Pat Fitzgerald has been making his media rounds recently and it seems like everyone is curious to see how the first-year Michigan State football coach adjusts to the new era of NIL and the transfer portal.
Fitzgerald left Northwestern after the 2022 season and a lot has happened within college athletics since then. The NCAA has undergone several major changes and it looks to be on the verge with another that would give athletes five years of eligibility instead of limiting it to just four and a redshirt.
Everyone wants to see how Fitzgerald's first team in this new era looks, and they'll get their first chance during Michigan State's annual Spring Showcase.
When is Michigan State's 2026 Spring Showcase? We've got you covered:
Date: Saturday, April 18
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Spartan Stadium in East Lansing
Tickets: Free with mobile download
If you're planning to check out Fitzgerald's team this weekend, be sure to download the free ticket from Michigan State's official website (linked above). This free to the public event will hopefully draw a bigger crowd than the ones we saw during the Jonathan Smith era. With the weather expected to be warmer, but maybe with a little rain, I would assume that the crowd will be much larger than the past few.
According to a press release, fans will be able to take photos with Fitzgerald and get autographs in the concourse following the game which will be around 2 p.m.
Michigan State fans will see position battles galore
Fitzgerald spoke to the media following practice earlier this week and admitted that there are no real "locked in" starters other than guys like Alessio Milivojevic, Jordan Hall, and Rhys Dakin which means that everyone is going to be battling it out for a starting job.
That has to be music to the ears of guys who found themselves buried on the depth chart during the Smith and maybe even Mel Tucker eras.
Saturday will be a good opportunity for players to try and separate themselves and make the case for the starting job before heading into the final stretch before fall ball. This is the last opportunity for months for these guys to prove themselves.
Fans will benefit from an extremely competitive practice and mini scrimmage.
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