At the end of every basketball season, Michigan State fans have the luxury of turning to another major sport for comfort, healing, and some entertainment.
Unfortunately, the football program hasn’t provided fans much of any of that over the past five years, but new head coach Pat Fitzgerald is trying to change that. He’s piecing together a first-year roster that will build a solid base for the program over the next few years. Fitzgerald has a solid start, but he has a ton of work to do after four straight years of futility since that 11-2 season in 2021.
Fitzgerald is taking one thing from that 2021 team that could bring him some early success and that’s possessing a strong run game.
The last time that Michigan State was relevant, the run game really led the way as the Spartans had the nation’s best running back. It’s felt like an eternity since Kenneth Walker III was dominating defenses in East Lansing — he’s won a Super Bowl MVP and has signed a lucrative second contract in the NFL already. Fitzgerald may have the right guy to help bring it back.
UConn transfer Cam Edwards is coming to East Lansing with some sky-high goals.
Michigan State RB Cam Edwards embracing fresh start, motivated to showcase talents on a larger stage..
— SpartanMag.com (@TheSpartanMag) April 11, 2026
“I want to be the best running back in the Big Ten..”
(On3+): https://t.co/0zvfEMQNt7 pic.twitter.com/dcBUtuSuEd
Obviously any running back is going to say that they want to be the best, but it takes an exceptionally confident back to say it publicly. He’s coming with Michigan State with the confidence necessary to lead the backfield and it’s something that the last two talented backs to come through East Lansing had that helped get them to the NFL.
Cam Edwards has some big shoes to fill
Although it feels like it’s been years since Michigan State had a legit workhorse running back, the Spartans have had Walker and Nate Carter transfer in and both became NFL draft picks and one turned into a Super Bowl MVP and one of the highest-paid backs in the NFL.
Edwards is coming in with the hopes of following in their footsteps and filling the shoes as the next Michigan State running back to make it to the league.
Edwards has experience, production, and overall talent to live up to his own lofty personal goals, but a lot of this depends on the improvement of the offensive line.
Nick Tabacca needs to walk before Edwards can run.