Rumored to be in the works since his name was attached to the Michigan vacancy, Pat Fitzgerald is on the verge of making a long-term commitment to Northwestern.
Speaking to ESPNChicago.com, NU athletic director Jim Phillips tells the website that a tentative agreement on a contract extension has been reached. While he would not go into details as to the length of the deal, he did allow that it would be for at least eight years.
Phillips also wouldn’t specify whether the new deal would replace his old one -- which runs through 2016 -- or whether it would be tacked on to the current contract.
“I don’t want to get into specifics, but it’s eight or more years,” Phillips confirmed on Friday. “It’s as important of an assignment as I have as director of athletics at Northwestern. Football is the engine that drives us. It drives us emotionally and drives us financially. I have to make sure the state of the football program is as healthy as can be.
“There’s no one else I want to coach the football program than Pat. Would I want Pat to be at Northwestern forever? Unequivocally, yes.”
Phillips told the website that the details of the contract have already been agreed upon by Fitzgerald, and now the deal is in the hands of lawyers. It’s hoped that the new agreement will be finalized in 4-6 weeks, with a public announcement coming at some point after that.
Fitzgerald just recently completed his fifth season with the Wildcats, going 34-29 in that span. While he’s led the Wildcats to bowl appearances each of the past three years -- TicketCity, Outback, Alamo -- each of those seasons ended in a loss.
In the wake of Michigan’s decision to fire Rich Rodriguez, the school contacted him and expressed an interest in sitting down for an interview. Fitzgerald and/or his representatives declined the opportunity. It was at that point talks with his current employer on an extended contract ramped up significantly.
A former All-American linebacker at NU, Fitzgerald has been extremely loyal to his alma mater and has rebuffed several overtures since taking over in 2006. That loyalty could be significantly tested in the next year or two, however; if/when Joe Paterno steps down, Penn State is expected to make a significant push for Fitzgerald. And, from the chatter making the rounds, the Nittany Lions would be one of the few schools Fitzgerald would be willing to listen to, new deal or not.