Pat Fitzgerald Position: Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Birthdate: 12/02/1974 Experience: 6th HC/11th Overall

No matter what the setting, Pat Fitzgerald invariably feels comfortable using his passion, unwavering set of core values and outward enthusiasm to inspire and improve those around him.

It's apparent to anyone who has watched Fitzgerald join in his squad's linebacker drills during practice to demonstrate proper tackling form. Or to the hundreds of Northwestern freshmen to whom Fitzgerald teaches the right way to sing the school fight song at the start of each academic year. It's even clear to members of the state government of Illinois, whom in January 2009 invited Fitzgerald to serve on the Illinois Reform Commission aimed at rooting out political corruption.

Pat Fitzgerald receives his College Football Hall of Fame plaque at the 2008 National Football Foundation Banquet from two-time Heisman Trophy winner and Hall-of-Famer Archie Griffin.

That passion was also a primary factor in Fitzgerald's Hall-of-Fame playing career at Northwestern, when he was a two-time Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik Award winner and team leader of NU's back-to-back Big Ten title-winning teams in the mid-'90's. The 'Cats posted a two-year Big Ten record of 15-1 and made appearances in the 1996 Rose Bowl and 1997 Citrus Bowl with Fitzgerald serving as the centerpiece of a defense that ranked among the nation's best.

Although Fitzgerald's passion and commitment to excellence may be difficult to quantify, his positive impact in Northwestern's on-field performance since he took the reins as head coach in 2006 is not.

"Fitz" has guided the Wildcats to four consecutive postseason berths and five straight years of bowl-eligibility, both school bests.

In 2008, Fitzgerald guided the Wildcats to a nine-win season and a berth in the Valero Alamo Bowl -- which proved to be an overtime thriller against Missouri. For his efforts, Fitzgerald was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, and a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award and a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

In 2009, the Wildcats won eight regular-season games and became bowl-eligible for a fourth time in five years. Spurred by a strong finish, which included a pair of wins over nationally ranked teams, the Wildcats earned a New Year's Day invite to the Outback Bowl.

In 2010, Fitzgerald guided Northwestern to its second straight New Year's Day bowl game, participating in the inaugural TicketCity Bowl at the famed Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

This past year, with another strong finish to the season (four wins in their final five games), the Wildcats finished 6-6 to become bowl-eligible for a fifth straight year.

An assistant football coach for the Wildcats from 2001 through the summer of 2006, Fitzgerald was named Northwestern's 29th head coach on July 7, 2006, succeeding Randy Walker, who died suddenly on June 29, 2006. He was the youngest head football coach among Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) schools until Lane Kiffin (six months younger) was hired by Tennessee on Dec. 1, 2008.

By no means was this the circumstance that Fitzgerald envisioned when landing his dream job, but when the Northwestern administration asked him to succeed Walker, he knew he was prepared for the opportunity.

"We're continuing Coach Walker's legacy and building upon his successes," said Fitzgerald, who touts a 34-29 overall record in his five seasons as NU's head mentor. "Northwestern will continue to have a football program built upon great work ethic, attitude and investment."

Led by Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern's football program is savoring unprecedented academic success.

In May of 2011, NU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jim Phillips announced that Fitzgerald and the school agreed to a new 10-year deal that will keep him on the Northwestern sidelines through 2020. The 10-year deal is unprecedented in Northwestern Athletics history.

"I'm humbled and appreciative of the commitment shown by Northwestern" said Fitzgerald. "With this support from our administration, our coaches and players expect to compete for championships."

It is not surprising that Fitzgerald's arrival on campus in 1993 coincided with the renaissance of Northwestern's football program. Since 1995, the Wildcats have won three Big Ten titles (only Michigan and Ohio State have won more in the last 15 years) and won six or more games in nine of those 15 seasons.

The program has steadily gained momentum in the four years since Fitzgerald took over as head coach, starting with a challenging 4-8 campaign in 2006, when just weeks before the season began, Walker's death rocked the NU football program and Fitzgerald assumed the head coaching position. In 2007, the Wildcats achieved bowl-eligibility with a 6-6 mark. Northwestern, however, did not play in a postseason game due to a lack of bowl slots for Big Ten teams. (A league-record 10 Big Ten squads were bowl-eligible in 2007.) Northwestern returned to the top of the league in offense in 2007, leading the Big Ten in total offense for the regular season.

