Firings: What should happen vs. what will happen

[NorthNJCatsfan]

One win, eleven losses. Embarrassing, sometimes comical ineptitude, in nearly all facets of the game. If competitive football means anything at NU, the results of the last two seasons should be 100% unacceptable, and that word needs to mean something. We are Dark Ages Bad, with most of the old excuses no longer operative -- which actually makes it even worse, in my view. At any other major conference school the head coach would be gone, or on a white hot seat. The buck stops with him. But he's not going anywhere, and I'm actually ok with that. For now. He's brought us to unprecedented heights in the modern era, both as a player and coach. He deserves a chance to get out of the hole he's dug for himself and the program. We cannot suffer a season or two more of this garbage, but he is and should be safe. For now.

The offense is unwatchably atrocious, regardless of who is at QB (a position that has been a real problem ever since Thorson, with that one transfer for the 2020 season, as a major exception). I don't know how much of this is the fault of the OC's schemes/game-planning, but the results speak for themselves. I don't know how the person responsible for the last two years' putrid offensive output should keep his job.

Then there's the DC, a hire that was utterly puzzling, on paper. The hire has been just as bad, or worse, in reality. This is on the head coach. It was his buddy hire. The results are very bad. The guy can recruit, it seems, but that only means so much. Look at the game outcomes.

I'm not a 'fire everyone!' type of fan, but my god. How can we embrace "continuity" if it means continuing...this? In my opinion, both coordinators should be gone, and perhaps some other coaches, too. Clean house. The message needs to be that this is not acceptable. And Fitz ought to think very hard -- much harder than last time, evidently -- about the would-be hires he'd be bringing in. He'll be hiring and coaching for his job over the next season or two. That's my view. My questions for the gallery are:

(1) Who *should* be fired?

(2) One week from today, will one, both, or neither of the two coordinators still have their jobs at NU?

 

[jensberg]

Fire everyone including the head coach

 

[Titanium999]

One win, eleven losses. Embarrassing, sometimes comical ineptitude, in nearly all facets of the game. If competitive football means anything at NU, the results of the last two seasons should be 100% unacceptable, and that word needs to mean something. We are Dark Ages Bad, with most of the old excuses no longer operative -- which actually makes it even worse, in my view. At any other major conference school the head coach would be gone, or on a white hot seat. The buck stops with him. But he's not going anywhere, and I'm actually ok with that. For now. He's brought us to unprecedented heights in the modern era, both as a player and coach. He deserves a chance to get out of the hole he's dug for himself and the program. We cannot suffer a season or two more of this garbage, but he is and should be safe. For now.

The offense is unwatchably atrocious, regardless of who is at QB (a position that has been a real problem ever since Thorson, with that one transfer for the 2020 season, as a major exception). I don't know how much of this is the fault of the OC's schemes/game-planning, but the results speak for themselves. I don't know how the person responsible for the last two years' putrid offensive output should keep his job.

Then there's the DC, a hire that was utterly puzzling, on paper. The hire has been just as bad, or worse, in reality. This is on the head coach. It was his buddy hire. The results are very bad. The guy can recruit, it seems, but that only means so much. Look at the game outcomes.

I'm not a 'fire everyone!' type of fan, but my god. How can we embrace "continuity" if it means continuing...this? In my opinion, both coordinators should be gone, and perhaps some other coaches, too. Clean house. The message needs to be that this is not acceptable. And Fitz ought to think very hard -- much harder than last time, evidently -- about the would-be hires he'd be bringing in. He'll be hiring and coaching for his job over the next season or two. That's my view. My questions for the gallery are:

(1) Who *should* be fired?

(2) One week from today, will one, both, or neither of the two coordinators still have their jobs at NU?

Both coordinators for sure, along with about 15 players too!

 

[julescat]

Blow it up. Completely. Get rid of Fitz and everyone else. I feel no attachment at all to this program anymore. It has taken a hell of a long time but there is nothing there for me. Blow it up or not, I'm unsure that I will be paying any more attention to this.

