2024 College Football Thread

[MU82]

That letter was inevitable. It also obviously wasn't written by the entire team.

And after claiming the charges of hazing were "exaggerated and twisted," the letter points to the independent investigation by former Illinois inspector general Maggie Hickey as if it were some form of exoneration when, in actuality:

Hickey’s investigation revealed that while current and former players “varied on their perspective” regarding the conduct, the whistleblower’s claims were “largely supported by evidence.”

Participation in or knowledge of these hazing activities, which were not detailed in the summary, was “widespread” across NU football players, the investigation found.

In other words, the whole thing stinks. And sorry, but the head coach is responsible for the actions of his team, especially when they have been going on for a long time. That's why he gets the big bucks.

Oh, and not that it matters in the context of this ugly shyte, but I was surprised to see how piss-poor Fitzgerald's team has been for years now.

Northwestern is 14-31 the last 4 seasons -- including 3 last-place (1-8) finishes. The program is back to being completely irrelevant nationally ... except when scandal elevates it to relevance.

[JWags85]

Oh, and not that it matters in the context of this ugly shyte, but I was surprised to see how piss-poor Fitzgerald's team has been for years now.

Northwestern is 14-31 the last 4 seasons -- including 3 last-place (1-8) finishes. The program is back to being completely irrelevant nationally ... except when scandal elevates it to relevance.

Not excusing any hazing, but that’s not entirely fair.  They were terrible this year, sure, but among those 3 1-8 seasons was a season in which they won their division and made the B10 championship game and won a New Years Day bowl game against an SEC team to finish in the top 10. And the 4 year window cuts off another division win and B10CG berth and top 20 finish the year before the first 1-8 finish.

Those were the first 2 division titles in school history and the first time they finished on top of any part of the B10 in 20 years and 2 of only 6 bowl wins in program history.

Regardless of the scandal, they needed to turn stuff around in the next year or two, but it’s not like they plummeted to irrelevancy.  They were up and down, as they’ve been all of Fitz’s tenure.  That’s the nature of NW football in the B10 and current landscape

[RJax55]

Not excusing any hazing, but that’s not entirely fair.  They were terrible this year, sure, but among those 3 1-8 seasons was a season in which they won their division and made the B10 championship game and won a New Years Day bowl game against an SEC team to finish in the top 10. And the 4 year window cuts off another division win and B10CG berth and top 20 finish the year before the first 1-8 finish.

Those were the first 2 division titles in school history and the first time they finished on top of any part of the B10 in 20 years and 2 of only 6 bowl wins in program history.

Regardless of the scandal, they needed to turn stuff around in the next year or two, but it’s not like they plummeted to irrelevancy.  They were up and down, as they’ve been all of Fitz’s tenure.  That’s the nature of NW football in the B10 and current landscape

Nah, 82 is right. The program is going very much in the wrong direction. 2020 was an outlier.

The Big Ten West is hardily a murderer's row, so going 1-8 in conference play 3 out of the last 4 seasons is bad. Really bad. Fitz has been unable to fill two key positions and it is killing the program.

First, the QB position has been a complete train wreck since Clayton Thorson graduated in 2018. Fitz has been unable to recruit and develop a QB in the period since. It was only decent in 2020 because he was able to get Peyton Ramsey to grad transfer from Indiana, but a program can't live on grad transfer QBs.

The double punch came when DC Mike Hankwitz retired after the 2020 season. Hankwitz was a terrific DC and NW's defense had become the team's calling card. When you look at the Fitz era, the offense had been trending worse over his tenure, but the defense was getting better and better. 2020 was its peak. Well, that ended when Hankwitz retired. Fitz hired his buddy Jim O'Neil and defense collapsed. O'Neil was canned after last season's debacle. This is a sinking ship.

[JWags85]

Nah, 82 is right. The program is going very much in the wrong direction. 2020 was an outlier.

The Big Ten West is hardily a murderer's row, so going 1-8 in conference play 3 out of the last 4 seasons is bad. Really bad. Fitz has been unable to fill two key positions and it is killing the program.

First, the QB position has been a complete train wreck since Clayton Thorson graduated in 2018. Fitz has been unable to recruit and develop a QB in the period since. It was only decent in 2020 because he was able to get Peyton Ramsey to grad transfer from Indiana, but a program can't live on grad transfer QBs.

The double punch came when DC Mike Hankwitz retired after the 2020 season. Hankwitz was a terrific DC and NW's defense had become the team's calling card. When you look at the Fitz era, the offense had been trending worse over his tenure, but the defense was getting better and better. 2020 was its peak. Well, that ended when Hankwitz retired. Fitz hired his buddy Jim O'Neil and defense collapsed. O'Neil was canned after last season's debacle. This is a sinking ship.

I'm sure people said the same thing about NW after they followed up the second 10 win season in program history with back to back 5-7 seasons where they won 4 conference games total.

