Ian Fitzgerald has been through all of the ups and downs while wearing a Missouri State uniform.
The Bears' starting right tackle began his career under the previous regime and went 4-7 before going 1-10 the next. The coach who recruited him was paid $340,000 to leave before the football program hired Bobby Petrino and saw its resurgence with two-straight postseason appearances.
Now in his fifth season, one of the more highly anticipated years in Missouri State football history, Fitzgerald is seeing a glimpse of those tough times again amid a four-game losing streak and is facing the threat of their season falling apart — if it hasn't already.