Both coordinators need to be fired. All the money poured into the program and this is the crap we get. There are no words to describe this crap. Bad coaches who cannot determine what the best system for our talent. Do we have talent? Just terrible

Like Walker in 2000, Fitz wants to run the ball. And Walker did it by learning from DickRod that it’s possible to spread ‘em out and run it, a unique approach that’s now commonplace.

Chip Kelly has always been his own OC, and he beat the crap out of Fitz in PF’s first FCS stumble, but he’s got some interesting names on staff this season as UCLA moves back to the top ten. UCLA legend DeShaun Foster coaches running backs, and Jerry “Rick’s son” Neuheisel coaches receivers.

NU is under talented — and always will be in the B1G — so NU needs to outscheme. Bajakian has limited tools to work with, but he’s much closer to B1G in the 80s than the AstroBall 3000 (that’s a made up term) that Chip Kelly plays.

I wonder if young coaches (Neuheisel is in his 20s) who’ve learned under Kelly would be appealing. If nothing else, Sullivan is the same size as Mariota.

NU plays better the rare time it plays with offensive pace (infrequent, because that defense needs to rest!).

I have no idea the qualifications of those two, but I hope Fitz visits Westwood during bowl prep season. (Kelly moved to Oregon as OC in 2007 after ten years at New Hampshire, so he owes a chunk of his career to that win in Evanston. Maybe he’ll help out his most important victim.)

I mean think about it.

I'm not saying he deserves to be fired. Obviously his career, his situation, everything has to factor in. He just needs to realize that our performance from the second JON was brought in as DC would get him fired from every other P5 in America and most college programs regardless of level.

To do NOTHING about that is mind boggling.

It starts with acknowledging that Jim O’Neill is possibly the worst hire that any D1 football team has made in the last 5 years. To go from a top ten team to the current status quo would be terminal for any head coach that had not built up the extraordinary goodwill that Fitz has with Northwestern (no, I do not believe NU should fire Fitz).

But failure to acknowledge that O’Neill is not the man for the job amounts to gross negligence and malfeasance. Even I - as one of the staunchest and most pro-Fitz for life advocates - would start to acknowledge the reality that Fitz as coach must be more heavily scrutinized if he cannot put any personal connection or feeling of obligation to an individual aside to meet his fiduciary duty as the leader of a serious football enterprise to show success. Fitz made a mistake in hiring O’Neill. He needs to own the mistake and take aggressive and immediate steps to fix it, lest the team continue a downward spiraling trajectory.

In Chryst, you have the opportunity to bring in a guy who knows the weaknesses in every Big Ten team, who demonstrated success at a high level (and frankly should not have been canned), who has a good relationship with Fitz and, given his current circumstances, might be willing to drive down 90 minutes to take a transformation job - even if for the remainder of this season.

Re: Bajakian - also on the hot seat, but I wouldn’t characterize hiring him as negligence just yet. He hasn’t had a chance. It’s hard to execute an offensive plan if you’re constantly playing catch up. In any case, Northwestern wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire on offense before hiring him. The change in offense is a stark difference to the change in defense, where NU went from among the best statistical defenses to among the worst with direct correlation to the bungled hiring of an objectively awful defensive coordinator.

Fire O’Neil now. Don’t wait. Do it now, mid-season. Do your best to get Chryst. Otherwise promote from within on an interim basis. Hard changes now are necessary.

Guess what, ‘Cats Fans. It doesn’t take decades.

“The notion that it takes years and years to rebuild a program has been a fallacy since the eighties.”

#8 on this list.

I think we have a coach on our staff with nfl db coaching experience. Could be a prime candidate???

I wanted to take a little time before posting after some immediate posts last night. Tried looking at the full picture today and here is where I landed.

From a pure talent perspective, I don't think we are that far off from past NU teams that had a lot of success. However, outside of Skoronski, we don't appear to have any stars or future NFL players anywhere. In the conference as a whole, I'd put our talent level somewhere in the 8th - 11th range. That said, there are a couple positions where we really seem to have talent issues.

The most glaring position where we are weak is wide receiver. Of course, they had a terrible game last night with two fumbles (should have been three if it wasn't for a gift call that went our way), but there is just not enough talent there. Guys like Kirtz and Washington are fine. They would be good #3 or #4 wide receivers on a team with a good WR group. We have no one at that position who you can count on to get open or stretch the field. It's a problem, and it's not a new one.

