Will Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald attend Big Ten Media Day? Analyzing his suspension drama and future at the university

Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald has been at the center of media attention following his two-week suspension due to hazing allegations with the program.

The Big Ten Media Days are coming up and he is scheduled to appear on Wednesday, July 26 from 11:45 to noon Eastern.

What is Pat Fitzgerald being accused of?

Per the The Daily Northwestern, two anonymous ex-players detailed hazing rituals within their college football program. These included performing forced sexualized acts in a practice known as "running". They said Fitzgerald knew of them and possibly even encouraged the behavior, but the investigation concluded the coach had no idea what was going on.

Will Pat Fitzgerald actually be at the Big Ten Media Days?

Fitzgerald's initial suspension will be over before the Big Ten Media Days. However, Northwestern president Michael Schill said the punishment may not have been harsh enough, considering the seriousness of the allegations. The penalty is likely going to be more than just this current two-week suspension without pay.

In such a situation, there is a good chance Fitzgerald does not fulfill his Media Days commitments.

This would not be the first time a coach skipped their media day. In 2004, Tennessee Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer did not attend the SEC Media Day. He had been served a lawsuit for alleged conspiracy to bring down Alabama's football program.

There is a chance the decision will be made for him as Fitzgerald has the possibility of being let go here too. If his contract is terminated, there will be questions about how much Fitzgerald ultimately knew about the alleged hazing.

Will Pat Fitzgerald still be the head coach by the Big Ten Media Days?

That is a question we are going to need to wait to answer. Investigators of the alleged hazing interviewed more than 50 people that have an association to the football program. They also were able to review data back to 2014 and declared Pat Fitzgerald did not know about the happenings of the alleged incident.

At the end of the day, Fitzgerald is the top of the food chain for Northwestern football. However, if more players people come forward, the Northwestern president might have a decision to make before their season opener on Sept. 3.