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How hot is Pat Fitzgerald seat at Northwestern?

superfan01

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May 29, 2003
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He has been there since 2006 and has had some great seasons no doubt. And for a while was considered an untouchable. But his record 3 of the last 4 seasons has been awful especially in the easier Big Ten West.
This year has been a disaster with a 1-6 start including a loss to FCS Southern Illinois. Recruiting, however, has been ok even this year (for now).

2019: 3-9 (1-8 Big ten)
2020: 7-2 (6-1 big ten) Top 10 ranking
2021 : 3-9 (1-8 Big Ten)
2022: 1-6 (1-3 big ten)

Can he be canned soon?
 
Fits is going nowhere for awhile… 2020 -2021 pandemic … 2022 and on will determine the fate . The new stadium will be his salvation as I don’t see them terminating his contract until after this build.
 
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I’ve read more about a once very safe David Shaw being on a hot seat vs Fitzgerald. I haven’t really read that much about him actually.
 
People at Northwestern still remember the graffiti from the 70's:

Interstate 70
Northwestern 0

and the teams that produced it. Their expectations are also lower than the B1G power team fans. He's kept them competitive (not a lot of blowouts) and they are patient.
 
As for David Shaw the long time Stanford coach has shown to be a great example of a former scholar athlete from a pretty good academic school who also has won 5 bowls , multi coach of the year awards in the Pac12 and up to recently did not come close to that list of “ on the HotSeat status”. Yes it is a business but it was only a short few years ago that schools were looking at how Shaw and Stanford trained their respective athletes. These schools included Rutgers. With Stanford it’s not a money issue . More a what have you done for me lately cry from the peanut gallery sitting on the sides.
 
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This popular site has him at number 4 hot seat in country.

That’s not an accurate list imo. Fisher has 85M due to him and others are just in their first year regardless of how it may be going. It’s just a list of coaches having a hard time currently but doesn’t mean all of them are under threat to be fired.

Some on that list yes, others not so much. I read about and listen to pods from media and don’t really see much about Fitzgerald under threat. I don’t even see a ton on Shaw but his name at least pops up occasionally, I don’t think I’ve heard about Fitzgerald at all. If it happened it would be a surprise like Chryst.
 
Bad season so far and its going to get worse.

But there is no chance he's getting fired.

Funny to see alot of names on the list that people wanted here: Jones, Cristobal, Fisch

I hope BCU goes full melt down, Hafley gets canned and we can put him on the staff at RU
 
Bad season so far and its going to get worse.

But there is no chance he's getting fired.

Funny to see alot of names on the list that people wanted here: Jones, Cristobal, Fisch

I hope BCU goes full melt down, Hafley gets canned and we can put him on the staff at RU
Think Hafley would go back to the NFL. You aren’t going to make him a coordinator and he’s not going anywhere as a secondary coach
 
Unless they have a homerun hire lined up they’d be freakin idiots to even contemplate firing Pat. If they do and don’t have a homerun hire lined up they’re going 2 decades without a winning season, easy.
 
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I could see Iowa making a change after the season. Ferentz has had some problems over the last few years and the program seems to have stagnated.
 
I could see Iowa making a change after the season. Ferentz has had some problems over the last few years and the program seems to have stagnated.
What about Indiana. Is Tom Allen in any jeopardy? Don't know much about situation there.
 
I could see Iowa making a change after the season. Ferentz has had some problems over the last few years and the program seems to have stagnated.
I don’t think anything will happen to him. He just got an extension recently. The most that might happen is he might reassign his son. Even then just like these other coaches (Fisher, Tucker etc)with big long term deals they don’t really have to do anything if they don’t want. They’re really under no pressure. They’re essentially untouchable because of the length and amount of the contracts. That’s why imo long term guaranteed deals are stupid.
 
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I’m thinking the two are in similar but different situation.

Stanford did beat Notre Dame this year. Now, if they can beat Cal + make a bowl - Shaw should be around a while.

Many forget that Stanford football can be awful for long stretches. Same with Northwestern. Realize both teams have struggled recently, but I think that both coaches are perfect for their schools.
 
