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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
The first vacancy of the 2023-24 college coaching carousel opened Monday in stunning fashion and at one of the unlikeliest places. Northwestern fired longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, three days after releasing the results of an investigation into hazing allegations within the program.
On Thursday, sources told ESPN Northwestern is making defensive coordinator David Braun its interim coach for the 2023 season. Hired in January from North Dakota State, Braun is one of five new assistants Fitzgerald had hired this past offseason. He now faces the difficult task of guiding a team rocked by the hazing allegations and Fitzgerald’s firing.
Northwestern also must begin its search for Fitzgerald’s permanent successor. Athletic director Derrick Gragg is set to lead the process, although his status could be impacted by an ongoing baseball scandal in which coach Jim Foster was accused of abusive behavior and was fired Thursday, according to sources. Candidates and their agents certainly will be asking pointed questions about Northwestern’s administrative situation.
The Northwestern job has some obvious immediate concerns, but also some advantages. Since 2020, when Northwestern won its second Big Ten West Division title in three years and finished No. 10 nationally, the team is 4-20. The Wildcats have won three games or fewer in three of the past four seasons.
The transfer portal/NIL era has proved difficult for Northwestern to navigate, especially since the university has limitations on transfer admissions. The Wildcats can only recruit transfers who would have qualified for admission out of high school and are in their sophomore years (other than graduates). They also can’t get most players in until spring quarter, which means they miss some or all of spring practice.
But Northwestern is a member of the Big Ten, which means financial resources and media exposure that few programs can match. The team’s operations center/practice facility is among the nation’s best and, at least for now, plans for a new $800 million stadium are moving ahead. From 2008 to 2020, Northwestern went 96-67 with five AP Top 25 finishes and five bowl wins.
Northwestern provides coaches and their families with a great location and quality of life without the fan/media pressure to win championships every year. The school hasn’t fired a coach based on performance since 1991.
The big question with the candidate pool is whether Northwestern pursues coaches with direct ties to the school, given the hazing incidents. The school also could look to proven head coaches at similar programs, or younger, fast-rising candidates. Here’s a look at who might be on Northwestern’s radar as it looks for Fitzgerald’s successor.
New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka: He would be a very popular hire among Northwestern fans, especially those loyal to Fitzgerald and seeking some level of continuity. Like Fitzgerald, Kafka played at Northwestern, starring at quarterback in 2009. After an NFL playing career, he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Fitzgerald in 2016 before pivoting back to the pro ranks. The 35-year-old has ascended quickly; he was instrumental in the quick rise of Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes before landing his first coordinator role in New York. His offensive acumen certainly would help a Northwestern program that has struggled to score points, even when it was consistently winning under Fitzgerald. Kafka interviewed for the Texans’ and Cardinals’ head-coaching vacancies last year. Northwestern could be leery about hiring an alum who played and coached under Fitzgerald.
Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson: Northwestern could be facing a prolonged struggle, but Clawson is the type of coach to engineer a faster turnaround. He has won at tough places to do so, winning 149 career games at Fordham, Richmond, Bowling Green and Wake Forest. The 55-year-old has engineered the most consistent stretch in Wake Forest history, as the team has made seven straight bowl games and played for an ACC championship in 2021. Clawson also would bring the type of distinct offensive scheme that could give Northwestern an edge against more talented opponents. His personality would connect well with the Northwestern community, and his success at a private, academically rigorous school is a significant plus in his profile. Clawson could finish his career at Wake Forest, but he also might want a new challenge in a higher-profile conference.
Tulane coach Willie Fritz: There are clear parallels between Fritz and Clawson, which is why both would be strong hires for Northwestern. Fritz has spent his career in college football’s lower ranks and at challenging programs, and consistently found success. He has 197 career wins at Central Missouri, Sam Houston, Georgia Southern and Tulane, which last season won 12 games and a Cotton Bowl title and finished No. 8 nationally. Fritz amazingly hasn’t landed a Power 5 job, although he was very close to being Georgia Tech’s selection last year. Tulane is a similar environment to Northwestern, and Fritz wouldn’t balk at some of the recruiting challenges. At 63, he likely has one move left in his career, and Northwestern makes a lot of sense.
Duke coach Mike Elko: After winning ACC coach of the year honors in his debut season, Elko soon will be in demand for higher-profile jobs. Duke went 9-4 last season, including a 31-23 win at Northwestern, and returns many of its core players for a nice encore. Elko, 45, played football at Penn and spent much of his coaching career under Clawson, including defensive coordinator stints at both Wake Forest and Bowling Green. He then spent a season as Notre Dame‘s defensive coordinator, so he understands the Midwest climate and academically elite schools. The Big Ten seems like a natural next step for him, and Northwestern would be a strong fit. Worth noting: Elko’s son, Michael, is a sophomore on Northwestern’s baseball team, which is embroiled in its own scandal.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell: Sometimes timing makes all the difference with coaching hires. Northwestern wouldn’t be the most prestigious program to pursue Campbell, who has repeatedly committed his loyalty to Iowa State. But Campbell’s stock also has dropped after two disappointing seasons. The Ohio native has long been viewed as a natural fit in the Big Ten. He played and coached in his home state — Mount Union, Bowling Green, Toledo — until taking the Iowa State job, where he has guided teams to five bowl games in seven seasons and notched several signature wins. Northwestern would be foolish not to take a shot. Campbell would be a very strong hire under the circumstances.
