Press Release
FITZGERALD ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST SIGNAL CALLERS
Nick Fitzgerald, a candidate for the Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden
Arm Award and Manning Award, is in his third season as starting signal caller
and owns a 15-11 record as a starter after last Saturday’s win at Kansas State.
• At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Fitzgerald was Dak Prescott’s primary backup in
2015 before taking the reins. He was offered by only two schools coming out
of Richmond Hill (Ga.) High School, MSU and Middle Tennessee. Richmond
Hill ran an option style offense and threw only 78 passes as a senior. He played
wide receiver as a junior before moving to quarterback.
• Fitzgerald owns the SEC career record for 100-yard rushing games by a QB
with 15. He has rushed for 100 yards in 13 of his last 20 games, including eight
of the last eight. He did it six times in 2017, which tied for third in the SEC,
and for the 15th time last Saturday in Manhattan when he ran for 159 yards
on 19 carries, his highest rushing production since the 2016 Egg Bowl when
he ran for a school-record 258 yards.
• Fitzgerald’s 15 100-yard rushing games rank second in MSU career history
among all positions and are two shy of the school record:
MSU Career 100-Yard Rushing Games
Rank Player Games Years
1. Anthony Dixon 17 2006-09
2. Nick Fitzgerald 15 2015-present
Jerious Norwood 13 2002-05
4. James Johnson 12 1997-98
Walter Packer 12 1973-76
6. Vick Ballard 10 2010-11
Dicenzo Miller 10 1998-01
Michael Davis 10 1991-94
Michael Haddix 10 1979-82
10. Dak Prescott 9 2012-15
Don Smith 9 1983-86
• Fitzgerald is the sixth QB in SEC history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a
career. Three of the top six were MSU players (Fitzgerald, Dak Prescott and
John Bond). With his 159 rushing yards last Saturday, Fitzgerald vaulted into
second place in SEC career QB rushing yards, 302 yards shy of Tim Tebow.
SEC Career QB Rushing Yards
Rank Player Team Years Yards
1. Tim Tebow UF 2006-09 2,947
2. Nick Fitzgerald MSU 2015-p 2,645
3. Matt Jones ARK 2001-04 2,535
4. Dak Prescott MSU 2012-15 2,521
5. John Bond MSU 1980-83 2,280
• After last Saturday, Fitzgerald is now fifth in all-time MSU career rushing
yards among all positions:
MSU Career Rushing Yards
Rank Player Yds. Years Att. Avg.
1. Anthony Dixon 3994 2006-09 910 4.4
2. Jerious Norwood 3212 2002-05 573 5.6
3. Walter Packer 2820 1973-76 483 5.8
4. Michael Davis 2721 1991-94 578 4.7
5. Nick Fitzgerald 2,645 2015-p 399 6.6
6. Michael Haddix 2558 1979-82 425 6.0
7. LaDarius Perkins 2554 2010-13 530 4.8
8. Dak Prescott 2521 2012-15 536 4.7
• Fitzgerald tossed touchdown passes to RB Kylin Hill and WR Austin
Williams last Saturday at Kansas State, pushing his career touchdowns
responsible for to 74, good for second in MSU history. Fitzgerald and Dak
Prescott are the only two players in school history to rush for 30+ touchdowns
and throw for 30+ touchdowns.
MSU Career Touchdowns Responsible
Rank Player Years Rush Pass TDs
1. Dak Prescott 2012-15 41 70 & 3 rec. 114
2. Nick Fitzgerald 2015-p 33 39 72
3. Don Smith 1983-86 21 31 52
• Fitzgerald ranked third in the SEC in rushing touchdowns and led all SEC
QBs with 14 in 2017. He rushed for multiple touchdowns in a game five times
and 13 times in his career. The 13 times is the second-most in the SEC in the
last 20 years according to ESPN Stats and Info. The BYU game was the seventh
time in Fitzgerald’s career that he has thrown for multiple TDs and rushed
for multiple TDs in the same game. Three times in 2017 he achieved that:
Louisiana Tech, LSU and BYU.
• Fitzgerald owns 86 rushes of 10+ yards in his career, including 32 in 2017
which was sixth among all SEC players.
• Fitzgerald also owns 5 50+yard runs, 4 60+ yard runs and 3 70+ yard runs
in his career.
• With his 313 yards of total offense last Saturday at Kansas State, Fitzgerald
crossed the 7,000-yard mark to claim second in MSU career total offensive
yards with 7,239.
MSU Career Total Offense
Rank Player Years Plays Rush Pass Total
1. Dak Prescott 2012-15 1,705 2,521 9,376 11,897
2. Nick Fitzgerald 2015-p 939 2,645 4,594 7,239
3. Don Smith 1983-86 1,223 1,868 5,229 7,097
4. John Bond 1980-83 1,237 2,280 4,621 6,901
• Fitzgerald ranks third in MSU career rushing scores:
MSU Career Rushing Touchdowns
Rank Player TDs Years Att. Yds.
1. Anthony Dixon 42 2006-09 910 3994
2. Dak Prescott 41 2012-15 536 2521
3. Nick Fitzgerald 33 2015-p 380 2486
• Fitzgerald averages 6.6 yards per rush, which is currently the MSU career
record. The previous record was 6.2 yards per carry by Harvey Johnson from
1938-40 (234 rushes for 1,442 yards).
• Fitzgerald has produced 42 career passing TDs, which is tied for second
place in MSU career annals. He’s thrown at least two TDs in seven of his last
13 games dating back to last season:
Rank Player TDs Years Yds. Int.
1. Dak Prescott 70 2012-15 9,376 23
2. Nick Fitzgerald 42 2015-p 4,594 22
Tyler Russell 42 2010-13 5,441 23
• Fitzgerald surpassed 4,000 career passing yards in the win against UMass in
2017. He is currently in eighth place in MSU career passing yards:
Rank Player Yds. Years Att. Cmp. Pct.
1. Dak Prescott 9,376 2012-15 1169 734 .628
2. Wayne Madkin 6,336 1998-01 887 462 .521
3. Kevin Fant 5,631 2000-03 866 461 .532
4. Tyler Russell 5,441 2010-13 699 410 .587
5. Derrick Taite 5,232 1993-96 734 362 .493
6. Don Smith 5,229 1983-86 738 342 .463
7. John Bond 4,621 1980-83 665 307 .462
8. Nick Fitzgerald 4,594 2015-p 688 377 .547