 

[mcgurgmv]

1) Fitz, Bajakian, and Onieal. NU will never fire Fitz though. Pat Ryan loves him and is okay with a 7-29 record (2019, 2021, 2022) as long as NU graduates it’s players. It’s frustrating as a fan.

2) Unfortunately I don’t think anyone gets fired.

 

[SadCat]

I will be surprised if there are any firings. Fitz may bring in a coach as a consultant to recommend and help to implement some incremental changes (including possible role changes). Another 1-11 season in 2023, though, and Fitz will be forced to make broader staff changes that include multiple firings.

If anyone gets the pink slip this year, it would be Bajakian.

 

[PurpleFaze]

1) Fitz, Bajakian, and Onieal. NU will never fire Fitz though. Pat Ryan loves him and is okay with a 7-29 record (2019, 2021, 2022) as long as NU graduates it’s players. It’s frustrating as a fan.

2) Unfortunately I don’t think anyone gets fired.

If nobody gets fired they won’t sell any tickets next year. At some point economics get involved as well

 

[samuirocks]

At minimum both coordinators, wide receiver, Dlime and strength coaches. I would possibly include OLine coach as well. If that is not done, Fitz is no longer a coach with serious intentions.

 

[fcmchi]

Other than Hankowitz, has Fitz brought in a difference making assistant coach?

If not, what confidence is there that he will hire any better assistants?

 

[NJCat]

Other than Hankowitz, has Fitz brought in a difference making assistant coach?

If not, what confidence is there that he will hire any better assistants?

Exactly.

 

[stpaulcat]

Both coordinators for sure, along with about 15 players too!

Easy, the players are a function of the coaches--recruiting, development and game planning.

 

[stpaulcat]

If nobody gets fired they won’t sell any tickets next year. At some point economics get involved as well

No, they will sell some tickets--all to masochists.

 

[PurpleFaze]

Other than Hankowitz, has Fitz brought in a difference making assistant coach?

If not, what confidence is there that he will hire any better assistants?

Yep, I think best for the program would be to get rid of Fitz, but I don’t see that happening. Not sure Fitz has the vision to make the changes the staff needs

 

[jensberg]

Agree Fitz must go

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

I wish Fitz would see the potential long-term damage of a downward spiraling program and would do the right thing and would resign or would at least accept a “reasonable” buy-out.
The program needs a reboot. The money coming and and the facilities built and to be built do not match what we see on the field. Coaching is the issue.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Fitz isn’t gonna be fired, both because the buyout would be astronomical and because he still is in a particular position to rebuild the program.

That said… everything that can go, should. Ayeni is about the only staff member who’s earned his paycheck from coaching staff to recruiting staff to strength/conditioning on down the line.

 

[stpaulcat]

Fitz isn’t gonna be fired, both because the buyout would be astronomical and because he still is in a particular position to rebuild the program.

That said… everything that can go, should. Ayeni is about the only staff member who’s earned his paycheck from coaching staff to recruiting staff to strength/conditioning on down the line.

I cannot imagine that the large contributors, and likely Gragg, are not having a serious sit down with Fitz this coming week. Someone needs to light a fire.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

I cannot imagine that the large contributors, and likely Gragg, are not having a serious sit down with Fitz this coming week. Someone needs to light a fire.

Has happened already, from what I can gather.

 

[stpaulcat]

Has happened already, from what I can gather.

I would assume so, and hopefully help is on the way. It has to be.

 

[nickcat4]

I would assume so, and hopefully help is on the way. It has to be.

There is no other option, all big 10 teams will be better next year, status would not be acceptable

 

[zeek55]

Virtually all of us felt JON's days were numbered from the first snap against Michigan State last year.

I think I'm at that point with Bajakian. I couldn't have imagined that last year, but his offenses have been just as much of a disaster. Obviously injuries are a factor, but it's not clear that our QBs are developing under him.

Just hard to see how he crafts a functional offense with the pieces he has or if he has the ability to do that. Past 2 years offense has backslid as much as the defense in a lot of ways.

Other than that, probably going to see some changes in assistants though maybe Fitz just focuses on DC/OC first.

