“Season’s Greetings,

2023 brought a lot of attention to Medill and the critical role of the media in shining light in dark places.

Medill students working at The Daily Northwestern received national recognition for their reporting on issues plaguing Northwestern Athletics. In doing so, they bravely withstood pressure from all directions to bring the facts of the matter to light.”

🤨 from the Medill Dean

and some of the other horrific football losses.

Jeez.

Well, all of it is bad.

But, our previous worst loss in the KenPom era (since 98-99) was to #243 Hartford in 2019-20. Chicago State was #335 coming into this game and just lost by 16 to St. Thomas on Sunday. So this is officially our worst loss in at least 25 years. I remember when we had an embarrassing loss to Mississippi Valley State 20 years ago and even that was a *much* better loss than this one (they went 22-7 that year and finished #168).

I guess the good news is Iowa had a worse loss last year (to #347 Eastern Illinois) and still made the tournament.

This will be overlooked if we have good wins as the season goes on, but if we're in that "last 4 in/out" range this one won't help us get the benefit of the doubt.

...that 2024 quarterback and current NDSU commit Ryan Boe will be a Wildcat. There should be a public announcement over the next couple of days.

Boe, from Batavia, Ill., will be the third straight quarterback taken from Illinois, joining Jack Lausch from Chicago Brother Rice in the Class of 2022 and Aidan Gray from Naperville North in the Class of 2023.

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When does it come out?

Guessing someone publicly saying they have an NU offer (guessing O’Neil??) actually doesn’t have one

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...that 2024 athlete and current Toledo commit Sean Martin will be a Wildcat. I'm not sure when, but it's coming.

Martin, from Cleveland St. Ignatius, is being recruited as a nickel/safety. He's been committed to Toledo since last March but took an official visit to NU over the weekend.

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New Rivals250: https://n.rivals.com/prospect_rankings/rivals250/2025

Top 10 risers: https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-week-ten-biggest-risers-in-the-rivals250-14

Position by position breakdown: https://n.rivals.com/news/tuesdays-with-gorney-new-2025-rivals250-released-2

Williams hasn't wavered from his Oct. 4 commitment to the Wildcats but an official visit opportunity to build relationships with his future teammates and coaches was too good to pass up. I talked to Williams about his senior season, his second trip up to Evanston this year and Northwestern's coaching staff.

Williams hasn't wavered from his Oct. 4 commitment to the Wildcats but an official visit opportunity to build relationships with his future teammates and coaches was too good to pass up. I talked to Williams about his senior season, his second trip up to Evanston this year and Northwestern's coaching staff.

Anyone have any information or thoughts as to why he is not playing even in games against inferior competition

The bowl game is two weeks away! Here's what you need to know about Utah as the Las Vegas Bowl looms.

I just spoke with Tito Williams, a safety commit, expect a full story tomorrow or Thursday. Again, like Grove, coaching communication was one of my first questions.

Williams said his primary recruiter has been Matt MacPherson, widely thought to be one of the coaches who will not be on next season's staff. Williams said that Braun has not tipped his cards or mentioned the prospect that MacPherson might be replaced soon.

"I know for a fact he's going to hire a [defensive] coordinator," Williams said. "This year he's been head coaching and calling the defense. But that's all he's informed me of...he has not mentioned a change in [position coaches] at all."

I don't have anything sourced on or off the record, but like I said above I have thought that MacPherson would be in his last year at NU since this summer. I could be proven wrong with time about MacPherson's future, but I think Williams' comments, combined with Grove's, mean that Braun has not been giving commits or a recruits insight about which positions will change beyond his public comments.

I have a potential call with Ryan Boe, the silently committed 2024 QB, later this week. Given that his position coach is the most maligned, we'll see if that situation plus quarterback being the most prestigious position earned him some insight that others did not get or have not disclosed.

I also wouldn't take Williams' comments to mean there will or won't be an outside hire for DC as linebackers coach Tim McGarigle will have his name firmly in the running for that position.

For those making it to Las Vegas for the bowl game, close to the stadium is the Luxor Hotel. In its lobby is a Titanic exhibit worth the time to visit. Here are a few photos I took from earlier this year:

Northwestern (6-1, 1-0 Big Ten) hosts Detroit Mercy (0-9) today at Welsh-Ryan Arena at 1 p.m. The game will air on BTN+

I'll be live tweeting at @M_Shelton33 on X/Twitter, and I'll be more active in here than a normally televised game as well.

Three-star 2025 QB Ethan Plumb of St. Charles North says NU coaches were at his school recently. Here's Edgy's story:

2024 OFFERS LIST

2024 COMMITMENTS (17)

QB (1)
Ryan Boe (IL) - COMMITTED ✅

RB (1)
Deshun Reeder (SC) - COMMITTED ✅

WR (2)
Carson Grove (IL) - COMMITTED ✅
Hayden Eligon (CA) - COMMITTED ✅

TE (1)
Patrick Schaller (IL) - COMMITTED ✅

OL (2)
Idrys Cotton (MI) - COMMITTED ✅
Ezomo Oratokhai (TX) - COMMITTED ✅
Dennis Rahouski (MN) - COMMITTED ✅

DL (4)
Callen Campbell (MI) - COMMITTED ✅
Troy Regovich (OH) - COMMITTED ✅
Braxton Strong (IN) - COMMITTED ✅
Qayvier Johnson (CT) - COMMITTED ✅

LB (1)
Matthew Smith (NC) - COMMITTED ✅

DB (3)
Terrion Hicks (KY) - COMMITTED ✅
Tito Williams (TN) - COMMITTED ✅
Timi Oke (UK) - COMMITTED ✅

S (1)
Sean Martin (OH) - COMMITTED ✅

Carson Grove took his fourth visit to Northwestern this year last weekend. Grove talked to me about his big bet on the Wildcats as the first player to commit after this summer's scandal, watching the Wildcats turn it around this season and his future at Northwestern.

Carson Grove took his fourth visit to Northwestern this year last weekend. Grove talked to me about his big bet on the Wildcats as the first player to commit after this summer's scandal, watching the Wildcats turn it around this season and his future at Northwestern.

Here are @mshelton33's takeaways after the Cats destroyed winless Detroit Mercy.

Is anybody nostalgic for the 2003-era unis with the funky numbers? I think it would be cool to wear 20th anniversary throwback uniforms to honor the Baz teams.