Photo: Nick King ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
EAST LANSING ~ Spring practice is moving quickly under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who met with the media Tuesday morning after the team completed its seventh spring session. With early start times and a heavy installation phase underway, Fitzgerald said effort and mindset have stood out most. “It’s early. We all know it’s early, and they can use that as an excuse,” he said. “Instead, I think they’re using it as motivation to come out and get ready to go.” Getting outside for practice was another positive after weather concerns earlier in the spring. “To see Mother Nature help us out a little bit was great,” he said.
From a health standpoint, the team remains in a manageable position, with several players limited due to injuries carried over from last season. Fitzgerald emphasized the importance of keeping those players mentally engaged despite reduced reps. “You don’t want them to ever feel like they’re not important, they’re out of sight, or they’re out of mind,” he said. Drawing from his own experience missing spring practice with a broken leg, Fitzgerald added that the mental recovery can be just as challenging as the physical. “The mental aspect’s probably the toughest because the physical thing, they’re working to get back,” he said.
SOCIAL MEDIA
(CONTINUED) With a roster and staff that includes more newcomers than returners, building chemistry has been a point of emphasis since January. Rather than forcing team‑bonding activities, Fitzgerald said relationships develop naturally through daily interactions. “It’s one meal at a time. It’s one meeting at a time,” he said, pointing to players spending time together away from the football facility as an encouraging sign. That familiarity has begun to translate to the practice field, where structure is becoming second nature. “Now I can get mad at them for not doing it right,” he joked, referencing the progress made since the opening practice.
