Fitz In The Pitz

[MelroseHawkins]

I think Northwestern should go hard the other way. Say screw spending money on the new stadium. Go barebones with investing in your football program. Just keep cashing the soon to be $100M a year TV checks and invest in other sports. They could dominate all the Olympic sports (already do in a couple). And all it takes is a couple studs to win big ten titles in basketball (men and women). Maybe go after the best coach in every sport besides football and offer them a 25% raise to come to Northwestern. Shit, you got $100M a year to spend. Where is all that money gonna go anyway, especially if you aren't dumping it into football?

Hire the most innovative high school or junior college/D3 coaches for football. Pay them $500k instead of $7M. Maybe they win one or two games a year...probably not much different than what the next coach (making $5M to $7M) will do. Get a Hal Mumme/Mike Leach combo when they were still coaching high school or at Iowa Wesleyan. Or that high school coach who refuses to punt. Or maybe some smart as shit quality control assistant on an NFL team who has a new system to try.

Not because they might win, but because it'd be fun to try, wouldn't cost anything, and Northwestern probably isn't gonna win much more than that consistently anyway. Make that your brand.

Don't charge for football games. Maybe you get a raucous crowd of high school kids and other people who don't normally come to games. Let local food and beer vendors park food trucks in that grassy area behind the end zone. Implement a rule that no beer can cost more than $5, and it's buy one get one free every time Northwestern scores a TD.

Shit, you're still getting $100M a year. Dare the Big Ten to kick out a charter member of the conference who is putting out extremely competitive teams in every sport besides football.

I like your thinking. Or go out and get some washed up football coach looking for his last stop in his career. Maybe a decent guy but just didn't work out at another place. Hell, find a great recruiter like a Ron Zook but not have too high of expectations, just to keep the fans kind of excited.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I like this idea. And I would take it further. Build a new campus in Skokie and call it the "Second Chance Center." Everyone gets a second chance. "Oh, who is this Randolph Moss gentleman who got kicked out of Florida State? You know what he needs? A second chance..." Of course you put the school in Skokie to minimize the potential for one of the scholar-athletes to bring any harm to the main campus. NO WAIT. JESUS I'M BRILLIANT. You put the second chance campus in Harvard, Illinois. University of Northwestern at Harvard. OMG.

Nicely done. This idea has some legs.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I like this idea. And I would take it further. Build a new campus in Skokie and call it the "Second Chance Center." Everyone gets a second chance. "Oh, who is this Randolph Moss gentleman who got kicked out of Florida State? You know what he needs? A second chance..." Of course you put the school in Skokie to minimize the potential for one of the scholar-athletes to bring any harm to the main campus. NO WAIT. JESUS I'M BRILLIANT. You put the second chance campus in Harvard, Illinois. University of Northwestern at Harvard. OMG.

Seek out the most innovative over the top guy who brings in this unheard system. Bring in a Mike Leach kind of guy and go balls out. Ya got to run some funky system if you are NW to have a chance in games and keep fans interested.

like base your offense on a 5 TE set or something. Something from L field.

Wait, Iowa should have that specialized formation to throw at teams. Let's not throw all the good ideas out there. Only certain teams could have the roster power to pull that off.

 

[Fryowa]

It is silly to even contemplate NW dropping football. What the hell…

I didn't say they'd drop it. But this could easily drive the program into the ground further than it was. They're already obsolete as a P5 program. It won't take much.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I didn't say they'd drop it. But this could easily drive the program into the ground further than it was. They're already obsolete as a P5 program. It won't take much.

Agree. Doesn't look promising. Fitz hasn't done well the last 3 years and wasn't expected to do much this coming season. After that, there would be the same struggles that Iowa would have with no conference divisions to bail them out to play in a conference c-ship game. Wasn't looking good and this is going to step them back even farther.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Seek out the most innovative over the top guy who brings in this unheard system. Bring in a Mike Leach kind of guy and go balls out. Ya got to run some funky system if you are NW to have a chance in games and keep fans interested.

like base your offense on a 5 TE set or something. Something from L field.

Wait, Iowa should have that specialized formation to throw at teams. Let's not throw all the good ideas out there. Only certain teams could have the roster power to pull that off.

Imagine a crazy system guy with the guys who get tossed out of Auburn and LSU for academic and disciplinary issues. It could freaking challenge Ohio State.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Imagine a crazy system guy with the guys who get tossed out of Auburn and LSU for academic and disciplinary issues. It could freaking challenge Ohio State.

No shit. Last chance guys who are required to check in and place their pistols in a specialized locker system prior to entering the football complex. Then run that funky system to showcase their extraordinary athleticism/talent. Might have to triple the tutors for this but what the hell other option ya have.

 

[kicker22]

Well, just browsing the internet, it looks like Mike Kafka and Matt Campbell are the first phone calls being made.

Not sure many coaches that are currently employed are even going to consider a jump this close to the start of the season.

 

[okeefe4prez]

No shit. Last chance guys who are required to check in and place their pistols in a specialized locker system prior to entering the football complex. Then run that funky system to showcase their extraordinary athleticism/talent. Might have to triple the tutors for this but what the hell other option ya have.

Bro, that's why you put it in Harvard. Make all the classes online. Pass-fail testing. Basically the Joe Burrow plan and you keep the guys on the road between Harvard and Evanston for a few hours a day, lessens the chance they can get into trouble. And if you ever get called on it you have some guy like me sit in front of the governing board cross armed and indignant. "ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN AT HARVARD IS A SHAM?" Really emphasize the Harvard, make them feel inferior. "Did you go to Harvard, good sir?"

