Michigan State's Pat Fitzgerald Aims to Build 'Model Program' for College Football

Fitzgerald prioritizes high school recruiting, player retention, and culture to construct a championship-caliber team in the transfer portal era.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald believes that high school recruiting remains vital, even in the era of the transfer portal. He wants to build a roster anchored by a sturdy group of seniors who came in together, stuck together, and learned to win together. Fitzgerald brings a wealth of experience, proven coaching smarts, and high-voltage energy, but he doesn't have the luxury of a large influx of players from a top-25 program like some other rebuilding programs. His rebuilding job must begin differently as he seeks to establish strong relationships with recruits and utilize competitive NIL support to make them want to stay and compete for championships.

Why it matters

Fitzgerald's approach to building a 'model program' at Michigan State stands in contrast to the strategy of some other programs that have relied heavily on the transfer portal to quickly rebuild their rosters. His emphasis on high school recruiting, player retention, and cultivating a strong team culture could serve as a blueprint for other programs looking to build sustainable success in the modern college football landscape.

The details

Fitzgerald wants to have a roster anchored by a sturdy group of seniors who came in together, stuck together, and learned to win together. This is in contrast to some programs that have infused their rosters with a large number of transfers from other top-25 programs. Fitzgerald believes bringing in strong recruiting classes on a regular basis is still vital, even in the era of the transfer portal, when keeping players in a program for four years has proven difficult across the country.

  • Fitzgerald was named the head coach of Michigan State in 2021.

The players

Pat Fitzgerald

The head coach of the Michigan State Spartans football team, who is seeking to build a 'model program' for college football.

Matt Campbell

The new head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, who has brought in 23 players from Iowa State to help rebuild the program.

James Franklin

The former head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, who has brought 12 players from Penn State to Virginia Tech as the new head coach.

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What they’re saying

“Bringing in 14 players from JMU allowed them to infuse culture right away.”

— Dave Clawson, Former Wake Forest coach (ESPN)

What’s next

Fitzgerald will look to continue building strong recruiting classes and cultivating a tight-knit team culture at Michigan State as he seeks to establish the Spartans as a 'model program' for college football.

The takeaway

Fitzgerald's approach to building Michigan State into a championship contender emphasizes the importance of high school recruiting, player retention, and establishing a strong team culture - a strategy that could serve as a blueprint for other programs looking to achieve sustainable success in the modern college football landscape.