Either way, Fitz knows there's no way this can be fixed with the current iteration of the staff. There is no other option if he wants to get to fixing the program and getting us back to winning football.

 

[curdog]

Virtually all of us felt JON's days were numbered from the first snap against Michigan State last year.

I think I'm at that point with Bajakian. I couldn't have imagined that last year, but his offenses have been just as much of a disaster. Obviously injuries are a factor, but it's not clear that our QBs are developing under him.

Just hard to see how he crafts a functional offense with the pieces he has or if he has the ability to do that. Past 2 years offense has backslid as much as the defense in a lot of ways.

Other than that, probably going to see some changes in assistants though maybe Fitz just focuses on DC/OC first.

Either way, Fitz knows there's no way this can be fixed with the current iteration of the staff. There is no other option if he wants to get to fixing the program and getting us back to winning football.

One win, eleven losses. Embarrassing, sometimes comical ineptitude, in nearly all facets of the game. If competitive football means anything at NU, the results of the last two seasons should be 100% unacceptable, and that word needs to mean something. We are Dark Ages Bad, with most of the old excuses no longer operative -- which actually makes it even worse, in my view. At any other major conference school the head coach would be gone, or on a white hot seat. The buck stops with him. But he's not going anywhere, and I'm actually ok with that. For now. He's brought us to unprecedented heights in the modern era, both as a player and coach. He deserves a chance to get out of the hole he's dug for himself and the program. We cannot suffer a season or two more of this garbage, but he is and should be safe. For now.

The offense is unwatchably atrocious, regardless of who is at QB (a position that has been a real problem ever since Thorson, with that one transfer for the 2020 season, as a major exception). I don't know how much of this is the fault of the OC's schemes/game-planning, but the results speak for themselves. I don't know how the person responsible for the last two years' putrid offensive output should keep his job.

Then there's the DC, a hire that was utterly puzzling, on paper. The hire has been just as bad, or worse, in reality. This is on the head coach. It was his buddy hire. The results are very bad. The guy can recruit, it seems, but that only means so much. Look at the game outcomes.

I'm not a 'fire everyone!' type of fan, but my god. How can we embrace "continuity" if it means continuing...this? In my opinion, both coordinators should be gone, and perhaps some other coaches, too. Clean house. The message needs to be that this is not acceptable. And Fitz ought to think very hard -- much harder than last time, evidently -- about the would-be hires he'd be bringing in. He'll be hiring and coaching for his job over the next season or two. That's my view. My questions for the gallery are:

(1) Who *should* be fired?

(2) One week from today, will one, both, or neither of the two coordinators still have their jobs at NU?

Fire both coordinators and the oline coach.

 

[Rodenthater]

I have been saying that this team is not a d1 power 5 roster. I been heckled for saying it over and over. Fitz can fire everyone and that includes the training staff and locker room janitors, that’s not going to make a difference!
I was talking with my son yesterday about the program and he made an interesting point, maybe Fitz is trying to make a statement by showing that he can’t compete even moderately with the big ten unless they take a serious look to see if their academic standards are hurting them.
If anyone on this board thinks that any other school in the big ten is really concerned about their fb team’s academics is only fooling themselves.
Fitz tells his recruits, come to NU and you’ll leave with a degree. Day, kaki pants, Fleck etc tells their recruits, “give me 3 years and I’ll have you in the show on Sundays.”
What do you think a recruit wants to hear?
Watching ND, their enrollment is like NU’s , and yet their fb team is year in and year out a contender.
Like Billy Bean said in Moneyball, “adapt or die!”
I’m out—what a disgusting year!

 

[gocatsgo2003]

I have been saying that this team is not a d1 power 5 roster. I been heckled for saying it over and over. Fitz can fire everyone and that includes the training staff and locker room janitors, that’s not going to make a difference!
I was talking with my son yesterday about the program and he made an interesting point, maybe Fitz is trying to make a statement by showing that he can’t compete even moderately with the big ten unless they take a serious look to see if their academic standards are hurting them.
If anyone on this board thinks that any other school in the big ten is really concerned about their fb team’s academics is only fooling themselves.
Fitz tells his recruits, come to NU and you’ll leave with a degree. Day, kaki pants, Fleck etc tells their recruits, “give me 3 years and I’ll have you in the show on Sundays.”
What do you think a recruit wants to hear?
Watching ND, their enrollment is like NU’s , and yet their fb team is year in and year out a contender.
Like Billy Bean said in Moneyball, “adapt or die!”
I’m out—what a disgusting year!

