2018 Football Roster
Roster
Nick Fitzgerald
- Position:
- QB
- Height:
- 6-5
- Weight:
- 230
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Richmond Hill, GA
- High School/Previous School:
- Richmond Hill HS
2019 NFL Combine Participant
2018 SEC Offensive Player of the Week (vs. Auburn, vs. Texas A&M)
2018 Davey O’Brien Great 8 QB List (vs. Auburn)
2018 Team Captain
2018 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2017 Maxwell Award Semifinalist
2017 Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist
2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist
2017 Maxwell Award National Player of the Week (vs. LSU)
2017 Davey O’Brien Award QB of the Week (vs. LSU)
2017 Manning Award Star of the Week (vs. LSU)
2017 SEC Offensive Player of the Week (vs. LSU, at Texas A&M)
2017 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2016 St. Petersburg Bowl MVP
2016 Third-Team All-SEC (Phil Steele)
2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Week (vs. Texas A&M, at Ole Miss)
2016 Davey O’Brien Great 8 QB List (vs. Texas A&M, at Ole Miss)
2016 Manning Award Star of the Week (vs. Texas A&M, at Ole Miss)
2016 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2015 SEC Academic Honor Roll
CAREER: One of the most decorated players in school history … A dual-threat playmaker who was a starter for three straight seasons after serving as the backup to now Dallas Cowboys starter Dak Prescott as a redshirt freshman in 2015 … Played in 45 games with 37 starts … The SEC’s all-time leading rusher at quarterback who was one of the toughest quarterbacks in the nation … Set 13 school records – four career, four single-season and five single-game – and shattered four SEC records – career rushing yards by a QB (3,607), career 100-yard rushing games by a QB (21), single-season 100-yard rushing games by a QB (8 in 2016) and single-season average yards per rush by a QB (7.1 in 2016) … Earned the most SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors in school history (6) … Only the second MSU quarterback with 9,000-plus career total offense yards (9,814), joining Dak Prescott (11,897) … Of his 101 career touchdowns, a school-record 46 came on the ground, which also tied for fourth in SEC history with LSU’s Kevin Faulk (1995-98) … Just the second player in MSU history to be responsible for 100-plus touchdowns (101) in a career, joining Dak Prescott (114) … Totaled 21 individual 100-yard rushing games, the most in school history and the most by a QB in SEC history … MSU went 17-4 when he topped the 100-yard rushing mark … Finished ranked second in Bulldog history in career rushing yards (3,607), career touchdowns responsible for (101), career total offense (9,814) and passing touchdowns (55) and third in career passing yards (6,207) … Averaged 6.0 yards per carry … In 45 career games, recorded a run of 20+ yards in 26 contests … Rushed for multiple touchdowns in a game 17 times, the most in the SEC in the last 20 years … Nine times threw for multiple touchdowns and rushed for multiple touchdowns in the same game … Recorded 120 rushes of 10 or more yards in his career, the most in the SEC since 2016 … No player in school history owns more 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing games (3) … 10 times rushed for at least two touchdowns, rushed for at least 100 yards and threw at least one touchdown pass in the same game, the most in the FBS dating back to 2000 … In 601 career carries, lost a fumble only three times (twice vs. Auburn in 2016 and once at UMass in 2016) … Engineered two fourth-quarter comebacks – Arkansas (2017) and St. Petersburg Bowl (2016) … Arrived on campus for Liberty Bowl practices in December 2013, redshirted as a true freshman in 2014 and spent five years with the program … Came from an offense at Richmond Hill High School that ran the triple-option where he threw only 78 passes as a senior … Played wide receiver as a junior at Richmond Hill before shifting to quarterback as a senior … Was offered a scholarship only by MSU and Middle Tennessee … A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, who received his undergraduate degree in December 2017 … Played senior season while working on his Master of Business Administration.
