Reinstate Fitz

villox

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
22,084
670
66
I’m serious. I’ve seen enough to know that he did all he could up front to prevent what happened. None of what happened could therefore be considered his fault. It’s clear there was a rush to judgement, and we all saw how bad things could get.

With the expansion of the B1G and NIL, we can safely say goodbye to the already tenuous link between the academic mission of the university and the athletic/media one. There’s just too much money on the table which will help the other sports and the University as a whole. The football program is now no more than a marketing vehicle.

Put Fitz back and let him hire the players he needs without academic standards hamstringing him.
 

corbi2961

Senior
Sep 9, 2005
30,524
786
0
I’m serious. I’ve seen enough to know that he did all he could up front to prevent what happened. None of what happened could therefore be considered his fault. It’s clear there was a rush to judgement, and we all saw how bad things could get.

With the expansion of the B1G and NIL, we can safely say goodbye to the already tenuous link between the academic mission of the university and the athletic/media one. There’s just too much money on the table which will help the other sports and the University as a whole. The football program is now no more than a marketing vehicle.

Put Fitz back and let him hire the players he needs without academic standards hamstringing him.
It’s too late for that. The time to give FItz the benefit of the doubt he deserved and question the logic, fairness and accuracy of these claims was several weeks back. The damage has been done.
 

villox

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
22,084
670
66
It’s too late for that. The time to give FItz the benefit of the doubt he deserved and question the logic, fairness and accuracy of these claims was several weeks back. The damage has been done.
Under normal circumstances I’d agree. But if the BOT boots Schill and Gragg and declares their decisions invalid anything can happen.
 

Jaguar 88

Freshman
Oct 1, 2021
1,106
75
48
The powers that be wanted him gone. Money talks, bulls#$@ walks. All that $$$$ that was donated for the Taj Fitz has come to nothing. The administration forked alot of $$$$ to Fitz after the Holiday Bowl victory, in the hopes of getting the football program to the next level. What they got was probably the most prolific collapse of a major D1 program in recent history. Who knows what will happen with the proposed new stadium. The powers that be, used this "scandal" to get out of paying him the rest of that ridiculous contract they gave him, with hindsight being 20/20. CFB is all about the $$$$ now, as is the American University System. Fitz wasn't growing the brand anymore, and the luster of that 2018 Holiday Bowl victory has worn off. Fitz isn't the man to get the program to the next level. Hubris is no substitute for hard work and vision, which Fitz lacked post 2018 it seems. The money people only care about the reality of the bottom line.
 

corbi2961

Senior
Sep 9, 2005
30,524
786
0
The powers that be wanted him gone. Money talks, bulls#$@ walks. All that $$$$ that was donated for the Taj Fitz has come to nothing. The administration forked alot of $$$$ to Fitz after the Holiday Bowl victory, in the hopes of getting the football program to the next level. What they got was probably the most prolific collapse of a major D1 program in recent history. Who knows what will happen with the proposed new stadium. The powers that be, used this "scandal" to get out of paying him the rest of that ridiculous contract they gave him, with hindsight being 20/20. CFB is all about the $$$$ now, as is the American University System. Fitz wasn't growing the brand anymore, and the luster of that 2018 Holiday Bowl victory has worn off. Fitz isn't the man to get the program to the next level. Hubris is no substitute for hard work and vision, which Fitz lacked post 2018 it seems. The money people only care about the reality of the bottom line.
You are clueless as usual. The guy who donated most of that money you talk about most certainly did not want Fitz gone. So if this decision was solely about money, Fitz would still be the head coach.
 

its_the_sauce

Senior
May 29, 2001
4,610
402
83
Reinstate Fitz?

Just so we're clear about who we are talking about..

This is the coach that...

Hired Jim O'Neill and basically was forced to finally let him go.
Has had recruiting classes that start out exciting but always end up in the bottom half of the Big 10.
Really hasn't done much in transfer portal other than a QB in the COVID year.
Has had 2 All Americans leave the program (Skowronek wasn't too shabby either).
Has gone 7-29 in the last three non-COVID years despite being given the keys to a palace of a football facility.
Has lost to multiple FCS teams
Even in years with an overall good record always seems to have a game or two where the team is totally unprepared and gets blown out.
Alienates fans with his double secret probation practices and lack of a spring game.

This is who you want to reinstate?
 

CSCatFan1

Senior
Dec 4, 2002
39,976
464
83
Reinstate Fitz?

Just so we're clear about who we are talking about..

This is the coach that...

Hired Jim O'Neill and basically was forced to finally let him go.
Has had recruiting classes that start out exciting but always end up in the bottom half of the Big 10.
Really hasn't done much in transfer portal other than a QB in the COVID year.
Has had 2 All Americans leave the program (Skowronek wasn't too shabby either).
Has gone 7-29 in the last three non-COVID years despite being given the keys to a palace of a football facility.
Has lost to multiple FCS teams
Even in years with an overall good record always seems to have a game or two where the team is totally unprepared and gets blown out.
Alienates fans with his double secret probation practices and lack of a spring game.

