The Penn State Nittany Lions reportedly are in a long-term coaching search to replace James Franklin, and a veteran-savvy Big Ten coach may be the answer in State College.
According to Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman, the Nittany Lions are in pursuit of former Northwestern Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald, who has been absent from college football coaching circles amid a widespread hazing scandal within the football program that led to his dismissal one month before the 2023 season.
In a recent ESPN "College GameDay Podcast" interview with Reece Davis and Pete Thamel, Fitzgerald said he is "fully vindicated" upon the conclusion of the investigation and eventual undisclosed settlement that he did the right things, both athletically and administratively, to prevent any wrongdoing.
"I feel 100 percent vindicated. You alluded to the statement earlier. I'll let that speak for itself.... I feel very vindicated. Especially for our players and their families. The facts are the facts," Fitzgerald said.
Feldman said there is a liking between AD Pat Kraft and Fitzgerald, should the opportunity to collaborate arise.
“From people I’ve talked to this week and industry sources, [they] think there is some genuine interest by Pat Kraft in Pat Fitzgerald,” Feldman said. “Now remember, before Fitzgerald got forced out in the middle of that hazing scandal, which he ended up suing his alma mater… he had the Wildcats, twice he got them, to the Big Ten title game coming out of the West."
Despite Fitzgerald finishing 1-11 in his final season in Evanston, Feldman noted how well-known Fitzgerald was for not having the same bravado as other legendary coaches while recognizing that winning would be hard to come by.
“And so people around Penn State and inside Penn State brass do feel like this guy has a track record of doing more with less," Feldman said.
Feldman said, though, that following a trip to the Big Ten title game in 2020, things weren't smooth-sailing for the Wildcats. He argues that this could be a turnoff that ultimately keeps Penn State from pulling the trigger.
“The downside for him is he had one good year in his last four. And the other three years were atrocious at Northwestern,” Feldman said. “And this was before he got fired. He was 4-20 in his last two years, so I think there’s going to be some pushback, people going, ‘You’re really sure you think this is the guy?’”
It remains to be seen who comes out on the right side of history in Penn State's rebuild should Fitzgerald put pen to paper. But, with former coach James Franklin trading the Big Ten for the ACC, it may be a long time before a return to State College on the opposite sideline is in the cards.
For now, a new era of Nittany Lions football is close to its establishment. It's only a matter of time.