Fitzgerald: Spartans expect 'Big Ten championship, full stop'

Pat Fitzgerald is officially back in the Big Ten. The new Michigan State head coach arrived at media days with a clear message for the program and its supporters. When asked about his goals after a few years away from the college sidelines, he made his objective clear. The expectation is to win the Big Ten championship, full stop.

Fitzgerald acknowledged the challenges the program has faced recently, noting the team is looking to move past four consecutive losing seasons. He intends to return the Spartans to a brand of tough, hard-nosed football that reflects the identity of the university. He emphasized that any coach standing at a podium in this league who does not voice championship aspirations is simply not telling the truth about their ambitions.

The former Northwestern head coach returns to a conference that has changed significantly during his time away. With the addition of programs like Oregon, USC, Washington, and UCLA, the competition level has shifted. Fitzgerald described these new arrivals as championship-level teams, but he remains confident in his ability to build a winning culture in East Lansing. He also pointed to the development of quarterback Alessio Milivojevic as a key component for the upcoming season.

Since his departure from his previous role in 2023, Fitzgerald has spent time coaching at the high school level. He spent his time away learning from other established programs, including a visit with Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead a historic program once again and stated he is ready to work alongside the university leadership to secure future success. The focus for the Spartans now turns to fall camp, where the staff will look to build depth and establish team leadership ahead of the new season.