Northwestern reaches head coaching decision for 2023 season

Northwestern will name David Braun its head coach for the 2023 season, according to a report Thursday from ESPN.

Braun was appointed the liaison to the football program in the wake of Pat Fitzgerald's Monday firing. 

While the school previously announced it would retain Fitzgerald's staff for the 2023 season, we theorized the school would bring in an outside hire to serve as a long-term interim, similar to how Baylor hired Jim Grobe to manage the 2016 season following Art Briles's firing.

Frankly, we still feel such a move would be in the program's, the players', and Braun's best interests.

Now Braun, hired as Northwestern's defensive coordinator in January, will have to navigate his first season running the Wildcats' defense and his first season as a head coach, period, at the same time. 

In fact, the 2023 campaign marks Braun's first season at the Power 5 level. The Winona State grad was North Dakota State's defensive coordinator for four seasons prior to agreeing to work for Fitzgerald. Prior winners chose Braun as the 2021 FCS Coordinator of the Year.

Not only is Northwestern asking Braun to do two jobs at once, it's asking him to do two jobs for the first time at once, leading a locker room where, it's fair to say, much of the team still wants its old head coach back. 

Braun's first appearance as Northwestern's head coach will be July 27 at Big Ten media days.

In the meantime, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest. 

Update: The school has announced the move.

"The opportunity to lead this team at this crucial moment in its history is not something I take lightly, and I'm grateful for the trust placed in me by Dr. Gragg and Northwestern leadership," Braun said in a statement. "Our focus today and every day moving forward is on supporting these men, many of whom have only been on campus for several weeks, in their preparation for the 2023 football season and the 2023-24 academic year."