Return of the Mack (Fitz Openly Seeming Jobs)

[AdamOnFirst]

Bat signal style article about Fitz being openly in the Carousel. Not super a surprise.

Ex-NU coach Fitzgerald 'vindicated' by settlement

Former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald addressed his settlement with the coach and told ESPN's "College GameDay" podcast that he is actively seeking a return to the college sideline.

www.espn.com

One part I thought was interesting:

“
Fitzgerald stressed alignment in what he was looking for at his next stop. He said he has been able to study college football clear-eyed, both from the looking at the landscape and seeing programs up close via friends around the profession.

He observed that a school's revenue share number is "the new zero" and the differentiators will be "real NIL" and developing homegrown talent through strong relationships.”

Even NIL skeptical Fitz understands that the House money is only a starting point now, just table stakes. I’m not sure if our school understands that.

 

[hdhntr1]

Bat signal style article about Fitz being openly in the Carousel. Not super a surprise.

Ex-NU coach Fitzgerald 'vindicated' by settlement

Former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald addressed his settlement with the coach and told ESPN's "College GameDay" podcast that he is actively seeking a return to the college sideline.

www.espn.com

One part I thought was interesting:

“
Fitzgerald stressed alignment in what he was looking for at his next stop. He said he has been able to study college football clear-eyed, both from the looking at the landscape and seeing programs up close via friends around the profession.

He observed that a school's revenue share number is "the new zero" and the differentiators will be "real NIL" and developing homegrown talent through strong relationships.”

Even NIL skeptical Fitz understands that the House money is only a starting point now, just table stakes. I’m not sure if our school understands that.

Generally during the job it is really hard to get a chance to really see the big picture like he has been able to the last couple years, I can see it making a huge difference in his approach going forward and where ever he goes he is unlikely to be facing any where near the constraints he dealt with at NU. On the flip side, he will also be dealing with a much shorter leash that he was used to at NU. It will be interesting to watch what happens.

Unfortunately I can also see it getting really ugly at NU as many of the constraints are still in place affecting out quest for talent and we are having a lot more trouble landing the stars we will need to succeed going forward

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Generally during the job it is really hard to get a chance to really see the big picture like he has been able to the last couple years, I can see it making a huge difference in his approach going forward and where ever he goes he is unlikely to be facing any where near the constraints he dealt with at NU. On the flip side, he will also be dealing with a much shorter leash that he was used to at NU. It will be interesting to watch what happens.

Unfortunately I can also see it getting really ugly at NU as many of the constraints are still in place affecting out quest for talent and we are having a lot more trouble landing the stars we will need to succeed going forward

NIL is one barrier, but if he can't substantially improve his perspectives on offense and his ability to hire coordinators and assistants he's going to flop hard. A different program will not sit through 24 games of watching JON defenses, they might not sit through 5, and they won't sit through much longer of him blathering about whatever tough guy offensive football while his offenses suck ***. That'll be first priority.

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

I’m sort of wavering on how well Fitz might do at another school given a fresh start and given his pros and cons as a coach and going to a place with less academic restraints in recruiting. There seems to be general interest in his HC return so he is sure to land somewhere. Just don’t know if he can be successful. Sidebar: wondering if his settlement is impacted at all with him securing another HC job. I suspect not, but financially he has to be “doing ok” with money from the settlement with the prospect of another income stream from coaching at a major program, maybe one in the BT? Does he necessarily want an HC job- could he go to a place like Iowa where he has ties and take on a lesser role for now and then move on to HC job after getting back into the game.

 

[stpaulcat]

Bat signal style article about Fitz being openly in the Carousel. Not super a surprise.

Ex-NU coach Fitzgerald 'vindicated' by settlement

Former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald addressed his settlement with the coach and told ESPN's "College GameDay" podcast that he is actively seeking a return to the college sideline.

www.espn.com

One part I thought was interesting:

“
Fitzgerald stressed alignment in what he was looking for at his next stop. He said he has been able to study college football clear-eyed, both from the looking at the landscape and seeing programs up close via friends around the profession.