And he didn't say the program is heading in the wrong direction, he said its "become completely irrelevant nationally".  If thats to mean NW was relevant on a national stage again, then that statement doesn't make sense when in the last 8 seasons they have more top 25 finishes, more bowl wins, and more top 2 division finishes than bottom of the division finishes.  I'm not all in on NW's future, even before this.  Nor am I an NW football fan.  But to imply that they lost all relevance over the last 2 years is silly when that would all be forgotten if they went 9-3/8-4 again, like they've done after bad seasons numerous times since Fitz has been in Evanston.

Also, FWIW, O'Neil was absolutely terrible but they replaced him with a super good hire with the DC from NDSU.  Dude was FCS coordinator of the year and had an absurdly stingy defense multiple years in a row.

[MU82]

Sorry Wags, when you go 1-8 in three out of four years, your program sucks. Even without hazing taking place right under your nose.

But I will admit that I shouldn't have implied that Northwestern had ever been nationally relevant during Fitzgerald's time as coach. Barnett's program got there briefly but otherwise, by any definition of "nationally relevant" that I can think of, that hasn't been Northwestern football in our lifetimes.

Look, Fitzgerald did OK in a difficult job, with a few decent years that ended in minor bowl wins, some really horrible years (including the aforementioned three 1-8 BT showings the last four seasons), and mostly mediocrity.

Northwestern brass seemed fine with that, and that's cool ... until the scandal arrived. He's Dead Coach Walking now.

[Uncle Rico]

Sorry Wags, when you go 1-8 in three out of four years, your program sucks. Even without hazing taking place right under your nose.

But I will admit that I shouldn't have implied that Northwestern had ever been nationally relevant during Fitzgerald's time as coach. Barnett's program got there briefly but otherwise, by any definition of "nationally relevant" that I can think of, that hasn't been Northwestern football in our lifetimes.

Look, Fitzgerald did OK in a difficult job, with a few decent years that ended in minor bowl wins, some really horrible years (including the aforementioned three 1-8 BT showings the last four seasons), and mostly mediocrity.

Northwestern brass seemed fine with that, and that's cool ... until the scandal arrived. He's Dead Coach Walking now.

That’s woke America for you.  Can’t haze your teammates anymore in demeaning ways.  I stand with Pat.

[Jockey]

Pat should be, and will be fired.

Northwestern looks weaker and weaker the longer they wait.

[JWags85]

Look, Fitzgerald did OK in a difficult job, with a few decent years that ended in minor bowl wins, some really horrible years (including the aforementioned three 1-8 BT showings the last four seasons), and mostly mediocrity.

Northwestern brass seemed fine with that, and that's cool ... until the scandal arrived. He's Dead Coach Walking now.

He did a decent job for a Big Ten program.  For Northwestern, he was absolutely incredible.  People forget how awful NW football was for ages.

NW has finished in the top 20 9 times in the post WWII era.  Fitz has 5 of those.
NW has won 6 bowl games in its history.  Fitz has 5 of those.
NW has 9 9+ win seasons in its history.  Fitz has 7 of those.

He did a fantastic job there given the program history, its restrictions, etc...  The fact that 1-8 in conference and a bottom of the division finish is an outlier and not the norm like it was for 40+ years, speaks to that.  But none of that matters if you can't control the program like this.

[MU82]

He did a decent job for a Big Ten program.  For Northwestern, he was absolutely incredible.  People forget how awful NW football was for ages.

NW has finished in the top 20 9 times in the post WWII era.  Fitz has 5 of those.
NW has won 6 bowl games in its history.  Fitz has 5 of those.
NW has 9 9+ win seasons in its history.  Fitz has 7 of those.

He did a fantastic job there given the program history, its restrictions, etc...  The fact that 1-8 in conference and a bottom of the division finish is an outlier and not the norm like it was for 40+ years, speaks to that.  But none of that matters if you can't control the program like this.

We could quibble a little over some of the phrasing and over some of the facts that make it possible to get more wins (more games played) and bowl appearances (relaxed standards) ... but sure, Fitzgerald had some "fantastic" results compared to the decades of pre-Barnett laughingstock status as well as (more recently) some bad results reminiscent of the decades of pre-Barnett laughingstock status.

We can totally agree on your last sentence.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Geez, what is wrong with the Northwestern Athletic Department?

https://www.insidenu.com/2023/7/10/23790160/jim-foster-accused-of-toxic-workplace-environment-nine-players-and-staffers-tell-670-the-score

Alleged quote from their AD: "sometimes the right thing to do is not always the best thing to do."

[Pakuni]

The Daily Northwestern says Fitzgerald is out.

[Jockey]

Geez, what is wrong with the Northwestern Athletic Department?

https://www.insidenu.com/2023/7/10/23790160/jim-foster-accused-of-toxic-workplace-environment-nine-players-and-staffers-tell-670-the-score

Alleged quote from their AD: "sometimes the right thing to do is not always the best thing to do."

Why do schools continue to run these sham investigations?

OH, Yeah.   $$$

[Jockey]

I don't know if it's the purple uniforms, but something is making the players want to be gay.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Amazing that a student newspaper broke this. Wonder how many media members close to the program were at least somewhat aware but didn’t want to risk access.

Got to think their AD is in trouble to with the baseball situation going on as well.

[DegenerateDish]

Total guess, Lovie as 2023 interim coach at NW.

