Pat Fitzgerald introduced as next Michigan State head coach
MSU's Pat Fitzgerald opening remarks at into press conference
Pat Fitzgerald was introduced as the 27th football coach in Michigan State University history on Tuesday. These are his opening remarks.
FOX 2 - Michigan State University football has reportedly found their man in Pat Fitzgerald. Watch the press conference in the live player above.
Fitzgerald has signed a deal with MSU, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel, and will be officially introduced on Tuesday. A few hours later, Michigan State confirmed the reports, making the announcement official.
The backstory:
Fitzgerald will be formally introduced as the 27th head football coach in Michigan State history at a press conference on the MSU campus on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
"Today marks the beginning of a new era for Michigan State Football," said Athletic Director J Batt in a statement. "Pat Fitzgerald is widely recognized as an exceptional football coach, whose teams play with extreme toughness and grit, demonstrate continual improvement and maximize potential. Pat is an excellent fit for Michigan State Football, as he understands the Big Ten, has great relationships throughout the Midwest and embodies the values on which our program was built.
"His incredible passion will resonate throughout the program, connecting with all members of our Spartan community, including student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and donors.
"As an institution, we are committed to providing the resources and infrastructure required to realize our shared vision of competing for championships, and with Pat leading the way, Spartan Football is positioned for sustained success at the Big Ten and national level. We are excited to welcome Pat, his wife, Stacy, and sons, Jack, Ryan and Brendan, to our Spartan family."
Jonathan Smith was fired after two seasons, finishing 4-8 this season, leading to a feeding frenzy of reports that the former Northwestern coach was the choice to take over the helm at MSU.
The 50-year-old Fitzgerald reached a settlement with Northwestern in August, two years after he sued the university amid a team hazing scandal that led to his firing following an investigation. Details of the settlement were not made public.
Smith and the Spartans finished the regular season with a 38-28 win over Maryland at Ford Field Saturday.
The win snapped an eight-game losing streak - with MSU's last win coming on Sept. 13th over Youngstown State.
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Head coach Pat Fitzgerald of the Northwestern Wildcats runs off the field after losing to the Wisconsin Badgers at Ryan Field on October 08, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Former Northwestern football players started filing lawsuits in 2023, alleging sexual abuse and racial discrimination on the team under Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald denied wrongdoing and sued for $130 million. He alleged the school illegally terminated his employment and damaged his reputation, among other things. His case was set to go to trial this month.'
Fitzgerald was an All-America linebacker for the Wildcats and starred on the 1995 team that won the Big Ten and played in the Rose Bowl.
He was 110-101 in 17 seasons as Northwestern’s head coach. He led the Wildcats to Big Ten West championships in 2018 and 2020 and to five bowl victories. Over his final two seasons, though, Northwestern was 4-20.
Michigan State lost eight of its last nine games to finish 4-8 this season. Smith’s overall record at MSU was 9-15 and just 4-14 in the Big Ten. Smith is due more than $30 million, according to terms of his seven-year contract.
"The 2025 football season has not lived up to our shared standards for Michigan State Football," athletic director J Batt said in a statement. "While that does not fall solely on Jonathan Smith, it’s become necessary to make a coaching change in order to chart a new direction for the program."
The Source: Information for this report is from Michigan State Univeristy and the Associated Press.