Tag: Pat Fitzgerald

James Franklin drops in Sporting News top 25 coach rankings for 2021

James Franklin slipped in Sporting News’ ranking of the top 25 FBS coaches entering 2021, but he’s still higher than Harbaugh.

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It goes without saying that Penn State had a tough 2020 season. And when you pair that with a few really good seasons by some other programs last year, it makes sense to see Penn State head coach James Franklin drop in a ranking of FBS coaches heading into the 2021 season.

Sporting News released its ranking of the top 25 FBS coaches for the 2021 season. And this year, Franklin has fallen out of the top 10, falling from No. 9 in 2020 to No. 11 this season. Not surprisingly, Penn State’s underperforming 4-5 record is a big culprit.

Here’s what Sporting News said about Franklin and his ranking;

The Nittany Lions are coming off a disastrous 4-5 season, which knocked Franklin out of our top 10. That took some momentum off a four-year stretch where Penn State had a 42-11 record that would be more conducive to a 12-team Playoff setup. Franklin still consistently puts out the biggest threat to Ohio State on the field in the Big Ten, and that continues to be the elusive next step for the program.

Franklin is still ranked admirably among his peers in college football, but he was passed by two coaches making big gains since last year. North Carolina head coach Mack Brown jumped up four spots from No. 14 to No. 10 after taking the Tar Heels to the ACC championship game last fall. But it was Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell making the monster jump in the rankings by moving from No. 24 in 2020 all the way up to No. 9 this year. Campbell also coached his team to its conference championship game, but both Brown and Campbell came up short in their respective conference championship games to Clemson and Oklahoma, respectively.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban remains the No. 1 coach in FBS after winning another national title. Ohio State‘s Ryan Day is the highest-ranked Big Ten coach at No. 6. Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald comes in just behind Franklin (the second highest-ranked Big Ten coach) at No. 12, and Michigan‘s Jim Harbaugh is ranked No. 15 by Sporting News. Wisconsin‘s Paul Chryst is ranked No. 17 (arguably too low, but he did drop five spots from last year).

Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (No. 20) and Indiana’s Tom Allen (No. 21) also appear in the top 25 to give the Big Ten seven of the top 25 FBS coaches in 2021, according to Sporting News.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

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The top 10 head-coaching candidates Jets should consider to replace Adam Gase

Jets Wire unveils its list of the top 10 candidates to replace Adam Gase.

With Adam Gase’s tenure as Jets head coach over, it’s time to take a look at who could replace him.

Fortunately for Joe Douglas and New York, the cupboard is full of candidates who can turn the Jets around. From bright college coaches to innovative offensive minds and some candidates with impressive defensive backgrounds, Douglas will have plenty of intriguing candidates to choose from this offseason.

Now that the Jets and Gase have officially parted ways, Jets Wire will take a look at who could replace Gase from a variety of angles. To start, here are Jets Wire’s top 10 candidates to replace him, a should-be, ranked wish list if the Jets had their pick of the litter.

Report: Detroit Lions have begun initial stages of head coaching search, already interviewed Marvin Lewis

According to NFL Network, the Detroit Lions have begun the initial stages of their head coaching search and have already interviewed Marvin Lewis.

According to a joint NFL Network article written by Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo, the Detroit Lions have begun the initial stages of their head coaching search and have already interviewed former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.

After 16 seasons coaching the Bengals, Lewis was let go in 2018 and is currently a co-defensive coordinator at Arizona State, working alongside former NFL coach and current Sun Devils coach Herm Edwards.

Per the report, Lewis interviewed with the Lions last Thursday and is the first of several candidates the Lions will be considering.

The Lions have put “in as many as 10 interview slips for head coaching candidates” for current NFL coordinators/coaches, and are even exploring the college ranks as well.

The NFL network made a point to mention several other candidates as well, including 49ers’ DC Robert Saleh, Chiefs’ OC Eric Bienemy, and Titans’ OC Arthur Smith as potential targets. All of which — including Lewis — were among the top-10 candidates we at Lions Wire included in our initial coaching candidates examination.

Not included in our top-10 but also mentioned in the NFL Network piece, was former Lions’ tight end and current Saints’ assistant head coach/tight ends coach Dan Campbell. After taking over as interim coach for Miami in 2015, Campbell joined the Saints and is widely considered a head coaching waiting.

Additionally, if the Lions were to pursue a college coach, in our top-10 list, we listed Iowa State coach Matt Campbell — whom both Lions Wire editors Jeff Risdon and Erik Schlitt are big fans of –, while NFL Network suggested Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald — who we also profiled in a separate piece.