In 2008, a dramatically improved defense and some much-improved special teams play led the 'Cats back to a bowl game, their first since taking on UCLA in the 2005 Sun Bowl. Northwestern touted the nation's fifth-most improved scoring defense and the Wildcats set a single-season school record for rushing defense (126.4 ypg), breaking the mark that Fitzgerald and his teammates established in 1995. NU's 5-0 season start in 2008 was its best since the 1962 campaign, when the Wildcats were 6-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation.

In 2009, the Wildcats returned to a New Year's Day Bowl game, their first since Fitzgerald was a student-athlete when NU battled Tennessee in the 1997 Citrus Bowl. Fitzgerald's 2009 club was, perhaps, one of the most resilient teams in recent memory, overcoming a number of injuries (especially on defense) and some difficult defeats, only to finish with a "November to remember." The Wildcats opened the month by knocking off unbeaten Iowa, which at the time, was ranked No. 4 in the BCS. NU then went to Illinois and defeated its instate rival before returning home to edge No. 16 (BCS) Wisconsin in its season finale. The strong finish made the Wildcats a "wanted" bowl team and they landed a berth in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1. In that game, Northwestern played with the "heart of a Wildcat," overcoming a number of double-digit deficits only to fall 38-35 in overtime to Auburn. That game was widely recognized as the best bowl game of 2009-10, and one of the all-time best postseason games.

In 2010, Northwestern raced to another 5-0 start and after beating nationally ranked Iowa on Nov. 13, the Wildcats moved to 7-3 and climbed back into the top-25. A season-ending injury, however, to first-team All-Big Ten quarterback Dan Persa derailed the 'Cats ascent in the national rankings and NU closed the season with a 7-6 mark. Still, the Wildcats notched their third straight winning season, a feat that had not been accomplished in Evanston since 1958-60.

Off the field, the Wildcats are enjoying unprecedented academic success. The past six years, Northwestern has set program-bests with 16 Academic All-Big Ten selections in 2006, 18 in 2007, 26 in 2008, 29 in 2009 and then a school-record 32 in both 2010 and 2011. And for the fourth time in as many years, the football team registered a combined team grade point average above a 3.0 for an academic quarter.

Additionally, Northwestern continues to lead or rank near the top of the country in annual graduation rate. In 2010, and for the fifth time since 2002, Northwestern captured the AFCA's Academic Achievement Award, which is given to the top FBS football program for graduation rate. In the NCAA's most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) report, Northwestern recorded a perfect 1,000 APR index -- the newest NCAA academic measuring statistic.

Two of the linebackers that Pat Fitzgerald coached at Northwestern, Tim McGarigle (left) and Nick Roach (right), at a Chicago Bears' mini-camp in March 2009. Pictured with McGarigle and Roach is former NU quarterback Brett Basanez, a member of the Bears, along with Roach.

But the Northwestern student-athlete experience is not complete until one makes a significant contribution to the campus and Evanston communities, which is why so many of Fitzgerald's players have been recognized for what they've managed to give back. Fitzgerald, his family and his players partake in countless charitable events in the area, including NU's annual campus-wide Dance Marathon. 2009 graduate Eric Peterman received the National ARA Sportsmanship Award for his off-the-field efforts while a number of Wildcats have been named NU's Hilton Garden Inn Community Service Athlete of the Week for their contributions to toy drives, health and wellness programs in elementary schools and other local initiatives.

Fitzgerald and his wife Stacy are the annual honorary chairpersons for Erin Olmsted Memorial Scholarship 5K Race in their Illinois hometown of Orland Park. He is also a regular participant for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, an organization that helps raise funds for childhood cancer research.

"It's just being the best person you can be," said former defensive end and current Chicago Bear Corey Wootton. "That's what Coach Fitz strives for. Giving back."

In 1995, Fitzgerald was the leader of a suffocating Wildcat defense that led the nation in scoring defense and anchored NU's storybook run to the Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl. He ended the year by being named winner of both the Nagurski and Bednarik Awards as the nation's top defensive player. He also was the Big Ten, Chevrolet and Sports Illustrated Defensive Player of the Year. Fitzgerald accomplished all of this, despite the fact that he broke his leg in the second-to-last regular-season game.

Fitzgerald recovered from that injury, and in 1996 he again led the Wildcats to a share of the Big Ten title. As a result, he once again won the Nagurski and Bednarik Awards, becoming the first two-time winner of both honors. Fitzgerald also was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year again, and Linebacker of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. He also was the recipient of Northwestern's George Ballantine Jr., Memorial Leadership Award.

A two-time first-team All-American, Fitzgerald started 23 career games and totaled 299 tackles, including 20 for loss. He also forced five fumbles and intercepted three passes.

