Reset and Rebuild: Nick Tabacca’s path to MSU and his vision for the Spartans’ O-line

After taking a step away from college football for a year, offensive line coach Nick Tabacca found himself led right back, this time for the Michigan State Spartans in 2026. Before stepping back, Tabacca spent 11 seasons (2014 through 2024) at Wake Forest, where he helped develop several NFL offensive linemen. 

Tabacca spent the past year slowing down, spending time with his wife and five kids. In that time, he was able to coach his son at the high school level, which he calls a gift that allowed him to discover one of his callings.

“It was a unique year for me and my family,” Tabacca said following a spring practice on April 14. “I’ve got five kids, so the first thing I did was, I knew I’d probably never have that opportunity again, and so I really made sure it was about them. I got to coach my son … One of the gifts I had in that year off was quickly finding out that coaching was calling for me.”

This reset for Tabacca served as a reminder of his love for coaching and something that served as a bonding moment when he went in for his interview with head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who also previously coached at the high school level before joining the Spartans.

“When I first interviewed with him, that was something that we had in common,” Tabacca said about Fitzgerald also coaching high school ball. “I think at the end of the day, right, high school football, there's something special about it, and it's such a pure kind of football. And to get the opportunity to do that, and to coach your son too, it's just such a unique thing. It was really cool.”

That shared appreciation for the roots of the game became an early connection point between the two coaches, and one of many shared values that brought Tabacca to East Lansing. When Tabacca talked about his decision to choose MSU, he admits it isn’t a single factor, however he emphasized the shared value of family among the coaching staff, particularly Fitzgerald (“Coach Fitz”).