He observed that a school's revenue share number is "the new zero" and the differentiators will be "real NIL" and developing homegrown talent through strong relationships.”

Even NIL skeptical Fitz understands that the House money is only a starting point now, just table stakes. I’m not sure if our school understands that.

Mark Morrison?

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Mark Morrison?

De plane, de plane!

 

[stpaulcat]

De plane, de plane!

Fine Corinthian Leather.

 

[hdhntr1]

I’m sort of wavering on how well Fitz might do at another school given a fresh start and given his pros and cons as a coach and going to a place with less academic restraints in recruiting. There seems to be general interest in his HC return so he is sure to land somewhere. Just don’t know if he can be successful. Sidebar: wondering if his settlement is impacted at all with him securing another HC job. I suspect not, but financially he has to be “doing ok” with money from the settlement with the prospect of another income stream from coaching at a major program, maybe one in the BT? Does he necessarily want an HC job- could he go to a place like Iowa where he has ties and take on a lesser role for now and then move on to HC job after getting back into the game.

Not with it being a settlement of the lawsuit.

 

[hdhntr1]

NIL is one barrier, but if he can't substantially improve his perspectives on offense and his ability to hire coordinators and assistants he's going to flop hard. A different program will not sit through 24 games of watching JON defenses, they might not sit through 5, and they won't sit through much longer of him blathering about whatever tough guy offensive football while his offenses suck ***. That'll be first priority.

Pretty big barrier. And he has had time to reevaluate everything.

 

[Catmandoo78]

Despite a very aggressive PR blitz from Fitz, it looks like he’s not getting a major job this cycle. Do you think he waits until the next cycle? Or does he jump on a MAC HC opening or a Big Ten DC job?

 

[UpsetAlert]

Despite a very aggressive PR blitz from Fitz, it looks like he’s not getting a major job this cycle. Do you think he waits until the next cycle? Or does he jump on a MAC HC opening or a Big Ten DC job?

He has $130M reasons to wait for the right fit

 

[MCC_Cat]

Despite a very aggressive PR blitz from Fitz, it looks like he’s not getting a major job this cycle. Do you think he waits until the next cycle? Or does he jump on a MAC HC opening or a Big Ten DC job?

His last couple of years coaching aren't doing him any favors. It's not like he left on a high, more like a nadir. Ghost of JON is haunting him.

 

[Catmandoo78]

His last couple of years coaching aren't doing him any favors. It's not like he left on a high, more like a nadir. Ghost of JON is haunting him.

I can understand the skepticism. His record without Hank could give ADs pause.

 

[Curdog7]

Despite a very aggressive PR blitz from Fitz, it looks like he’s not getting a major job this cycle. Do you think he waits until the next cycle? Or does he jump on a MAC HC opening or a Big Ten DC job?

None of the dominoes have fallen yet. Lots of open jobs and jobs that could be open if coaches leave.

 

[hdhntr1]

I’m sort of wavering on how well Fitz might do at another school given a fresh start and given his pros and cons as a coach and going to a place with less academic restraints in recruiting. There seems to be general interest in his HC return so he is sure to land somewhere. Just don’t know if he can be successful. Sidebar: wondering if his settlement is impacted at all with him securing another HC job. I suspect not, but financially he has to be “doing ok” with money from the settlement with the prospect of another income stream from coaching at a major program, maybe one in the BT? Does he necessarily want an HC job- could he go to a place like Iowa where he has ties and take on a lesser role for now and then move on to HC job after getting back into the game.

I would guess not as well because it was a settlement that to be done by suing them rather than a case of putting together an exit package. NU had no leverage to be able to demand anything.

 

[Catmandoo78]

None of the dominoes have fallen yet. Lots of open jobs and jobs that could be open if coaches leave.

Yeah but I’m talking major jobs (Penn State, Florida, LSU, VaTech, etc.) he’s not getting those at this point.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

None of the dominoes have fallen yet. Lots of open jobs and jobs that could be open if coaches leave.

Seems like most are waiting on Kiffin to announce his intentions.

 

[TheC]

He could come to UConn

 

[Catmandoo78]

 

[MCC_Cat]

"Person of interest" sounds like someone suspected of a crime. You'd think they could come up with better choice of words.