Finally, the NFL Network also mentioned some general manager names that the Lions are expected to interview, including several we at Lions Wire have already profiled: Seahawks GM John Schneider, Colts’ Ed Dodds, Vikings’ George Paton, and Seahawks’ Scott Fritterer — who we identified in our GM candidates article — as well as Rams’ Director of college scouting Brad Holmes.

New names we have yet to profile include Saints’ VP of player personnel/assistant general manager Terry Fontenot, Steelers’ VP of football administration Omar Khan, Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay, and Patriots front office consultant Eliot Wolf, who is better know for his time with the Packers front office.

Northwestern vs Auburn: Vrbo Citrus Bowl 10 Thoughts On NU 35-19 Win

Northwestern 35 Auburn 19. The 10 ten things you need to know about the Northwestern win over Auburn in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl.

Northwestern 35 Auburn 19. The 10 ten things you need to know about the Northwestern win over Auburn in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl.

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Northwestern vs Auburn: Vrbo Citrus Bowl

10. Really, Auburn defense?

Auburn didn’t get the memo that the Northwestern offense just doesn’t do a whole lot.

It failed to hit 300 yards of total O in four of its eight games before this and only hit 400 yards against Maryland and Illinois. The 457 yards against Auburn were the third-most this season, with everything clicking early to take control of the game, and then hammering to take over late.

Auburn struggled to get a third down stop, didn’t generate enough pressure, and couldn’t hold up as the game went on. The Wildcat passing game had time to operate, and the offensive line was able to blast away on a run defense that had big, big problems against teams that were able to control things on the ground. The 51 carries by Northwestern tied Ole Miss for the most against the Tiger D. And with that …

9. Cam Porter is going to be really, really good

The 5-10, 220-pound freshman didn’t do much of most of the season, and then he tore up Illinois for 142 yards on 24 carries and ran for 61 yards in the Big Ten Championship. This was his day to be the hammer, running 33 times for a tough 98 yards and a late touchdown.

Auburn didn’t give up a ton of big runs, but it got nickeled-and-dimed to death.

8. The Northwestern coaching staff

Is that it for Pat Fitzgerald? He’s being rumored to have a whole lot of interest from the NFL types, but he was supposedly in the mix for the next level a few years ago, too. For a program that couldn’t win bowl games and struggled to come up with any sort of success, that’s four bowl wins in four tries – five in the last six bowl appearances – to go with two Big Ten West championships in three years.

 

Fitzgerald might still stick around, but defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz is calling it a career after being a part of the success since 2008. The 73-year-old was tremendous during Colorado’s heyday, was a big part of great defenses at Arizona and Wisconsin, and then with the Cats. His D allowed some late yards, but it dominated.

7. Northwestern went Northwestern

You want to pitch a near-perfect game if you’re Northwestern? Control the clock for almost 36 minutes, don’t turn the ball over, dominate on third downs, and most of all, get up fast.

The 14-0 in the first quarter meant the world. This isn’t necessarily a come-from-behind team – even though it was able to do it at times – and it works a whole lot better when it got to rely on its defense and ball control style.

NEXT: Top Six Thoughts From The Vrbo Citrus Bowl

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Twitter reacts to Auburn’s loss against Northwestern

Auburn kept it close for a bit but Northwestern ultimately pulled away in a frustrating and embarrassing loss for the Tigers.

Nothing summarizes the last eight years of Auburn football better than a 35-19 loss to Northwestern. The Tigers were 2-13 on third down and the defense gave up 457 total yards. It’s worth noting that Auburn was without a head coach as well as their best defensive back, running back, and second-best wide receiver.

The game lasted about three hours, but felt like an eternity. When the clock struck zero it was safe to say that many were just relieved to see that it was over. Here’s what fans had to say.

The ultimate takeaway from this loss is that Bryan Harsin has A LOT of work to do starting with a new staff and offensive line. The Tigers may not have started off 2021 with a win, but they have an opportunity to completely hit the reset button and that’s much needed right now.

Could Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald be a candidate for the Lions vacancy?

Fitzgerald is earning momentum as an NFL head coaching candidate

One of the more interesting notes to scroll across the crawl on the Sunday morning NFL preview shows involves Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald. It seems Fitzgerald’s name has been thrown in the hat for NFL head coaching options, presumably including Detroit’s.

It’s an interesting idea, and the recent hiring of Chris Spielman should lend it more credence. Like Spielman, Fitzgerald was a hard-nosed linebacker who thrived on a ridiculously high football IQ and intensity in the Big Ten. Injuries robbed Fitzgerald of any NFL dreams, so he found a home at his beloved alma mater.

