Northwestern Fires Pat Fitzgerald

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Unregistered User said:
And later that night

When the truth came to light

Came the Wreck

Of the Patrick Fitzgerald

The seniors got nude

Then assaulted a dude

On the wreck

Of the Patrick Fitzgerald


Wish I could take credit for it.
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If only Gordon were still here to sing it.

I love that song, too.
 

GopherVotary said:
Paterno knew sexual assault was occurring and did nothing. Fitz knew sexual assault was occurring and did nothing.
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From what I recall, when Paterno suspected Sandusky, he told the AD and President. When they (and the police) swept it under the rug, Paterno didn’t tell anyone else. I’m not defending Paterno because he should have raised hell, but that is a tough spot to be in.

It seems that if Fitz knew, he didn’t tell his bosses, which would be a difference.
 

60's Guy said:
Athletic story
The Athletic story is mostly quotes from the President. This guy is in way over has head. His logic, his steps to decisions, his conclusions are just baffling how this man is in this position.

"Additionally, Schill wrote that the hazing “was well-known by many in the program, though the investigator failed to find any credible evidence that coach Fitzgerald himself knew about it” and that Schill recently learned many details of the independent investigation, and spoke with the complainant and his parents.
He read the report and talked to the whistle blower AFTER announcing Fitzgerald's two week suspension. Just a lot of head scratching steps and conclusions he comes to.

“I encourage all of you to rally around the young men in our football program as they take the field this fall." You know, the guys who did the hazing. All is well, that ends well. Boys will be boys.
Carry on.
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Agree 100%. I’m thinking how the hell is this guy the President of Northwestern?
 

WAGopher said:
From what I recall, when Paterno suspected Sandusky, he told the AD and President. When they (and the police) swept it under the rug, Paterno didn’t tell anyone else. I’m not defending Paterno because he should have raised hell, but that is a tough spot to be in.

It seems that if Fitz knew, he didn’t tell his bosses, which would be a difference.
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That was my understanding. Paterno technically did what he was supposed to do, but he should have done a lot more.
 




Call me crazy but.....
1. Whomever they bring in HAS to have a history of running a clean program....
2. I could see them going for former Navy coach Ken N, Paul Johnson (if he wants to come out of retirement) or Jer. Discipline, spread the field, and attack with limited, brainy athletes (ok - maybe not NMSU). Imagine B10 defenses having blockers diving at their shins all day long. Oh the whining and crying......
 




Spoofin said:
Not players, but Joe knew his assistant raped children and did nothing about it / covered it up. I’d say that is close enough.
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Not in the same century that’s how far apart the two situations are.
 


akgo4 said:
Call me crazy but.....
1. Whomever they bring in HAS to have a history of running a clean program....
2. I could see them going for former Navy coach Ken N, Paul Johnson (if he wants to come out of retirement) or Jer. Discipline, spread the field, and attack with limited, brainy athletes (ok - maybe not NMSU). Imagine B10 defenses having blockers diving at their shins all day long. Oh the whining and crying......
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As to point two,



The NCAA changed the rules, essentially the new cut blocking rule in NCAA mirrors high school. It has to be initial contact and in the box.




This rule change essentially makes the triple options out of flexbone not functional. Anyone who suggests Paul Johnson or Ken N would be suggesting them knowing they aren’t going to run triple. Because it really can’t work sustainably without perimeter cutting. (Which is why army is leaving it)
 




Some guy said:
You’re not going to get a debate from me on any of that.
But I also don’t think he is a horrible head coach.

Giving him another job wouldn’t be like giving Brewster or Tim Beckman another job is more what I’m saying
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Yeah, Frost was so much better than Brewster. Frost was 16-31 at Nebraska and Brewster was 15-30 at Minnesota. Brewster also went to 2 bowls while Frost went to zero. Yup, Frost really proved he was vastly superior.
 

gopherphil said:
No it’s not. If you don’t know you don’t know…..
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This is going to be an ongoing argument. Pat could have felt that since all of his players have great grades etc., he perhaps felt that they wouldn't do something like this. More will probably come out.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Yeah, Frost was so much better than Brewster. Frost was 16-31 at Nebraska and Brewster was 15-30 at Minnesota. Brewster also went to 2 bowls while Frost went to zero. Yup, Frost really proved he was vastly superior.
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Yeah he failed. That’s why he got fired.

He also has 35 career wins and a 47% winning % and a top 10 AP Poll finish. He also won a peach bowl.
Whereas Brewster has 15 career wins and a 33% winning %


Frost is superior as a head coaching career. And I’m a guy who thinks Brewster is underrated. Sorry you are offended.
 
