Joey Fitzgerald is in his first season as the Northwestern State quarterbacks coach after joining the staff in June.
Fitzgerald came to Natchitoches after spending the past two seasons coaching wide receivers at ULM.Â
Ahead of that, Fitzgerald was a recruiting specialist at Florida in the 2018 season as Dan Mullen’s Gators enjoyed a breakthrough season, going 10-3 and capping the campaign with a 41-15 thumping of No. 7 Michigan in the Peach Bowl.Â
A Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native who played quarterback at Hampden-Sydney College, Fitzgerald is familiar with the Southland Conference, having coached wide receivers at Southeastern Louisiana in 2017.
That season, Fitzgerald was part of an SLU offensive staff that helped the Lions rank third in the Southland in scoring (34.8 ppg) and total offense (428.1 yards per game). Additionally, Fitzgerald tutored All-American Juwan Petit-Frere, who led the nation in kick return average (34.6 yards per return) and added a pair of kick return touchdowns.
Fitzgerald handled a variety of responsibilities at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in 2016, serving as wide receivers coach, passing game coordinator and special teams coordinator for a team that produced its first winning record (6-5) in eight years. Fitzgerald helped kicker Trent Martin earn first-team All-Mountain East Conference honors after hitting 13 of 17 field goals.
Fitzgerald’s first full-time coaching position came at Eastern Kentucky in 2015, coaching tight ends. His touch was evident early as Ben Maddon earned first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors, leading the league in catches by a tight end with 34 for 456 yards and three touchdowns. Overall, the Colonels’ offense ranked fourth in the OVC in scoring (30.3 ppg) and total offense (388 ypg).Â
Fitzgerald spent two seasons on the Mississippi State staff under Mullen while earning his master of arts degree in teaching in 2014. The Bulldogs reached No. 1 for five weeks in the 2014 season and finished with a school-record 10 wins and 22 school records, ending the season with an appearance in the Orange Bowl.
In Fitzgerald’s first season at Mississippi State, the Bulldoges reached the 2013 Liberty Bowl.
Fitzgerald began his coaching career as an intern before becoming a graduate assistant working with lienbackers and defensive backs at Florida Atlantic. He earned a master of education degree from FAU in 2012.
Fitzgerald completed his undergraduate degree in psychology from Hampden-Sydney in 2009.Â
He and his wife, Lori, have a son, Jaxon.Â
