far— including those who MSU has already officially announced and those who have just been reported at this stage.
Joe Rossi — Defensive Coordinator (Confirmed officially by MSU)
Arguably Fitzgerald’s most consequential early decision was to retain Joe Rossi as defensive coordinator. Rossi was already on staff prior to Fitzgerald’s arrival, as he was hired by previous head coach Jonathan Smith in December of 2023 and quickly became one of the most admired assistants from the previous regime by the players. In addition to running the defense, Rossi also coached linebackers under Smith — something he will not be responsible for under Fitzgerald.
Rossi holds 20-plus years of collegiate experience (12 of which in the Big Ten) and his defenses at Minnesota were consistently elite in total defense and scoring defense. While his success at Michigan State has not been to the level of his time at Minnesota, the defense did show signs of improvement throughout the 2025 season — despite numerous injuries — as the season went on. Rossi also made the move from the booth to the sideline and brought energy for the Spartans in 2025.
Why retaining Rossi matters:
Stability: Keeping an internally respected coordinator prevents a complete schematic overhaul, which is especially valuable after a season of transition and underperformance on offense. In addition to this, due to the current players' high level of respect for Rossi, this could help the efforts in preventing too many players from entering the portal, but of course there will be some.
Defensive Identity: Fitzgerald’s teams historically lean on defensive strength. Retaining Rossi suggests Fitzgerald wants schematic continuity and respects his ability to create a contending defense in the Big Ten.
However, there are areas of concern worth noting with Rossi:
Struggles versus top team: While Rossi’s defenses have been consistently solid, the units have struggled to produce vs top-tier opponents such as Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon and others over his two seasons in East Lansing, raising questions about whether his scheme is the right one for taking Michigan State to the next level as a program.
Pressure creation: Rossi’s defenses have struggled to consistently generate pass rush, an area that will be closely watched in a quarterback-driven conference. The Spartans recorded just 19 sacks in 2024 (ranking 16th in the 18-team Big Ten) and just 22 sacks in 2025 (13th in the conference). While some of this is personnel related, it will be important for Rossi and the position coaches to not only help bring in additional talent to generate pressure, but to show that Rossi can do a better job at scheming pressure on a consistent basis.
Nick Sheridan — Offensive Coordinator (Reported/confirmed by Spartans Illustrated)
Perhaps the most polarizing expected hire for the fan base, but one that looks strong on paper, is Nick Sheridan as offensive coordinator, which Spartans Illustrated confirmed on Dec. 20.
Sheridan is a former Michigan quarterback with experience as an offensive coordinator at both Indiana and Alabama. At Indiana he oversaw a potent Big Ten offense in 2020 and helped develop quarterback Michael Penix Jr. At Alabama, he initially held primary coordinator duties, though play-calling responsibilities later shifted with Ryan Grubb (a longtime OC of Kalen DeBoer at other stops) returned to the college ranks. However, as the lead play caller at Alabama in 2024, the Crimson Tide averaged 33.77 points per game (3rd in the SEC) and 410 yard per game versus 31.43 points per game and 380.1 yards per game under Grubb in 2025.
Pros of Sheridan’s hire:
Big Ten familiarity and Midwest ties: Sheridan knows the conference’s defenses and recruiting landscape — this is someone who understands the Big Ten, has had success there, and is well respected as a recruiter.