For my money, Fitzgerald is the best coach in the Big Ten. Winning at Northwestern is not easy. It was essentially unprecedented before Fitzgerald got there as a player and drove the team’s renaissance in the 1990s. They’re a small, private school with no real major sports heritage, yet Fitzgerald’s Wildcats have consistently competed with the big boys with the big budgets in the conference. Nobody in college football more consistent;y does more with less than Fitzgerald.

They did that on Saturday, scaring the bejeezus out of Spielman’s alma mater before ultimately falling. This was another example of what Fitzgerald has created at Northwestern: an upstart culture or mental toughness, thorough preparation, a natural tight-knit togetherness and maximizing the ability of the key players on the team.

Sure sounds like exactly what the doctor ordered for the Lions, eh?

I don’t know how well Fitzgerald’s style would work away from Evanston. He doesn’t have the Rolodex of NFL-ready assistants and coordinators right off the bat. I think he’d be more apt to stay in Chicago with the Bears for a potential opening there than he would to head to Chicago, too. But it’s worth it for Spielman, Barry Sanders and the rest of the search committee to at least interview Fitzgerald.

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Watch what Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said about Ohio State after the Big Ten Championship Game

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald had some flattering comments about Ohio State after the Big Ten Championship Game. Watch his comments.

Northwestern put a serious scare into Ohio State but came up a bit short as the Buckeyes found a way to take control of the game late in the second half. The Wildcats fought hard, displayed a hard-nosed defense and collective motivation. It just wasn’t enough to slay the Big Ten dragon on this day.

But head coach Pat Fitzgerald didn’t come into the Big Ten Championship Game for moral victories or to show everyone that the little engine that could, couldn’t quite. Even still, the Wildcat head coach showed nothing but class in his postgame press conference when talking about Ohio State.

Fitz was extremely gracious and very complimentary at the talent and heart of the Buckeyes. In case you missed any of his comments in the post-game press conference, we’ve got them for you thanks to the Northwestern Athletics YouTube Channel.

Watch the below video and watch/listen to Fitzgerald discuss Justin Fields’ play, the talent on Ohio State, what the Buckeyes did to make things difficult, whether OSU should be a playoff team or not, and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxPsVifOeYw

We now wait to see where Ohio State will go for the postseason. We feel good about it ending up in the College Football Playoff, but we’ll just have to wait and see until it’s all announced Sunday.

 

Three Reasons Northwestern could give Ohio State some fits in the Big Ten Championship Game

Ohio State will meet Northwestern for the 2nd time in 3 years in the Big Ten Championship Game. Here are 3 reasons the Wildcats could hang.

It’s almost time for another Ohio State appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game. It’ll be the fourth-straight time the Buckeyes have found themselves in Indianapolis and the second time in three years Northwestern will be the opponent.

On paper, it looks like a mismatch, but any team coached by Pat Fitzgerald is coaching a team, it is going to have a chip on its shoulder and give all-out effort. There may be a big gap in talent between the two programs but you can bet the Wildcats have the belief they can hang, and beat, the Buckeyes.

And it’s not just lip service either. There are some reasons to believe that Northwestern could make this thing a game and give Ohio State some problems.

Here are three reasons Chicago’s Big Ten team could provide more than a little resistance against the Buckeyes on Saturday.

NEXT … Defense

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Watch what Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said about Ohio State prior to the Big Ten Championship Game

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald met with media earlier this week to discuss the matchup with Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Ohio State is headed to Indianapolis to play in its fourth-straight Big Ten Championship Game. The opponent is the same one that the Buckeyes met two years ago in Lucas Oil Stadium, the Northwestern Wildcats.

That of course means we get to hear and see Pat Fitzgerald and his brutally honest comments and press conferences. As he’s aged, he’s become a pretty good sound bite and one that isn’t afraid to speak his mind.

This week, the Buckeyes are on Fitzgerald’s mind and he took the opportunity to discuss the upcoming game with media members earlier this week. We always like to check in and see what the opposition is saying about OSU prior to the game and it’s no different here.

If you missed any of the Northwestern head man’s comments leading into the game, you can watch and listen to them all thanks to the YouTube channel of Northwestern Athletics. Click on the below and listen to Fitzgerald discuss how talented Ohio State is, how he voted for Ryan Day as Big Ten Coach of the Year, the talent of competing with the Buckeyes, and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7RKpUR-tT4

Ohio State and Northwestern will kick off at Noon. You can watch the action on FOX with Joel Klatt and Gus Johnson having the call.

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