 

[SmokeTownHawk]

I just wonder what kind of a roster they'll have after this is all said and done? Will they have anything remotely resembling a D1 football team, albeit a weak one? Could they push the reset button and sit out this season and regroup for next year? Going to be downright dangerous for them even if opponents go easy on them.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I just wonder what kind of a roster they'll have after this is all said and done? Will they have anything remotely resembling a D1 football team, albeit a weak one? Could they push the reset button and sit out this season and regroup for next year? Going to be downright dangerous for them even if opponents go easy on them.

They would never sit out a season at this point, even with a Missouri Valley Conference quality team. Can't afford to do that.

 

[haydensly]

Not sure many coaches that are currently employed are even going to consider a jump this close to the start of the season.

They are going to go with an interim coach for this year. It is expected to be the new defensive coordinator (someone who hasn't been around the hazing). They'll name a permanent coach after the season.

 

[Will C]

NW is an excellent school in almost every way but football. So the Big 10 will not want them to leave the conference regardless.

 

[okeefe4prez]

NW is an excellent school in almost every way but football. So the Big 10 will not want them to leave the conference regardless.

Their football program is a million times better than their basketball program.

 

[Fryowa]

NW is an excellent school in almost every way but football. So the Big 10 will not want them to leave the conference regardless.

No one's really saying they're going to drop football or leave the conference. But I would bet my house they are going to drop below Rutgers level football suck city.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

No one's really saying they're going to drop football or leave the conference. But I would bet my house they are going to drop below Rutgers level football suck city.

That is a low. Becoming the low bar in BIG 10 football. Yikes.

Many on these boards are too young to really understand just how bad and a doormat NW football was back in the 1970's - 1980's. They are about to find out.

I mean it was a sure W on an opponents schedule prior to the season. They really have had a nice run in recent decades lucking out with decent coaches.

 

[okeefe4prez]

That is a low. Becoming the low bar in BIG 10 football. Yikes.

Many on these boards are too young to really understand just how bad and a doormat NW football was back in the 1970's - 1980's. They are about to find out.

I mean it was a sure W on an opponents schedule prior to the season. They really have had a nice run in recent decades lucking out with decent coaches.

Barnett worked a miracle, Walker was excellent and Fitz was the perfect guy to sustain what had been built for the next two decades. With NIL, the portal and then this, they are absolutely toast.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I can remember the days when there were actually only 10 teams in the Big 10 and the consistent dormats were NW and Wisconsin. They were both awful. Then came Alvarez and Barnett. I agree with the posts that NW is likely going to bottom feed for the foreseeable future. They have been pretty fortunate in their coaching hires the last couple decades. Asking for another miracle hire may be a bridge too far.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Do any of you guys see this guys Youtube 'From the Hawkeye of the Storm'? He's a younger guy hasn't been around all that long but he has on Don Patterson sometimes and some other guests. He put out a take that he thinks Woods would be a good fit and possible Fitz replacement. And yet goes on to contradict himself when he talks about why Woods isn't ready to replace KF anytime soon. Just a click baiting take if there ever was one.

It's a terrible fit for both sides. Northwestern is a shit show dumpster fire that will be in the toilet for the foreseeable future. They should/would want to bring in an established name that's done something before with a squeaky clean history preferably.

That job is not a stepping stone gig for a guy like Woods or even Jim Leonard. Sure it'd be a paycheck but do you want to be in the basement of the BIG for the entirety of your time? Guys kinda like to win and if you have better options in the near future you aren't taking that. I would be shocked if at this time next yr they get a young guy like either of them for it.

A guy like Paul Chryst would be the type of fit I'm suggesting. A guy that's coached before and had some success. Yet not too big of a name that the job would be beneath him like an Urban Meyer or Stoops. Hell maybe even Scott Frost.... haha Joking about that one.

 

[Fryowa]

Do any of you guys see this guys Youtube 'From the Hawkeye of the Storm'? He's a younger guy hasn't been around all that long but he has on Don Patterson sometimes and some other guests. He put out a take that he thinks Woods would be a good fit and possible Fitz replacement. And yet goes on to contradict himself when he talks about why Woods isn't ready to replace KF anytime soon. Just a click baiting take if there ever was one.

It's a terrible fit for both sides. Northwestern is a shit show dumpster fire that will be in the toilet for the foreseeable future. They should/would want to bring in an established name that's done something before with a squeaky clean history preferably.

That job is not a stepping stone gig for a guy like Woods or even Jim Leonard. Sure it'd be a paycheck but do you want to be in the basement of the BIG for the entirety of your time? Guys kinda like to win and if you have better options in the near future you aren't taking that. I would be shocked if at this time next yr they get a young guy like either of them for it.

A guy like Paul Chryst would be the type of fit I'm suggesting. A guy that's coached before and had some success. Yet not too big of a name that the job would be beneath him like an Urban Meyer or Stoops. Hell maybe even Scott Frost.... haha Joking about that one.

No decent name coach that didn’t graduate from and play at Northwestern is gonna touch that job with a ten foot pole.

1) Unremarkable, boring, tiny fan base.

2) Administrators who couldn’t possibly care less if the school even has football

3) Activist faculty that hates sports and wants the only thing the program has going for it (a new stadium) stopped cold turkey.

4) Inheriting a shit show of a roster and staff after the Titsgerald saga’s dust settled.

Fat Titsgerald was NW’s only hope and he allegedly blew it.