Former longtime Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald has been named as Michigan State’s new football coach, a little more than 24 hours after Jonathan Smith was fired.

Terms of the deal were not released on Monday, Dec. 1, but multiple reports indicate Fitzgerald agreed to a five-year contract.

The breakdown of MSU’s newest hire is one of five “must-read” stories from MLive for Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Pros and cons to Pat Fitzgerald’s fit at Michigan State

Fitzgerald, an Illinois native and former All-American linebacker at Northwestern who led the team to a Big Ten title in 1995, gives the Spartans an experienced coach who knows the conference and has deep roots in the Midwest.

One of his greatest strengths is that he embodies Michigan State’s foundational principles of defense and toughness

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