Fitz to Michigan State

Catmandoo78

Sophomore
Nov 12, 2025
221
137
43
For me, this touches on the my biggest "concern." Many of the recruits that he will be expected to win will be totally opposite of the kind of guys that he has coached. Even different from the kind of guys he played with
“Black kids from inner city schools”
 

Gatabowl

Senior
Nov 30, 2022
2,009
487
68
My last real thoughts on Fitz: other than the money situation, which is the single largest factor in today’s CFB, period, the biggest pivot point for Fitz IMO is gonna be assistants. Does he hire good ones? Does the MSU AD put him on a tight leash hiring bad ones? They really really ought to reserve the ability to tell him to fire struggling assistants if he demonstrates his old stubbornness that was his fatal flaw. Does he hire an OC who actually wants to come and score points and be modern and let them cook? To me these are huge questions.

The range of outcomes here is honestly massive, he could go 2-10 or 10-2 2-3 years from now and I wouldn’t be shocked either way TBH.
Dates TBD, but this is the 2027 schedule

vs. Central Michigan
vs. ND
vs. Indiana
vs. Michigan
vs. Rutgers
vs. Wisconsin
@ NU
@ OSU
@ Penn St
@ Purdue
@ Washington

They're not going 10-2.
 
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TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,074
1,154
62
Fitz has work to do right away. MSU's best returning player, wide receiver Nick Marsh, has made it clear he's entering the portal. The father of their young QB has taken to social media to criticize the firing of Smith. Fitz better get to work to make sure he doesn't lose everybody.
 

Ilvolino

Redshirt
Aug 24, 2023
275
32
28
Dates TBD, but this is the 2027 schedule

vs. Central Michigan
vs. ND
vs. Indiana
vs. Michigan
vs. Rutgers
vs. Wisconsin
@ NU
@ OSU
@ Penn St
@ Purdue
@ Washington

They're not going 10-2.
Looks like a 3 win year, Central Michigan, Purdue and maybe Rutgers
 

Baz = Heisman

Junior
Aug 15, 2025
363
295
63
Frick off. I respect the way the man goes about his business. That does not stop because NU was dumb enough to let him slip through their fingers. MSU is now my 2nd favorite team.
You mean how he never evolved from a 1996 offense and probably never will? What a leader lol
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,074
1,154
62
Fitz lives in some people’s heads around here!
Of course he does. Why wouldn't he? He was the face of Northwestern football for over a quarter of a century. And, he just got hired by another BIG foe. I'm surprised there isn't more talk here.
 

AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
9,637
1,290
113
Fitz lives in some people’s heads around here!
Well he's our last coach, hired the current coach, left in drama and scandal, was the winningest coach in our history and was the face of our program for 20 years. Before that he was one of the greatest and most beloved players in our history. We built a $300 million practice facility basically as a palace for him personally, and people still call it the "Taj Fitz." And our school just settled a nine figure lawsuit with him a matter of weeks ago.

So... yeah, he's still a thing.
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
27,020
2,451
113
Well he's our last coach, hired the current coach, left in drama and scandal, was the winningest coach in our history and was the face of our program for 20 years. Before that he was one of the greatest and most beloved players in our history. We built a $300 million practice facility basically as a palace for him personally, and people still call it the "Taj Fitz." And our school just settled a nine figure lawsuit with him a matter of weeks ago.

So... yeah, he's still a thing.
Great, I don’t even need to read any posts when it comes to Fitz. All I need to read is who posted it and I can recite the talking points.

I was told Fitz would have to take an Assistant job if he wanted to stay in P4. Fact is nobody gives a **** about 4-20 except some people on this board! Believe me, it’s going to be a **** show right after we play MSU next year with the usual suspects declaring victory or making excuses why it didn’t turn out how they thought it would. So much fun.
 
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AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
9,637
1,290
113
Great, I don’t even need to read any posts when it comes to Fitz. All I need to read is who posted it and I can recite the talking points.

I was told Fitz would have to take an Assistant job if he wanted to stay in P4. Fact is nobody gives a **** about 4-20 except some people on this board! Believe me, it’s going to be a **** show right after we play MSU next year with the usual suspects declaring victory or making excuses why it didn’t turn out how they thought it would. So much fun.
I, for one, am genuinely EXTREMELY fascinated by how this goes. He could go 2-10 or 10-2 and I won't be shocked. Who does he hire for OC, and what system will they run? Who else does he hire? How does he handle the portal, has he evolved or not? How does he deal with the press when they start asking critical questions? I am endlessly fascinated by all of this and will be fascinated by the lens these future events put on his reputation and actions at NU. I am not just looking to spike the football... well, maybe on just one or two people... I am genuinely really interested.
 
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Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
27,020
2,451
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I, for one, am genuinely EXTREMELY fascinated by how this goes. He could go 2-10 or 10-2 and I won't be shocked. Who does he hire for OC, and what system will they run? Who else does he hire? How does he handle the portal, has he evolved or not? How does he deal with the press when they start asking critical questions? I am endlessly fascinated by all of this and will be fascinated by the lens these future events put on his reputation and actions at NU. I am not just looking to spike the football... well, maybe on just one or two people... I am genuinely really interested.
Good, then let’s let it play out. We don’t know the answers to those questions yet. It’s a pissing match now between pro and anti Fitz folks and this thread is littered with complete garbage.
 

AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
9,637
1,290
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Good, then let’s let it play out. We don’t know the answers to those questions yet. It’s a pissing match now between pro and anti Fitz folks and this thread is littered with complete garbage.
There’s news even today! Fitz is fighting to keep his class together, he did a decent job, though they lost a few of their top recruits but kept others including a 4 star QB
 

CoralSpringsCat

All-Conference
Dec 10, 2018
2,352
3,054
113
Fitz has work to do right away. MSU's best returning player, wide receiver Nick Marsh, has made it clear he's entering the portal. The father of their young QB has taken to social media to criticize the firing of Smith. Fitz better get to work to make sure he doesn't lose everybody.

 
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Ilvolino

Redshirt
Aug 24, 2023
275
32
28
Great, I don’t even need to read any posts when it comes to Fitz. All I need to read is who posted it and I can recite the talking points.

I was told Fitz would have to take an Assistant job if he wanted to stay in P4. Fact is nobody gives a **** about 4-20 except some people on this board! Believe me, it’s going to be a **** show right after we play MSU next year with the usual suspects declaring victory or making excuses why it didn’t turn out how they thought it would. So much fun.
Every NU fan should give a **** about the dismal 4-20 last 2 season record. It was terrible and inexcusable
 

AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
9,637
1,290
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The big donor was NOT from the Ishbias. Of the $400 million almost $300 M is for capital initiatives... but $100M is for SParan Ventures, the successor entity to the old Donor Collective structure that is responsible for additional NIL payments. A $100 M endowment for extra revenue sharing payments is an amazing boost for Fitz.

It's exactly the kind of thing our biggest donor could EXTREMELY EASILY do, but I don't even know if our school has created the comparable entity like every other school everywhere has.

 
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Darren72

Sophomore
Nov 12, 2018
1,267
192
53
The big donor was NOT from the Ishbias. Of the $400 million almost $300 M is for capital initiatives... but $100M is for SParan Ventures, the successor entity to the old Donor Collective structure that is responsible for additional NIL payments. A $100 M endowment for extra revenue sharing payments is an amazing boost for Fitz.

It's exactly the kind of thing our biggest donor could EXTREMELY EASILY do, but I don't even know if our school has created the comparable entity like every other school everywhere has.

Many schools, including Northwestern, do this in-house. That's why we shut down TrueNU.
 

Fanaticat98

Senior
May 29, 2001
9,014
648
113
Fitz seems to be doing well so far retaining Rossi and bringing in Max Bullough which is a very popular move among MSU faithful. Haven’t seen what else he’s done but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of press about a massive portal exodus, and the recruiting class was pretty well preserved.
 
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May 29, 2001
7,166
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Now that’s a relevant discussion item, not his record at NU as that as no bearing on the future, good or bad.
It will be interesting to see if Fitz & MSU can benefit at all from the blowup and chaos with UM. Seems like MSU could pick up some in-state players.

I also wonder if Michigan is facing any sanctions from the BigTen and/or the NCAA. As probes and legal actions progress, will actions/inactions by UM athletics and college administrators be questioned? Could get ugly for UM, or is their football program “too big to fail”? Will UM only be faced with limited investigations?
 
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Fanaticat98

Senior
May 29, 2001
9,014
648
113
It will be interesting to see if Fitz & MSU can benefit at all from the blowup and chaos with UM. Seems like MSU could pick up some in-state players.

I also wonder if Michigan is facing any sanctions from the BigTen and/or the NCAA. As probes and legal actions progress, will actions/inactions by UM athletics and college administrators be questioned? Could get ugly for UM, or is their football program “too big to fail”? Will UM only be faced with limited investigations?
Nothing. Nothing will happen to UM. If they didn’t get actual penalties (vacated wins, postseason ban) from actually cheating at football (sign stealing), and if their AD inexplicably has the vote of confidence despite all the misconduct that’s happened on his watch, nothing will happen. They will focus this current scandal on Moore’s personal failings to deflect their negligence and coverup.
 

Catmandoo78

Sophomore
Nov 12, 2025
221
137
43
Nothing. Nothing will happen to UM. If they didn’t get actual penalties (vacated wins, postseason ban) from actually cheating at football (sign stealing), and if their AD inexplicably has the vote of confidence despite all the misconduct that’s happened on his watch, nothing will happen. They will focus this current scandal on Moore’s personal failings to deflect their negligence and coverup.
I mean, this is essentially a Moore issue. I’m not really sure why the NCAA or Conference would need to step in? It’s essentially an HR issue?
 
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AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
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I mean, this is essentially a Moore issue. I’m not really sure why the NCAA or Conference would need to step in? It’s essentially an HR issue?
Zero reason whatsoever. This is an HR issue and personal criminal issue.