Fourteen coaching candidates who could replace Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern

The primary emptiness of the 2023-24 faculty teaching carousel opened Monday in gorgeous vogue and at one of many unlikeliest locations. Northwestern fired longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, three days after releasing the outcomes of an investigation into hazing allegations throughout the program.

On Thursday, sources told ESPN Northwestern is making defensive coordinator David Braun its interim coach for the 2023 season. Employed in January from North Dakota StateBraun is one in every of 5 new assistants Fitzgerald had employed this previous offseason. He now faces the tough job of guiding a group rocked by the hazing allegations and Fitzgerald’s firing.

Northwestern additionally should start its seek for Fitzgerald’s everlasting successor. Athletic director Derrick Gragg is ready to guide the method, though his standing might be impacted by an ongoing baseball scandal during which coach Jim Foster was accused of abusive habits and was fired Thursday, according to sources. Candidates and their brokers definitely will likely be asking pointed questions on Northwestern’s administrative scenario.

The Northwestern job has some apparent quick issues, but additionally some benefits. Since 2020, when Northwestern gained its second Large Ten West Division title in three years and completed No. 10 nationally, the group is 4-20. The Wildcats have gained three video games or fewer in three of the previous 4 seasons.

The switch portal/NIL period has proved tough for Northwestern to navigate, particularly because the college has limitations on switch admissions. The Wildcats can solely recruit transfers who would have certified for admission out of highschool and are of their sophomore years (aside from graduates). Additionally they cannot get most gamers in till spring quarter, which suggests they miss some or all of spring apply.

However Northwestern is a member of the Large Ten, which suggests monetary assets and media publicity that few applications can match. The group’s operations heart/apply facility is among the many nation’s greatest and, at the very least for now, plans for a brand new $800 million stadium are transferring forward. From 2008 to 2020, Northwestern went 96-67 with 5 AP High 25 finishes and 5 bowl wins.

Northwestern gives coaches and their households with an important location and high quality of life with out the fan/media strain to win championships yearly. The college hasn’t fired a coach based mostly on efficiency since 1991.

The massive query with the candidate pool is whether or not Northwestern pursues coaches with direct ties to the varsity, given the hazing incidents. The college additionally may look to confirmed head coaches at related applications, or youthful, fast-rising candidates. Here is a take a look at who may be on Northwestern’s radar because it seems to be for Fitzgerald’s successor.