Barely half an hour ago, NU athletic director Mark Murphy announced that Pat Fitzgerald will be named as the 29th head football coach in NU’s history. 

Pat Fitzgerald was named Northwestern's 29th head football coach today. (photo courtesy of nusports.com)

Pat is originally from Orland Park, IL, and went to Carl Sandberg High School, so he’s local.  Pat played football at NU culminating his career in 1995 and 1996 with BigTen championships and a Rose Bowl berth in 1995.  He was first-team all-American both years. 

After graduation, he was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys and spent a year with them before moving on to coaching.  He coached in a part-time role at both Maryland (1998) and Colorado (1999) and then became a full-time assistant coach at Idaho in 2000.  In 2001, he joined Coach Randy Walker’s staff and has walked the Ryan Field sidelines ever since.  Fitz was inducted into the Northwestern Hall of Fame in 2003.

But I have to wonder, and this should be considered as an open question to anyone who reads this, especially Northwestern football fans.  Is this the right man for the job?  Is this the right time for Pat Fitzgerald to become the Wildcats coach?  Certainly, he’s the emotional choice.  I can’t imagine a better person in terms of public relations.  I can’t think of anyone else right now who would deliver such a “feel good” rush, can you? 

But is he good enough?

I can’t help it.  I want Fitz to do well; I’d LOVE it if he took this team all the way.  But this is not Charlie Weiss returning to Notre Dame.  Fitz doesn’t have any Super Bowl championships under his belt.  I could be wrong but I’d bet Weiss has at least two decades more experience than Fitz has.  Fitz is basically untested, untried.  His potential is huge, even I can see that.  But can he produce NOW?  The team he has isn’t national championship caliber but it is pretty talented.  Can he make them BigTen champions?  I’d be delirious if he could.  But has he had enough time to develop his “chops”? 

So, you tell me.  Coach Walker brought great stability to this program.  Is Pat Fitzgerald the right guy to take this team to the next level?  Let me know what you think.  E-mail your thoughts to me at briarbowl@yahoo.com.  If I get enough responses, I’ll put them in an article for all to see.