#B1GCoachRank: No. 5 Pat Fitzgerald
Ranking coaches in the B1G can be a pretty easy task. It’s easy to place a number beside a guy, failing to give any reasoning behind his placement on a “power rankings,” list.
At Saturday Tradition, though, we don’t want to just give you the rankings. We want to provide you with a detailed description of each head coach and why he’s ranked in his selected spot.
This was a practice that was kicked up from the ground last year and, since there’s still several months until football season gets underway, it’s worth revisiting. So, let’s continue our 2017 #B1GCoachRank:
Coach: No. 5 Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
Record: 77-62 (41-48 B1G)
Record vs. top 25: 10-23
Where team was when he was hired: Fitzgerald was named the head coach after the sudden and shocking passing of Randy Walker. It was a delicate situation for Fitzgerald and the program but one he handled with true professionalism.
Walker turned around the Wildcats and built a consistent winner. Considering the limited amount of success the program had enjoyed in its history, he gave fans and alumni a reason to be interested in Northwestern football. That’s the legacy Fitzgerald wanted to continue when he was unexpectedly named head coach.
As a former player at Northwestern in the mid 1990s and having been on staff for five years – two of which as recruiting coordinator – Fitzgerald understood what he needed to do in order to be successful in Evanston. And he had all the tools and experience to continue down a path that Walker paved.
Biggest win: Nov. 7, 2009 at No. 4 Iowa
It has to be Fitzgerald’s only victory over a top-five opponent. And winning the game on the road, nonetheless.
Northwestern stunned an undefeated Iowa team in Kinnick Stadium in early November, ending any hope for the Hawkeyes to snag a bid in the national title game. Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi left the game injured and the Wildcats took advantage of the inexperience under center.
The Wildcats overcame a 10-point deficit to beat Iowa 17-10. It was the first of three straight-wins, including a season-ending victory over No. 14 Wisconsin as Northwestern finished the year 8-5.
As far as level of competition, that might be one of the best three-game stretches in Northwestern’s history.
Most embarrassing loss: Sept. 10, 2016 vs. Illinois State
This wasn’t the first time Fitzgerald’s team has fallen to an FCS/Division I-AA foe in his career, but it was probably the most unexpected loss the program has endured in some time.
Northwestern won 10 games in 2015 and was looking to bounce back after a 22-21 loss against Western Michigan at home. Instead, the Wildcats suffered another gut-wrenching loss that was decided in the final moments.
Clayton Thorson and Justin Jackson were virtually ineffective in the game and the offense was stymied all afternoon. Northwestern scored only seven points in the contest but, believe it or not, it was enough to potentially hold off the pesky Redbirds.
A game-winning kick by Sean Slattery sent the Wildcats to 0-2 on the year and gave Illinois State its first win over an FBS program. It really left you wondering whether Northwestern would fail to make a bowl appearance for the third time in four years.
Best recruiting class: 2014
I’ll just start by listing three names and you’ll probably understand why this was Fitzgerald’s top recruiting class: Clayton Thorson, Justin Jackson, Solomon Vault.
The 2014 class only had 15 signees, the fewest in the B1G that year. But Fitzgerald landed some quality players. Thorson and Jackson were four-star recruits, as were Garrett Dickerson and Parrker Westphal. The class also had 10 three-star recruits, highlighted by Vault and Xavier Washington.
Jackson has a chance to become one of the B1G’s all-time greatest running backs and Thorson is emerging as a top quarterback in the conference. Watching those two develop alone is enough to put this class at the top. But with one or two years left for the guys that were left in 2014, the next few years are really a big chance to prove that Fitzgerald hit a home run with this class.
What could get him fired: Northwestern has reached seven bowl games, has finished the AP top 25 twice and has hit the 10-win mark twice under Fitzgerald. Sure, the Wildcats have had a few disappointing seasons, but at Northwestern, Fitzgerald is somewhat of a savior. He’s not going anywhere.
Plus, signing a 10-year contract extension is a pretty good indication that Fitzgerald is in no danger of losing his job.
Why he’s at No. 5: Somehow, Fitzgerald has taken Northwestern football to a new level. It’s not that he’s had just a good year here-and-there, but he’s turned the program into a regular contender in the B1G West. That’s a remarkable accomplishment at a place that had been the conference’s doormat for decades.
Maybe there aren’t many huge wins on his resume, and no, the Wildcats haven’t claimed any B1G titles or division crowns during his rein, but they have been consistent. Fitzgerald has a 77-62 record in 11 years in Evanston. He’s the program’s all-time winningest coach and has more postseason appearances since 2006 (7) than in the school’s prior history (6).
Fitzgerald has accomplished things at Northwestern that nobody else has done in the program’s history. He’s doing it without a ton of four-star and five-star talent, too. If he were at another program, Fitzgerald might be one of the top coaches in the country.
He’s definitely worthy of a top-five ranking in the B1G.
#B1GCoachRank
No. 5 Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
No. 4 TBA