 

[PGPin3L]

Fitz hired at MSU.

 

[corbi296]

Fitz hired at MSU.

now we get a regular reminder of what we stupidly gave up.

 

[PGPin3L]

.

 

[purplejustice]

I wish him the best of luck. He gave NU his all as a player, assistant coach and coach. His departure was handled ineptly by Schil. I am glad he has another chance as a head coach at a Division I school.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

How can this be? I was told he would have be an Assistant or take a step down to the MAC. A P2 job out of the question for this dinosaur in the new NIL, Portal era.

 

[JustGary]

now we get a regular reminder of what we stupidly gave up.

I think a lot of people underestimated the appeal of Fitz for another Big Ten coaching position. The one mantra that every opposing coach said about playing us was how well our players were coached. Everyone hated losing to us because on paper, we were the weaker team. Our recruiting classes never looked as good as teams we beat. Even with all our restrictions, Fitz fielded teams that were competitive. Now remove the academic restrictions and throw in a lot more money, I think Fitz can do well at MSU. The good news for us is I don’t think he will be there long. If he succeeds, he will get hired by a bigger program. If he doesn’t get MSU into CFB contention after a couple of years, he will be gone. In any case, I wish him well except when they play us.

 

[Catmandoo78]

I think a lot of people underestimated the appeal of Fitz for another Big Ten coaching position. The one mantra that every opposing coach said about playing us was how well our players were coached. Everyone hated losing to us because on paper, we were the weaker team. Our recruiting classes never looked as good as teams we beat. Even with all our restrictions, Fitz fielded teams that were competitive. Now remove the academic restrictions and throw in a lot more money, I think Fitz can do well at MSU. The good news for us is I don’t think he will be there long. If he succeeds, he will get hired by a bigger program. If he doesn’t get MSU into CFB contention after a couple of years, he will be gone. In any case, I wish him well except when they play us.

The issue is, on paper it would seem his best days are behind him. Time will tell if that’s true. But he’s got an uphill battle ahead to dig out of the hole at MSU. He will have good NIL available, but he’s starting out from basically square one.

 

[JustGary]

The issue is, on paper it would seem his best days are behind him. Time will tell if that’s true. But he’s got an uphill battle ahead to dig out of the hole at MSU. He will have good NIL available, but he’s starting out from basically square one.

He’s 50 years old, not 70. For all the changes in college football, the requirements to win in the B1G have not changed. Stout defenses, a good offensive line, a running game, and a playmaker at QB. He knows the recruiting landscape not only in the Midwest but nationally. He did not handle the beginning of the NIL and portal era well, but has had time to observe what worked and what doesn’t work. He can now hire a coaching staff without worries of loyalty. He has great coaching connections and so he is not starting out at square one. I don’t know if he will be successful, but I think the fiasco of his firing will be a great motivator for him to adapt.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

I’m genuinely interested in seeing how this goes

 

[AdamOnFirst]

He’s 50 years old, not 70. For all the changes in college football, the requirements to win in the B1G have not changed. Stout defenses, a good offensive line, a running game, and a playmaker at QB. He knows the recruiting landscape not only in the Midwest but nationally. He did not handle the beginning of the NIL and portal era well, but has had time to observe what worked and what doesn’t work. He can now hire a coaching staff without worries of loyalty. He has great coaching connections and so he is not starting out at square one. I don’t know if he will be successful, but I think the fiasco of his firing will be a great motivator for him to adapt.

The requirements to win in the Big Ten have definitely changed, assuming by “win” you mean “seriously compete for conference championships.” What you cited was the criteria in the Big Ten West rock fight. The bar is a good deal higher now.

How well he can fundraise and recruit is going to be the biggest tell. And if his offenses are interested in actually scoring or just in TOP.

 

[katatonic2]

now we get a regular reminder of what we stupidly gave up.

What, a HC who couldn't even field a team with even an average O-line?

Fitz has just as much blame for what transpired.

