When it comes to the hiring of Pat Fitzgerald as Michigan State’s new coach, the university received a passing grade from one notable media outlet.
The college football coaching carousel is nearly wrapped up; Michigan State locked down its coach weeks ago. So, that means it’s time to grade the hires, and ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg gave Michigan State a solid assessment.
Rittenberg gave Michigan State a “B” grade for the hiring of Fitzgerald. He wrote that Fitzgerald is a true Midwesterner and knows how to win at Michigan State from coaching against the Spartans during the best days under Mark Dantonio. Additionally, he stated Fitzgerald proved at Northwestern that he knows how to win at a high-level and will bring that experience to the Spartans.
Here’s the overall assessment of Fitzgerald from Rittenberg:
“Fitzgerald deserved another opportunity after settling his lawsuit with Northwestern this past summer and being publicly cleared of culpability in the hazing scandal. There has been some selective amnesia in evaluating his candidacy, though. He wasn’t the first coach to win at Northwestern (predecessors Randy Walker and Gary Barnett both won Big Ten titles there). While he had a really nice run before NIL, the transfer portal and when the Big Ten had divisions, he also went 4-20 in his last two seasons and won three games or fewer in three of the last four. Fitzgerald must harness the qualities that made him a consistent winner at Northwestern but also show growth in how he hires staff and approaches roster-building to win at MSU.”
Personally, I think this is a fair grade for Fitzgerald and don’t have much push back on what was Rittenberg wrote. I would also point out Fitzgerald has made some impressive staff hires that makes me even more excited for what he can build at Michigan State. But a “B” grade is a fair assessment and probably along the lines of what I would give here as well.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: ESPN provides hiring grade for MSU football, Pat Fitzgerald
Reporting by Robert Bondy, Spartans Wire / Spartans Wire
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