2018 SENIOR SEASON: Returned to the field for his senior season after suffering a broken right ankle on Nov. 23, 2017 in the Egg Bowl … Underwent surgery on Nov. 24 and resumed running on March 7, 2018 … Participated in 2018 spring practice, doing 7-on-7 and individual drills but did not take a live rush and did not play in the spring game … Started all 12 games he played … Served as a team captain along with Gerri Green … Totaled 2,888 yards of total offense and averaged 240.7 yards per game, good for seventh in the SEC … Completed 145-of-281 passes for 16 touchdowns with nine interceptions … Responsible for 29 touchdowns for the second straight season – 13 rushing and 16 passing … Led all FBS quarterbacks in 100-yard rushing games (7), which tied for seventh nationally and second in the SEC overall … Tied for the FBS lead in 100-yard rushing/100-yard passing games (5) … Joined Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray of Oklahoma and David Pindell of Connecticut as the only quarterbacks in the FBS to rush for more than 1,000 yards and throw for at 1,700-plus yards … Top rushing QB in the SEC for the third straight season with 1,121 yards on 221 attempts … Led all SEC QBs and ranked fourth among all positions in rushing touchdowns (13) … Topped all SEC QBs and ranked third overall in rushes that resulted in a first down (59) and in rushes that gained 10 or more yards (36) … Finished second in the SEC and led all quarterbacks in rushes that resulted in 20-plus yards (14) … Paced the SEC in the following third-down rushing categories: yards (266), touchdowns (4), rushes of at least 20 yards (4) … Tied for second in the SEC and led all QBs in rushing touchdowns in conference games (8) … Finished third in the SEC and first among QBs in rushing yards per game at home (102.3) … The only player in the SEC and one of only five in the FBS with at least 13 rushing touchdowns and 13 passing touchdowns ... Rushed 221 times, which was the most in the SEC by a QB and the fifth-most at all positions … Threw 70 passes that converted a first down, 44 for 15-plus yards and 15 for 25-plus yards … Longest pass was a career-long 84 yards and longest rush was a 76-yard touchdown, both vs. No. 16 Texas A&M (10/27) … Did not play in the season opener vs. Stephen F. Austin (9/1) … Rushed for 159 yards on 19 carries and averaged 8.4 yards per rush at Kansas State (9/8) in his first game since the 2017 Egg Bowl on Nov. 23, 2017 to pass Dak Prescott as MSU’s all-time leader in QB rushing yards (2,645) … Rushed for eight first downs … Completed 11-of-27 passes with one interception and tossed touchdown passes to Kylin Hill and Austin Williams … Accounted for six touchdowns, which was one shy of his SEC record – four rushing and two passing – vs. Louisiana (9/15) in first home start of the year … Racked up 350 yards of total offense, rushing for over 100 yards for the second straight game … Tallied three rushing scores in the first half and connected with Stephen Guidry on the big strike of the night, a beautiful 39-yard touchdown pass … Became only the third player in SEC history with at least 35 touchdowns both rushing and passing … Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida (2006-09) and Dak Prescott (2012-15) the others … Marked his second career game with four rushing scores (other was vs. Arkansas on Nov. 19, 2016) … Joined Peyton Barber (Auburn) and Tre Mason (Auburn) as the only SEC players in the last 20 seasons with multiple games of four rushing scores … Three of his four scores on the ground came inside the red zone … Accounted for his ninth touchdown over his first three games – a 1-yard rushing score – at Kentucky (9/22) … Also completed 16-of-32 passes with one interception for 145 yards … Amassed 264 yards of total offense and two touchdowns in the big home win vs. No. 8 Auburn (10/6) and was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week … Shattered Tim Tebow’s SEC career record for rushing yards by a quarterback, rushing for 195 yards and scoring both of the Bulldogs’ touchdowns … It was his 17th career 100-yard rushing game, which tied Anthony Dixon for the school record … Also reached 40 rushing touchdowns for his career … Put the finishing touch on the Bulldogs’ most lopsided victory over a top 10 team since 2014 on a 21-yard touchdown run with 2:02 left in the game … Also completed 9-of-17 passes for 69 yards … Finished with five 15-plus yard runs on the night, while 10 runs resulted in either a first down or touchdown … 195 rushing yards were the most Auburn had allowed by an individual since 2015 … Crossed the 8,000-yard mark for total offense … Logged 131 yards on the ground on 24 attempts at No. 5 LSU (10/20) … It was his 18th 100-yard rushing game, which set the school record … Earned SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts in the win vs. No. 16 Texas A&M (10/27) … Surpassed Dak Prescott for the most selections in MSU history … In addition, was named to the Davey O’Brien Award’s “Great 8” list for Week 9 by the award’s selection committee and was one of eight quarterbacks announced as a Star of the Week by the Manning Award … Accounted for 329 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, including a career-long, game-clinching 76-yard touchdown run with 2:17 remaining in the game … Threw for a then season-best 241 yards on 14-of-22 passing and two touchdowns … His two rushing touchdowns against the Aggies tied Anthony Dixon (2006-09) for the school record at the time (42) … Led MSU to its second victory over a top-20 team on the year … Continued his hot streak vs. Louisiana Tech (11/3), throwing a season-high four touchdowns – all in the first half … Completed 17-of-28 passes and also rushed 18 times for 107 yards … Claimed sole possession of first place on the Bulldogs’ career 100-yard rushing games list (19) … Accounted for five touchdowns – one rushing and a season-high tying four passing – on Senior Day vs. Arkansas (11/17) … Completed 9-of-14 passes for 127 yards … Also rushed 14 times for 85 yards … Scored the 43rd rushing touchdown of his career to earn sole possession of first place in program history … Ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score to lead MSU over Ole Miss (11/22) on Thanksgiving night … Grounded out 117 yards for his 20th career 100-yard rushing game … Completed 11-of-18 passes for 111 yards … The pair of rushing scores tied him for fifth in SEC history with Carnell Williams (Auburn) … In the final game as a Bulldog, rushed for 100-yards (103) for the 21st time in his career vs. Iowa (1/1) in the Outback Bowl … Completed 14-of-32 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions … Also added a 33-yard rushing touchdown … Finished career with 46 rushing touchdowns, the most in school history and tied for fourth in SEC history with LSU’s Kevin Faulk (1995-98).
2017 JUNIOR SEASON: Proved to be one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC, starting 12 games … Suffered a broken right ankle with 9:13 to go in the first quarter of the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night and underwent surgery the following day … Selected as a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and a semifinalist for the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien Awards … Compiled 2,766 yards of total offense and averaged 230.5 yards per game, which was third in the SEC … Completed 159-of-286 passes for 1,782 yards and 15 touchdowns with 11 interceptions … Accounted for 29 touchdowns – 14 rushing and 15 passing – which was second in the SEC … Ranked second in the FBS in 100-yard rushing/100-yard passing games (6) behind only Lamar Jackson … Led all SEC QBs in 100-yard rushing games and was third among all positions … One of only three QBs in the FBS to throw for over 1,700 yards and rush for over 900 yards … The top rushing QB in the SEC, rushing for 984 yards on 162 carries … Ranked fifth overall in the SEC in rushing touchdowns (14) … Accounted for five scores and 235 yards of total offense in win at Louisiana Tech (9/9), including 111 yards on the ground … Named the Maxwell Award National Player of the Week and SEC Offensive Player of the Week after his performance in win against No. 11 LSU (9/16) … Tallied four touchdowns – two rushing and two passing – to go along with 286 yards of total offense in win versus Tigers … Season-high in total offense came against BYU (10/14) with 344 yards and four touchdowns … Threw for a season-best 241 yards and set the MSU career record for 100-yard rushing games in the win against the Cougars with 103 on the ground … Best passing game of the year was in win versus Kentucky (10/21) when he completed a season-best .692 (18-of-26) with three total touchdowns … Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time of the season after leading MSU to road win at No. 24 Texas A&M (10/28) … Racked up 246 yards of total offense and three touchdowns against the Aggies and rushed for 105 yards … Recorded 224 yards of total offense and rushed for a touchdown against No. 1 Alabama (11/11) … Tallied the largest fourth-quarter comeback of his career, rallying from 14 down with 254 yards of total offense and two touchdown passes in the final four minutes … Also rushed for 101 yards and one score against the Razorbacks … Threw the 6-yard game-winner to Deddrick Thomas with 17 seconds left in the game just three minutes after he found Reggie Todd for a 37-yard game-tying TD pass … With MSU trailing 14-0, his comeback tied for the second-largest in MSU history and largest comeback since 1999.
