Michigan State announced Monday that it has hired Pat Fitzgerald to be its new football coach.

The hiring comes a day after the Spartans fired coach Jonathan Smith, who went 9-15 over two seasons. Fitzgerald, who coached Northwestern for 17 seasons, will be introduced at a news conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday in East Lansing, Mich.

Fitzgerald immediately emerged as a serious candidate Sunday when the job came open, and the sides talked Monday to finalize the deal, which a source said is for five years.

“Pat Fitzgerald is widely recognized as an exceptional football coach, whose teams play with extreme toughness and grit, demonstrate continual improvement and maximize potential,” Michigan State athletic director J Batt said in a statement.

“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.”

Fitzgerald, an All-America linebacker at Northwestern in the 1990s, went 110-101 with 10 bowl appearances and two Big Ten West titles as the Wildcats coach. He was the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year and the 2020 Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year.

But his Northwestern tenure ended in July 2023 amid a team hazing scandal.

The university said at the time that 11 current or former football players had acknowledged hazing that included “forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature.” Northwestern initially suspended Fitzgerald but then fired him.

Fitzgerald filed a $130 million lawsuit against the university for breach of contract, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The sides settled the lawsuit in August. In a statement after the settlement, Northwestern said its investigation did not find that Fitzgerald directed or condoned hazing.

Eight other schools had contacted Fitzgerald’s representatives about their coaching vacancies this fall, but he landed at Michigan State.

“This is a program with a deep and storied tradition, a passionate fan base and a commitment to excellence that extends far beyond the football field,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “What excited me most about this opportunity was the vision for what Michigan State can be for years to come.

“We will restore tradition, and I’m eager to earn the trust of our players, alumni and fans while competing at the highest level.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/01/michigan-state-hires-pat-fitzgerald/