Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald had to come clean this week, apologizing for flipping the bird to the Illinois sideline during Saturday’s wild 38-37 loss. It was an emotional moment for the first-year Spartans coach, caught up in a furious second-half comeback that ultimately fell short. While he regrets the hand gesture itself, don’t get it twisted: he is absolutely not apologizing for fighting for his team.
That ‘Passion Problem’ Is Real, But Don’t Get It Twisted
Let’s be real, the guy showed some raw emotion. Fitzgerald himself said his mother is “rolling over in her grave” and admitted, “I need to be more disciplined, and I need to be more composed.” He even owned up to a “passion problem” he’s had for a long time, saying it needs to be more controlled. The Big Ten isn’t disciplining him for the hand sign, but his comments about the officiating? That could still bite him. For a coach winless in the Big Ten during his first season, you can see the pressure boiling over. But here’s the kicker: he doubled down saying, “I’m not going to apologize for fighting for my guys, and I’m not going to apologize for fighting for our program and for our school.” He’s proud of his team’s response, even if not his own, and that tells you everything about where his head’s at.
The Onside Kick That Blew Up Everything
Part of Fitzgerald’s frustration clearly stemmed from a truly confusing officiating moment in the fourth quarter. The Spartans were down 31-24 and pulled off a surprise onside kick. Samson Gash looked like he made a clean recovery of Liam Boyd’s kick. They got the ball! Except, no. The officials flagged them for offsides, and Fitzgerald was absolutely fuming, stating they were “not offsides” from his vantage point and calling it “one of the more confusing plays I’ve ever seen officiated.” What makes it even wilder? Replay review couldn’t overturn the call, with Fitzgerald being told you “couldn’t review being onside on the kick.” You gotta feel for special teams coordinator LeVar Woods and the players who executed that perfectly only to have it wiped out by a bad whistle.
Fight Until the Last Snap, Even If It’s Wildcat
Even with that momentum killer, Michigan State didn’t quit. They were down 23-7 late in the third quarter and clawed their way back to force overtime. Illinois running back Zaziun Patterson scored his third touchdown of the game in the extra session. When it was MSU’s turn, they answered right back, then opted for a two-point conversion to win it all. They tried a trick play out of the Wildcat formation, but quarterback Alessio Milivojevic’s incomplete pass short of the goal line snuffed out their hopes. The Spartans are sitting at 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten, but Fitzgerald is still looking forward. He told everyone, “We’re going to get this going in the right direction” and that despite the loss, “we’re seeing growth.” For a team searching for its first Big Ten win, that growth is what’s on the line every single snap.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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