Pat Fitzgerald embraces the expectations as Michigan State debut arrives
Fitzgerald understands the attention surrounding Friday night against Toledo, and views the pressure that comes with leading MSU as an opportunity
EAST LANSING – Pat Fitzgerald has waited nine months for this.
On Friday night, he will walk through the tunnel at Spartan Stadium for the first time as Michigan State’s head football coach, leading a rebuilt roster onto the field against Toledo and officially beginning the next era of the program.
There will be plenty of attention on the players.
There will also be plenty on Fitzgerald.
Michigan State enters the 2026 season with a new coaching staff, dozens of newcomers, and a fan base eager to see whether the program can begin moving back toward the level it expects.
Fitzgerald understands the expectations that come with the job. He just doesn’t consider them a burden.
“I think pressure is a privilege, I really do,” Fitzgerald said. “I think that means you’re prepared for an opportunity. I look forward to the challenge. I don’t look at it as pressure. I look at it as an unbelievable opportunity.”
That opportunity begins at 8 p.m. Friday against Toledo.
For Fitzgerald, it will also provide his first real experience with something he has spent the past several months beginning to understand: the scale of Michigan State football.