I don’t think anything will happen to him. He just got an extension recently. The most that might happen is he might reassign his son. Even then just like these other coaches (Fisher, Tucker etc)with big long term deals they don’t really have to do anything if they don’t want. They’re really under no pressure. They’re essentially untouchable because of the length and amount of the contracts. That’s why imo long term guaranteed deals are stupid imo.
They are not untouchable . This is pro sports withiout a salary cap . If they lose some booster will pony up and get them replaced .asap
 
They are not untouchable . This is pro sports withiout a salary cap . If they lose some booster will pony up and get them replaced .asap
I’ll believe that when I see it. They are untouchable until a buyout is more manageable. The biggest payout ever to date is Malzahn at 21.45M at Auburn. These numbers for some of these coaches are several factors above that. I’ll believe it when I see it that some school will pay 85M or even 50M in a buyout. This also doesn’t account for the next coach which just ups the amount of money spent.
 
I’ll believe that when I see it. They are untouchable until a buyout is more manageable. The biggest payout ever to date is Malzahn at 21.45M at Auburn. These numbers for some of these coaches are several factors above that. I’ll believe it when I see it that some school will pay 85M or even 50M in a buyout. This also doesn’t account for the next coach which just ups the amount of money spent.
Didn’t nebraska spend an extra $7 million on frost to just not wait a week?
 
You think Iowa will pay this amount after just signing an extension Not likely. The contract was signed just last year and takes Ferentz out to age 74. Better hope for retirement instead lol.


From the article:

His total annual compensation under the new contract, which he signed Dec. 31, the day before the Vrbo Citrus Bowl, according to a copy of the contract obtained through a FOIA request by the Register, will be $7 million. It includes a $500,000 base, $5.5 million in supplemental compensation and a $1 million longevity bonus. The contract expires on Jan. 31, 2030. In other words, it's an eight-year, $56 million deal.

 
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Didn’t nebraska spend an extra $7 million on frost to just not wait a week?
Yea that was dumb too imo and it was an extra 7.5M since they didn’t wait 3 weeks. The total payout ended up being 15M instead of 7.5M. Again not even in the ballpark of the numbers left on some of these long term fully guaranteed deals. It’s not even as much as Malzahn’s 21.45M. Most of these other deals have like 70-80M plus left on them.

Ferentz’ deal probably has in the vicinity of 50M after this year.
 
Yea that was dumb too imo and it was an extra 7.5M since they didn’t wait 3 weeks. The total payout ended up being 15M instead of 7.5M. Again not even in the ballpark of the numbers left on some of these long term fully guaranteed deals. It’s not even as much as Malzahn’s 21.45M. Most of these other deals have like 70-80M plus left on them.

Ferentz’ deal probably has in the vicinity of 50M after this year.
7.5 million pro rated for 3 weeks is a lot of money!! That’s like over $100 million in a year !!
 
Stanford did beat Notre Dame this year. Now, if they can beat Cal + make a bowl - Shaw should be around a while.

Many forget that Stanford football can be awful for long stretches. Same with Northwestern. Realize both teams have struggled recently, but I think that both coaches are perfect for their schools.

They beat #5 preseason Notre Dame? How is that possible?
 
Fitzgerald is kinda like Northwestern's version Brian Leonard
Long time fans dont see him as just a dude
 
Serious question, is there any aspect of our program that's better than Northwesteens?
 
Serious question, is there any aspect of our program that's better than Northwesteens?

If you're not talking players then currently the stadium, though that's going to change. People can debate HC, though I think both are fits where they are. Assistants? Educate me. Overall alumni support, not just the hard core, I'd say NW.
 
I was wrong about the Ferentz contract. It's only 42M after this year, not close to 50M ....so much better lol.

From the article:

The contract: Eight years, $56 million, announced in January. The current buyout: reportedly $6 million for the remaining length of the deal, which would be $42 million after this season.


 
Very bad report coming out of Northwestern.

Pat has lost control of this program after multiple 1-11 seasons

A single 1-11 season wouldn't warm the seat by1 degree. Hazing would be a real problem.
 
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