Northwestern Football to Keep Assistant Coaches After Firing HC Pat Fitzgerald

The Northwestern Wildcats will retain their assistant coaches for the 2023 football season despite firing Pat Fitzgerald as head coach on Monday following an investigation into hazing within the program, according to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.

Defensive coordinator David Braun "is managing the program as a liaison and could become the Wildcats' interim coach," Rittenberg added.

Fitzgerald, who was initially suspended two weeks, was fired after an investigation into hazing allegations made by a former player.

While University President Michael Schill said in a statement that the investigation would remain confidential, he did publish a summary of some of the findings, which revealed that 11 current or former players acknowledged ongoing hazing within the football program.

The hazing included "forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature" but "no student suffered physical injury as a result," the school said in its press release.

The investigation also found that there was no "credible evidence" that Fitzgerald was aware of the hazing. The university indicated he was fired "for his failure to know and prevent significant hazing in the football program."

However, a former player told Rittenberg earlier this month that Fitzgerald "absolutely failed" by not stopping the hazing within the program.

"Fitz absolutely failed by not intervening. Fitz knew, and he should have made it stop; and if he truly did not know, he should not be the head coach," the former player said. "Either way, he should not be the head coach, because he is not monitoring and protecting the safety and well-being of student-athletes."

Three other former players also told Nicole Markus, Alyce Brown and Cole Reynolds of the Daily Northwestern that there was a "culture of enabling racism" within the program that came from both coaches and players.

Fitzgerald, who was a linebacker for the Wildcats from 1994-1996, was hired as head coach of the program in 2006. In 17 seasons as Northwestern's head coach, the team went 110-101, appeared in 10 bowl games and two Big Ten championships.

While Fitzgerald's assistants will remain on the Northwestern staff, it's important to note that several changes are being made to prevent hazing in the future. Someone unaffiliated with the coaching staff will monitor the locker room and there will be mandatory anti-hazing training for coaches, staff members and student athletes moving forward.