With the 2026 season approaching, Michigan State is facing some major question marks at key positions like offensive line, defensive line, and wide receiver, but there are some new position coaches who are expected to have an instant impact.
Max Bullough is one of those coaches.
The former Spartan captain from the Mark Dantonio era is considered one of the best linebackers in Michigan State history and now he’s back to coach the linebackers as well as taking over the co-defensive coordinator role alongside Joe Rossi.
Bullough was a rising star in the coaching world with Notre Dame and he was promoted from grad assistant to linebackers coach before helping to lead the Irish to the national title game. Unfortunately, Bullough was unable to win a national title ring with the Irish, but maybe he can do that with Michigan State. He’ll do everything in his power to get the Spartans there.
It’s pretty clear that Bullough is one of the best football minds on the Spartans’ coaching staff and he was just ranked the No. 6 linebackers coach in the country — by a Michigan-centric account, nonetheless.
Best Linebacker Coaches In College Football
— ROC BOYS FOOTBALL (@rocboysfootball) May 25, 2026
Who Are We Sleeping On?👇 pic.twitter.com/jxKVCbR3i4
It’s hard to argue this considering Notre Dame was spitting out elite linebackers under his reign and now he’s apparently the third-best linebackers coach in the Big Ten ahead of Iowa’s Seth Wallace and behind James Laurinaitis of Ohio State and Indiana’s Bryant Haines.
This is obviously major praise considering he hasn’t coached a game with the Spartans, but this goes to show just how well Pat Fitzgerald pieced together his staff.
Mike Vrabel has said that Bullough is one of the smartest football minds that he’s ever coached and we’re about to see that on display in East Lansing this season.
Michigan State’s LB room should be a strength again
Bullough is one of the nation’s best linebackers coaches and he’s going to have a lot of talent to work with in 2026.
Jordan Hall and Brady Pretzlaff are leading the way and they have guys like Cam Stodghill, Dion Crawford, and Caleb Wheatland coming in via the portal and younger guys like Leonard Ah You, DiMari Malone, Adam Shaw, and DeJae White are all capable Big Ten linebackers. This is a pretty loaded group of linebackers which should make it one of the strengths of Michigan State’s 2026 roster.
It’s been a while since Michigan State had an elite linebackers coach and it’s fair to say that’s changed with Bullough now taking over.
I’m going to make a not-so-bold prediction and say that Michigan State’s defense is going to be one of the most improved in the Big Ten. Hot take, right?
Add us as a preferred source on Google