Nov. 10--Pat Fitzgerald had a unique perspective on Monday's big college sports stories coming out of Missouri and Illinois.
The Northwestern football coach had to walk the tightrope last year of supporting his players while not compromising his employer during the controversial initiative to unionize by some Wildcats players.
Fitzgerald was asked about the turmoil at Missouri -- where a group of black players refused to take part in football activities until President Tim Wolfe's resignation Monday -- and Illinois, which fired athletic director Mike Thomas in the wake of a report on player mistreatment by former football coach Tim Beckman that was spurred by a former player's allegations.
Without talking specifically about either situation, Fitzgerald addressed the role of a coach in tumultuous times.
"First of all, you are there to support (the players) and give them every ounce of support that you have at your disposal," Fitzgerald said. "From an educational standpoint, you try to gain as much information as you possibly can to help them and to be there for them.
"It's like anything in life. You are in a leadership role, you're there to support and guide and do what you think is best. Always in challenging times you rely upon a lot of resources, and it is important that you rely upon each other. That's what we've always tried to do.
"Anytime there's positive change from the standpoint of seeing the power of student-athletes and the power of students ... you've always heard me be an advocate for that. You can look back to previous statements that I made ... some of the reasons I believe so strongly that our players already had all of the power that they need."
--Fitzgerald said he expects quarterback Clayton Thorson, who suffered an apparent leg injury last week against Penn State, to play Saturday against Purdue.
fmitchell@tribpub.com