With a few exceptions, we aren’t aiming for “D1 power.” We are, however, aiming for more than “completely embarrassing and not even really competitive.”

And there’s zero chance Fitz is trying to tank to get the administration to change. None.

 

[NUCat320]

I have been saying that this team is not a d1 power 5 roster. I been heckled for saying it over and over. Fitz can fire everyone and that includes the training staff and locker room janitors, that’s not going to make a difference!
I was talking with my son yesterday about the program and he made an interesting point, maybe Fitz is trying to make a statement by showing that he can’t compete even moderately with the big ten unless they take a serious look to see if their academic standards are hurting them.
If anyone on this board thinks that any other school in the big ten is really concerned about their fb team’s academics is only fooling themselves.
Fitz tells his recruits, come to NU and you’ll leave with a degree. Day, kaki pants, Fleck etc tells their recruits, “give me 3 years and I’ll have you in the show on Sundays.”
What do you think a recruit wants to hear?
Watching ND, their enrollment is like NU’s , and yet their fb team is year in and year out a contender.
Like Billy Bean said in Moneyball, “adapt or die!”
I’m out—what a disgusting year!

NU has invested in facilities like crazy. NU has given Pat Fitzgerald everything he wanted. NU has not been rewarded with a head coach who has any need to win, nor has NU been rewarded with a coach who feels any sense of urgency.

NU’s head coach has not rewarded his players with a competent strength and conditioning staff, nor with competent strategic minds in the OC or DC role.

I believe everyone except Ayeni should be fired, and that Fitz should advocate for whomever he likes (Genyk, the defensive position coaches), to be hired by the replacements.

Under no circumstances should Springer be coaching WRs next year.

Heck, give Ayeni an AHC role for the inevitable time five years from now where Fitz moves upstairs.

 

[curdog]

NU has invested in facilities like crazy. NU has given Pat Fitzgerald everything he wanted. NU has not been rewarded with a head coach who has any need to win, nor has NU been rewarded with a coach who feels any sense of urgency.

NU’s head coach has not rewarded his players with a competent strength and conditioning staff, nor with competent strategic minds in the OC or DC role.

I believe everyone except Ayeni should be fired, and that Fitz should advocate for whomever he likes (Genyk, the defensive position coaches), to be hired by the replacements.

Under no circumstances should Springer be coaching WRs next year.

Heck, give Ayeni an AHC role for the inevitable time five years from now where Fitz moves upstairs.

For what it’s worth (nothing) I completely agree. Watching lots of college football and the games look nothing like the NU game. Granted, a walk on QB doesn’t help, but that was just abysmal offensive football. Just absolutely dreadful.

 

[Rodenthater]

With a few exceptions, we aren’t aiming for “D1 power.” We are, however, aiming for more than “completely embarrassing and not even really competitive.”

And there’s zero chance Fitz is trying to tank to get the administration to change. None.

He has said over and over again, “our goal is to win championship!” He repeatedly said this! I don’t want to settle for just being competitive, I want this program to consistently successful!

 

[loyolacat]

I wish people who post would also let us know if they have any experience to make the statements they make...for example a statement was made inferring we do not have a competent strength and conditioning staff....I would agree a lot of our kids do not look strong enough for B10 play but I have no idea if our strength coaches are doing the right thing or not., My opinion is that we are team is just not as strong or as fast as the teams we played this year nor the depth. The level of my experience is playing on a losing intramural flag football dorm team. So I doubt if any coaches would do a lot of things different. Players make the program and we dont have enough of em at this time

 

[gocatsgo2003]

He has said over and over again, “our goal is to win championship!” He repeatedly said this! I don’t want to settle for just being competitive, I want this program to consistently successful!

The difference is in what we consider “successful.”

