Yeah it's really hard to measure motivation. The '23 team had more to prove than basically any other team we've had since the Rose Bowl season.
I have no idea how you flip a switch like that again; Braun did a masterful job keeping the team focused throughout the season but obviously the players were motivated to prove everybody wrong about them. All the (very loud) noise pre-season was about how the team was going to fall apart and lose every game, and you no longer have that kind of situation. Still, there's plenty of doubters about Northwestern football every year so it's not like motivation can't be reforged.
The good thing about guys like Braun and Lujan is that I think they'll be hungry to prove themselves at this level for quite a long time (which is why I liked Fitz's strategy of going for young hungry guys from a lower level in the past 2 years of hires).
Also we've seen that having a QB with great leadership qualities (and quality of play helps naturally) has been a difference maker and it was with Bryant (like Ramsey and Thorson and many before him).
I have no clue whether Lausch or Wright have those types of intangibles. But at the same time, I'm optimistic that Lujan will be an upgrade over Bajakian so it may not matter as long as Lujan can make the offense work.
When the spotlight was on them and they were playing against the world, they stunk up the joint. Rutgers was awful. UTEP was awful for a half. Duke was awful.
When they stopped playing to remember their old coach, and started playing for each other and for their new coach, they started figuring things out.
We have reason to believe the defense will be good. Henning and Kirtz are excellent playmakers. Hopefully we can get the ball outside.
It always hinges on the quarterback, at NU and at most places. And I have no idea what to expect there.
I trust that Lujan is better at designing offense than Bajakian was. So we should see the playmakers getting the ball.