Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald finalizes his first staff in East Lansing
Meet Michigan State's coaching staff and support staff for 2026.
Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald has completed the task of putting together his first staff in East Lansing.
While Michigan State will likely continue to add support staffers and assistants for the main position coaches, among others, sources tell Spartans Illustrated that the on-field assistant coaching staff is now finalized.
Who will coach the Spartans in 2026 and at what positions? Read below (in no particular order) to find out.
Head coach: Pat Fitzgerald
Most recent role prior to MSU: Head coach at Northwestern from 2006 through 2022 and volunteer assistant coach at Loyola Academy in Illinois from 2023 until 2025.
Hired on: Michigan State announced Fitzgerald as the program's 27th head coach on Dec. 1, 2025. Read more about Fitzgerald here. Check out Fitzgerald's contract details here and read additional details on his contract here.
Defensive coordinator: Joe Rossi
Most recent role: Rossi was hired by then-head coach Jonathan Smith as Michigan defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in December of 2023. He will be retained as defensive coordinator on Fitzgerald's staff. Prior to MSU, Rossi worked as Minnesota's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, as well as other roles with the Golden Gophers.
Hired on: Sources told Spartans Illustrated on Friday, Dec. 5 that Rossi would be retained as part of Fitzgerald's staff. ESPN's Pete Thamel was first to break the news publicly on Dec. 6. MSU officially announced that it would retain Rossi as defensive coordinator on Dec. 18. For more about Rossi, read here.
Offensive coordinator: Nick Sheridan
Most recent role: Sheridan most recently served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Alabama in 2025 and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Crimson Tide in 2024.
Hired on: After much speculation, sources told Spartans Illustrated on Saturday, Dec. 20 that Sheridan would be Fitzgerald's first offensive coordinator at MSU. Read more about Sheridan's background here. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator: LeVar Woods
Most recent role: Woods has spent his entire coaching career at his alma mater, Iowa, building a reputation as one of the best special team coordinators in the country.
Hired on: While Michigan State did not announce Woods as official until today, Woods and Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz had a press conference on Dec. 18 to announce the move was happening. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
Co-defensive coordinator and linebacker coach: Max Bullough
Most recent role: The former Spartan linebacker most recently worked as linebackers coach at Notre Dame in 2024 and 2025. He was a graduate assistant for the Fighting Irish in 2023.
Hired on: On Dec. 10, sources told Spartans Illustrated that Bullough would be joining Fitzgerald's staff at Michigan State. MSU officially announced the addition of Bullough on Dec. 18.
Wide receivers coach: Courtney Hawkins
Most recent role: Hawkins, a Michigan State alumnus, has spent his entire collegiate coaching career with MSU. With him being retained by Fitzgerald, this is the third different regime he will have worked for since returning to East Lansing in 2020. He spent 2020 through 2023 working under head coach Mel Tucker (and interim head coach Harlon Barnett in 2023) and the 2024 and 2025 seasons working for Smith.
Hired on: Following the hiring of Fitzgerald, sources told Spartans Illustarted early on in the process that Hawkins was a candidate to be retained from the Smith staff. On Dec. 21, sources confirmed to Spartans Illustarted that Hawkins was indeed being retained by Fitzgerald. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
Tight ends coach: Brian Wozniak
Most recent role: Fitzgerald is also retaining Wozniak from Smith's staff. Wozniak worked as Michigan State's tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator under Smith in 2024 and 2025. Before that, he spent several seasons working under Smith at Oregon State.
Hired on: Similarly to Hawkins, sources told Spartans Illustarted that Wozniak was somebody to keep an eye on for Fitzgerald's new staff. On Dec. 21, sources told Spartans Illustarted that Wozniak was being retained by Fitzgerald for his 2026 staff. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
Safeties coach: James Adams
Most recent role: Making four coaches from the Smith staff who will return to East Lansing in 2026, Adams was one of the first to be reported/announced as being retained. He worked under Smith as safeties coach at MSU in 2025. Prior to that, Adams worked at his alma mater, Wake Forest, from 2022 through 2024.
Hired on: On Dec. 6, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Adams was being retained by Fitzgerald, along with Rossi. Michigan State officially announced Adams was staying on as safeties coach on Dec. 18.
Cornerbacks coach: Hank Poteat
Most recent role: Poteat, who has a Super Bowl ring, most recently coached cornerbacks, kick returners and punt returners for Iowa State. He has an extensive background coaching cornerbacks and coaching in the Midwest.
Hired on: Matt Zenitz reported on Dec. 20 that Fitzgerald was targeting Poteat for a role as a defensive backs coach at Michigan State. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
Defensive line coach: Winston DeLattiboudere III
Most recent role: DeLattiboudere known as "Coach Debo," most recently coached in the NFL as defensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals. Before that, he was in the college ranks at Minnesota, where he worked with Rossi in 2023.
Hired on: On Dec. 14, multiple outlets that Michigan State was targeting DeLattiboudere as its defensive line coach. Learn more about DeLattiboudere here. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 5.
Offensive line coach: Nick Tabacca
Most recent role: Tabacca was reportedly most recently coaching at the high school level at Reagan High School in North Carolina in 2025, but before that, he was the longtime offensive line coach for Wake Forest from 2014 through 2024.
Hired on: On Dec. 24, Matt Zenitz reported that Michigan State was expected to hire Tabacca as the program's offensive line coach, which Spartans Illustrated confirmed. Read more about Tabacca's experience here. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
Running backs coach: Devon Spalding
Most recent role: Spalding spent the past three seasons as Wisconsin's running backs coach from the 2023 season through the 2025 season.
Hired on: On Dec. 29, John Brice of FootballScoop reported that Michigan State was pursuing Spalding as a target. Spartans Illustrated was able to confirm later on Dec. 29 that Spalding was indeed being hired as the program's new running backs coach. Read more about Spalding, a Michigan native, here. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
Quarterbacks coach: Mike Bajakian
Most recent role: Bajakian last role was as Massachusetts' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He has had many other roles, including as Pat Fitzgerald's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern from 2020 through 2022 (and 2023 at NU under David Braun). He also has NFL coaching experience.
Hired on: Matt Fortuna reported on Dec. 27 that Michigan State was set to hire Bajakian, which Spartans Illustrated was able to confirm as well. Read more about Bajakian's extensive experience here. MSU officially announced his hiring on Jan. 2.
UPDATE: On Jan. 9, Spartans Illustrated reported that Michigan State has promoted assistant linebackers coach Andrew Bindelglass to rush ends coach. Read more about Bindelglass here.
Notable support staff members:
Chief of staff: Jacob Schmidt
Head football strength and conditioning coach: Joel Welsh
General manager: Bryan Gasser
Director of player engagement: Kurt Richardson (retained from Jonathan Smith staff)
