Pat Fitzgerald, vowing to “restore tradition” in the Michigan State football program, was hired as the Spartans’ new coach Monday.
The deal is for five years, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, and requires formal approval from the MSU board of trustees when it next meets Dec. 12.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Michigan State Football,” athletic director J Batt said 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.”
He replaces Jonathan Smith, who was fired Sunday after a victory against Maryland to cap a 4-8 season.
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.
Former Northwestern football players started filing lawsuits in 2023, alleging sexual abuse and racial discrimination on the team. Similar allegations then spread across several sports. Fitzgerald denied wrongdoing and sued for $130 million. He alleged the school illegally terminated his employment and damaged his reputation, among other things.
Fitzgerald was an All-American linebacker for the Wildcats and starred on the 1995 team that won the Big Ten and played in the Rose Bowl.
His record at Northwestern during his 17-year run as coach was 110-101, ranking 14th all time for wins among Big Ten coaches. He led the Wildcats to Big Ten West championships in 2018 and 2020 and five bowl victories. Over his final two seasons, though, Northwestern was 4-20.
The program has struggled since the school’s winningest coach, Mark Dantonio, retired after a record-breaking 13-year run in 2020. In his final two seasons, he had consecutive 7-6 records and a .500 mark in the Big Ten.
“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,” Batt said.
Fitzgerald, 50, will be introduced by the Spartans on Tuesday.