Pat Fitzgerald isn’t messing around this week. The Spartans head coach just laid down the law to his team and staff, demanding better practice ahead of Saturday’s home game against the Eastern Michigan Eagles. After a Week 1 that saw some close calls for Power Four teams against what used to be considered “easy” opponents, Fitzgerald is making it crystal clear: if you wanna play, you better show up every single day.
Superstars in Practice?
This isn’t some polite suggestion, folks. Fitzgerald challenged his squad hard on Monday. “I challenged the team today; there were some guys that probably wanted to play, and I want them to play, too,” he told reporters. But here’s the kicker, and it’s something every fan needs to hear: “You need to be a superstar in your role, and the way you get on the field is meritocracy. You need to practice better. Practice is really important here. It’s not something that we just kind of go out and do.” That’s the kind of blunt honesty we need! No taking it easy, no half-speed drills. The message is loud and clear: if you can’t bring the effort in practice, Fitzgerald won’t trust you to bring it on game day. Period.
Eastern Michigan Ain’t No Cakewalk
Anyone thinking this weekend is a freebie against a MAC team needs to check themselves. Fitzgerald himself is shutting that talk down. “I just think there’s really good football players and really well-coached teams,” he said. He’s right, too! Week 1 proved it. Our Spartans needed all four quarters to put away Toledo, 30-20. Michigan barely survived Western Michigan with a touchdown as time expired in a 13-12 nail-biter. And seriously, UMass, a 28.5-point underdog, walked into Rutgers’ house and stunned them 37-21. The transfer portal changed the game, man. Mid-major rosters are loaded with former Power Four talent. Eastern Michigan isn’t just *any* MAC team either. They’re bringing four former Spartans back to East Lansing, including starting quarterback Noah Kim, guard Cole Dellinger, and cornerback Caleb Coley. Fitzgerald knows Kim’s dangerous, calling him “a heck of an athlete” with “ability to make all the throws” and extend plays. You know he’s gonna want to show out in Spartan Stadium, where he hasn’t played a snap since 2023.
Special Teams Was a Disaster!
While the offense and defense powered through some crazy heat and humidity, with guys even coming back from cramps and in-game injuries, special teams was a whole different story. Fitzgerald straight up said it was his biggest disappointment after watching the game film. “I don’t think we played hard enough in special teams. I don’t think we played physical enough in special teams. I don’t think we executed the details in our special teams units,” he vented. “So we’ve got a lot of improvement opportunities there, and those are a lot of guys that that’s their role.” The kicking game got singled out for missing small details that cost big opportunities. Fitzgerald is looking to get more players involved there, and frankly, he needs to.
This Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on BTN, the Spartans are back home. It’s more than just a game; it’s a test to see if Fitzgerald’s blunt challenge hit home. Can they clean up the special teams? Will the practice effort translate onto the field? And how will they handle a former Spartan QB who knows this stadium inside and out? You better believe every eye will be on that field. Let’s see what these guys are made of!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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