Mike Sadler’s death hits home for Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald
Wildcats coach recruited former Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern standout, referred to as ‘wow’ person
CHICAGO – Pat Fitzgerald never had the opportunity to coach Mike Sadler, but he certainly wanted that chance.
Sadler, the former Michigan State punter who, along with Nebraska punter Sam Foltz, died following a car crash in Wisconsin on Saturday, played at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern and was a recruiting target of Northwestern.
“He’s a ‘Wow!’ person,” Fitzgerald said Monday at the Big Ten football media day. “Great family, just an unbelievable — unbelievable! — young man. I’m sure it’s well documented — and I don’t want to speak for Mark (Dantonio) — the impact he had there in East Lansing.”
All six coaches who addressed the media on the first day of the meetings offered their condolences to the MSU and Nebraska programs as well as the families of the players.
Sadler, 24, was a four-time Academic All-America who graduated from MSU with a 3.97 grade-point average. His death hit home a bit more with Fitzgerald, who wanted Sadler to attend school in Evanston.
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“I believe I read that he was going to Stanford for law school,” Fitzgerald said, shaking his head. “That’s ‘Wow!’ As a parent, as a father, as a coach who’s got 110 (players) under his watch, to say that a young man has that type of academic success, on-the-field success, going on to postgraduate work the way that he was preparing to do, he was taken away way too early, way too soon.”
Sadler averaged 42.2 yards per punt, sixth best in MSU history, but his value to the program was more than what he did with his left foot. He might have been the wittiest college athlete on Twitter, and his effervescent personality came shining through on several fronts.
Besides punting, Sadler was able to pull off a few amazing fake punts that resulted in crucial first downs.
“He was a special young man, and obviously an amazing talent,” Fitzgerald said.
Now the difficult part begins for the coaching staffs at MSU and Nebraska, watching their players grieve the loss of a teammate.
Minnesota coach Tracy Claeys was defensive coordinator in 2012 when Gary Tinsley, who had just graduated, died in his sleep during spring practice. Minnesota canceled a week of practices after Tinsley’s death.
“It’s hard to go out and have practice and get after a kid for missing an assignment or something like that when they just lost a teammate,” Claeys said. “To me, the most important thing is every decision has to be based on doing what’s right for the kids on your team — to let them mourn, let them get through the process to the point they feel comfortable.”
Solari: Mike Sadler had rare blend of wit, humility, athletic ability
It was a slow process for the Minnesota players following Tinsley’s death.
“You could tell in the weight room the kids got their energy back, their confidence back,” Claeys said. “You could see smiles on their faces. That’s when we decided to go back and practice football.”
Fitzgerald was an assistant at Northwestern in 2001 when Rashidi Wheeler collapsed and died during an August conditioning workout. It was determined he died of bronchial asthma.
It was the first time Fitzgerald experienced anything like that, and he learned much about how his players reacted.
“No. 1, tragedy impacts everybody in their own individual ways,” he said. “Some guys, it reminds them of losing someone close to them in the past. Some, it’s the first time they’ve dealt with death and/or tragedy. And other kids are just confused.”
That is when the coaches have to lead their team.
“As the head coach, with the administration and the coaches, it’s your job to get as much of your resources collectively together collectively to help the players, help the family who lost the son, get them through that difficult time,” Fitzgerald said. “You spend a lot more time talking about life than you do about football. Then, at a certain point, the guys will say: ‘I want to play football again.’ ”
Right now, that point probably seems unattainable at MSU and Nebraska. Fitzgerald understands, but knows it will get better.
“My experience,” he said, “is it brings you together more than it rips you apart.”
Valentine mourns: Chicago Bulls rookie Denzel Valentine paid tribute today near East Lansing to former Spartans punter Mike Sadler, who was killed over the weekend in an auto accident.
Valentine, the former Michigan State All-America, was conducting his first basketball camp at Aim High Sports in Dimondale.
Asked about Sadler, the All Big Ten academic, Valentine looked shaken.
“I didn’t know him closely, but I met him ... a couple times,” said Valentine. “All I can say is that I’ve heard nothing but good things about him.
“He worked hard and was a great guy. He gave me a lot of memories about Michigan State. He was a big part of bringing a winning tradition back to football at Michigan State.
“He’s gone but he’ll never be forgotten. I’m just so sad we lost a great Spartan.”
Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1. Free Press sports writer Mike Brudenell contributed.