[Herman Cain]

Full text of NU Presidents Letter

https://www.northwestern.edu/leadership-notes/2023/decision-to-relieve-head-football-coach-pat-fitzgerald-of-his-duties.html

[Herman Cain]

Just found this incredible clip from Coach Fitzgerald on Hazing in 2018 . Wow.

https://devzone.positivecoach.org/resource/video/pat-fitzgerald-alternatives-hazing

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Full text of NU Presidents Letter

https://www.northwestern.edu/leadership-notes/2023/decision-to-relieve-head-football-coach-pat-fitzgerald-of-his-duties.html

So how did he know what the report said and come to the conclusion that two weeks was sufficient? 

[MU82]

Amazing that a student newspaper broke this. Wonder how many media members close to the program were at least somewhat aware but didn’t want to risk access.

First, kudos to the Daily Northwestern for some impressive work.

I don't think there's anything insidious behind the Tribune, Sun-Times or TV outlets not getting this first. I don't think many in the professional media are "close to the program" and privy to all kinds of inside information -- nothing like those who cover the Bears or other pro teams. Student reporters, who might be classmates and even friends with athletes and who prioritize Northwestern sports, are more likely to be close to the program IMHO.

In the Chicago media hierarchy, Northwestern football ranks well behind the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks, and also behind Notre Dame and Illinois. In the summer, it ranks behind offseason news regarding pro sports teams and golf (as well as baseball, of course). During the season, each newspaper will have a reporter cover games and maybe go to the midweek coach's press conference, but even that reporter has other beats and doesn't focus exclusively on Northwestern. During the summer, the papers completely ignore Northwestern (obviously). The Tribune and Sun-Times have been cutting staff for 20+ years, too.

I'm not making excuses; there probably is some embarrassment in those outlets about being beaten on such a big story by student reporters. You wondered, and I'm just providing what I believe the facts are.

[WhiteTrash]

First, kudos to the Daily Northwestern for some impressive work.

I don't think there's anything insidious behind the Tribune, Sun-Times or TV outlets not getting this first. I don't think many in the professional media are "close to the program" and privy to all kinds of inside information -- nothing like those who cover the Bears or other pro teams. Student reporters, who might be classmates and even friends with athletes and who prioritize Northwestern sports, are more likely to be close to the program IMHO.

In the Chicago media hierarchy, Northwestern football ranks well behind the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks, and also behind Notre Dame and Illinois. In the summer, it ranks behind offseason news regarding pro sports teams and golf (as well as baseball, of course). During the season, each newspaper will have a reporter cover games and maybe go to the midweek coach's press conference, but even that reporter has other beats and doesn't focus exclusively on Northwestern. During the summer, the papers completely ignore Northwestern (obviously). The Tribune and Sun-Times have been cutting staff for 20+ years, too.

I'm not making excuses; there probably is some embarrassment in those outlets about being beaten on such a big story by student reporters. You wondered, and I'm just providing what I believe the facts are.

Can you imagine this conversation: "Excuse me boss but even though we are losing money hand over fist, I'd like to spend a month doing a deep dive on Northwestern football". That would be a more explicit notice of resignation than Bob Huggins'.

[MU82]

And now the Daily Northwestern is reporting that Fitzgerald's program was rife with racism.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2023/07/10/sports/former-nu-players-describe-racist-environment-in-football-program/?source=pulsenewsletter&campaign=7205668

Three former players, including one who agreed to let his name be used, were the sources.

[Jockey]

And now the Daily Northwestern is reporting that Fitzgerald's program was rife with racism.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2023/07/10/sports/former-nu-players-describe-racist-environment-in-football-program/?source=pulsenewsletter&campaign=7205668

Three former players, including one who agreed to let his name be used, were the sources.

I think you’re wrong. The baseball coach, in an interview yesterday, revealed that he has a black friend

[Jockey]

Why is there not a police investigation going on. There was institutional sexual assault (doesn’t ‘hazing’ sound so much more innocent?) going on for decades with the tacit approval of Fitz.

Just think if even one of these sexual incidents happened in a regular student dorm. The police would have been called and charges would be issued.

Why should the football program be insulated against this?

[RJax55]

And now the Daily Northwestern is reporting that Fitzgerald's program was rife with racism.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2023/07/10/sports/former-nu-players-describe-racist-environment-in-football-program/?source=pulsenewsletter&campaign=7205668

Three former players, including one who agreed to let his name be used, were the sources.

The question now that Fitz has been fired is does this story have additional legs?

The one thing NU did right is that they properly investigated the Nov. 2022 hazing claim when they received word of it.

But, my question is, did the athletic department receive prior complains about Fitz and the behavior in his program before the Nov. 2022 complaint? Fitz was coach for 17 seasons. For most of them, his AD was Jim Phillips, the current ACC Commissioner.

There's been smoke around this department for years. See the controversy and departure of Phillips' original replacement of Mike Polisky. https://www.si.com/college/2021/05/13/northwestern-ad-mike-polisky-resigns-after-community-protest

[cheebs09]

Rovell going radio silent for almost 24 hours after defending Fitzgerald when this first came out has been fun to watch.