I am a little surprised this didn't become a topic of conversation here.

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For the uninformed...Iowa's punt returner ran one back for a breathtaking late-game/game-changing TD that the refs eventually called back, ruling that he called for a fair catch.

Feelings about Iowa aside (if that's possible), I'm genuinely interested in how people here felt about this one. I tend to think the refs blew it, especially since they didn't blow the whistle at any point during the return nor did they seem to call a penalty on Minny special teams for making initial contact after the alleged fair catch...

I didn't even realize that Sumlin was coaching at Maryland. He caught my eye for a bad reason -- he got arrested for DUI on Sunday morning in Florida.

@lou v , I am not sure you can provide insight as you don't want to burn bridges, and I think you have been critical of the athletic department, but feel free to disregard or delete.

What is the main differences you have seen from the current athletic department opposed to the JP days? I am not asking about the Fitz or baseball situations, but the overall functionality of the operation. I have been critical regarding the notable issues, but perhaps I am off target of the perceived issues within or items I heard secondhand. Thought I would ask, but feel free to delete.

I talked to Brendan Sullivan this morning about how he grades his performance so far, what he's working on going forward, and preparing for likely his third start of the season against Maryland.

Lead story on starting QB vs. Terps:

"Expect Sullivan, who has struggled over his past two games with poor protection up front, to start at quarterback against Minnesota."

Make it Maryland.

Thanks.

Cats win yesterdays game and ultimately make a bowl game this season if Fitz were the head coach. Defense has improved dramatically and would be even better with Braun as a full time DC (also Lewis in the defensive backfield). I see a lot of parallels to the Ramsay season where defense and special teams carried us with our veteran QB doing just enough to will us to victory. Eliminate the distractions and defections and this team would be rolling. Of course, we’d still be calling for Jake’s firing, which would occur at the end of the season. Fitz would replace him with another strong hire comparable to Braun and the other recent additions. There, I said it…fire away.

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Looks like they will be having a documentary on last season. Just wanted to give a heads up to you all.

Everything Braun said yesterday postgame leads me to believe Bryant will be out again against Maryland.

For the OL coaching position? I mean, I know we’ve put up with some atrocious OL play for long stretches over the years but this game is just a killer. You can put this on individual mistakes, but poor execution, poor discipline causing drive killing penalties, soft technique, all of these things fall on the OL coach.

This game is horrible football by both teams. Loyola Academy is better than both these teams!

at least we’re slow.

From what Jake Butt said, it is legal to cut block only if you start within the tackle box and then make the cut block within the tackle box.

Therefore, if you line up a tight end as a wing, as our TE did on the play, he simply can never cut block on that down. Had the TE say, lined up directly behind the tackle (weird, but possible), NU would’ve gained those eight or so yards instead of yielding 15.

It would be frustrating if one of the bigger mistakes of the game was simply a result of the NU staff not knowing the rules.

Here are my takeaways from David Braun's press conference heading into Maryland week.

For the past years, I have read posts of how great Anderson is/was. Anderson is terrible. Skoronski was a first round pick from Day One. Coach Inserra from Maine South had him ready.

The offensive line blows. No physicality. No development. No ability. No improvement. The alleged experts blame Cushing for recruiting, development and etc. Anderson has been here for some years. One would expect some modicum of improvement or capability in our offensive line if Anderson was so good as the experts alleged. Anderson is bad, bad, and bad.

Anderson, Bakajan, and the strength coach have to go.

WildcatReport has learned that the following 2024 prospects will be visiting Northwestern for the Penn State game:

TE Patrick Schaller (NU commit)

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LB Matthew Smith

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OT Aiden Newbill

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OT Aiden Pastoriza

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If they were legitimate burners both Kirtz and Tyus would have easily scored. It's been an insane curse of the program for generations. The effort of our young men was outstanding, hopefully the new staff will finally figure it out.

There seems to be a lot of deep seated anger on the board after the Cats’ loss to the Huskers, with almost universal vitriol around the OLine, quarterback development, offense coaching, and overall quality of the current roster. Had the Cats pulled the game out, I am pretty sure a number of the complaints being made would not be, except maybe the poor quality of the O Line.

My frustration is much less universal, and focused on an opportunity lost, and the disappointment that comes from that. What is frustrating to me is that the Cats went into a difficult place to play, with an O line that we knew, the coaches knew, the Husker coaches knew, and every sports commentator knew was overmatched, with a backup QB with limited experience and pedestrian skills who had to play behind that line, and amazingly, the coaches devised a game plan that put them in a position to win, but they lost for the most pedestrian reasons. The several plays on which the game was decided were not determined because of a difference of skill but by simple mental errors. On one play, a screen pass to Porter, the play failed because Tiernan didn’t position himself properly, despite having the time and opportunity to get there. If he’s is positioned properly, the play goes for at least 40 yards and possibly a TD. On the second down play after the long pass completion to Kirtz, Sullivan just didn’t pull the trigger. He throws the ball, and it’s a TD. After the long pass to Henning, Bajakian did not have the confidence to keep it simple, call a run at a reeling defense and settle for a FG if Nebraska responded, which I don’t think they could have. Instead, they go backward and come up empty. Execute all three, they win easily; execute 2, they win by a whisker. Execute one, and the game really does come down to a last possession. Simple errors, not cosmic ones, lost the game.
Neither team on the field was a world beater. The Cats, without their starting QB and playing an inexperienced one in a noisy venue, were facing a really difficult task. I really do have to tip my hat to the coaching staff: the Cats really were in a position to win. On the defensive side, they recognized how one dimensional the Huskers are, and exploited that limitation. I have little doubt that if Bryant had played, the Cats would have won by 2 scores or more: there were receivers open on a number of the sacks for someone quick enough to read and see them, and there were opportunities downfield Bryant would have exploited all day. It boggles my mind that even with the combination of a bad line, fast pass rush and slow reading QB that led to 8 sacks, had a few people just kept their wits about them, the Cats could have won.
In the end, give credit to the Huskers. They did what they had to, and recovered well enough from the mistakes they made to hold on and win. They had a handful of fine plays on offense that generated their 17 points. If the Cats had kept their wits about them when the game was on the line, though, I really think the game was theirs to win. That is why I am frustrated.

Here are three things we know, two questions we're asking and one bold prediction from @mikefitz77 heading into Maryland week.

Here are three things we know, two questions we're asking and one bold prediction from @mikefitz77 heading into Maryland week.

Big time. But then, who cares? This board should be a forum for NU football, as related to the University and the community. The boards have become narrow, boring, censored, pathetic representations of journalism, for whatever reason. Delete this post and I am DONE, after 13,687 posts. The boards have become hollow shadows of their former selves. Time to re-evaluate or just give it up.

At Key skill positions. If Kirtz and Tyus could have gone to the house that's eight more points and it would have been a tie game

Where are you spotting the ball here?

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Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) is on the road out of its bye week to play at Nebraska (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten). The game will air on BTN at 2:30 p.m. CT

Northwestern's first commit since July 31! The Wildcats are back in business and earned a commitment from OT Aiden Newbill after his official visit last weekend. Here's the quick story with Newbill's information, the Class' standing and highlights. More to come from WildcatReport.