Will Northwestern fire HC Pat Fitzgerald for hazing scandal? Exploring the latest on disturbing allegations directed at Wildcats coach

Details surrounding the Northwestern Wildcats suspending head coach Pat Fitzgerald have been emerging and painting the picture of what happened to cause the two-week suspension.

A former Northwestern player spoke to the Daily Northwestern and discussed about the hazing incident.

When players made a mistake, they would do the "Shrek clap" over their heads to signify they would need to go "running".

"According to the former player, team members allegedly identified players for 'running' by clapping their hands above their heads around that player. According to the player who spoke with The Daily, [Pat] Fitzgerald repeatedly made the signal during practices when players, specifically freshmen, made a mistake," The Daily wrote.

"If a player was selected for 'running,' the player who spoke to the The Daily said, they would be restrained by a group of 8-10 upperclassmen dressed in various 'Purge-like' masks, who would then begin 'dry-humping' the victim in a dark locker room."

This report alleged that head coach Pat Fitzgerald had intimate knowledge of what was going on.

What does this mean for Pat Fitzgerald's career?

Pat Fitzgerald is synonymous with the Northwestern Wildcats as he was a linebacker during his playing career and is now the head coach of the program. However, he has been suspended by the university for two weeks at a time when there is not much going on in regard to preparation for the upcoming season.

Amidst the allegations, the Wildcats stated in their executive summary that they were unable to find sufficient evidence against Fitzgerald or anyone on the Northwestern coaching staff knowing about any hazing going around on the team.

However, if the claim is legitimate that this anonymous player is speaking about, it is a matter of concern. This seems to be a big issue and we have seen coaches in similar situations being forced to step down like West Virginia did with Bob Huggins.

It certainly feels like the unpaid two-week suspension of 48-year-old Fitzgerald needs to be extended while the case is being examined. If a media outlet is able to obtain a video showing him doing the "Shrek clap" and have the claim be a little more hammered out by multiple people, the Northwestern decision-makers can also obtain it.

If this is something that has been going on, the two-week suspension is going to be viewed as nothing more than a slap in the wrist. However, it could also end up getting a lot worse for the Big Ten program.