This is who you want to reinstate?

Easy to pick out a man’s flaws after a long career. How about you list his accomplishments? They far outweigh the crap you just posted.
 

its_the_sauce

Senior
May 29, 2001
4,610
402
83
Easy to pick out a man’s flaws after a long career. How about you list his accomplishments? They far outweigh the crap you just posted.

By all means tell me about his coaching accomplishments. Without question he won a legitimate division title in 2018. He has also won several mid-level bowls (do we consider COVID year Citrus a major?). Please fill me in on what I'm missing.

There's no doubt NU has always excelled with APR and grad rates but many on this board slammed Schill and Gragg for pointing that out in their communications.
 

NURoseBowl

Junior
Jun 16, 2009
8,178
338
58
Under normal circumstances I’d agree. But if the BOT boots Schill and Gragg and declares their decisions invalid anything can happen.
I know nothing about how these things work, but would the BOT have the power to actually do that?
 

villox

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
22,084
670
66
I know nothing about how these things work, but would the BOT have the power to actually do that?

Reinstate Fitz?

Just so we're clear about who we are talking about..

This is the coach that...

Hired Jim O'Neill and basically was forced to finally let him go.
Has had recruiting classes that start out exciting but always end up in the bottom half of the Big 10.
Really hasn't done much in transfer portal other than a QB in the COVID year.
Has had 2 All Americans leave the program (Skowronek wasn't too shabby either).
Has gone 7-29 in the last three non-COVID years despite being given the keys to a palace of a football facility.
Has lost to multiple FCS teams
Even in years with an overall good record always seems to have a game or two where the team is totally unprepared and gets blown out.
Alienates fans with his double secret probation practices and lack of a spring game.

This is who you want to reinstate?

Put him back and give him two years to show some progress toward improving, but only if we remove the academic restrictions.

Remember: part of the reason we did so well in the Covid year was because of the smart protocols he put in place that limited the absence of star players. If they were all being run through a “car wash” you really think that would have happened?
 

CatFanEd

Redshirt
Jun 8, 2001
1,151
34
48
Easy to pick out a man’s flaws after a long career. How about you list his accomplishments? They far outweigh the crap you just posted.
Like you said, please let sink in that Fitz was in two of the last four Big Ten Title games and won 5 out of his last six bowl games starting in 2013. To say that they wanted out of his contract because of his failures the last two years is ludicrous. Now they will have to pay him anyway plus millions in law suits that keep popping up.
 

Jaguar 88

Freshman
Oct 1, 2021
1,106
75
48
You are clueless as usual. The guy who donated most of that money you talk about most certainly did not want Fitz gone. So if this decision was solely about money, Fitz would still be the head coach.
Future money. You aren't going to fill a stadium with subpar teams. And there are a lot more people than Ryan looking for some kind of payout at the end of the day. The future of CFB are the super conferences and who gets the most $$$$, etc. Also, Ryan can't be impressed with what Fitz has done on the field as of late either. He donated the money to help build a winning program, not watch Fitz run it into the ground. You are not going to build a program on mid tier 3 star recruits with a ball control offense. Why can't we recruit a good QB? Answer, they don't want to play on an offense that doesn't allow them to amass impressive stat lines. Same with WRs. Fitz was one of the last of the dinosaurs in that regard. You have to grow the brand with some pizzaz on offense. You need a rather ambitious HC with vision, along with coordinators with the same mind set. Not so sure we got that with Fitz, not at the end anyway. If NU doesn't get a young ambitious HC, the program might be left in the dust when the super conference era begins, then the reasoning behind Ryan and co, giving all that $$$$ for the practice facility goes poof. I mean let's be real, Fitz fumbled the football. The administration gave him a ridiculous contract and he basically farted in their faces. He took the money and went on vacation it seemed. Everything is about $$$$.
 

corbi2961

Senior
Sep 9, 2005
30,524
786
0
Future money. You aren't going to fill a stadium with subpar teams. And there are a lot more people than Ryan looking for some kind of payout at the end of the day. The future of CFB are the super conferences and who gets the most $$$$, etc. Also, Ryan can't be impressed with what Fitz has done on the field as of late either. He donated the money to help build a winning program, not watch Fitz run it into the ground. You are not going to build a program on mid tier 3 star recruits with a ball control offense. Why can't we recruit a good QB? Answer, they don't want to play on an offense that doesn't allow them to amass impressive stat lines. Same with WRs. Fitz was one of the last of the dinosaurs in that regard. You have to grow the brand with some pizzaz on offense. You need a rather ambitious HC with vision, along with coordinators with the same mind set. Not so sure we got that with Fitz, not at the end anyway. If NU doesn't get a young ambitious HC, the program might be left in the dust when the super conference era begins, then the reasoning behind Ryan and co, giving all that $$$$ for the practice facility goes poof. I mean let's be real, Fitz fumbled the football. The administration gave him a ridiculous contract and he basically farted in their faces. He took the money and went on vacation it seemed. Everything is about $$$$.
You don’t seem to get it. Pat Ryan is NU’s biggest benefactor, past, present and future. He was/is Fitz’s biggest supporter. This was not about money.
 

stpaulcat

Senior
May 29, 2001
35,368
905
113
Put him back and give him two years to show some progress toward improving, but only if we remove the academic restrictions.

