FOOTBALL: Michigan State brings Pat Fitzgerald as head coach

Pat Fitzgerald is back in the Big Ten as the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans, the school announced Monday.

The former Northwestern coach has signed a five-year contract, according to multiple reports.

"I am honored to be named the head football coach at Michigan State University," Fitzgerald said. "I'd like to thank President Guskiewicz and Athletics Director Batt for this opportunity. 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. What excites me most about this opportunity is the vision for what Michigan State can achieve in the 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."

Fitzgerald, 50, will be formally introduced at a Tuesday press conference in East Lansing. He becomes the third coach of the Spartans in just over two years.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for Michigan State Football," Director of Athletics J. Batt said. "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 strong 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."

The Jonathan Smith era ended when he was fired Sunday after losing eight of the final nine games of the season, capping a two-year tenure with the program at 4-15, following the NCAA’s vacating of five wins from 2024. Smith has more than $30 million remaining on his contract.

Fitzgerald last coached in 2022 for Northwestern, finishing 110-101 across 17 seasons. During his tenure, the Wildcats recorded several double-digit win campaigns and claimed multiple bowl victories.

However, Fitzgerald's last two seasons ended with a combined 4-20 record, and he was dismissed in July 2023 amid a hazing scandal that Northwestern described as involving "forced participation, nudity, and sexualized acts of a degrading nature."

"Pat Fitzgerald is a proven leader who understands the full mission of intercollegiate athletics — competitive excellence, academic achievement, and the holistic development of student-athletes," MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz said. "His track record of building disciplined, resilient teams and his commitment to coaching with integrity make him an exceptional fit for Michigan State University. I'm confident that under his leadership, Spartan Football will thrive on and off the field."

Northwestern reached a financial settlement with Fitzgerald in August, which Fitzgerald said cleared his name. Terms were not disclosed, but Fitzgerald's attorneys described it as a "satisfactory settlement."

Fitzgerald had sued Northwestern for $130 million in October 2023, claiming his employment was "unlawfully terminated" and that the university had damaged his reputation.

"For the past two years, I have engaged in a process of extensive fact and expert discovery, which confirmed what I have known and said all along — that I had no knowledge of hazing occurring in the Northwestern football program and that I never directed or encouraged hazing in any way," Fitzgerald said in August.

Fitzgerald's son, Ryan, is currently a walk-on quarterback at Iowa.

Smith had taken over the program in November 2023 after Mel Tucker’s firing two months earlier amid sexual harassment allegations and NCAA violations. Michigan State began the 2025 season 3-0 but then lost to UCLA, Penn State, and rival Michigan, part of an eight-game losing streak.

The NCAA vacated five of Michigan State's wins from Smith’s debut 2024 season and nine more wins from the 2022 and 2023 campaigns due to recruiting violations during the Tucker era.

When Smith was hired in 2023, he came off a 25-13 run over three seasons at Oregon State, finishing 34-35 overall.

-Field Level Media/Reuters