Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Football Opens Preseason Camp
8/6/2026 8:34:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State football team held its first practice of preseason camp on a cloudy, humid Thursday morning with temperatures in the mid-70s.
The Spartans worked out in helmets, jerseys and shorts for two hours on the outdoor practice fields behind the Duffy Daugherty Football Building.
Following practice, first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald, linebacker Jordan Hall, safety Nikai Martinez, offensive lineman Ben Murawski and quarterback Alessio Milivojevic met with the media.
"It was great to be back on the field with the guys," said Fitzgerald, who is opening up his 18th collegiate season as a head coach and his first with the Spartans. "(Head strength coach) Joel Welsh and his staff did an absolutely terrific job getting our guys ready to go for today. And that's kind of what the summer's all about. It's not only about preparing the guys for the whole season, but, most importantly, from a health and safety standpoint, of giving them the right amount of volume, high intensity, and things over the summer, and Joel and his staff did a terrific job. But as always, in similar work, the credit goes to the players, and their commitment to improvement, their commitment to getting in great shape, was very evident today, as things started off.
"With that being said, though, we were very rusty. Long, long way to go. That's kind of what I talked to the guys about. As we went through team reps, it looked like practice number one at training camp. Just, where do I go? What do I do? Even though we went over it for the last X amount of hours and last night, logistically, it looked like our first time being out there collectively at a practice, but the guys, I thought, really attacked and embraced it."
The Spartans reported on Wednesday and held team meetings throughout the day before beginning practice on Thursday.
Michigan State has 111 players on its preseason camp roster, including 49 returning players and 62 newcomers. Among the newcomers, the Spartans have 32 transfers and 30 freshmen.
"Now it's going to be all about how we kind of lean into the grind, raise our expectations individually, and then hold each other to a standard that we want to be at a championship level, every rep of every day of everything we do," said Fitzgerald. "So, you work your tail off to prepare, but nothing quite prepares you for football than football. So, to get to the next step now, tonight, with meetings and coaching the guys, some of them for the first time, and then the guys who have been here now with us since January, now comes the mental aspect, the recovery aspect, and seeing how mature this team is going to be as we kind of go through the crucible of training camp."
The Spartans will return to the practice field on Friday morning.
Michigan State opens the 2026 season on Friday, Sept. 4 at 8 p.m. against Toledo in Spartan Stadium.
The Spartans worked out in helmets, jerseys and shorts for two hours on the outdoor practice fields behind the Duffy Daugherty Football Building.
Following practice, first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald, linebacker Jordan Hall, safety Nikai Martinez, offensive lineman Ben Murawski and quarterback Alessio Milivojevic met with the media.
"It was great to be back on the field with the guys," said Fitzgerald, who is opening up his 18th collegiate season as a head coach and his first with the Spartans. "(Head strength coach) Joel Welsh and his staff did an absolutely terrific job getting our guys ready to go for today. And that's kind of what the summer's all about. It's not only about preparing the guys for the whole season, but, most importantly, from a health and safety standpoint, of giving them the right amount of volume, high intensity, and things over the summer, and Joel and his staff did a terrific job. But as always, in similar work, the credit goes to the players, and their commitment to improvement, their commitment to getting in great shape, was very evident today, as things started off.
"With that being said, though, we were very rusty. Long, long way to go. That's kind of what I talked to the guys about. As we went through team reps, it looked like practice number one at training camp. Just, where do I go? What do I do? Even though we went over it for the last X amount of hours and last night, logistically, it looked like our first time being out there collectively at a practice, but the guys, I thought, really attacked and embraced it."
The Spartans reported on Wednesday and held team meetings throughout the day before beginning practice on Thursday.
Michigan State has 111 players on its preseason camp roster, including 49 returning players and 62 newcomers. Among the newcomers, the Spartans have 32 transfers and 30 freshmen.
"Now it's going to be all about how we kind of lean into the grind, raise our expectations individually, and then hold each other to a standard that we want to be at a championship level, every rep of every day of everything we do," said Fitzgerald. "So, you work your tail off to prepare, but nothing quite prepares you for football than football. So, to get to the next step now, tonight, with meetings and coaching the guys, some of them for the first time, and then the guys who have been here now with us since January, now comes the mental aspect, the recovery aspect, and seeing how mature this team is going to be as we kind of go through the crucible of training camp."
The Spartans will return to the practice field on Friday morning.
Michigan State opens the 2026 season on Friday, Sept. 4 at 8 p.m. against Toledo in Spartan Stadium.
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ FootballThursday, August 06
Saturday, April 18
Tuesday, April 14
Tuesday, March 31