Patrick William Fitzgerald Jr. (born December 2, 1974) is the current head coach of the
Northwestern University Wildcats football team. He was selected after the unexpected death of
Randy Walker and announced at a press conference on July 7, 2006. He was 31 at the time, making him the youngest head football coach in the
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
and
NCAA Division I FBS
The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...
by five years. Fitzgerald would go on to become the longest-tenured head coach in Northwestern football history and entering the 2022 season is the fifth longest-tenured head coach in Division I FBS. As a
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
for Northwestern from 1993 to 1996, he won both the
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football defensive player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to be the best in the National Collegiate Athle ...
and
Chuck Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive player in college football as judged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States. The award is named for Chuck Bednarik, a former college and professional Ame ...
twice as the best defensive player in college football. He was awarded a
Big Ten Medal of Honor
One of the most prestigious conference awards in college athletics, the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had “attained the greatest proficiency in athletics ...
in 1997 and was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
in 2008.
Playing career
Fitzgerald starred at
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
for the Wildcats in the mid-1990s, helping to lead the team to a 10–1 regular season record in
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
and a berth in the
1996 Rose Bowl, the school's second ever bowl appearance and the first since
1949
Events
January
* January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022.
* January 2 – Luis ...
. Known as "Fitz" to the Northwestern faithful, he personified the Wildcats' blue-collar, opportunistic defense. He recorded eleven tackles in Northwestern's victory over then #9 Notre Dame in South Bend which was the first Wildcats' victory over the Irish since 1962. Against #7 Michigan, Fitzgerald led the defensive effort with 14 tackles (including two tackles for loss) in the Wildcats' 19–13 win, the first for Northwestern in Ann Arbor since 1959. At one point during the 1995 season he was averaging over 13 tackles a game while on his way to
Consensus All-America honors. Fitzgerald was unable to play in the Rose Bowl, however, after breaking his leg in the next-to-last game of the 1995 season against Iowa. Fitzgerald returned for the
1996 season, leading the Wildcats to a 9–3 overall record, a second straight Big Ten Championship and second consecutive New Year's Day bowl, the 1997
Citrus Bowl
The Citrus Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group that also organizes the Cheez-It Bowl and Florida Classic.
The gam ...
.
In his playing career, he was twice named
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was a two-time Consensus All-American. Fitzgerald won both the
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football defensive player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to be the best in the National Collegiate Athle ...
and the
Chuck Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive player in college football as judged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States. The award is named for Chuck Bednarik, a former college and professional Ame ...
in 1995 and again in 1996, becoming the first two-time winner of both honors. He also won the
Jack Lambert Trophy as best linebacker in the nation in 1996. In 1997, he was awarded the
Big Ten Medal of Honor
One of the most prestigious conference awards in college athletics, the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had “attained the greatest proficiency in athletics ...
, which recognizes one male and one female student from the graduating class of each Big Ten member school, for demonstrating joint athletic and academic excellence throughout their college career.
He was not
drafted after his senior year, but he was signed as a free agent by the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, who released him after just two pre-season games.
Fitzgerald is the 15th Northwestern player or coach to be inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
. He was honored at a ceremony on December 9, 2008 in New York City and enshrined in the Hall of Fame in
South Bend, Indiana
South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...
in July 2009.
Coaching career
Early career
![Pat Fitzgerald](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Pat_Fitzgerald.jpg)
After graduation, he joined the coaching staff at the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
in
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
under head coach
Ron Vanderlinden
Ron Vanderlinden is a retired American college football coach. Vanderlinden was most recently the linebackers coach at Air Force. He served as the head football coach at the University of Maryland, College Park from 1997 to 2000.
Vanderlinden i ...
, who had been Fitzgerald's defensive coordinator during his playing days at Northwestern. He then moved on to the
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, and the University of Co ...
under his former Northwestern head coach,
Gary Barnett
Gary Lee Barnett (born May 23, 1946) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Fort Lewis College (1982–1983), Northwestern University (1992–1998), and the University of Colorado at Boulder (1999–2005), ...
. He took a job at the
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho (U of I, or UIdaho) is a public land-grant research university in Moscow, Idaho. It is the state's land-grant and primary research university,, and the lead university in the Idaho Space Grant Consortium. The University ...
before returning to Northwestern in
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, where he served as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator until his promotion to head coach after the unexpected death of
Randy Walker in June
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
.
