Pat Fitzgerald knows a thing or two about defense. The former two-time All-American linebacker at Northwestern has prided himself on defense over the years, and he made sure to address that side of the ball first after being hired to lead Michigan State.
Fitzgerald’s first move was finding his defensive coordinator.
This was a big decision following the lackluster defenses from the Jonathan Smith era, but Fitzgerald opted to retain the former coach’s defensive coordinator, Joe Rossi, at the same position. He also hired Max Bullough to join him as the team’s co-defensive coordinator.