Report: Michigan State plans to hire Fitzgerald as coach to replace Smith
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Michigan State plans to hire Pat Fitzgerald as its new head coach, sources told Chris Solari and Graham Couch of the Detroit Free Press.
The move comes hours after the Spartans parted ways with Jonathan Smith.
Fitzgerald hasn't coached since the 2022 season. The 50-year-old was fired by Northwestern in 2023 in the aftermath of a hazing scandal.
He was the longest-tenured head coach in Northwestern football history, posting a 110-101 record from 2006-22 with his alma mater.
Fitzgerald will inherit a Michigan State team that went 4-8 in 2025, including 1-8 in a highly competitive Big Ten. The Spartans beat Maryland on Saturday to snap an eight-game losing streak.