CBS Sports Grades Coach Fitz Hire at MSU

While college sports fans across the country begin to lock into the homestretch of the college basketball season and the beginning of the college baseball season, and other fans turn their attention to the 2026 Winter Olympics, CBS Sports decided to release its annual grades on the recent college football coaching hires over the weekend.

The outlet provided input on all 33 coaches hired, and that includes new Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

What CBS Thinks of the Fitz Hire

Overall, CBS analyst Richard Johnson gives the Spartans' hire a B-minus. He gives Fitzgerald plenty of credit for his success at Northwestern and acknowledges his ability to maximize the efforts of the the players on often overmatched rosters and channeling that into success, with noted increased support and resources at his disposal in East Lansing.

However, there are concerns over whether the struggles in his later years in Evanston were due to his coaching or just the university and the talent it attracts.

coach hire grade — Nov 19, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald walks the sidelines during the second quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

"Fitzgerald made waves at Northwestern by leading the Wildcats to two first-place finishes in the Big Ten West, but struggled during the final two years of his tenure with a 4-20 combined record," Johnson wrote. "It remains unclear whether Fitzgerald's late-era swoon in Evanston was due to limited resources or if the game passed him by. For years, Fitzgerald maximized rosters with talent deficiencies. With more investment promised, the answer should come quickly."

It's hard to argue with Johnson's synopsis, despite all the positivity and the clear vision Fitzgerald seems to have already generated in a short time at the helm. Michigan State does have a situation where he can be better set up for success, but at the same time, many questions remain about the product on the field, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Pat Fitzgerald fits more of a CEO and motivator role as a head coach, which is what Michigan State needed. Someone who knows the conference, the program, and its rivalries in a way that gets everyone amped up. For now, that approach leaves questions from national analysts, but he'll have every chance to prove he deserves better marks.

Where It Compares

Fitzgerald was right around the middle of the pack with these grades, but he is the lowest of the four Big Ten hires. Michigan and UCLA both got A's for hiring Kyle Whittingham and Bob Chesney, respectively, and Penn State earned a B-plus for luring Matt Campbell away from Iowa State after missing on a few top choices. Virginia Tech also received an A for hiring former Penn State boss James Franklin.

Southern Miss's hire of former Utah State and Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson was the only hire to receive an F, while Johnson gave UAB a D for sticking with interim head coach Alex Mortensen for the permanent position.

Stanford, Washington State, Missouri State, North Texas, Tulane, and USF (former Ohio State assistant Brian Hartline) also received worse grades than the Spartans.

Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on MSU's loss at Wisconsin when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.

Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Spartans when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW