N’western gets rid of tag, names Braun head coach

Adam Rittenberg Close Adam Rittenberg ESPN Elder Writer College football press reporter. Joined ESPN.com in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.Pete Thamel Nov 15, 2023, 02:11 PM

defensive planner by former coach Pat Fitzgerald, has led Northwestern to 5 wins, more than the team’s combined win total from the previous two seasons(4). He is the very first Northwestern coach to win 5 games in his very first season considering that Walter McCornack in 1903.” I am truly honored for the chance to continue leading Northwestern’s football program,”Braun said in a declaration.”Over the previous 5 months,

having the chance to lead this group has been the chance of a life time. Moving forward, my mission is to develop on this favorable momentum, aiming to produce among the best experiences in college football for our student-athletes.”Northwestern’s staff was notified earlier Wednesday afternoon that Braun would be promoted, sources informed ESPN. A

news conference to introduce Braun is set for Thursday.”Upon his arrival at Northwestern, I rapidly determined that Coach Braun embodies the worths of our athletic department: respect, integrity, service and quality,” athletic director Derrick Gragg stated in a statement.” It was the right decision to appoint him as the interim leader, and I congratulate Coach Braun on being called the head coach of our football program. He has actually earned this position. Coach Braun has rallied the group under very negative situations. He has actually gained the respect of the student-athletes, the staff, moms and dads, alumni and our fans. ” David Braun has Northwestern on the edge of bowl eligibility for

the very first time since 2020. David Banks/USA Today Sports The school named Braun as interim coach on July 14, 4 days after it fired Fitzgerald

in the wake of hazing allegations against the program. Northwestern is the first FBS school to work with a new head coach this season.Sources informed ESPN that the search committee for Fitzgerald’s follower, that included Gragg and a number of trustees, had actually been impressed not

just with the group’s on-field performance in the middle of misfortune however also with Braun’s approach with the players and in news conferences.Braun, who matured near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had actually never been a college head coach or worked at an FBS school before Fitzgerald employed him following 4 seasons as North Dakota State protective coordinator. The Winona State protective lineman made stops at his university, UC Davis and Northern Iowa before signing up with the North Dakota State personnel in 2019. He has called defensive plays for Northwestern and seen the unit enhance substantially, going from 82nd to 46th in points permitted and from 62nd to 29th in yards permitted. The Wildcats have enabled just 16.8 points per game in their previous 5 games.The Wildcats might become bowl eligible with a win over Purdue on Saturday or at Illinois on Nov. 25. Northwestern thought about external candidates, consisting of some veteran FBS head coaches however concentrated on Braun in recent days.

After Northwestern’s 24-10 upset win at Wisconsin on Saturday, a variety of players went on social media and published the hashtag #removethetag, describing Braun and the interim head coach tag. Among those who posted was Jack Fitzgerald, a freshman tight end and the oldest kid of Pat Fitzgerald, who has actually been working as a trainee assistant with the group this season.More than a lots previous Northwestern players have filed suits versus the university, alleging that they were hazed and mistreated while in the program. Last month, Fitzgerald filed a$ 130 million wrongful termination claim against Northwestern and university president Michael Schill, declaring that the school broke an oral agreement by firing him three days after agreeing to a two-week suspension following the university’s investigation into hazing allegations.Northwestern is set to react to Fitzgerald’s lawsuit in the next couple of weeks.