Northwestern head coach
2006–2012
The Wildcats struggled in Fitzgerald's first season as head coach going only 4–8 overall and 2–6 in the Big Ten.
The 'Cats improved to 6–6 the
following year before going 9–3 in the
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
regular season (5–3 in conference play) and playing in the
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the Alamodome in San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas. Since 2010 it matches the second choice team from the Pac-12 Conference and ...
. After the season, Fitzgerald was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by the
Touchdown Club of Columbus
The Touchdown Club of Columbus was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956 by Sam B. Nicola at the request of state auditor James A. Rhodes, who later became governor of the state. Nicola served as the club's president until his death in 1993. More t ...
.
The
2009 season saw the Wildcats go into Iowa City and knock off
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
17–10 on November 7. The win over Iowa came when the Hawkeyes were ranked #4 in the
BCS standings and is, to date, the highest ranked opponent ever defeated by a Fitzgerald coached team. Two weeks later, the Wildcats knocked off #14
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
in Evanston for the second upset win of the season. Northwestern finished off the '09 campaign with a thrilling game in the
2010 Outback Bowl that saw Wildcat quarterback
Mike Kafka
Michael John Kafka (born July 25, 1987) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). After attending St. Rita of Cascia High School in Chica ...
set not only school records with 47 completions on 78 attempts for 532 passing yards but set all-time all-bowl records in those categories as well. The Wildcats fell 38–35 in overtime to
Auburn
Auburn may refer to:
Places Australia
* Auburn, New South Wales
* City of Auburn, the local government area
*Electoral district of Auburn
*Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region
*Auburn, South Australia
*Auburn, Tasmania
*Aub ...
(who would win the
BCS Championship the following season) when a fake field goal attempt fell short. Nearly six million viewers watched the Wildcats play in their first New Year's Day bowl since 1996 in one of the most entertaining games of the
2009–2010 bowl season.
The Wildcats' winning ways under Fitzgerald continued in
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, highlighted by a dramatic last minute 21–17 upset of then #13
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
en route a third straight winning season and a third consecutive bowl game.
In
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, the Fitzgerald-led Wildcats defeated #9
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
in Lincoln 28–27 with back-up quarterback
Kain Colter
Theodis Kain Colter is a former American football player who played multiple positions for the Northwestern Wildcats football, Northwestern Wildcats, mostly as a quarterback and wide receiver. Colter is also a co-founder of the College Athletes P ...
guiding the Wildcats in the second half.
Fitzgerald became only the second coach in school history to coach two nine-win Wildcat teams during the
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
campaign that saw the 'Cats go 9–3 in the regular season and 5–3 in the Big Ten. Northwestern played in the third New Year's Day bowl game under Fitzgerald when the team accepted an invitation to play in the 2013
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in Jacksonville, Florida, operated by Gator Bowl Sports. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised natio ...
. Fitzgerald then guided the Wildcats to their first bowl victory in sixty-four years when he led Northwestern to a 34–20 victory over
Mississippi State
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univers ...
in the
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in Jacksonville, Florida, operated by Gator Bowl Sports. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised natio ...
. The '12 team finished the season with a 10–3 record which tied the 1995 and 1903 teams for the most wins in school history. The Gator Bowl win was also Fitzgerald's 50th win as head coach, allowing him to pass
Pappy Waldorf
Lynn Osbert "Pappy" Waldorf (October 3, 1902 – August 15, 1981) was an American college football player and coach. He received the first national collegiate football coach of the year award in 1935. Waldorf became known for his motivational coac ...
as the winningest coach in Northwestern history.
2013
The
2013 campaign started with high expectations for the Wildcats and hopes of contending for a conference title. The 'Cats started the season ranked #22 in the pre-season AP poll and roared to a 4–0 start.