 

[Rodenthater]

The difference is in what we consider “successful.”

Winning championships!

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Winning championships!

There ya go.

 

[StreamCat]

I feel no attachment at all to this program anymore. It has taken a hell of a long time but there is nothing there for me. Blow it up or not, I'm unsure that I will be paying any more attention to this.

If all that is true, why are you still posting here? Rip off the bandage, pal.
Adios!

 

[SadCat]

Winning championships!

It is a very bad idea to define success upon something that cannot realistically be achieved. That could be an aspirational goal, but success objectives should be attainable. Especially in the new world of college football (NIL, transfer portal), Northwestern will have more losing seasons than winning ones—and 8-4 will be an outlier and overwhelmingly successful season.

Let’s start with not losing to a FCS team next year.

 

[wildcatpn]

I wish people who post would also let us know if they have any experience to make the statements they make...for example a statement was made inferring we do not have a competent strength and conditioning staff....I would agree a lot of our kids do not look strong enough for B10 play but I have no idea if our strength coaches are doing the right thing or not., My opinion is that we are team is just not as strong or as fast as the teams we played this year nor the depth. The level of my experience is playing on a losing intramural flag football dorm team. So I doubt if any coaches would do a lot of things different. Players make the program and we dont have enough of em at this time

Tell me specifically which of our kids “do not look strong enough for Big 10 play”. I always love this comment by some of the board experts. Have any of you ever been up close to the players? Give me examples of players that don’t look strong enough for Big 10 play. Some of you make it sound like we have a bunch of 8th grade players out there.

 

[NUCat320]

Tell me specifically which of our kids “do not look strong enough for Big 10 play”. I always love this comment by some of the board experts. Have any of you ever been up close to the players? Give me examples of players that don’t look strong enough for Big 10 play. Some of you make it sound like we have a bunch of 8th grade players out there.

NU spent a lot of time in the rare 2-2-5 defense, with a big gap across from the opposing interior linemen. One of the strange elements of the JON game plan.

 

[zeek55]

It is a very bad idea to define success upon something that cannot realistically be achieved. That could be an aspirational goal, but success objectives should be attainable. Especially in the new world of college football (NIL, transfer portal), Northwestern will have more losing seasons than winning ones—and 8-4 will be an outlier and overwhelmingly successful season.

Let’s start with not losing to a FCS team next year.

I think that's too pessimisstic.

2/3 of the Big Ten is beatable in any given year. Even if we always lose to Ohio State/Michigan/Penn State/USC and whoever else is loaded in a given year, there's a lot of mediocrity in the Big Ten as well. Very few teams are recruiting at a level that's appreciably above ours outside of programs like that.

Programs like Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Rutgers, Minnesota etc. face the same disadvantages that we do in the NIL/portal era.

We have arguably the worst DC in CFB and one of the worst OCs in CFB. When the top of the staff is this bad, then the product will be horrible.

I don't think this 1-11 season (or including last year) should be a baseline for any discussion of what reasonable expectations are. Yes they show that the Dark Ages can reappear here with a pair of bad hires, but we always probably knew that was the case.

I think Fitz's first 15 years is a pretty decent approxiation for what success in the Big Ten looks like. But obviously we had a top 5 DC for most of that, and whether we can find any sort of decent DC/OC is up for debate.

This past 2 years (especially defensively) is 100% on Fitz for hiring JON.

 

[SadCat]

I think that's too pessimisstic.

2/3 of the Big Ten is beatable in any given year. Even if we always lose to Ohio State/Michigan/Penn State/USC and whoever else is loaded in a given year, there's a lot of mediocrity in the Big Ten as well. Very few teams are recruiting at a level that's appreciably above ours outside of programs like that.

Programs like Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Rutgers, Minnesota etc. face the same disadvantages that we do in the NIL/portal era.

We have arguably the worst DC in CFB and one of the worst OCs in CFB. When the top of the staff is this bad, then the product will be horrible.

I don't think this 1-11 season (or including last year) should be a baseline for any discussion of what reasonable expectations are. Yes they show that the Dark Ages can reappear here with a pair of bad hires, but we always probably knew that was the case.

