The first vacancy of the 2023-24 college coaching carousel opened Monday in stunning fashion and at one of the unlikeliest places. Northwestern fired longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, three days after releasing the results of an investigation into hazing allegations within the program.
On Thursday, sources told ESPN Northwestern is making defensive coordinator David Braun its interim coach for the 2023 season. Hired in January from North Dakota State, Braun is one of five new assistants Fitzgerald had hired this past offseason. He now faces the difficult task of guiding a team rocked by the hazing allegations and Fitzgerald's firing.
Northwestern also must begin its search for Fitzgerald's permanent successor. Athletic director Derrick Gragg is set to lead the process, although his status could be impacted by an ongoing baseball scandal in which coach Jim Foster was accused of abusive behavior and was fired Thursday, according to sources. Candidates and their agents certainly will be asking pointed questions about Northwestern's administrative situation.
The Northwestern job has some obvious immediate concerns, but also some advantages. Since 2020, when Northwestern won its second Big Ten West Division title in three years and finished No. 10 nationally, the team is 4-20. The Wildcats have won three games or fewer in three of the past four seasons.
The transfer portal/NIL era has proved difficult for Northwestern to navigate, especially since the university has limitations on transfer admissions. The Wildcats can only recruit transfers who would have qualified for admission out of high school and are in their sophomore years (other than graduates). They also can't get most players in until spring quarter, which means they miss some or all of spring practice.
But Northwestern is a member of the Big Ten, which means financial resources and media exposure that few programs can match. The team's operations center/practice facility is among the nation's best and, at least for now, plans for a new $800 million stadium are moving ahead. From 2008 to 2020, Northwestern went 96-67 with five AP Top 25 finishes and five bowl wins.
Northwestern provides coaches and their families with a great location and quality of life without the fan/media pressure to win championships every year. The school hasn't fired a coach based on performance since 1991.
The big question with the candidate pool is whether Northwestern pursues coaches with direct ties to the school, given the hazing incidents. The school also could look to proven head coaches at similar programs, or younger, fast-rising candidates. Here's a look at who might be on Northwestern's radar as it looks for Fitzgerald's successor.