ESPN College GameDay came to Evanston for the first time since 1995 as the #18 Wildcats took on the #4
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. The athletic programs are named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Ohio and after the state tree ...
on national television. A controversial fourth down call that saw the officials rule that 'Cats quarterback
Kain Colter
Theodis Kain Colter is a former American football player who played multiple positions for the Northwestern Wildcats football, Northwestern Wildcats, mostly as a quarterback and wide receiver. Colter is also a co-founder of the College Athletes P ...
was stopped when replays indicated Colter had made the line to gain proved pivotal in the 38–30 defeat. The season began to be marred by injuries as All-American
Venric Mark
Venric Emeka-Wococha Mark is an American football running back, return specialist and wide receiver who is currently a free agent. Mark attended after previously playing for Northwestern. He has completed his redshirt junior season for the 2 ...
and quarterback Kain Colter missed significant playing time with injuries. The Wildcats then dropped four consecutive games that could have just as easily been won. First, NU dropped a 20–17 game against
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, then the 'Cats lost 17–10 to
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
in overtime. Perhaps the most bitter loss of the season came at
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
when the Huskers converted a Hail Mary touchdown pass as time expired to win the game. The following week the 'Cats clung to a 9–6 lead over
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
when the Wolverines ran their field goal team on with seconds to play; Michigan converted the field goal and won in triple overtime. Northwestern ended a disappointing season with a win however: a 37–34 victory over rival
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. The 2013 team finished 5–7, Fitzgerald's second losing campaign since his inaugural season as the Wildcats head coach.
2014
In
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, the Wildcats entered the year having lost two major weapons from seasons past: All-American Venric Mark transferred and leading wide receiver Christian Jones was lost to a season-ending knee injury. The 'Cats started 0–2 with a loss to MAC power Northern Illinois before ripping off three straight wins. After back-to-back blowout losses to #19 Nebraska and Iowa the Cats had a chance to knock off Michigan at home. Late in the game, Trevor Siemian threw a touchdown pass with three seconds left to pull the 'Cats within one at 10–9. Coach Fitzgerald decided to go for the two point conversion and the win but Sieman slipped after taking the snap and was downed by the Wolverines, ending the game with another loss. The highlight of the season came the following week however when Northwestern returned to South Bend for the first time since 1995 to take on the #18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Siemian threw for 284 yards and freshman Justin Jackson rushed for 149 yards and a score as the 'Cats scored 10 points the final four minutes to tie the game with seconds remaining. In overtime, Northwestern held the Irish to a missed field goal try before Wildcats kicker Jack Mitchell hit his fourth field goal of the game to give the 'Cats a 43–40 overtime victory. After a lopsided win the following week against Purdue the 5–6 'Cats played Illinois for a chance to return to a bowl game. However, having lost starting QB Trevor Siemian to a season-ending injury during the Purdue game, the Wildcats came out flat in the game and the Illini raced to a 47–33 victory that kept the 'Cats home for the holidays for the second straight year.
2015
After suffering through back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in his Northwestern tenure, Fitzgerald faced an uncertain season in
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
. The team had to replace senior quarterback
Trevor Siemian
Trevor John Siemian (born December 26, 1991) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northwestern and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round ...
who was drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and turned to redshirt freshman
Clayton Thorson
Clayton James Thorson (born June 15, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Houston Gamblers (2022), Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (2022), United States Football League (USFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphi ...
. Sophomore running back Justin Jackson, who had burst onto the national scene with a powerful performance during NU's upset of Notre Dame in South Bend, was named the starting running back prior to the season. In the season opener, the Wildcats hosted #21
Stanford
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is considere ...
and the Cardinal were heavily favored. Thorson made his impression felt early when he dashed 42 yards for a touchdown that gave the Wildcats a lead. Jackson contributed with 134 tough yards as the Wildcat defense did the rest. Cornerback Kyle Queiro sealed the game when he intercepted Stanford quarterback
Kevin Hogan
Kevin Michael Hogan (born October 20, 1992) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football for Stanford University and was their starting quarterback from 2012 to 2015. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chie ...
in the end zone with less than a minute to play. The turnover gave the 'Cats a 16–6 win and their first win over Stanford since 1958. The Cardinal would go on to win the
2016 Rose Bowl and finish ranked #3 in the nation. The Wildcats then went on a five-game winning streak rising to #13 in the nation before getting blanked 38–0 by
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
in Ann Arbor. The Cats then lost to Iowa the following week and a once promising season began to teeter on the brink of collapse. In a gut-check game at Lincoln the next week, the Wildcats edged
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
30–28 powered by a 68-yard Clayton Thorson run and a 72-yard Nick VanHoose interception return for a touchdown. After three straight wins the 'Cats traveled to Camp Randall stadium to take on the #20
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. The game was exceptionally close and with the Wildcats leading 13–7, the Badgers threatened late moving to the NU one yard line. Northwestern's defense held firm with a critical sack and a tremendous goal line stand to preserve the victory. The Wildcats ended the season with a strong 24–14 win over the Illini, avenging the loss of a season before. At 10–2 the Wildcats were invited to the
2016 Outback Bowl where they faced
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. The 'Cats played competitively in the first half; Tennessee clung to a 10–6 lead with less than three minutes to play. But the Vols punched a touchdown in before half and the game became lopsided in the second half. The Wildcats 45–6 loss was punctuated by a 100-yard interception return for touchdown on the game's final play. Still, the 10–3 finish gave Fitzgerald his second ten win season as the Wildcats head coach and tied the '03, '95 and '12 teams as the most wins in school history. Northwestern has had four ten-win seasons in its history; Fitzgerald has been part of three of them.
