Michigan State Football is under new management with Pat Fitzgerald returning to college football after being let go from Northwestern. Fitzgerald is taking over as head coach after Jonathan Smith was fired following two underperforming seasons, and he has been brought in to rebuild the Spartans' program and the culture of Michigan State football. Michigan State underwent a massive overhaul of its roster and coaching staff this offseason, as most of the players and coaches were not part of last year's team. Now that spring ball has ended, the next phase of the offseason will be summer workouts, followed by the season opener on September 4, a home game against Toledo. Michigan State's head coach Pat Fitzgerald calls out to players during spring football practice on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images New Era for Michigan State CBS Sports college writer Codey Nagel released his post-spring overreactions to every team in the Big Ten.…