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One day after Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired amid allegations of hazing within the program, University president Michael Schill and athletic director Derrick Gragg met with the team. The players asked Schill about Fitzgerald's firing and expressed their opinion about the next coach, according to On3.
Schill admitted it was a mistake to initially give Fitzgerald a two-week suspension when the school concluded its investigation into the hazing allegations, sources told On3. Schill said he rethought things and had additional communication with people about Fitzgerald's job status. Those conversations included talks with the whistleblower who sparked the investigation into the Northwestern football program.
Northwestern football defensive coordinator David Braun also spoke at Tuesday's meeting. The Northwestern football players indicated their desire for Braun to be named the interim coach. Schill reportedly told the players that an interim coach would likely be picked within the next couple of days.
The players also wanted to know why they learned of Fitzgerald's firing through a leak in the media.
According to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, a source described the responses to the players' questions during the meeting as “not adequate.”
The meeting between Schill and the team came one day after Fitzgerald addressed the Northwestern football players regarding his dismissal. Fitzgerald's final meeting with the players lasted less than 30 minutes. The administration was curt with the players and didn't take any questions in the immediate aftermath of Fitzgerald's firing, according to Wildcat Report.
A legal battle between Fitzgerald and Northwestern could be coming next because the school fired the coach for cause.