2016
In
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
the Wildcats looked to build on the success of the season before with a still very young group. But before the season the challenges began when star cornerback Keith Watkins II suffered a knee injury in August practice. Cornerback Matthew Harris, a defensive stalwart, was forced to retire after two games due to repeated concussions. The season started poorly with Northwestern blowing home games to
Western Michigan
West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for an arbitrary region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Most narrowly it refers to the Grand Rapids- Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Pen ...
and Illinois State of the FCS. Against Western Michigan, Clayton Thorson fumbled the ball going into the end zone for what would have likely been a game clinching score. While Western Michigan would go on to a 13–1 record, a MAC title and a Cotton Bowl berth, the loss stung as the Wildcats started the season 0–1. Against Illinois State, the Wildcat offense faltered and the Redbirds kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to stun the 'Cats 9–7. Despite starting the season at 0–2, Coach Fitzgerald did not panic and neither did his young team. The Wildcats won 3 of their next four games including victories at
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
and at
Michigan State
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
.
With the ship righted at 4–3 the Wildcats faced #6
Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
in Columbus. The game was tight throughout with Ohio State escaping with a 24–20 victory. At 5–6 and going into the final game of the season against
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
the Wildcats were determined not to repeat the 2014 season and miss the chance to go to a bowl by losing to the rival Illini. In 2016, they succeeded by rolling the Illini 42–21 in a game that was more lopsided than the final score indicated.
At 6–6, the 'Cats were invited to the
2016 Pinstripe Bowl
The 2016 Pinstripe Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game played on December 28, 2016 at Yankee Stadium in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The seventh edition of the Pinstripe Bowl featured the Pittsburgh Panthers of th ...
to be played at historic
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the origi ...
. In the game, the 'Cats would face the #22 ranked
Pitt Panthers
The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams representing the University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, facu ...
, a team that had given the eventual national champion
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) ...
their only loss on the season. Unsurprisingly, the 8–4 Panthers were a double digit favorite going into the game. The 'Cats raced out to a 14–3 lead as the defense stuffed a fourth and goal attempt by Pitt and junior running back Justin Jackson began to take the game over. The Panthers rallied and even took a 17–14 lead in the third quarter. But Jackson – who rushed for a Northwestern bowl game record 224 yards and 3 touchdowns – and the Cats wouldn't be denied and showed it as he rumbled for a 40-yard touchdown to retake the lead. The 'Cats defense stood tall. After Pitt quarterback
Nathan Peterman
Nathan Michael Peterman (born May 4, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh following a stint with Tennessee and was selected by the Buffal ...
was knocked out of the game on a sack, the Wildcats intercepted backup
Ben DiNucci
Benjamin Anthony DiNucci (born November 24, 1996), is an American football quarterback for the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. He played college football at James Madison and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NF ...
twice in the redzone. The turnovers preserved a 31–24 Northwestern victory which was just the third in school history. The Cats finished the season at 7–6 which was Fitzgerald's sixth winning season.
2017
Going into the
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
the Wildcats hoped to continue the momentum earned in the Pinstripe Bowl and contend for a Big Ten championship. But early season stumbles plagued the 'Cats again. After an uneven performance against a Nevada team that would finish 3–9 the Cats traveled to Durham, North Carolina where they were blasted by Duke 41–17. The Wildcats rebounded and showed the rest of the conference how good they could be with a 49–7 drubbing of Bowling Green at home. The next two weeks, however, challenged the Cats as they began conference play. Facing #5 ranked
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the athletic teams representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin). They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivisi ...
the Cats took a lead at one point and, with less than two minutes to play trailed by a touchdown and had the ball. A safety ended the 'Cats' upset hopes and their chances to win a Big Ten West title: the Badgers would not lose en route to a perfect regular season. After a lopsided loss to #12
Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campu ...
