Michigan State is seeking stability after years of ups and downs. Under Jonathan Smith, the Spartans lost eight of their last nine games and ended the regular season with a 4-8 run with just a single conference win against Maryland. Now, to bring Mark Dantonio’s 13-year success into the program, MSU is eyeing a former Northwestern head coach, who has a $30 million contract.

“Pat Fitzgerald has emerged as the target of Michigan State’s coaching search, sources confirm to ESPN. The sides are working toward a deal, which is expected to be finalized in the near future. @freep first reported Fitzgerald as the planned hire,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel said on X.

This move comes in right after former head coach Jonathan Smith’s firing. Smith ended his MSU tenure with a 9-15 overall record and a 4-14 mark in the Big Ten, despite coming in with Oregon State’s momentum.

“The 2025 football season has not lived up to our shared standards for Michigan State Football,” AD J Batt said after Smith’s firing. “While that does not fall solely on Jonathan Smith, it’s become necessary to make a coaching change in order to chart a new direction for the program.”

With Smith’s move, Pat Fitzgerald enters the picture. And getting him in makes sense, as he has spent 17 seasons leading the Wildcats, with a 110-101 record. Fitzgerald is expected to land a job two years after Northwestern dismissed him amid allegations of widespread hazing within the program. Later he sued the university for $130 million, accusing the Wildcats of wrongful termination and reputational damage.

After consistently denying the allegations, the two sides finally reached an undisclosed settlement in August. But the case will still go to trial this month before the agreement. This makes it a high-profile hiring for Michigan State. So, what makes them hire Fitzgerald? Michigan sees Fitzgerald’s track record as both proven and challenging. His final two seasons at Northwestern ended on a tough 4-20 note as the NIL era shaped football.

Still, his legacy is hard to ignore. As a player, he was a high-end linebacker who won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year twice. And despite controversies and a shaky tenure, Fitzgerald has had two Big Ten West titles, 10 bowl games, and five AP Top 25 finishes.