Remember: part of the reason we did so well in the Covid year was because of the smart protocols he put in place that limited the absence of star players. If they were all being run through a “car wash” you really think that would have happened?
After all of this do you believe fitz would want to go back? Certainly he wants his reputation back.
 

villox

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
22,084
670
66
A one million dollar settlement to every player who claims to have been hazed would still be less than what they’ll owe Fitz for wrongful termination. Pay them off, reinstate him, save money, and go on to future glory. What’s not to like?
 

corbi2961

Senior
Sep 9, 2005
30,524
786
0
A one million dollar settlement to every player who claims to have been hazed would still be less than what they’ll owe Fitz for wrongful termination. Pay them off, reinstate him, save money, and go on to future glory. What’s not to like?
You are naive if you think any of that would get it done. We are well past the point of no return. This whole event will end up costing NU $100 million+ in settlements and legal fees. NU alumni donations hard at work courtesy of Schill. What a complete disaster.
 

xxxbobxxx

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2005
10,813
170
43
Like you said, please let sink in that Fitz was in two of the last four Big Ten Title games and won 5 out of his last six bowl games starting in 2013. To say that they wanted out of his contract because of his failures the last two years is ludicrous. Now they will have to pay him anyway plus millions in law suits that keep popping up.
Watch much of the last four seasons?
 

PurpleWhiteBoy

Redshirt
Feb 25, 2021
5,303
0
0
Seriously? Again, if feral jr was subjected to any of the non-denied allegations — car wash, running, you still good?
Do you know, are you certain of the circumstances that led to individual players being "run?"

If it was being done maliciously, at the direction of the coach, thats a huge problem.

If it was being done as a punishment by team leaders for guys who were not living up to team standards and everybody knew what the standards were and what the punishments were, then I think its reasonable.

I need to know exactly what was happening and why to pass judgment on Pat Fitzgerald.

Regarding Schill, I already know and I find him dangerously incompetent.
 

phatcat_rivals223240

All-Conference
Nov 5, 2001
18,986
1,133
113
A) he should have been fired, or at least suspended pending further investigation, maybe a year. B) he lost his way.. they were on a path to lose 9+ games with no real hope on either line for 2024, and thin at 2024 QB
 

CSCatFan1

Senior
Dec 4, 2002
39,976
464
83
A) he should have been fired, or at least suspended pending further investigation, maybe a year. B) he lost his way.. they were on a path to lose 9+ games with no real hope on either line for 2024, and thin at 2024 QB

We’ll never know about 2024. I do know we’ve lost some very good young players to Oklahoma, Ohio State, UCLA, Stanford, Iowa State and Florida State. There was absolutely talent in the pipeline.
 

xxxbobxxx

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2005
10,813
170
43
Do you know, are you certain of the circumstances that led to individual players being "run?"

If it was being done maliciously, at the direction of the coach, thats a huge problem.

If it was being done as a punishment by team leaders for guys who were not living up to team standards and everybody knew what the standards were and what the punishments were, then I think its reasonable.

I need to know exactly what was happening and why to pass judgment on Pat Fitzgerald.

Regarding Schill, I already know and I find him dangerously incompetent.
Didn’t German soldiers of ww2 make similar arguments?
 

xxxbobxxx

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2005
10,813
170
43
We’ll never know about 2024. I do know we’ve lost some very good young players to Oklahoma, Ohio State, UCLA, Stanford, Iowa State and Florida State. There was absolutely talent in the pipeline.
There’s been talent for a long time. It’s the coaching that became subject to debate.
 

xxxbobxxx

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2005
10,813
170
43
Do you think there's something wrong with hearing both sides?
Not at all. But if it’s my kids, and they something along these lines, in the least - we are moving along to something else. In the least. Not going to let my suspicions lead to a terrible mistake.

It’s up to the adults I entrusted to make sure this cannot even become a question. In this scenario, they have already failed.
 
Aug 31, 2003
15,074
508
113
Not at all. But if it’s my kids, and they something along these lines, in the least - we are moving along to something else. In the least. Not going to let my suspicions lead to a terrible mistake.

It’s up to the adults I entrusted to make sure this cannot even become a question. In this scenario, they have already failed.
As a parent, it's your job to protect your kids. But Fitz is entitled to an advocate, too.