Pat Fitzgerald out at Northwestern: Who should replace him?

The Pat Fitzgerald Era at Northwestern is officially over after the school parted ways with the man who coached the Wildcats football team for the past 17 seasons, all after the emergence of an alleged culture of hazing at the program. But while the coach is officially off the payroll, it appears he won't go down without a fight.

Fitzgerald being the face of the program for so long was a kind of consistency for the Wildcats, but on the field, the football team was anything but predictable. It oscillated between good and bad seasons: during the Covid-19 season, it placed top-10 in the national football rankings and played for the Big Ten title, but won just a single conference game in three of the last four years.

All told, it's not a great place to be, having to replace a head football coach inside 50 days to go until kickoff, and Northwestern hasn't always been a hot destination for coaches: the school has demanding academic standards and there are questions about the football stadium, but it's still a job in the Big Ten that should get you good exposure against quality competition in national games on a regular basis.

Pat Fitzgerald out at Northwestern: Who should replace him?

Paul Chryst: The former Wisconsin head coach currently serves as an offensive analyst for Texas, but is well acquainted with the Big Ten, and was a winner in the conference. He finished with a 67-26 mark leading the Badgers before being let go in a move that surprised many observers. Chryst was 6-1 in bowl games and his teams won at least 10 games in four seasons, 9 in one, and 8 in another.

Tommy Rees: A native of Chicago who called offensive plays for Notre Dame and will this season for Alabama is a name to watch. Rees got his coaching start as a graduate assistant with Northwestern and has plenty of experience blending football with academics during his time with the Irish. Plus, he's only 31 years old and could see his profile rise dramatically if things go well working for Nick Saban.

David Shaw: A possible shorter-term solution, Shaw won three Pac-12 titles and had eight straight winning seasons at Stanford, including five years of winning 10-plus games. The Cardinal won two Rose Bowl games against Shaw's leadership and finished in the AP top 10 three times, going 96-54 overall. He brings valuable experience leading a larger football program to success on the field at an elite academic institution.

Ken Niumatalolo: The former head of the U.S. Naval Academy's football program went 109-83 overall in 16 seasons, earning a reputation as a highly-respected coach who graduated many players and avoided NCAA infractions. His Navy teams won six out of 10 bowl games and won eight straight against arch rival Army, both of which are records at the school. He also beat Notre Dame three times. Niumatalolo now has a job at UCLA as an advisor.

Willie Fritz: The current head coach at Tulane has been a winner wherever he's been in the college football ranks, winning almost 200 games in his career, culminating in his best season yet, leading the Green Wave to a No. 9 ranking and a victory in the Cotton Bowl. Tulane has higher academic standards, as well, proving that Fritz can sustain success on the field at a school not known for it.

Mike Kafka: The one-time Northwestern quarterback under Fitzgerald from 2005-09, Kafka started his coaching career at his alma mater as a GA before moving on to the NFL, leaping up the coaching ranks to his current position as offensive coordinator for the Giants. Taking charge of the Wildcats could be a dream job, but it might be tough to lure him out of the pros, where he has already taken interviews with some teams.

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