Arkansas coaching search: Razorbacks reportedly interview former Big Ten head coach
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There is incredible hubbub surrounding Florida, LSU and Auburn’s open head coaching jobs. Lane Kiffin’s “will he, won’t he” dance at Ole Miss also has, naturally, attracted a lot of fanfare. This has kept Arkansas’ head coaching gig a bit under the radar. However, on Monday, we received an interesting nugget on the Razorbacks’ search for Sam Pittman’s successor.
According to CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer, John Talty and Matt Zenitz, Arkansas recently interviewed former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald for its open position. And they’re not the only school to have done so.
A name that keeps popping up this cycle is… Pat Fitzgerald. The most successful coach in [Northwestern] history, several schools have interviewed Fitzgerald… including Arkansas.
Fitzgerald, who turns 51 on Dec. 2, coached the Wildcats for 17 seasons (2006-2022). He posted a 106-81 record, with 3 10-win seasons, during his first 15 years in Evanston. His final campaign was plagued by a hazing scandal that led to his firing. Fitzgerald sued Northwestern for wrongful termination following his dismissal, though, and settled his case in August. The university later released a statement saying Fitzgerald was not aware of the hazing allegations while employed at the school.
Earlier this month, Fitzgerald told ESPN’s College GameDay podcast he feels “fully vindicated” from the end of his Northwestern tenure. CBS Sports listed Michigan State — who still has Jonathan Smith — as a potential destination for Fitzgerald if the Spartans were to move on from their current coach. There have also been rumors of Penn State looking into Fitzgerald. If the Razorbacks believe he’s their guy, they may need to act quickly to ensure he comes to Fayetteville.
