Inside the team meeting for Pat Fitzgerald's dismissal

Pat Fitzgerald was Northwestern's head coach for 17 seasons and yet the meeting to inform the players of his firing lasted just 30 minutes.

Fitzgerald, Northwestern’s all-time winningest coach, was fired on Monday. An investigation into hazing allegations initially resulted in his two-week suspension.

But, after subsequent reporting from The Daily Northwestern and other outlets detailing the allegations, Northwestern president Michael Schill reevaluated the punishment and determined that Fitzgerald's tenure was over.

"Coach Fitz's message was highly emotional for everyone in the room," a player that asked for anonymity said. "The same guy who sat in my living room and promised my parents and I that he wouldn't be going anywhere was now addressing us as players for the final time."

In a statement, Schill revealed that the results of the investigation showed that it was not a solitary whistleblower, but 11 different current or former players who acknowledged that hazing took place under Fitzgerald’s watch. At the time of the statement, Northwestern remained unable to prove that Fitzgerald had knowledge that the hazing took place.

WildcatReport talked with three players via Twitter who described the events of the meeting and their reaction: tight end Marshall Lang, and two players who requested anonymity. Their stories indicate that Northwestern's administration, which had not been proactive or consistent in communication during the hazing investigation scandal, was curt, bordering on flippant at the meeting and didn't entertain any player questions.

The players met in person at Walter Athletics Center, and the meeting started with athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg tweeted that Gragg, who had been "overseas" on vacation, addressed the team remotely via Zoom.

Gragg's statement reportedly lasted about five minutes, then he left abruptly without allowing time for the players to ask questions. All three players said this was incredibly frustrating for a team that had to learn about their coach's firing via Twitter, and had to now hear from administration remotely.

"Gragg came on a Zoom to start," the second anonymous player wrote. "[He] was on vacation so he couldn't make it back to tell us in person. He told us Fitz was relieved of his duties and then said they don't have an interim.

"He then turned his camera off and left the Zoom before anybody could ask him any questions."

Questions abounded for players who watched their head coach's punishment escalate from a two-week, offseason suspension to termination in the span of three days.

Lang listed some of the concerns and frustrations he would have voiced if given the opportunity.

"I would have asked why they posted the results [of the investigation] on Twitter before telling the team? Why did President Schill change the punishment when no new data was released? Why didn't he have the guts to even show up at least on Zoom?

“I'm sure there would have been dozens of other questions, those three are just from me," Lang wrote.

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MORE ON FITZGERALD'S FIRING:

Fitzgerald hires attorney to fight firing l Northwestern fires Pat Fitzgerald l Northwestern hazing scandal continues to grow l Timeline of events l Explosive hazing allegations call Fitz, NU administration into question l What does Pat Fitzgerald's suspension mean for NU? l Pat Fitzgerald suspended two weeks in hazing investigation

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The first anonymous player concurred with that sentiment, writing that the program felt disrespected by the casual and distant nature of their communication during the meeting.

"We didn't even get the respect from the [athletic director] or the president to be told in person," the player said. "Fitz has been a cornerstone for this university's football program for longer than I've been alive.

"For the people in charge to get rid of him while they are 'halfway around the world', which really means they were on vacation, says a lot about what they think of our program and what they value."

The players' frustration with Gragg wasn't just with his swift exit. It was also the lack of new or important content to his latest statement.

"He didn't give us any reasoning or insight into why the decision was made," the first player said. "We were finding out information at the same time as the public.

"He just hopped on a Zoom call to confirm to us what the public had already made us aware of. He told us that he, the president, and the board of trustees all support us. That doesn't mean a lot coming from a guy behind a screen who will wake up tomorrow and enjoy the rest of his vacation."

Gragg did not indicate who would be named as interim coach, something the second player said "seems like something you would have figured out if you were going to fire the coach."

Once Gragg ended the Zoom call, Fitzgerald addressed the team in-person, alongside his wife and three sons, the oldest of whom is a freshman tight end for the Wildcats.

It was emotional for the coach and the players.

"He came in with his family," the second player said. "He said he was proud to coach us and that he was sorry if anybody was ever hurt."

"He mentioned that we have his number and address," Lang said. "He told us to reach out if we ever needed anything. He said he'd always be there for us."

Up next to the podium were offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian and defensive coordinator David Braun.

"Coach [Bajakian] and Coach Braun were emotional as well, but they told us how important it is for us to stick together and stare down the adversity as a family," the first player said. "When going through something like this, those words were exactly what we needed to hear at that moment."

The second player agreed, saying that Bajakian and Braun's message "connected".

The two coordinators have a Herculean task ahead of them. There's a mantle to pick up as head of the program, and the university's indecision and failure to name an interim has exacerbated the confusion.

The Athletic’s Matt Fortuna reported that Braun, who has never been a head coach and is in his first year on the Northwestern staff, is expected to serve as "the day-to-day liaison for the football program".

A short time after the meeting, Fitzgerald announced via a statement to ESPN that he had retained a high-profile attorney to “protect my rights” and pursue why Schill “unilaterally” decided to fire him after the two had come to “a mutual agreement” on the two-week suspension.

This story may be far from over.