Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan State football have wrapped up spring practice and are turning their attention to summer workouts. The transition underway in East Lansing is as comprehensive as any the program has seen in years.
Fitzgerald has had to rebuild virtually everything, from the coaching staff to the roster, in a condensed timeline. Next season will be a foundational year focused on establishing culture, installing systems, and identifying which players can carry the program forward. Keeping veterans like linebacker Jordan Hall and wide receiver Chrishon McCray in East Lansing has helped provide some continuity amid the upheaval.
Michigan State was one of the more active programs in the transfer portal, bringing in 31 players across both sides of the ball. But activity in the portal does not guarantee answers, and two position groups in particular carry more uncertainty than any other heading into next season.
Offense: Offensive Line
Michigan State did send one offensive lineman to the NFL Draft, with center Matt Gulbin selected in the sixth round by the Washington Commanders. But the unit as a whole struggled throughout the season, and Fitzgerald made it clear from early in his tenure that an overhaul was necessary.
The result is an almost entirely new offensive line. Fitzgerald went into the portal and identified several players with strong individual resumes. Trent Fraley arrives as the top-rated center in the FCS. Ben Murawski was regarded as one of the better run-blocking guards in college football at UConn. Robert Wright Jr. started every game last season without drawing a single penalty, a level of discipline that stands out at any level.
The credentials are there. The question is whether those credentials translate when this group lines up together for the first time. Individual success at previous programs does not guarantee cohesion, and offensive line play is perhaps the most unit-dependent position group in football…