NU's Gen-X football coach shows growth with new hires

Until Pat Fitzgerald wins at Northwestern, the knock on him won't change.

Too young. Too inexperienced. In over his head. An emotional hire instead of a sensible one.

All of Fitzgerald's missteps during two seasons as NU's football coach have been blamed on or justified by his age.

Some blunders, such as a decision to take points off the board in a loss to Duke, reeked of rawness. Other slip-ups had nothing to do with experience, but criticism inevitably centered on it.

The consensus after a disappointing 6-6 season was that Fitzgerald needed to put his mark on the program, and to do so he needed help, preferably an old hand or two.

Judging by the gray-haired men flanking Fitzgerald on Friday morning, the 33-year-old satisfied both demands. In new defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz and new offensive coordinator Mick McCall, Fitzgerald added 57 years of college coaching experience to a staff that includes four members under the age of 35.

Hankwitz, a defensive coordinator for five BCS teams, most recently at Wisconsin, began coaching four years before Fitzgerald was born. The 60-year-old former Michigan tight end has coordinated defenses since 1982.

"I'm sure there'll be some things that I've experienced that might be able to help him," Hankwitz said. "Most head coaches still rely on the staff for input. I get the feeling that he's that type of guy that will listen to what other people have done."

Fitzgerald claimed experience wasn't his top priority, saying he didn't care if the coordinators had 38 years or 13 on their resumes. But the longevity that both Hankwitz and McCall bring doesn't hurt.

"You learn every day," Fitzgerald said. "For our current coaches to have Mick and Mike around here, it's going to help them grow."

Fitzgerald is starting to show his own growth.

He interviewed 10-15 candidates for each position before targeting Hankwitz and McCall at the coaches convention in Anaheim. Though he fired defensive coordinator Greg Colby on Dec. 3, he didn't rush to name a replacement.

The wait paid off as Hankwitz, whose defenses have ranked in the top 25 nationally on 14 occasions, became available after a surprising dismissal from Wisconsin.

"I was not going rush into anything," Fitzgerald said. "Most of my life is based on 25-second decisions. I'm not going to do that here."

Fitzgerald also admitted he may have been "too brash" by branding the 3-4 scheme as NU's future, saying recruiting will determine the defense's direction. Hankwitz has run both the 3-4 and 4-3 packages, and his alternating blitz schemes should help a unit that has struggled since the spread offense was installed in 2000.

"We'll be multiple enough that we'll give people problems," Hankwitz said.

McCall has been a coordinator for only one season, but his familiarity with the spread offense at Bowling Green should facilitate a smooth transition. Unlike NU's defense, which requires dramatic adjustments, the offense is a proven commodity that needs a touch-up.

"You've got a lot of skill guys coming back," said McCall, 50. "There's a lot of things in place for us to be successful."

Fitzgerald had an obvious need for veteran aides this offseason, but the suggestion from fans and some media that he reunite with Gary Barnett was laughable. Who would have taken Fitzgerald seriously as a head coach with Barnett at his side?

Another subpar season will undoubtedly revive concerns about Fitzgerald's experience, but his recent hires show growth from NU's Gen-X coach.