Michigan State finalizes deal to hire ex-Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to replace Jonathan Smith

Michigan State finalizes deal to hire ex-Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to replace Jonathan SmithPat Fitzgerald hasn't coached in college football since 2023, when he was fired from Northwestern amid a hazing scandalStory byPat Fitzgerald hasn't coached in college football since 2023, when he was fired from Northwestern amid a hazing scandal. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) (Chicago Tribune via Getty Images)Ryan YoungStaff writerMon, December 1, 2025 at 9:05 PM UTC·1 min read

Michigan State has locked down its replacement for Jonathan Smith.

The Spartans finalized a five-year deal to hire Pat Fitzgerald as their next head coach on Monday afternoon, according to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger. The move came just one day after Michigan State fired Smith, though they were reportedly locked in on Fitzgerald as his replacement almost immediately.

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The job will mark Fitzgerald's first since he was fired from Northwestern ahead of the 2023 campaign. He spent 17 years at the school, and racked up three 10-win seasons with the Wildcats while compiling a 110-101 record. He was placed on leave after allegations of hazing within the program, however, and was eventually fired.

Fitzgerald recently reached a settlement with Northwestern over a wrongful termination lawsuit, which said that he did not know about the hazing allegations when he was the team's coach.

Fitzgerald will now take over for Smith, who struggled during his two seasons with teh Spartans. The team went just 4-8 this past season, marking its second losing campaign since Smith took over after a six-year run at Oregon State ahead of the 2024 season. Smith finished with just a 9-15 record in East Lansing.

This post will be updated with more information shortly.

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