Jim Leonhard: He’s taking a coaching break after not landing the permanent head-coaching job at Wisconsin, his alma mater. Despite no formal coaching experience until 2016, Leonhard quickly became one of college football’s top defensive strategists. He turned down college and NFL coordinator opportunities to remain at Wisconsin, which ultimately pivoted to Luke Fickell. Leonhard, 40, hasn’t shown much interest in leaving his home state, but a Big Ten job not too far away could tempt him. There are some parallels between Leonhard and Fitzgerald; both were decorated defensive players who enhanced their popularity by coaching at their alma maters. Northwestern would be foolish not to gauge Leonhard’s interest.
Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees: He grew up in and around the Northwestern program, where his father, Bill, served on the football staff in the late 1970s and again in 2010. Tommy Rees attended high school in the Chicago suburbs and, after playing quarterback at Notre Dame, spent 2015 as a graduate assistant for Northwestern. He was a finalist for Northwestern’s offensive coordinator vacancy following the 2019 season before getting the coordinator role at Notre Dame. The 31-year-old Rees could see the NFL as his next stop, but the move to Alabama will put him in the mix for college head-coaching jobs. The big question is whether his time with Fitzgerald would limit or enhance his chances.
Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton: He has quietly done one of the best coaching jobs in college football. Before Creighton’s arrival, Eastern Michigan had reached one bowl game (1987 California). The Eagles have made five in the past seven seasons, recording a win in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl last year. Creighton, 54, isn’t the flashiest coach or personality, but he finds ways to do more with less. He has spent his entire coaching career in the Midwest and boasts a 185-107 record. He’s 43-40 at Eastern Michigan since 2016.
Derek Mason: Like Leonhard, Mason is taking a break from college coaching after a season as Oklahoma State‘s defensive coordinator, and a return — especially for a head-coaching role at a program in turmoil — might not be appealing. But Mason is used to coaching Power 5 teams at academically inclined schools. He spent seven years as Vanderbilt‘s head coach, reaching two bowl games, and four years as a Stanford assistant before Vandy. Mason is known for his integrity and connecting with players, and could help heal some of the issues at Northwestern. Gragg, a former Vanderbilt player, could pursue the 53-year-old, who worked in the Midwest at Ohio (2005-06) and with the Minnesota Vikings.
Army coach Jeff Monken: Northwestern’s limited recruiting pool and academic demands wouldn’t faze Monken, who must rely on an even smaller group of players to fill out his Army rosters. Monken is an Illinois native who has pursued several Power 5 jobs, finishing second to Lance Leipold at Kansas in 2021. Army reached only two bowl games between 1989 and 2015. Since then, Monken’s teams have played in the postseason five times, winning 11 games in 2018 and 10 in 2017. Like other service academy coaches, Monken faces a schematic stigma that he’s trying to break. But Northwestern also could benefit from doing things a bit differently, at least on offense.
UCLA director of leadership Ken Niumatalolo: Northwestern will prioritize integrity and leadership in its search, and few veteran coaches have more respect than Niumatalolo, who joined UCLA earlier this year in a support staff role. He’s the all-time coaching wins leader at Navy, going 109-83 with 10 bowl appearances. Things went poorly for Coach Ken at Navy after COVID struck, as players couldn’t take advantage of the NCAA eligibility exemption and the team repeatedly fell short in close games. But Navy had nine seasons of eight or more wins under Niumatalolo between 2008 and 2019. Niumatalolo, 58, likely would view Northwestern as a final stop in his career, and has a lot of the personality traits to stabilize the program at an important time.
Marshall coach Charles Huff: Gragg, who before Northwestern served as the NCAA’s senior vice president for inclusion, education and community engagement, undoubtedly will consider a diverse pool of candidates. Huff is building a solid profile at Marshall, where he’s 16-10 in two seasons and recorded a signature win at Notre Dame last year. Although Marshall and Northwestern couldn’t be more different, Huff worked at Vanderbilt in 2011 and has Big Ten experience as Penn State’s special teams coordinator and running backs coach from 2014 to 2017. The 40-year-old knows the Midwest but also has recruited other areas, including Maryland and Virginia.
David Shaw: This would be a long shot, given Shaw’s decision to leave Stanford and how the changes within the sport haven’t clicked with his approach. Shaw doesn’t need the money or the headaches of a similar job in a tougher conference. But he also would transition well to a setting like Northwestern, and has recruited in the same waters for years. Although the end of Shaw’s Stanford run became rough (14-28 his final four seasons), he still boasts three Pac-12 championships, six AP top-20 finishes and four Pac-12 coach of the year awards. Shaw is only 50 and could reboot his career at a similar program to Stanford.
Northwestern interim coach David Braun: Every interim coach has a chance for the permanent job, especially if he generates enough success and goodwill under difficult circumstances. Braun hasn’t worked at a Power 5 program before and inherits an emotionally charged team, but if he can generate tangible progress, he could make the school consider him for the job. Northwestern won only one game last season, so if the Wildcats somehow get bowl eligible and buy into Braun’s approach, administrators will be obligated to give him a closer look.