Pat Fitzpatrick Michigan State
Reason for Pat Fitzgerald Being a Good Fit For the Job Essay
Pat Fitzgerald has taken the coaching job, and both him, and the program he is joining, have a similar outlook on the future of their team. Michigan State has hired coach Pat Fitzgerald as their new head football coach on Dec 1, 2025, ending his three-year hiatus from coaching, and putting him in the position of leading one of the most storied programs in the Big Ten.
Two New Leashes of the Same Dog
What makes this hire so intriguing is not only that Fitzgerald has had such an extensive coaching career, but that both he as well as Michigan State enter this hiring decision from similar circumstances, which is the root of why he is such a good fit for the job.
Fitzgerald has spent the past three years without any coaching position, and though during this time he remained in the sport, he served as a volunteer coach at his son’s high school, while also spending time in Iowa to watch his eldest son Ryan play football for Iowa Hawkeyes. He has described the experience of watching Ryan play college football and tailgating with his friends as one that has opened his eyes to the sport, now that he has been on the opposite side of the benches after spending almost two decades on them as a coach. This period of time away from college coaching has done little to cool his passion for the game, as he has repeatedly expressed his eagerness to prove himself once more, both through his actions and words.
17 Seasons of Excellence at Northwestern
The credentials of Fitzgerald for the position are unquestionable, as he has a long and decorated coaching career at the collegiate level, and has served as the head football coach of the Northwestern Wildcats for the past 17 seasons, where he has compiled an impressive 110-66 record, good for the 14th-best winning percentage among all Big Ten coaches in history. During his tenure, he has led the Wildcats to 10 bowl games, and five AP Top 25 finishes, including two trips to the Big Ten Championship Game in 2018 and 2020, after winning the Big Ten West division each year. The 2020 squad has finished the regular season ranked No. 10 in the country after defeating Auburn in the Citrus Bowl, and was named the Dodd Trophy winner for the national coach of the year by the National Football Foundation, in addition to Fitzgerald being voted the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2018. Moreover, his teams have produced more than 50 All-Big Ten selections, 11 All-Americans, and 22 first-round NFL picks.
Fitzgerald Is Just What the Doctor Ordered for MSU
It is this sort of resume that Michigan State decided it needs for its football team, now that they have entered a period of transition. It is hard to name another coach in the recent memory that could fill the role Pat Fitzgerald has filled for the past three years – a head coach of a program that is on the rise, but still needs the help of the established success from another team to bring it up to par with the rest of the Big Ten.
At the same time, for Fitzgerald, taking the coaching job at Michigan State represents a chance to get back to doing what he loves, at the highest level possible. Multiple reports suggest that he will bring his philosophy of leadership and style of dress to the helm at Michigan State, including the tradition of giving the Number 1 jersey to the most inspirational player on the team.
What Happens Next?
Pat Fitzgerald has formally introduced as the 27th head football coach in Michigan State history. Now it is time to build his staff, and his roster, and move on to the next step in his coaching career, where he will attempt to bring the same winning tradition to the Spartans that has defined his 17 seasons at Northwestern.