, the Wildcats season was on the brink.
At 2–3 with the heart of the Big Ten schedule ahead, the Wildcats had little margin for error. As Coach Fitzgerald later said: "We did the only thing we could do. Go to work." Go to work, the 'Cats did and they were unafraid to use extra time to do it. After ripping Maryland 37–21 on the road the 'Cats hosted the
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletic teams that represent the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 22 sports, 8 for men and 14 for women; a 15th women's sport will be added in 2023. The teams partici ...
. With the wind whipping at Ryan Field, Coach Fitz decided to forgo a late possession and play for overtime after the Hawkeyes tied the game a 10–10. In the overtime period, 'Cats star Justin Jackson converted a third and long on a short pass from Clayton Thorson making a fantastic individual play. The 'Cats scored on the next play to take a 17–10 lead. When Iowa got their overtime possession the 'Cats held the Hawkeyes on fourth down to secure the victory. The following week the Wildcats hosted the #16
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 23 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and wh ...
at Ryan Field. The 6–1 Spartans were undefeated in the Big Ten having already defeated in-state rival Michigan; the Spartans looked to contend for a Big Ten East title. But the Wildcats were determined and would not quit. The Spartans tied the game in regulation at 17–17 scoring a touchdown with :25 left on the clock. The Wildcats scored a touchdown in the first overtime frame as did the Spartans. Michigan State then scored a touchdown on their possession of the second overtime to take a 31–24 lead. But the 'Cats matched the score with a three-yard touchdown plunge from Justin Jackson. In the third overtime, Northwestern took the ball first and Flynn Nagel raced in to the end zone from 22 yards out. Quarterback Clayton Thorson then hit superback Cameron Green (who had already caught a touchdown in overtime) for a two-point conversion to give Northwestern an eight-point lead. Michigan State's quarterback
Brian Lewerke
Brian Lewerke (born October 24, 1996) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at Michigan State University.
Early years
Lewerke attended Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona. During his career he ...
had shredded the 'Cats defense already throwing for 462 yards. Lewerke tried to make a play after fumbling the snap and hurled a long pass towards the end zone. But linebacker Nate Hall – who had suffered a laceration in his hand and received thirty stitches during the game – made a game sealing interception. Northwestern was now rolling when the 'Cats traveled to Lincoln to face the
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference, and the Cornhuskers compete in NCAA Divis ...
. The Huskers had the 'Cats on the ropes in the second half leading 24–17 and driving late in the fourth quarter. But defensive stalwart Godwin Igwebuike made a critical interception after sack leader Joe Gaziano forced a bad pass from the Husker quarterback. Clayton Thorson led the 'Cats on a game tying drive, taking the ball in himself from seven yards out for a touchdown. In overtime, the Wildcats got the ball first and faced a fourth and goal at the one yard line. Coach Fitzgerald decided to forego a field goal, the safe play, and kept his offense on the field. Thorson plunged in for his second touchdown of the game and gave the 'Cats a 31–24 lead. On Nebraska's possession, Samduke Miller crushed the Husker quarterback with a sack forcing a fourth and long throw that was broken up by Kyle Queiro who had already had two picks on the day. Prior to 2017 and since the NCAA instituted overtime for regular season FBS games in 1995, no team had ever won three consecutive overtime games; the Northwestern Wildcats now own that piece of football history as the winner of three straight overtime games.