Fitzgerald signed a free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys following his Northwestern career, and played in three preseason games before taking a one-year hiatus from football.

Prior to his return to Northwestern, Fitzgerald was a defensive graduate assistant at Maryland (1998) and Colorado (1999) before taking his first full-time position at the University of Idaho in 2000. In 2001, Walker brought Fitzgerald back to Evanston, hiring him to coach the Wildcats' defensive secondary. In 2002, he moved to linebackers coach, and then in 2004, added the recruiting coordinator to his title.

Named one of college football's top recruiters by SI.com in 2005, Fitzgerald played an integral role in both coaching and recruiting during his five years as a Northwestern assistant. He mentored two-time All-Big Ten linebacker and former St. Louis Ram Tim McGarigle, the all-time leading tackler in NCAA history. In February 2003, Fitzgerald was inducted into Northwestern's Athletic Hall of Fame.

In addition to his January 2009 appointment to the Illinois Reform Commission, Fitzgerald was named to the AFCA's Ethics Committee. He began his term in the fall of 2009. Fitzgerald is also dedicated to helping improve youth football safety as a member of USA Football's Tackle Advisory Committee. The committee is working diligently to provide a positive youth experience for the nearly three million children who are playing the game of football.

A graduate of Orland Park's (Ill.) Carl Sandburg High School, Fitzgerald resides in Northfield with his wife, Stacy, and three sons, Jack, born in November 2004, Ryan, born in September 2006, and Brendan, born in February 2009.

What They're Saying About Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald

Gary Barnett, former Northwestern head coach (1992-98)
Gary Barnett was Northwestern's head coach when Pat Fitzgerald was named Defensive Player of the Year twice and hired him as a defensive graduate assistant at Colorado in 1999.
"Pat personifies Northwestern football. The honors he received as a player, the way he handled himself as a student-athlete and the name he has made for himself in the college football world, makes it a real natural fit for Northwestern. Pat loves Northwestern; he will be a guy that the Northwestern community can count on to represent them for years and years."

C.J. Bacher, former Wildcat quarterback (2005-08)
"Coach Fitzgerald is the true definition of a Northwestern Wildcat. He is defined as a coach by his passion, loyalty, commitment to excellence and exuberance. He is defined as a player by his accomplishments, his leadership and his will. Coach "Fitz" has learned a lot from the late Coach Randy Walker and has developed a similar style of coaching with a bit more of a "hands-on" approach. He expects and demands 100 percent from each and every one of his players while at the same time each player knows that Coach Fitzgerald will be there for us to help us improve in every aspect of life."

Pat Fitzgerald, with sons Jack (left) and Ryan (middle), at U.S. Cellular Field for the Northwestern-Notre Dame baseball game on April 15, 2009.

Ron Vanderlinden, Penn State University, linebacker coach
Ron Vanderlinden was Northwestern's linebacker coach during Pat's playing days at Northwestern.
"When Pat was a player it was easy to see that he was special far beyond his outstanding football ability. Pat was a natural leader. He had tremendous confidence, determination, and a passion for success at everything he does. As I have watched Pat grow as a coach, I see these same qualities in Pat and the players he coaches. Pat is a fun person to be around, committed to his family, and grounded in his faith. Pat Fitzgerald is a winner, and the perfect coach to lead the Northwestern Football program."

Joe Girardi, New York Yankees Manager
"When I watch him coach, it would be someone who I'd want my son (Dante) to play for because he has a ton of passion, he has a ton of energy, he's a huge encourager and education comes first."

Mike Kafka, former Wildcat quarterback (2006-09) and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback
"It's hard to believe that any former Northwestern athlete bleeds more purple than Coach Fitz. His enthusiasm and passion for his alma mater is unmatched. There's no question that he is going to be the face of Northwestern Football, and perhaps Northwestern Athletics, for years to come."

Frank Lenti, Mt. Carmel High School, head coach
"What Pat accomplished on the field as a player transitioned into becoming a great coach and he did all that at Northwestern. He has talked-the-talk and walked-the-walk at NU and I look forward to what he will accomplish in Evanston."

Tim McGarigle, former Wildcat linebacker (2002-05) and NFL player
"As a young linebacker, Coach Fitzgerald was my mentor, not only athletically, but also academically and socially. He firmly believes in not only making you the best football player you can be, but also the best man. Now as the head coach at one of the best schools in the nation, Coach "Fitz" gets to mentor an entire football team. To me, that is extremely appealing to anyone who decides to play football at Northwestern."

The Fitzgerald family (clockwise from left): Stacy, Brendan, Pat, Ryan and Jack

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