I think Fitz's first 15 years is a pretty decent approxiation for what success in the Big Ten looks like. But obviously we had a top 5 DC for most of that, and whether we can find any sort of decent DC/OC is up for debate.

This past 2 years (especially defensively) is 100% on Fitz for hiring JON.

I still maintain that 8-4 is and will be a very successful season that we should see every ~5 years or so. Expectations should be between 4-8 wins each year and no losses to mediocre FCS schools ever. 4 is a disappointing season, but within the norms, and 6-7 is successful. Currently we are a laughingstock, so what I am proposing above is a significant improvement over status quo. And no small task to achieve.

 

[phatcat]

I have been saying that this team is not a d1 power 5 roster. I been heckled for saying it over and over. Fitz can fire everyone and that includes the training staff and locker room janitors, that’s not going to make a difference!
I was talking with my son yesterday about the program and he made an interesting point, maybe Fitz is trying to make a statement by showing that he can’t compete even moderately with the big ten unless they take a serious look to see if their academic standards are hurting them.
If anyone on this board thinks that any other school in the big ten is really concerned about their fb team’s academics is only fooling themselves.
Fitz tells his recruits, come to NU and you’ll leave with a degree. Day, kaki pants, Fleck etc tells their recruits, “give me 3 years and I’ll have you in the show on Sundays.”
What do you think a recruit wants to hear?
Watching ND, their enrollment is like NU’s , and yet their fb team is year in and year out a contender.
Like Billy Bean said in Moneyball, “adapt or die!”
I’m out—what a disgusting year!

Boy, those recruiting services that have had us in the top 60 for the last, well, FOREVER, sure look stupid right now. They thought we recruited top 60 talent, when, in fact, we weren't even top 120. THEY should all be fired for misjudijng our classes for the last 5 years, because we obviously don't have the talent to compete with FCS or MAC or crap P5 programs or really anyone. Capital /S

It's not the talent, it's the coaches. Even if it was a talent gap, how do you explain the precipitous drop between, say, the period of 1995-2018 vs now? Did restrictions somehow, suddenly get tougher?

I would grudgingly acknowledge an admissions issue if we were wallowing between 4-8 and 6-6, but...this?

The other obvious issue, in addition to everyday coaching incompetence, is the complete inability to recruit or develop QBs. Other than Ramsey falling in their laps, they have recruited one successful QB (Thor) since 2011. Sully looks legit but SSS

 

[NUera]

I have been saying that this team is not a d1 power 5 roster. I been heckled for saying it over and over. Fitz can fire everyone and that includes the training staff and locker room janitors, that’s not going to make a difference!

I said it a while back and I'll repeat it: NU will not be able to consistently compete in an evolving NIL-fueled, freedom-of-movement NCAA landscape until it realizes that it's a dinosaur. Yeah, I know, "winning the right way," blah blah blah. At some point either our pride cracks or our program does - and as bad as it is, it can still get much much worse.

 

[zeek55]

Boy, those recruiting services that have had us in the top 60 for the last, well, FOREVER, sure look stupid right now. They thought we recruited top 60 talent, when, in fact, we weren't even top 120. THEY should all be fired for misjudijng our classes for the last 5 years, because we obviously don't have the talent to compete with FCS or MAC or crap P5 programs or really anyone. Capital /S

It's not the talent, it's the coaches. Even if it was a talent gap, how do you explain the precipitous drop between, say, the period of 1995-2018 vs now? Did restrictions somehow, suddenly get tougher?

I would grudgingly acknowledge an admissions issue if we were wallowing between 4-8 and 6-6, but...this?

The other obvious issue, in addition to everyday coaching incompetence, is the complete inability to recruit or develop QBs. Other than Ramsey falling in their laps, they have recruited one successful QB (Thor) since 2011. Sully looks legit but SSS

This is why I've gotten to the point where Bajakian probably has to go too.

QB development is the most important factor for offensive success; if you aren't developing QBs, then nothing good will happen on offense.

Past 2 years has shown nothing in terms of QBs developing in this program.

The offense (other than the running game) is as broken as the defense.