Northwestern to keep assistant coaches for 2023
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN
- Senior Citizen WriterJul 11, 2023, 04:24 PM ET Close College football press reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
- Graduate of Northwestern University.Northwestern will retain its assistant coaches and support personnel for the 2023 season in the wake of coach Pat Fitzgerald’s firing, the school informed ESPN.Athletic director Derrick Gragg, who returned Tuesday from an abroad journey, notified
the coaches and staff of their status in a conference. Gragg is set to meet with the team later on Tuesday.Defensive coordinator David Braun is managing the program as a liaison and could end up being the Wildcats’interim coach, according to sources. But Gragg did not reveal an interim coach in Tuesday’s meeting.Editor’s Picks
1 Associated Braun, among five assistants who signed up with the team this offseason, previously worked as protective coordinator at North Dakota State.Northwestern fired Fitzgerald on Monday amid the fallout from an examination of hazing within the program. On Friday, the school launched an executive summary of the investigation, which did not discover proof that Fitzgerald or the assistant coaches knew of hazing incidents, however kept in mind that they had chances to determine problems and report them. The summary did not call any coaches other than Fitzgerald, and no players.The school notified players of Fitzgerald’s dismissal Monday in a meeting that sources referred to as
emotional and tense. Fitzgerald briefly dealt with the team, as did Braun and offensive planner Mike Bajakian. Gragg dealt with the group via Zoom before leaving without taking questions, which outraged some players.Northwestern president Michael Schill did not go to the meeting, and a player told ESPN that their lacks in the room showed”
how afraid they are.”Northwestern is set to start preseason practices in August, and the Wildcats will open the season Sept. 3 at Rutgers.