The other position where we seem to have a big issue is the middle of our d-line. We have some talent at the DE position, especially in the pipeline, but the middle of our line is a big problem. Outside of Holmes, we have no one of size inside that we can count on. Even when we recruit guys who you feel will finally fill that need (Edwards, Butler, etc.), they can't get on the field, transfer out, etc.

Outside of those two groups, I don't think we have major talent deficiencies. Sure, I wish our LB's were playing better and we had a little more athleticism there, but I don't think the skill there is THAT far off. And there are certain groups where I feel like we actually have some good talent (o-line, RB, and secondary). And while Hilinski has been frustrating with some inconsistent play, he also has shown he can make all the throws and is certainly not a big part of the problem.

So what is it? Shouldn't surprise anyone that all signs to me point towards the coaching staff. Even last night, where if you take out the last two drives of the game, you say "wow, we only gave up 140 yards", there were issues. First, we were playing a backup QB who was pretty much no threat to throw the ball. But even beyond that, there were still plays where guys were left wide open. Whether it's guys being overly aggressive (Mitchell last night got away with being duped on a pump fake) or miscommunications that leave guys wide open down field, it seems to be a reoccurring problem since the beginning of last year. I know JON wants to play a more aggressive style of defense, but there are way too many times where guys blow assignments or lose contain. It's extremely frustrating. The team has continually shown they aren't fully on the same page so SIMPLIFY THE DEFENSE. Not saying you can't blitz here or there or show some different looks, but keep it pretty vanilla. If you are continually saying game after game that guys are missing assignments, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

On the offensive side, I am a little bit more understanding of Bajakian just because he is working with pretty much nothing in our WR group and we have had an insane amount of bad turnovers that are on the players. But he certainly shouldn't be safe either and I'd like to try and see him do more to open things up. We have shown time and time again we aren't disciplined enough from a penalty or turnover standpoint to sustain long drives consistently. So let's try and take more shots and I'd also like to see us use formations with both RB's involved and more of our TE's. If you don't have a good WR group, put more guys in from groups that have shown they can play...And speaking of coaches on this side of the ball, how is Dennis Springer still employed? Seems like a great guy, but his groups have consistently been a weakness pretty much his entire time at NU.

With a good coaching staff, I think this is a middling Big Ten team. In no way am I saying this is a super talented team. As I've pointed out, there are some really weak groups, but I think there is enough there to work with that there is no reason for what we are seeing.

I do think Fitz is the right guy for the job, but Gragg needs to put pressure on him to make changes. To go through what we have gone through three of the last four years and pretty much have no coaching changes (besides Hank retiring) is unacceptable and wouldn't be tolerated at pretty much any other P5 university (I truly can't think of another place where this would fly).

Because it's kind of a hellscape around here in terms of discussion after that Iowa loss, here's a mildly provocative question I've been thinking about: IF Pat Fitzgerald were to be fired after this season, what is the next job he'd most likely end up at? Please note that this is a fictional question that assumes Fitz would get fired, not a discussion if that could or should happen. Please also assume that he wants to take a new job and/or has to take a new job for contract reasons and also that he wants to take the best job available to him (ie, not some semi retirement situation).

I ask the question because I wonder: what other job is he qualified for? If he actually qualified to be a DC or analyst somewhere? Would a Power 5 School have any interest in him for now? I'm curious what people think his alternative skillset actually is. A lot of his skills are particular to Northwestern specifically. I for one think he'd end up with a choice of a couple low end Power 5 position coach gigs (the right kind of program could be interested in bringing him in to recruit some LBs for them) or an FCS HC job.

Auburn. That’s a bit of a surprise.

I know a lot of our fans are choosing pessimism this weekend. But, in true Warren Buffett fashion, it’s time to veer the other way and choose optimism! The truth is that we can’t get any worse - instead of selling this Cats team, it’s time to buy.

I think the Purdoodoo game is still our best chance at a win. I could share the logic why, but this is more of a rah rah post.

But OSU, Minnesota, and Illannoy could also be toppled. Each of them has looked great for most of the season, but mediocre in certain games. We can beat them if they play down. This team was almost within a score of a top 20 PSU squad.

This team is only a good day away from a victory - maybe four good days away from four in a row to make a bowl!

Go Cats! Beat the Buckeyes!

A lot of talk on the board about NU's offense and lack of imagination.
How many times has Kafka had Jones bootleg roll out of the pocket to his left or right.More times in 8 minutes of football than NU has done all year.That is what we should be doing.