2016 SOPHOMORE SEASON: Delivered one of the most remarkable seasons by a first-year starter in SEC history … Started all 13 games and broke nine school records – four single-season and five single-game … Single-season school records were yards per rush (7.1), rushing yards by a quarterback (1,375), 100-yard rushing games (8) and 100-yard rushing games by a QB … Also set SEC records by a QB in 100-yard rushing games and average yards per rush … Third behind only Johnny Manziel and Cam Newton in single-season rushing yards by a QB in SEC history … Tops in the nation in 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing games (3) and became the first SEC QB to do it three times since Manziel in 2012 … Led the SEC in total offensive yards (3,798), rushing touchdowns (16) and 100-yard rushing games (8) … Responsible for 37 touchdowns – 21 passing and 16 rushing – which was second in the SEC and third in school history behind only Dak Prescott … Second nationally to only Heisman winner Lamar Jackson in 100-yard passing/100-yard rushing games (7) … Ranked third nationally in QB rushing yards and third in MSU history among all positions … Completed 196-of-361 passes for 2,423 yards, which was fourth in school history … No. 1 in the SEC in 10+-yard plays from scrimmage (45) … Ranked third overall in the SEC in rushing yards per game (105.8) … Registered his first career 300-yard passing game, completing 26-of-39 for 305 yards and three scores at UMass (9/24) … Joined Dak Prescott as the only two players in SEC history to account for over 530 yards of total offense and seven TDs in a game when he did it against Samford (10/29) … Was the only FBS QB in 2016 to achieve the feat as he tied an SEC record for single-game TDs responsible … A week later, led the Bulldogs to win over No. 4 Texas A&M (11/5), accounting for 391 yards of total offense and four TDs … Was named SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his effort against the Aggies and became just the third SEC QB in the last 20 years to pass for over 200 yards and rush for over 175 yards in a game joining Manziel and Newton … Spectacular passing game against Arkansas (11/19), completing 22-of-33 for 328 yards with two TDs and zero interceptions … Accounted for six TDs against the Razorbacks, rushing for a season-best four scores, fourth-most in a game in school records … Produced the greatest QB performance in Egg Bowl history and was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, breaking three MSU single-game records and accounting for five touchdowns in the 11/26 win … Broke marks for rushing yards (258), rushing yards by a QB and average yards per rush (18.4) at Ole Miss … The 18.4 mark also is second in SEC single-game history and highest since LSU’s Harvey Williams’ 19.6 vs. Rice in 1987 (minimum 10 carries) … His 258 rushing yards in the Egg Bowl was the most by an FBS QB since Navy’s Keenan Reynolds had 277 vs. Georgia Southern on Nov. 15, 2014 … Voted MVP of the St. Petersburg Bowl after accounting for 268 yards of total offense and two scores.
2015 REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON: Served as the backup to Dak Prescott, seeing action in eight games … Completed 11-of-14 passes for 235 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions … Rushed 23 times for 127 yards and three touchdowns, which ranked second on the team … Made his collegiate debut late in the season-opening victory at Southern Miss (9/5), rushing two times for 36 yards … Accounted for three touchdowns against Northwestern State (9/19) – his third collegiate game – throwing for one and rushing for two more … Was a perfect 4-of-4 through the air for 90 yards against the Demons … Spelled an ill Dak Prescott early against Troy (10/10) and completed 6-of-7 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns, while also carrying the ball eight times for 29 yards and a score … Maintained over a 3.0 GPA and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
2014 TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON: Redshirted during initial year with the program after officially enrolling at MSU in January 2014 ... Went through 2013 Liberty Bowl practices and then spring practice in 2014.
HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year letterwinner for head coach Lyman Guy who guided the Wildcats to a 10-2 overall record and the second round of the Georgia High School Association Class 5A State Football Championship as a senior ... Earned Honorable Mention Georgia Sports Writers Association and Atlanta Journal Constitution Class 5A All-State selections following senior year ... Named the Region 3-5A Player of the Year after final campaign ... A three-star recruit according to ESPN.com and 247Sports and a two-star by Rivals.com ... A triple-option quarterback who went 33-for-76 in the air, throwing for 778 yards and 12 touchdowns while tossing just three interceptions during final campaign ... Carried the ball 182 times for 1,429 yards and 25 scores in 2013 ... Lifted the Wildcats to opening-round playoff win over Thomas County Central with 150 rushing yards and both of the team's TDs ... Tabbed the WSAV Memorial Health/Chatham Orthopaedic Associates Blitz Performer of the Week and Enmark Player of the Week for the fourth week of the season after accounting for seven touchdowns against Glynn Academy ... Rushed for 162 yards and five scores and tossed two TD passes in the contest ... Named to the Greater Savannah Area Football Team as both a junior and senior ... Started as a wide receiver in 2012, catching 18 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns … Played wide receiver and was backup QB during junior campaign, tallying 334 yards rushing and six scores as part of the triple-option offense ... Helped the Wildcats go 8-3 and reach the state playoffs for the first time since 1996 as a junior, when he was a First-Team All-Region 3-5A selection ... Also named First Team All-County during after 2012 season ... Played three years of basketball for Richmond Hill, averaging 7.9 points per game and 5.8 rebounds a contest as a junior.
PERSONAL: Born Nicholas Dylan Fitzgerald on Jan. 14, 1996 in Germany … Parents are Derrick and Annetta Fitzgerald ... Father served in the Air Force … Also lived in Illinois and Florida before moving to Georgia when he was in second grade … Has two siblings, Justin and Kristjan … Uncle Charles Pledger played cornerback at the University of Georgia from 1990-93 ... Grew up attending Georgia football games … Lists David Greene as favorite athlete and Marshmello as favorite musical artist … Is a huge Pittsburgh Penguins hockey fan … Three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll who earned his degree in finance in December 2017 … Currently pursuing his Master of Business Administration … Twitter handle is @NickFitz07.
FITZGERALD'S MSU CAREER RECORDS (4)
Rushing Yards by a QB – 3,607
Yards Per Rush – 6.0
100-Yard Rushing Games by all players – 21*
Rushing Touchdowns by all players – 46
* - denotes SEC record among QBs
FITZGERALD'S MSU SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS (4)
Yards Per Rush – 7.1 (2016)
Rushing Yards by a QB – 1,375 (2016)
100-Yard Rushing Games – 8 (2016)
100-Yard Rushing Games by a QB – 8 (2016)*
* - denotes SEC record
FITZGERALD'S MSU SINGLE-GAME RECORDS (5)
Rushing Yards – 258 at Ole Miss (2016)
Rushing Yards by a QB – 258 at Ole Miss (2016)
Yards Per Rush – 18.4 at Ole Miss (2016)^
Touchdowns Responsible – 7 vs. Samford (2016)*
Passing Touchdowns – 5 vs. Samford (2016)
* - denotes SEC record
^ - denotes second in SEC history
FITZGERALD’S CAREER HIGHS
Pass Attempts: 39, at UMass (9-24-16)
Pass Completions: 26, at UMass (9-24-16)
Pass Yards: 417, vs. Samford (10-29-16)
Pass Touchdowns: 5, vs. Samford (10-29-16)
Long Pass: 84, vs. Texas A&M (10-27-18)
Completion Percentage: 69.7, vs. Arkansas (11-18-16)
Rush Attempts: 28, vs. Auburn (10-6-18)
Rush Yards: 258, at Ole Miss (11-26-16)
Rush Touchdowns: 4, (twice) last vs. Louisiana (9-15-18)
Long Rush: 76, vs. Texas A&M (10-27-18)
Total Offense Yards: 536, vs. Samford (10-29-16)
Touchdowns Responsible: 7, vs. Samford (10-29-16)
