Michigan State's Alessio Milivojevic runs the ball against Penn State during the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

MSU's Milivojevic Taking Active Role in Spartan Recruiting

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 9:00 AM ET

Michigan State's starting quarterback is beginning to establish himself as one of the team's leaders off the field.

Alessio Milivojevic performed well across four starts at the end of the 2025 season, enough so that new head coach Pat Fitzgerald has structured things so that Milivojevic can become the full-time starter next fall. Fitzgerald also said Thursday that Milivojevic has also taken an active role in helping recruit the Spartans' transfer portal class.

"Alessio was almost at every dinner we had with every recruit that came on campus during the portal," Fitzgerald said. "He did that all on his own. We offered it up, and some guys could make it, and other guys did. Jordan [Hall], a bunch of guys were. But Alessio was almost at every one of those, at least breakfast, lunch.

"That's the kind of servant leadership you're looking for."

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Leadership roles are generally reserved for upperclassmen. Quarterbacks always have to have some form of skills in that regard, as it's the nature of the position. Regardless, Milivojevic making it a clear priority to him that he be considered a leader on this team is definitely a positive sign.

If Milivojevic continues his upward career trajectory, he has a serious chance to leave a great legacy at Michigan State. He's only going to be a redshirt sophomore next year, which means he currently has three seasons of eligibility remaining. During an era where such a large portion of programs supplement quarterbacks from the transfer portal, MSU might have its own program QB who was developed in East Lansing.

It was not easy for Milivojevic at first. He only got one pass attempt during his true freshman season, coming in the season finale against Rutgers, and it was intercepted. Milivojevic became the primary backup to Aidan Chiles this past fall, and his first throw was also intercepted during the opener against Western Michigan --- this time for a pick-six.

As Michigan State's offense sputtered during the Big Ten schedule, the need for a quarterback change started to emerge. Milivojevic got his first starting opportunity during the Spartans' offense against Minnesota. He took full advantage, throwing for 311 yards and one touchdown during a game that the Spartans probably should have won.

Milivojevic continued to play well the rest of the way. He came through again during the season finale against Maryland, throwing for 291 yards, four touchdowns, and just one interception. That was enough for MSU to capture an elusive Big Ten win it had been fighting all season for.

What stands out about Milivojevic is his ability to deliver into tight windows, yet still be smart with the football. He also has shown some serious toughness despite taking some big hits behind an offensive line that didn't protect him very well.