Pat Fitzgerald played against Iowa from 1993-1996 and coached against Iowa from 2001-2022. However, on Saturday, the recently-fired head coach of Northwestern was on the Hawkeyes sideline.
Back in 2010, Wildcats running back Adonis Smith said that Fitzgerald “hates (Iowa). I know that for a fact. He hates Iowa.” Fitzgerald joked that kids say the darnedest things.
So why was he there?! It wasn’t for him.
Fitzgerald, 48, was fired by the Northwestern during the offseason after an investigation into program culture found evidence of hazing. The winningest coach in program history (alongside the university and multiple school officials) is currently facing several lawsuits from former football players. He, through his lawyer, vehemently pushed back on the allegations as multiple current players blasted the school’s athletic director over their coach’s ouster.
Regardless of what plays out in the coming months, Fitzgerald is not the head football coach at Northwestern. His future in coaching is up in the air but he has been volunteering as an assistant for his son’s high school in the meantime.
Fitzgerald would have been on the sideline in Evansville for Saturday’s game against Penn State if he had not been fired. Instead, he was in Iowa.
Why was Pat Fitzgerald at Iowa?!
Two of Fitzgerald’s sons are going through the college football recruitment process. The Hawkeyes are on their radar.
Because he is currently unemployed, Fitzgerald was able to accompany several Loyola athletes to Iowa’s game against Michigan State, including his son Ryan and running back Drew MacPherson on an unofficial visit.
Fitzgerald also chopped it up with Fran McCaffrey and Tom Izzo on the sideline. What a unique trio!