Northwestern was ranked in the Top 25 in the College Football Playoff rankings, the AP and the Coaches polls. The 'Cats were rolling, and dominated their next three opponents – Purdue, Minnesota and Illinois – winning their last two games by a combined score of 81–7 to finish 9–3 on the regular season and 7–2 in the Big Ten. Senior running back Justin Jackson became only the second back in Big Ten history to run for over 1,000 yards in four consecutive season. With 144 yards rushing against Illinois, Jackson ranks #4 on the all-time Big Ten career rushing leaders list with 5,283 yards. Jackson scored a touchdown against Illinois to give him 39 career touchdowns which was the all-time most in Northwestern history. Clayton Thorson became the all-time winningest quarterback at Northwestern with a record of 26–13; Thorson also is tied with Brett Basenez as NU's all-time career touchdown pass leader with 44 scoring throws. In the 2017 Music City Bowl, it was Wildcats vs. Wildcats as Northwestern faced Kentucky. The Wildcats faced an early test when quarterback Clayton Thorson went down early with an ACL tear after catching a halfback pass that would ultimately lead the Wildcats first touchdown. But backup quarterback Matt Alviti was ready and played inspired football. The 'Cats took a 17–7 lead into the half but couldn't put Kentucky away in the second half. Midway through the fourth quarter, a questionable Northwestern offensive play call on a fourth-and-goal from the Kentucky two yard line was stuffed and Kentucky took over trailing by three and with all the momentum. But two plays later, defensive star Kyle Queiro made an interception and amazingly stayed in bounds to return the ball 26 yards for a touchdown. Kentucky was not going away and with :37 left scored a touchdown to make the score 24–23. Kentucky decided to go for the two point conversion and the lead but the Northwestern defense stood tough, knocking the pass away and preserving a 24–23 win. The win was Northwestern's tenth on the season, was the third ten-win season in Fitzgerald's career and was the second in three seasons. Northwestern's win in the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl and the 2017 Music City bowl marked the first time in program history that Northwestern had won back-to-back bowl games and is the only time that has been accomplished in consecutive seasons.
2018
The 2018 season began with uncertainty and challenge. Senior quarterback
Clayton Thorson
Clayton James Thorson (born June 15, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Houston Gamblers (2022), Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (2022), United States Football League (USFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphi ...
was returning from off-season ACL surgery and it was unclear how much he would play in the 'Cats early season games. Additionally, the 'Cats opened on the road against a tough
Purdue team that had won a bowl game the year before. Thorson got the start for Northwestern but was on a 'pitch-count' to reduce the stress on his still-healing knee. Back-up quarterback T.J. Green, son of former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback
Trent Green
Trent Jason Green (born July 9, 1970) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. He played college football for Indiana University. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in ...
was effective in relief of Thorson and scored a critical rushing touchdown. The Wildcats prevailed 31–27 over the Boilermakers. However the next three weeks were challenging for the Wildcats. After dropping a 21–7 loss to Duke (who would win 8 games on the season and their bowl game), the Cats built a 21–3 halftime lead against Akron at home the following week in a game that saw Clayton Thorson become NU's all-time leader in passing touchdowns. But chaos reigned as the Zips created three turnovers and scored defensive touchdowns on each of them. The Wildcats gamely fought back but lost 39–34 to the Zips. To make matters more challenging, star running back Jeremy Larkin told his teammates that he had to medically retire from football due to cervical stenosi
Despite the bad news, Northwestern fought valiantly against the #14
2018 Michigan Wolverines football team, Michigan Wolverines jumping out to a 17–0 lead before falling 20–17. With a 1–3 record, the season was at a crossroads. With Thorson still fighting back from his injury, Larkin out with his medical retirement and the Cats record it would have been easy for the team to give up. And yet, Coach Fitzgerald and his players stayed the course and kept fighting.
The immediate challenged loomed as the 'Cats traveled to East Lansing to take on the #20 ranked
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 23 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and wh ...
. Northwestern was up to the task. Sparked by Thorson's 77 yard touchdown pass to Kyric McGowan the Wildcats rolled to a 29–19 victory over Michigan State. The next week, Northwestern had a homecoming matchup against
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
and found themselves down 31–21 with 5:41 left in the game. But the Wildcats rallied. First, they scored a field goal to cut the lead to seven. Then, Thorson masterfully led an eight play, 99 yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown pass to freshman J.J. Jefferson with just twelve seconds to play. In overtime, Cats' back-up kicker Drew Luckenbaugh – who had not kicked a field goal since high school – kicked what proved to be the game winning 31 yard field goal as NU snuffed out the Nebraska overtime possession to win 34–31. A grind it out win at Rutgers followed the next week and announced the introduction of true freshman running back Isiah Bowser. Bowser, a star Ohio product, was originally set to be red-shirted but the retirement of Larkin pressed him in to potential service. Bowser rushed for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns and cemented himself as the Wildcats feature back. Northwestern then dominated #20
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
winning 31–17 at Ryan Field in a game far more lopsided than the final score indicated. The win was vital for Northwestern's chances to win the Big Ten West because Wisconsin had kept the Wildcats out of the Big Ten Championship Game the previous season. The following week the
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the athletic teams that represent the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish participate in 23 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate sports and in the NCAA's Division ...
came to Ryan Field for the first time since 1976. The Irish were ranked #3 and went out to a 24–7 lead in the fourth quarter before Northwestern rallied furiously behind a Thorson touchdown pass and a blocked punt that cut the score 24–21. A late
Ian Book
Ian Book (born March 30, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the ...
touchdown run on third down sealed the Irish win.
