Michigan State isn’t wasting much time hitting the reset button. Just hours after reports surfaced that the Spartans were firing head coach Jonathan Smith, it now appears the school has already zeroed in on his replacement — and it’s a familiar name in Big Ten country.
According to the Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal, Michigan State intends to hire former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald as its next head football coach. Two people with knowledge of the situation, who could not speak publicly, confirmed MSU’s plan. As of midday Sunday (Nov. 30), no contract had been finalized, but momentum is clearly moving toward Fitzgerald landing the job.
A Big Ten Veteran Returning to the Sidelines
Fitzgerald will turn 51 on Tuesday, and if the deal gets done, he’ll inherit a program searching for stability after a turbulent stretch of coaching changes, off-field drama, and back-to-back losing seasons.
He’s no stranger to long-term leadership. Fitzgerald spent 17 seasons as the head coach at Northwestern — his alma mater — finishing with a 110–101 record from 2006 to 2022. That run made him the winningest and longest-tenured coach in Wildcats history.
During his time in Evanston, Fitzgerald built a reputation as a tough, detail-oriented program builder who squeezed competitiveness out of a school with some of the toughest academic standards in the Power Five. His Northwestern teams made two Big Ten Championship Game appearances (2018 and 2020) and regularly overachieved relative to expectations.
Why MSU Is Going This Direction
After Jonathan Smith’s short-lived tenure resulted in a 9–15 record and a 1–8 Big Ten season, Michigan State appears to be prioritizing experience, development, and culture-building — areas where Fitzgerald excelled at Northwestern.
MSU’s administration is clearly banking on his proven Big Ten track record to steady a program that has struggled to find its footing since the end of the Mark Dantonio era.
What’s Next
While the contract is not yet signed, signs point strongly toward Fitzgerald stepping in as the Spartans’ next head coach. If finalized, it would mark his first coaching opportunity since Northwestern parted ways with him in 2023.
The Spartans need direction, discipline, and stability. Pat Fitzgerald has delivered those before — and Michigan State believes he can do it again along the banks of the Red Cedar.
