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Northwestern fires offensive coordinator Mick McCall

Our long national nightmare is over! Break out the champagne!

By LincolnParkWildcat and MNWildcat
Northwestern v Iowa
I’m happier times
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images

In news that will surprise no one, Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald has dismissed offensive coordinator Mick McCall.

Thank god. His play calling has been increasingly stubborn and and unimaginative.

From my vantage point at various times he tried to run a power offense when the personnel wasn’t appropriate for it, and don’t get us started on his speed options or misuse of the quarterbacks at his disposal.

Our long national nightmare in Evanston is over!!

MNW: Hi, just lil’ ol’ me stepping on LPW’s touchdown call to add my two cents that this absolutely should surprise people. Pat Fitzgerald has not fired anyone since OC Greg Colby in 2007, and with as heavily as Fitz was beating the “INJURIES!” drum the last couple weeks, I’m absolutely surprised this news comes with such alacrity.

The question now becomes what kind of coordinator Fitz looks for to replace McCall, of course. LPW is right to use those exact words—“stubborn and unimaginative”—but the problem is they describe the head coach as much as his offensive coordinator. So now we wait: Will Northwestern continue to throw back the clock to 1995 (in Fitz’s mind—obviously the base sets are much different), or will they dial it ahead about 15 years to the higher-flying offenses McCall originally installed in Evanston?

We don’t know, and time will tell. But this is an interesting moment—just how much will Fitz let this new coordinator remake the program?

At least it’s a step in the right direction, and a signal that 3-9 won’t be accepted anymore in Evanston. So goodbye, Mick. I’ll always remember you shirtless:

Poll

Who should replace Mick McCall

This poll is closed

  • 26%
    Mike Kafka
    (66 votes)
  • 7%
    Bob Surace (Princeton HC)
    (18 votes)
  • 5%
    A Clemson co-OC, apparently?
    (14 votes)
  • 2%
    Promote from within (perhaps RB coach Louis Ayeni)
    (5 votes)
  • 13%
    Someone else
    (33 votes)
  • 35%
    Someone who will do exactly what Pat wants to avoid putting pressure on his defense, but with a different name than ‘Mick McCall.’
    (88 votes)
  • 9%
    Inserting my favorite meme OC: Shoop, DeBord, etc., in the comments
    (23 votes)
247 votes total Vote Now