Copyright CBS Sports
Less than five years ago, Pat Fitzgerald was considered a top 10 coach in the power conference ranks. He landed ahead of names like Jim Harbaugh, Kyle Whittingham and James Franklin in the 2021 CBS Sports Coach Rankings. Now, after a three-year hiatus from the sidelines after his ouster amid hazing allegations from his time at Northwestern, Fitzgerald is back on the market and poised to capitalize on the chaos of the 2025 coaching carousel. Eight Power Four jobs have already opened -- nine if you count Stanford -- and more are coming. Fitzgerald reached an August settlement in his wrongful termination lawsuit against Northwestern that has cleared the way for his return to coaching. All indications are that he'll be able to find a home, perhaps even at a Power Four school. In an appearance on ESPN's College Gameday podcast this week, Fitzgerald said that "I feel 100 percent vindicated" and added that his candidacy for jobs has been well-received within the industry. Following his August settlement with Northwestern, Fitzgerald released a statement reiterating that he "had no knowledge of hazing ever occurring in the Northwestern football program, and that I never directed or encouraged hazing in any way." "The rush to judgment in the media in July of 2023 and the reports that suggested I knew about and directed hazing are false and have caused me, my wife, and my three sons great stress, embarrassment, and reputational harm in the last two years," Fitzgerald said in the statement. So with his separation from Northwestern now complete, where might the 50-year old Fitzgerald land? Given the success he had with the Wildcats in what is regarded as one of the nation's most-challenging jobs, there's no doubt he'll be of interest to a number of programs Here's a look at the best potential fits. Current openings Stanford Fitzgerald spent 17 seasons navigating the terrain at an institution with lofty academic standards and still regularly produced quality football teams. He understands how to navigate the political dynamics at a university where sports aren't necessarily the top priority and would presumably be comfortable at Stanford in that environment. The Cardinal are 3-6 this season while operating under 63-year old interim coach Frank Reich. Assuming general manager Andrew Luck moves forward with making a full-time hire from outside the program, Fitzgerald would have to be on the shortlist of candidates. UCLA Winning big in football at UCLA right now is about doing more with less and winning on the margins at a program with some inherent disadvantages. That's what Fitzgerald did at Northwestern, and he's also familiar with the Big Ten. The Bruins' athletic department is cash-strapped, and now there are even questions about whether the Rose Bowl will remain the program's home stadium. The challenges also include lots of cross-country travel for Big Ten games. This job wouldn't be easy, but it could be a great reentry point for Fitzgerald to prove he's still got it. Penn State Landing the Penn State job after three seasons away from coaching would be a coup for Fitzgerald, and there are plenty of reasons to believe it could be a fruitful marriage. Fitzgerald reached 10 wins on three occasions between 2012 and 2017 and appeared in the Big Ten Championship Game in both 2018 and 2020. If he achieved those results at Northwestern, just think what Fitzgerald could achieve while backed with the resources of one of the Big Ten's historical powers. However, given the university's scandal-ridden past, making this hire would bring some optical challenges that the Nittany Lions might prefer to avoid. Arkansas Arkansas is reportedly making an all-in push for James Franklin. Assuming that fails, Fitzgerald could be a great fallback option. The doubters are already screaming, "but can he recruit in the SEC?" That's the wrong question to ask in this era. Money does the recruiting, not the coach. If the Razorbacks like Franklin because he's a veteran leader with a winning track record, then Fitzgerald checks many of the same boxes. No, he doesn't have SEC experience, but if the Razorbacks are serious about putting money into their roster and Fitzgerald hires the right offensive coordinator, this could work. Potential openings Wisconsin Wisconsin fans know Fitzgerald well from their many years together in the Big Ten West. From a cultural standpoint, he would be a natural fit if the Badgers move on from Luke Fickell. It's easy to imagine Fitzgerald taking a bunch of farm-fed three-star prospects and turning Wisconsin back into a respectable Big Ten outfit. However, the Badgers may be thirsting for an offensive-oriented hire amid the program's horrendous ineptitude on that side of the ball. Who Fitzgerald would hire as his offensive coordinator is a significant question that he'll need to answer for any job. It seems especially pertinent at this one. Michigan State Moving on from Jonathan Smith after just two seasons might be rash, but the Spartans are on a six-game losing streak and just 8-13 during his tenure. Fitzgerald would be a comfortable potential replacement. Given how porous the Spartans have been defensively during Smith's tenure, landing a coach with his track record would be a sensible shift.
