Texas A&M Assistant Coach Could Leave for Big Ten Role

By Anne EricksonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

On Monday, the Michigan State Spartans announced a new era for their college football program by naming Pat Fitzgerald as the team's new head coach.

Fitzgerald is the 27th football coach in Michigan State history, and he arrives with 17 years of experience as the head coach at Northwestern University, where he won 110 games.

Now, Fitzgerald has the task of putting together his roster of players and supporting staff. While recruiting is going to be a big part of his role going forward, one of the most critical areas he has to deal with first is naming an offensive coordinator. There's also just a small window of time for Fitzgerald to settle on a leader for his offense in 2026.

Spartans Wire's Cory Linsner laid out five potential candidates for MSU's offensive coordinator that fit the bill.

"For offensive coordinator, it feels like a straight wild card for the right person that Fitzgerald wants to hire," he notes.

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One of the more interesting names on his list is Texas A&M offensive line coach/run game coordinator Adam Cushing.

Texas A&M has a legendary football program and legacy and snagging someone from their staff would be a feather in the cap of the Spartans. Cushing could be open to it, since he and Fitzgerald are close friends. Cushing worked as the tight ends coach from 2004 to 2008 and offensive line coach from 2008 to 2018 at Northwestern, so the connection is there.

Following his time at Northwestern, he took at head-coaching position at Eastern Illinois, then went to Duke for two years, and now, he's at Texas A&M. So he comes with experience, but it's not true offensive coordinator experience or calling plays.

"For starters, his obvious connection and friendship with Fitzgerald makes this check a very big box," Linsner notes of the possibility of Cushing coming to Michigan State. "Now, a coach that has not yet worked as an offensive coordinator could hold a concern, Cushing has learned under three outstanding offensive coordinators in Johns, Klein and Mick McCall.

"Michigan State needs to get back to being physical on offense, and adding another offensive line mind, who has been prepped for this role, would make a ton of sense."

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