Stop me if you heard this before but Zone Blitz is not our strength.
JON is a compete liability. He is making Brian Ferentz look like a world beater.

Was a precursor to this. Fitz has not fixed the kicking game going on 6 years and it shows his failure. The Illini won 9-6 and a red shirt back up kicker made all three field goals. Kicking a field goal is part of the game and I think now Fitz refusal to fix it shows he either does not know how or does not care about the team.

This team is bad everywhere now - the worst units are special teams - which Fitz coaches then the Dbs and o line - Fitz hired both coaches in the last few years.

The Cats gave Maryland a competitive game last week, which is progress of a sort. Can they the next step to beat the Hawkeyes?

Time to prognosticate...

Purple 13
Pink 10

Good morning everyone. Have a Happy Halloween Weekend!

Haven’t decided yet, but it is becoming harder and harder to justify going to Ryan field to watch us get destroyed in our final 2 home games. A Saturday tailgate followed by an NU football game has been my favorite activity for many years, and I am sad to be even think about skipping these games. Not only will the games suck, but it is hard to find anyone (at least NU fans) who want to go with me. Maybe I’ll sell my tickets or leave my seats empty. Or maybe I’ll put myself through the pain of being completely surrounded by osu and ill fans over the final two games.

Iowa has put up their average game stats in the first half against us. Not going to watch anymore. Unless Fitz makes some drastic changes it is time to turn our backs on these folks---stop watching, stop supporting

That would have been the best possible outcome for NU

The Woman's soccer team advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament today with a win over Rutgers. The men's soccer team qualified for the Big Ten tournament with an upset win over Michigan State today in East Lansing and both the woman's Field Hockey and Volleyball teams won today. Field Hockey and Woman's Soccer are nationally ranked and the Volleyball team is having an excellent year having beaten 3 ranked teams this season. The woman's Cross Country team recoded their best finish in the Big Ten's in over 30 years this weekend.

My wife and I, who live about an hour away from campus and are Football season ticket holders, enjoy watching these teams when we can. While it may not be practical for everybody, I recommend it for anybody who can make it. It is a lot of fun.

Game has been over for a bit. Been thinking about the program. I’ma fan at the end of the day - a very unhappy one.

I got to thinking about how many times we talk about the adult in the room. Recently in politics. Also recently in school boards. Often with young adults. It’s a norm of sorts.

I think objectively:

• The program has significant losing judging over past several years
• Coach has alienated mainstream media
• Coach is alienating fan base
• Serious questions about quality of various assistant coaches and coach is standing firmly behind
• Ticket sales (incl STH) declining more rapidly than recent times
• Purple attendance down measurably including students
• Other related revenue in decline
• Only publicity is negative and not a good reflection of the university
• Coach that appears obstinately insistent that all is ok

Meanwhile, other revenue sport struggling mightily (your welcome) and over a billion to be and has been spent on revenue sport upgrades. Usual academic protests among non athletic supporting tenured staff.

Really seems like a giant wave has been allowed to grow. At what point does the adult in the room stand up and say enough. Not Ryan - he and his billions will influence according to his whims. But within the school - the AD, the Pres, the Trustees. The people entrusted to protect the name and reputation of the institution.

NU experienced a dark age laughingstock period involving much smaller dollars. Serious money, potential and spent, are involved now. At what point does the university at some level step in and say no more.

I get that PF is the godsend poster child that rescued the program at a time of misery and took to another level. But it is getting severe…again. And not an isolated instance. A full recruiting cycle with the only positive year one with an asterisk. And not because this program cannot, has not, ever enjoyed success.

Many of you despise me because all you remember is my harping on Springer, Cushing, underperformance. I truly love NU - loved seeing our programs rise up out of the dead as I always thought we could. But it’s going back to that place I experienced as a student. The marshmellow days that my whole B1G alumni family (UoI, IU, MI, Pur) found to be embarrassing for me are here again (dark ages did not begin with winless seasons).

And the smug key wiggling - that’s alright, that’s ok, you will work for us someday - so not what I want to represent me as a person. Like PF and his smug, condescending pressers….

Too long, probably won’t read, I’m just the pariah - but when will the adult in the NU room stand up and say enough. We are, and should be, so much better than all this. The tools are there and the smart folks can utilize them to make this, these, programs renown - like many of our academic programs. Is it really too much to ask?