Nov 26, 2022; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald leads his team on the field against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State fired second-year coach Jonathan Smith on Sunday after a 4-8 finish to the season, and it didn't take long to find his replacement.

According to a report from the Detroit Free Press' Chris Solari, the Spartans are hiring former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald. The move brings Fitzgerald back to the Big Ten after he was fired for cause amid a hazing scandal in 2023, though he later settled with the university in a wrongful termination lawsuit.

It's a new era for Michigan State, which hired Smith away from Oregon State ahead of the 2024 season. Smith went 5-7 in his first season before regressing to 4-8 this fall. He leaves with an official record of 4-15 after all five wins from last season were vacated by the NCAA.

Fitzgerald, who was 110-101 in 17 seasons with the Wildcats, is the winningest coach in Northwestern history. During his tenure from 2006-22, his team won the Big Ten West twice and finished ranked five times. He won 10 games three times during his time in Evanston.

The Spartans are hoping Fitzgerald can turn around their recent fortunes as they're still searching for their first winning season since 2021, when they won 11 games with former head coach Mel Tucker.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Michigan State brings Pat Fitzgerald back to the Big Ten

Reporting by Tyler Nettuno, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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