Without a doubt, the strangest offseason in college football has belonged to Northwestern, once one of the most stable situations in the nation. Part of that’s because of the hazing scandal that allegedly took place under former coach Pat Fitzgerald, but part is because the school’s response has been a bit of a mess from start to finish.
However, Northwestern appears to have finally given interim coach David Braun some real help in hiring Skip Holtz as a consultant for the 2023 season. While bringing on an unknown with head coaching experience isn’t always helpful to a first-time coach, this move looks sensible. Here’s why.
Holtz Has a Job for 2024
Here’s why most first-time coaches wouldn’t want someone with Skip Holtz’s experience on their sideline: it’s easy to have their authority undermined. Holtz brings 17 years of head coaching experience at the FBS level, plus five more at Connecticut in FCS. Braun has never been a head coach at any level and hasn’t even been a Division I coordinator anywhere, and now he’s leading a Big Ten team.
But that’s OK, because Holtz already has a job as the coach of the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL for spring 2024. By all accounts, he likes his current role, and he’s won the league two years running. He’s not looking to undermine Braun and take this job for himself; he’s there to give Braun the benefit of his decades of experience.
Holtz Can Play a Long Game For Himself
So if Holtz is set up for 2024, why would he agree to this job in 2023? Simple: this is a no-risk, all-reward situation for him. At 59, Holtz could still grab one more FBS job if he wants it or if the USFL goes under. If the Wildcats look good in 2023, Holtz can rightfully tell athletic directors at other schools he had a hand in stabilizing a difficult situation and can handle a tough job at their institution. If it goes badly, nobody expected anything from Northwestern this season anyway. Either way, no blame would fall on Holtz, and he can go right back to Birmingham and keep winning with the Stallions.
Marriages like this seldom make sense, because ambition often gets in the way from one or both men. But this partnership actually has a chance to work because of unique circumstances. For the first time since the scandal came to light, there is reason to hope in Evanston.