The following week brought uncharted territory for the Wildcats. In a frigid Iowa City, the Wildcats faced the
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletic teams that represent the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 22 sports, 8 for men and 14 for women; a 15th women's sport will be added in 2023. The teams partici ...
. Northwestern trailed 10–7 before Bennett Skrownek made a spectacular diving touchdown catch that gave the Wildcats a 14–10 lead.
Paddy Fisher
Padriac William Fisher is an American football linebacker for the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football for the Northwestern Wildcats.
High school career
Fisher attended Katy High School in Kat ...
the forced a late Iowa fumble that sealed the win. Northwestern's win coupled with losses by Purdue and Wisconsin that day gave the Wildcats their first Big Ten West Division Championship. While Northwestern was locked into the Big Ten Championship Game they still had two games left on the schedule. Despite some questioning whether or not the Wildcats would show up to play – having already clinched a post-season berth – Coach Fitzgerald got his team prepared to play and win like champions. The Wildcats traveled to Minneapolis where they dispatched
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
by ten points and then returned to Ryan Field and beat
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
for the fourth straight time and the sixth time in the last seven meetings.
In the
2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game
The 2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game presented by Discover was played on December 1, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The eighth annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, it determined the 2018 champion of the Big Ten C ...
the Wildcats faced the heavily favored
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. The athletic programs are named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Ohio and after the state tree ...
and their Heisman Trophy-candidate quarterback
Dwayne Haskins
Dwayne Haskins Jr. (May 3, 1997 – April 9, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football at Ohio State, where he set the Big Ten Conference records fo ...
. Ohio State jumped out to a 24–7 halftime lead but the Wildcats clawed back in the second half first behind an 18-yard touchdown run by Thorson and then with Thorson throwing a two-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Green. The game was a one-score affair in the fourth quarter with Ohio State holding a 31–24 lead with just ten minutes to play. But Haskins and the Buckeye offense proved too much for the Wildcat defense and two late touchdowns put the game out of reach for Northwestern.
The 2018 Northwestern season concluded with the
2018 Holiday Bowl pitting the #22 ranked Wildcats against the #17
Utah Utes
The Utah Utes are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent the University of Utah, located in Salt Lake City. The athletic department is named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the Runnin' ...
, winners of the Pac-12 South Division. Utah was favored by a touchdown at kickoff and the prognosticators looked right in the first half as Northwestern fell behind 20–3. But the third quarter was a different story. On Utah's first possession of the third quarter the Wildcats forced a turnover and quickly turned it into points as Thorson threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Riley Lees. The game turned completely, however, on Utah's next possession when it appeared the Utes were headed for another score. All-Big Ten linebacker Paddy Fisher forced a fumble and senior Jared McGee returned it 82 yards for a touchdown. Utah turnovers continued and continued to turn into Wildcat points. Northwestern took the lead on a trick play where offensive lineman J.B. Butler pretended to go out for a pass in the flat but Thorson threw to reserve offensive lineman Trey Klock who had lined up as a tight end. Klock caught his one and only pass as a Northwestern Wildcat and turned it into a twenty-one yard touchdown that gave Northwestern the lead. The play was widely celebrated in bowl highlights and on social media and Thorson wryly commented: "We had to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers." After another Utah turnover, wide receiver Riley Lees scored a touchdown from the 'Wildcat' formation that proved to be the door slammer as Northwestern scored a Holiday Bowl record 28 third quarter points to go with a Holiday Bowl record six forced turnovers (2 interceptions and 4 fumbles) in a 31–20 win over Utah.
