As summer camp comes to a close, the position battles start to shift into game prep. With this, Spartan Shadows will be going through the position rooms one-by-one to give fans expectations of what to expect this year.
The quarterback room is one that does not have much intrigue this year after Alessio Milivojevic took the starting spot for the final four games of 2025. However, the departures of Aidan Chiles and Ryland Jessee led to the acquisition of senior Cam Fancher and a two quarterback 2026 recruiting class, with four-star Kayd Coffman and walk-on Payton Babbit joining the team.
Here is a run down of the room.
Alessio Milivojevic
Third-year player, Naperville, Ill. (St. Francis Academy)
2025 Stats: 111-of-173 passing (64%) for 1,267 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs
Milivojevic enters the season firmly entrenched as the starter. In his last outing of the 2025 season, the quarterback threw for 292 yards and four touchdown passes on his way to earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week. That was preceded by a 255 yard outing against Iowa, a top 10 defense in the country.
“’Les” has overcome a rough start to his collegiate career, with two interceptions on his first two career drop backs. Since then, he has thrown touchdown passes against the future National Champion Indiana Hoosiers, a top 10 defense in Iowa, and bitter Spartan rival Michigan. He has an active arm, and has shown pretty touch on the deep ball, highlighted by a throw to Chrishon McCray against Iowa last season, one where now-Spartan Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald was in attendance.
Milivojevic is a tough player, as evidenced by his hockey background. He’s played football since he was young, always donning the No. 11 with the exception of his true freshman season in 2024, where he wore the No. 14. In his first half of starting action against Minnesota, Milivojevic shouldered five sacks and a trip to the medical tent at the end of half to rebound with a touchdown pass on the opening drive of the third quarter.
He has the toughness and mentality of a Spartan quarterback, and can fit the ball well. The game will continue to slow down for him, too, as more experience comes his way. At times, some of his sacks were the growing pains of a young quarterback.
The main concern will be if there is time in the blocking game for a deep ball to be incorporated into his passing game, but the depth at the running back position means that the focus could be to simply let the young quarterback serve as a game manager during chunks of the schedule in 2026. Based on the build of the roster, a deep shot passing will not be the forte of the offense.
Another element that has been shown by the third-year player is his leadership, with Pat Fitzgerald crediting his quarterback for being a part of every portal visit this offseason, along with the quarterback being there for the head coach’s introductory press conference in December 2025. He fits the role of leader well, and had a great relationship with former Spartan starter Aidan Chiles even after taking the starting role late in the season.
Cam Fancher
Sixth-year player, Dayton, Ohio. (UCF via FAU via Marshall)
2025 Stats: 41-of-72 passing for 333 yards, 31 rushes for 170 yards, 1 TD
Fancher enters his final season as a journeyman quarterback, with 28 starts in 37 career games, compiling a 14-14 record when starting. His most recent start was a loss against Cincinnati in 2025, where Fancher compiled 222 yards on nearly 50 passing attempts and 108 yards on the ground in 20 rushes.
He is a quarterback that loves to use his legs, which was a habit the Spartans saw first hand in the season opener in 2024, Fancher’s FAU debut. The quarterback also had a later sliding motion that led to multiple 15-yard penalties that game, including a targeting penalty and ejection for safety Malik Spencer.
Fancher has the experience to be a change-of-pace option for the Spartans, but is limited for development and growth.
As a left-handed quarterback, the only one in the Spartan quarterback room, he presents a unique skillset if called upon. Of all quarterbacks with the Spartans, he is the best scrambler of the group.
He is a veteran presence that would be called upon if Alessio Milivojevic goes down mid-game.
However, if Milivojevic is held out for another game or so, it would not be surprising to see the staff turn the start to Leo Hannan or Kayd Coffman.
Leo Hannan
Second-year player, Long Beach, Calif. (Servite High School)
2025 Stats: Did Not Play
2024 Stats (Servite HS): 47-of-73 passing, 460 yards, 7 Touchdowns, 10 carries for 18 yards
Hannan enters the season as quarterback three on the depth chart, earning that role over Ryland Jessee during the 2025 season. However, he enters the season with a fire on his back, as early enrollee Kayd Coffman has impressed during his time with the Spartans.
Hannan possesses a good size and arm, with the quarterback at 6-foot-3, 221 pounds. Quarterback coach John McNulty has praised Hannan’s football IQ in the room, with the coach saying he routinely has the answers before the question is even out of the coach’s mouth.
The California native has a chance to earn playing time and get experience during the opening stint of the season, in case he is called upon. The last time Michigan State played three quarterbacks in a game came in 2022 against Akron. That chance for three quarterbacks might come sooner rather than later with the unique situation of an experience veteran backup for the Spartans.
Kayd Coffman
First-year player, Kentwood, Mich. (East Kentwood HS)
2025 Stats (East Kentwood HS): 82-of-131 passing for 1118 yards, 13 TDs, 57 rushes for 511 yards, 3 TDs* (Incomplete stats via MaxPreps)
Coffman enters with considerable hype, as he was the No. 24 quarterback in the nation and No. 274 player in America, via 247Sports. Coffman led East Kentwood to success and the MHSAA Playoffs. He rose in the rankings over his senior season, earning offers from Duke, Colorado, and Ole Miss.
Coffman enrolled at Michigan State early, and immediately impressed the staff. He has earned the staff’s trust and has drawn rave reviews from Pat Fitzgerald and John McNulty. Fitzgerald had called him an early riser in camp during the spring. His spring game only added to the hype, with Coffman having a standout performance.
Coffman makes an early candidacy to push Leo Hannan for the QB3 job and ready to backup Alessio Milivojevic for 2027. The battle for QB3 might be the most monitored backup battle of the 2026 season.
Early on, it appears Hannan has a lead over Coffman. When GoPros were distributed for practice during summer training camp, as Milivojevic, Fancher, and Hannan got the three GoPros.
Peyton Babbitt
First-year player, Muskegon, Mich. (Orchard View HS)
2024 Stats (Only played four games in 2025 due to injury): 1,084 passing yards, 15 TDs, 503 yards, 4 TDs
Babbitt was a late addition to the class, joining Michigan State as a walk-on despite an offer with an ability to compete for a starting spot with Saginaw Valley State. He enters the room with a chance to impress on the scout team and wait his turn.
Babbitt is another quarterback that offers a rushing threat. He had a 205 yard passing, 105 rushing yard performance in a win over Shelby last year.
The quarterback made a decision to bet on himself and the Big Ten as opposed to a starting role in college. He has the talent, but it will be shocking to see the walk-on in a game this season.
Additionally, the historical trends do not favor game action for Babbitt. The last time the Spartans played a walk-on at quarterback was 2023, when Andrew Schorfhaar took snaps in the season finale against Penn State. Before that, it dates back to 2016, when Colar Kuhns saw game action against Rutgers the year after Tommy Vento saw action against Penn State.
Projected Depth Chart Entering Week One:
- QB1: Alessio Milivojevic
- QB2: Cam Fancher
- QB3: Leo Hannan
- QB4: Kayd Coffman
- QB5: Peyton Babbitt
There are no projected surprises entering the first game, but Coffman had his turn for the GoPro on August 24th. This is likely to be a fluid situation as the season progresses. Of all the rooms, the quarterback room is likely the most settled and known heading into the season.