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Seeing Giants OC and former NW QB, Mike Kafka, listed as a potential candidate. Another I’ve seen is Lou Ayeni from Woodbury, he is another former NW player and RB coach, currently with the Denver Broncos.
 

btowngopher said:
Seeing Giants OC and former NW QB, Mike Kafka, listed as a potential candidate. Another I’ve seen is Lou Ayeni from Woodbury, he is another former NW player and RB coach, currently with the Denver Broncos.
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In a normal transition, in the family guys make sense. This isn’t normal. Suggestions are that this is part of the culture for a long time probably discourages administration from doing that.
 

btowngopher said:
Seeing Giants OC and former NW QB, Mike Kafka, listed as a potential candidate. Another I’ve seen is Lou Ayeni from Woodbury, he is another former NW player and RB coach, currently with the Denver Broncos.
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If the reports are true that this has been done at Northwestern for many years, they might be smart to bring someone in from the outside. That's all they need: hire a former player or assistant; proudly introduce him as the new coach; and then have an accusation that he knew about or participated in the hazing when he played there. The Northwestern football tradition isn't that impressive to take that risk even if it's unfair to the guy.
 


Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
Cool way to fire an underperforming coach without eating the buyout!
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Per the statement tonight sounds like he’s not going quietly. Hiring a big gun attorney like Dan Webb probably means he’s going to war? The president has seemingly created a problem for himself and others by reneging on the agreement without benefit of any new information, while still not releasing the report, and apparently not enacting any disciplinary proceedings of involved players and mandatory reporter staff that he states he has evidence happened. It still doesn’t make a lot of sense.

This has potential to get even messier - if Fitz truly feels he’s been wronged and legal things start to happen- which is saying something.
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
You think the sexual assault of a child is the same as a grown man playing some weird game of grab ass? Ok.

Agree to disagree.
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That’s not what I said. I just likened Fitz’s lack of action to Paterno’s lack of action. Obviously the PSU matter was much more heinous.
 

btowngopher said:
Seeing Giants OC and former NW QB, Mike Kafka, listed as a potential candidate. Another I’ve seen is Lou Ayeni from Woodbury, he is another former NW player and RB coach, currently with the Denver Broncos.
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Kafka is a top 5 candidate next hiring cycle in the NFL, I don't see any way he heads back to NW at this point.
 


"Defensive coordinator David Braun is expected to be named the Wildcats' acting coach, sources told ESPN.

Braun, who will serve as a liaison and manage the program for the time being, came to Northwestern in January from North Dakota State, where he was FCS coordinator of the year in 2021. He's entering his first season with the program, which is coming off a 1-11 record, the team's worst since it went winless in 1989". from ESPN

This guy just got there, so this seems like a good decision.
 

Now it is going to be all about money and it is a lot of money.
If Northwest does not capitulate and give the coach a big chunk of change there will be a lawsuit with depositions under oath of all involved from the President of Northwestern to the team managers.
There is no comparison to the PSU scandal in which Paterno's son saw Sandusky in the shower with a child.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
Per the statement tonight sounds like he’s not going quietly. Hiring a big gun attorney like Dan Webb probably means he’s going to war? The president has seemingly created a problem for himself and others by reneging on the agreement without benefit of any new information, while still not releasing the report, and apparently not enacting any disciplinary proceedings of involved players and mandatory reporter staff that he states he has evidence happened. It still doesn’t make a lot of sense.

This has potential to get even messier - if Fitz truly feels he’s been wronged and legal things start to happen- which is saying something.
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That chair screeching across the floor sound in the bar when you know something is about to go down...
 

Plato said:
Now it is going to be all about money and it is a lot of money.
If Northwest does not capitulate and give the coach a big chunk of change there will be a lawsuit with depositions under oath of all involved from the President of Northwestern to the team managers.
There is no comparison to the PSU scandal in which Paterno's son saw Sandusky in the shower with a child.
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I thought it a different coach McQuery.
 

A host on my amplitude modulation device this morning noted that NW has a "new" Prez formerly from Oregon who stepped into this cold. Basically freaked out and scuttled the most solid aspect of the Cats' FB program...their coach. Also noted that if Coach Fitz did not know, he should not have taken the 2 week suspension willingly (which appears to be the case). That would have set a whole different trajectory as the Prez couldn't take the heat and went to DEFCON 1 and here they are.
 

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