Former controversial college football coach named potential candidate for top Big Ten job

After just two seasons, Michigan State is admitting it made a costly mistake in hiring former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith, who went 9-15 overall.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Sunday that the school plans to fire Smith despite a $33 million buyout.

Michigan State will need a splash hire to appease the program's boosters and financial backers -- along with a frustrated fan base -- and one very notable name has already been mentioned as a potential top candidate for the job.

Matt Zenitz, of CBSSports.com, reported that former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is expected to be "a person of interest" for the Spartans.

Ex-Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald is expected to be a person of interest for the Michigan State head coaching opening, sources tell me, @C_Robinson247 and @JustinThind for @CBSSports.

Posted 110 wins at Northwestern and was the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year in 2020. pic.twitter.com/7QUDnzY6RL
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 30, 2025

It once seemed like Fitzgerald would never leave Northwestern, but he was fired in July 2023 after 17 seasons there for "his failure to know and prevent significant hazing in the football program," as the school announced at the time.

But Fitzgerald filed a $130 million wrongful termination lawsuit and reached an undisclosed settlement with Northwestern in August. He told ESPN's "College GameDay" podcast a few weeks ago that he felt "fully vindicated" by the outcome and was eager to resume his career.

Along with the settlement, Northwestern also issued a public statement maintaining that "inappropriate conduct in the football program did occur" but concluding that "the evidence uncovered during extensive discovery did not establish that any player reported hazing to Coach Fitzgerald or that Coach Fitzgerald condoned or directed any hazing." The school further wished Fitzgerald "the best in resuming his football career."

It seems only a matter of time before that happens.

After all, there aren't many coaches sitting available with Fitzgerald's resume, which includes a 110-101 record over his 17 years at Northwestern with three 10-win seasons, two nine-win seasons and national recognition in the form of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year award after leading the Wildcats to a 7-2 record and Big Ten title game appearance in the Covid-shortened 2020 season.

Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Michigan State needs a full reset after a dismal downturn under Smith. After going 5-7 last year, the Spartans started 3-0 this fall against a light non-conference schedule before losing eight straight games as fans called for a coaching change. Smith won his finale, 38-28 over Maryland on Saturday, to finish 1-8 in Big Ten play this year.

Since Mark Dantonio's 13-year run as Michigan State head coach, the Spartans have whiffed on two straight hires in Mel Tucker, who went 20-14 but was fired for cause in Sept. 2023 following a sexual misconduct complaint.

For a football program in need of stability, hiring a coach who stayed for 17 years in his last job has some real appeal.