I think a lot of people underestimated the appeal of Fitz for another Big Ten coaching position. The one mantra that every opposing coach said about playing us was how well our players were coached. Everyone hated losing to us because on paper, we were the weaker team. Our recruiting classes never looked as good as teams we beat. Even with all our restrictions, Fitz fielded teams that were competitive. Now remove the academic restrictions and throw in a lot more money, I think Fitz can do well at MSU. The good news for us is I don’t think he will be there long. If he succeeds, he will get hired by a bigger program. If he doesn’t get MSU into CFB contention after a couple of years, he will be gone. In any case, I wish him well except when they play us.

And yet, there were way too many losses to the likes of Army, Illinois St, SIU, Miami (Ohio), Akron, Western Michigan, etc.; not to mention the losing streak against Dook (where the Cats weren't really competitive).

Also, Fitz won't have the benefit of playing in a B1GW with a down Neb, Illinois and Purdue, Wisky starting its downward spiral, Minny being Minny and Iowa (much like the Cats) fielding half a team to pump up his record.

I have my doubts about Fitz's ability to hire good coordinators (especially on the O side) and/or identify and develop QBs (and O-lines), but maybe he learned something during his time off.

 

[JustGary]

The requirements to win in the Big Ten have definitely changed, assuming by “win” you mean “seriously compete for conference championships.” What you cited was the criteria in the Big Ten West rock fight. The bar is a good deal higher now.

How well he can fundraise and recruit is going to be the biggest tell. And if his offenses are interested in actually scoring or just in TOP.

Somebody better tell Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana that they can’t win with stout defenses, a good offensive line, a running game, and a playmaker at QB.

 

[JustGary]

What, a HC who couldn't even field a team with even an average O-line?

Fitz has just as much blame for what transpired.





And yet, there were way too many losses to the likes of Army, Illinois St, SIU, Miami (Ohio), Akron, Western Michigan, etc.; not to mention the losing streak against Dook (where the Cats weren't really competitive).

Also, Fitz won't have the benefit of playing in a B1GW with a down Neb, Illinois and Purdue, Wisky starting its downward spiral, Minny being Minny and Iowa (much like the Cats) fielding half a team to pump up his record.

I have my doubts about Fitz's ability to hire good coordinators (especially on the O side) and/or identify and develop QBs (and O-lines), but maybe he learned something during his time off.

Yes, I was there for most of the bad losses. I also was there when we got our first bowl victory followed by several more. I also was there for the ten win seasons and the B1G championship game against Ohio State. I was definitely there freezing our *** off at Notre Dame and at Wisconsin. Fitz built his team to compete against the west. I don’t know if he will be successful, but I do know why his name was mentioned for every job opening in the league. And for the man that gave his all to the school as both a player and a coach, I wish him the best.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Somebody better tell Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana that they can’t win with stout defenses, a good offensive line, a running game, and a playmaker at QB.

Those three teams have a hell of a lot more than just that. They don’t just have “playmaker QBs,” they have kickass passing attacks with NFL receivers. When NU won we never had what those three schools have, which is absolutely what the standard is now.

 

[katatonic2]

Yes, I was there for most of the bad losses. I also was there when we got our first bowl victory followed by several more. I also was there for the ten win seasons and the B1G championship game against Ohio State. I was definitely there freezing our *** off at Notre Dame and at Wisconsin. Fitz built his team to compete against the west. I don’t know if he will be successful, but I do know why his name was mentioned for every job opening in the league. And for the man that gave his all to the school as both a player and a coach, I wish him the best.

With a B1GW as in pitiful shape as it was, Fitz squandered the opportunity to win more division titles, much less avoid those horrid seasons.

Could have won at least 2 more division titles with a halfway competent O.

 

[JustGary]

Those three teams have a hell of a lot more than just that. They don’t just have “playmaker QBs,” they have kickass passing attacks with NFL receivers. When NU won we never had what those three schools have, which is absolutely what the standard is

Still, they have everything I mentioned. Adding NFL WR was not possible at NU. With the added NIL MSU can afford, I give them a better chance of getting a better group of Wr.

 

[prez77]

Rison, Ingram, Gene Washington, Rodgers, Hawkins, Burress, even Kirk Gibson. They catch passes in East Lansing.