3 replacements for Northwestern after firing Pat Fitzgerald

No. 1 Northwestern option to replace Pat Fitzgerald: Paul Chryst

It’s quite simple: Hiring Paul Chryst after this whole mess would be a home run for Northwestern.

The long-time Wisconsin head coach has won consistently in the Big Ten already. The Badgers ousted him after a 2-3 start to the 2023 season, a move that felt like a massive risk considering his 67-26 record with the program. They wanted someone to aim higher than just a string of 10-win seasons. Northwestern, on the other hand, would snatch your hand off for a string of 10-win seasons.

The biggest issue with targeting Chryst would be convincing him that Northwestern is his best option. Takng over a program coming off a 1-11 season, with a long-time head coach fired in July and a locker room that sounds pretty divided on the whole question of hazing, is a massive undertaking.

Chryst got a gig as an offensive analyst for Steve Sarkisian at Texas. If things go south for the Longhorns, you’ve got to think he might be positioned for a run at that job if he played his cards right and made nice with the right people. Northwestern would need to make it worth his while to head to Chicago instead. If they did, it might feel like hitting the jackpot.

Even better? Go out and convince former Wisconsin defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jim Leonhard to take the job.