Fitzgerald relishes having ‘home-field advantage’ at MSU

Pat Fitzgerald was back at Big Ten media days like he never left.

Fitzgerald, of course, did more for Northwestern football than most people on the planet. He was defensive captain of the 1995 Rose Bowl team, and served as head coach for 17 seasons, from 2006-22.

Then, of course, he was let go amid accusations of hazing within the team. He sued the school, settled and was introduced as the new head coach at Michigan State last Dec. 1.

During his long run in Evanston, Fitzgerald was known for being relentlessly positive, ending most sentences with, 'Go Cats.' It got to be a little much at times.

Back at the podium Wednesday, ready for the start of a new college football season, Fitzgerald did sneak in a small dig at Northwestern and it's relatively small fandom.

“I'm just excited to have a home-field advantage,” Fitzgerald said. “Never lived that. It's going to be cool. Really excited about it, not going to lie.”

Yeah, we know. Northwestern fans were often drowned out by the visiting fans. Maybe new Ryan Field will be different. And Fitzgerald better win to prevent a repeat in East Lansing.

Asked how it feels to be back, Fitzgerald twisted his answer a bit.

“I don't think I ever left,” he said. “I never left the game, for sure. I learned a lot, I'm a better teacher. Everything happens for a reason. The good Lord decided to give me an opportunity to be with my family.”

During the three years between NU and MSU, Fitzgerald was a volunteer coach at Loyola Academy, where two of his sons played. He also was welcomed as sort of a guest analyst by Iowa's Kirk Ferentz.

“I never would have been able to be with my son Ryan as he won two state championships,” Fitzgerald said. “I would never have been able to be with my son Brendan when he was the scout receiver and I got a chance to rip him. As I get older and they get older, it will be something we'll look back on as the time of our life.

“What did I miss, though? I missed the competition, I missed the camaraderie, I missed the brotherhood. I miss winning. Identifying a young man and watching him walk across the stage with his degree — that's winning. Watching guys grow up, go from knuckleheads to becoming fathers and husbands and leaders of companies. That's a win. Guys we were able to help get to the NFL, that's a win.”

Ryan Fitzgerald is a sophomore walk-on quarterback at Iowa and decided to stick with the Hawkeyes, rather than join his dad. Pat Fitzgerald, meanwhile, made it clear he jumped at the chance to return to the Big Ten with Michigan State.

“When the opportunity presented itself, I didn't walk, I sprinted,” he said. “Not very fast, but as fast as I could go. I'm a Big Ten guy. I think there's certain places I fit and Michigan State was on that short list.”

And of course, he ended a television interview by saying, “Go Green.” Not much has changed in three years.