As Michigan State is reportedly set to hire former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to lead its football program after the firing of Jonathan Smith on Sunday, the potential move is drawing plenty of praise.

Some of it is coming from across rivalry lines as former Michigan defensive analyst and the center of the NCAA investigation over alleged impermissible sign-stealing, Connor Stalions , took to social media to give the Spartans their due for the hire.

"(Unfortunately) Michigan State made the best hire of this cycle," Stalions said in a post on X , the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Monday. “Pat Fitzgerald is the only available head coach who’s done more with significantly less on a relatively consistent basis.”

Stalions, who resigned from his job at Michigan in October

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