Perhaps the most important part of the game came in the post-game celebration, however. For the days leading up to the game, there were rumors in the sports world that the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
were interested in interviewing Coach Fitzgerald for their vacant head coaching position. At the trophy presentation after the game, Fox broadcaster
Joel Klatt
Joel Klatt (born February 4, 1982) is a college football color commentator and analyst for Fox Sports (United States), Fox Sports. Klatt played college football for the University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Colorado (CU) Colorado Buffalo ...
asked Coach Fitzgerald about the rumors. To the delight of the Wildcat faithful, Coach Fitzgerald put the rumors to bed saying: "Hashtag Go Cats man, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here forever."
Legacy
Fitzgerald's 109 overall wins and 64 Big Ten Conference wins are both school records. In thirteen seasons, Fitzgerald has coached nine winning teams and one team that finished the season at .500. Coach Fitzgerald has led the Wildcats to ten bowl games in thirteen seasons; before he became head coach the 'Cats had only been in six bowl games in 123 football seasons. From 2016 to 2018, Coach Fitzgerald has led the Wildcats to three consecutive bowl wins (2016 Pinstripe, 2017 Music City, 2018 Holiday). From 2008 to 2012, he led the Wildcats to five consecutive bowl appearances, including three of their six all-time New Year's Day bowl appearances. He is one of only two coaches in school history to lead Northwestern to a bowl game victory, is the only NU coach to win back-to-back bowl games and has the most bowl game victories in school history. Fitzgerald is only the second head coach to lead Northwestern to four consecutive winning seasons (2015–2018) and the first since
Dick Hanley coached the Wildcats to winning years from 1928–1931. Fitzgerald's .567 winning percentage at NU is the highest since
Dick Hanley who coached the Wildcats from 1927 to 1934. The 2014–2017 Wildcats seasons are the best – in terms of wins – since the Wildcats teams of 1903–1905. Fitzgerald is one of six coaches in the NCAA who has been at his school the longest and joins Kirk Ferentz of Iowa as the longest tenured active coaches in the Big Ten.
Coach Fitzgerald is a huge supporter of Northwestern athletics other than football. As the
2016–17 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team
The 2016–17 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team represented Northwestern University in the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Chris Collins. They were members of the Big Ten Conf ...
made their run to Northwestern's first ever NCAA Tournament berth, Fitzgerald often cheered on the team. When the Wildcats traveled to Salt Lake City to face Vanderbilt in the first round, Fitzgerald was seen sitting with Wildcat fans and leading the cheers during the game. After the Wildcats beat the Commodores for their first ever tourney win, Fitzgerald went to the locker room where he excitedly celebrated with the players. Before the Wildcats' second-round game against Gonzaga, Fitzgerald led the 'Cats faithful at a pep rally in Salt Lake City.
Fitzgerald does not shy away from Northwestern's status as a world class university often using it to recruit smart and talented athletes rather than using it as a reason for why the school cannot be competitive in football. One of the NU football program's mantras is: "Football is not an excuse for academics and academics is not an excuse for football."
Personal life
Fitzgerald is from
Orland Park, Illinois
Orland Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Will County. The village is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, Orland Park had a population of 58,703.
Located 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Chicago ...
, and resides in
Northfield, Illinois
Northfield is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located approximately north of downtown Chicago. As of the 2020 census, the village's population was 5,751. It is part of a collection of upscale residential communities north of ...
with his wife, Stacy, and three sons, Jack, Ryan, and Brendan. He purchased a $2.3 million newly constructed home in January 2010. A born and bred Chicagoan, Fitzgerald is a huge fan of the area pro sports teams often using his Twitter feed to support the Bears, Blackhawks and White Sox. While Fitzgerald has led the Wrigley Field crowd in the iconic "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" song during the seventh inning stretch of a Cubs game, as a South Sider he is a die-hard White Sox fan. In April 2017, Fitzgerald signed a ten-year contract extension with Northwestern. While Northwestern is a private university and is not obligated to release compensation data, some publicly available tax forms indicate that Fitzgerald is among the highest paid coaches in the Big Ten. In further support of Fitzgerald and the football team, Northwestern has built a $260 million football facility on the lakeshore section of campus that opened in 2018.
Head coaching record
References
External links
Northwestern profile*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzgerald, Pat
Living people
1974 births
American football linebackers
Colorado Buffaloes football coaches
Idaho Vandals football coaches
Maryland Terrapins football coaches
Northwestern Wildcats football coaches
Northwestern Wildcats football players
Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy alumni
All-American college football players
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
People from Northfield, Illinois
People from Orland Park, Illinois
Players of American football from Illinois
Sportspeople from Cook County, Illinois