How Did Northwestern Came Across to the TV Audience on the Big Stage Saturday?

[Alaskawildkat]

OK, here is my perspective from the distant Northland:

Playing, as the team did, on national TV with the coveted ABC midday time slot (OK morning for me here in Alaska) had to have had positive impact for the Wildcats.

I fully expected the programming to be an OSU love fest, however it was anything but. There were more clips of our Offensive Coordinator in the booth than that of the opposition's. Of course winning the time of possession partly accounted for that. The graphics of the new stadium being revealed to the world was priceless ad time for Northwestern's football program. Even our obligatory NU Commercial was well executed and complemented the play on the field.

Hull in particular came across as the stud of the game with OSU's Heisman hopeful an after thought.

Going by the texts I got during the game signaled that the whole College Football World was on upset alert and we were evidently the story of the day. Apparently across the nation viewers were tuning in to root for the Cats.

 

[NUCat320]

The message was that Fitz is a strategic genius, but that Bajakian has the creativity of a doorknob. (“Do they really not have any throws out of the Wildcat??”) That was the fourth quarter at least.

 

[phatcat]

Tomi helped his draft status. He was on fire. Cam Mitchell too.

Edit, Sully got a lot of respect too. Cool under pressure, very few mistakes. Played within himself.

 

[NUCat320]

Tomi helped his draft status. He was on fire. Cam Mitchell too.

Edit, Sully got a lot of respect too. Cool under pressure, very few mistakes. Played within himself.

The way they were talking about Sullivan, I thought the transfer portal might come calling… … … this is where we are.

Great story about early enrollment and missing the post-COVID state championship game. What a bummer. I had no idea.

 

[MotownMedilldo]

Given the state of the program, it was the best possible presentation with the new stadium highlighted and the division titles in 2018 and 2020.

But the prevailing perception of being the little program that could insulates Fitz and his staff from the hot seat. Northwestern is not supposed to win at all, according to the glamor program jock sniffer broadcasters. After showing the W-L graphic of the past two years, they simplistically concluded, Fitz is a good coach and will turn this around.

 

[Rebel II]

OK, here is my perspective from the distant Northland:

Playing, as the team did, on national TV with the coveted ABC midday time slot (OK morning for me here in Alaska) had to have had positive impact for the Wildcats.

I fully expected the programming to be an OSU love fest, however it was anything but. There were more clips of our Offensive Coordinator in the booth than that of the opposition's. Of course winning the time of possession partly accounted for that. The graphics of the new stadium being revealed to the world was priceless ad time for Northwestern's football program. Even our obligatory NU Commercial was well executed and complemented the play on the field.

Hull in particular came across as the stud of the game with OSU's Heisman hopeful an after thought.

Going by the texts I got during the game signaled that the whole College Football World was on upset alert and we were evidently the story of the day. Apparently across the nation viewers were tuning in to root for the Cats.

True. Many Hoosiers, Alabamians, and Floridians called me to tell me how impressed they were. Especially the Auburn guys who liked how hard we played and said that we were in better shape than them right now. For what it's worth.

 

[ohiovalleycat]

The showing was great relative to what it could have been if the season patterns for both teams had been fulfilled with a score like 48-10 Buckeyes. I think the Wildcats played tough and the weather certainly had some influence, but I still think the game would had a similar dynamic even with good weather. It's a win to just not got blown away and embarrassed on national TV. At the same time, I hope one decent showing (moral victory?) does not prevent the program from making changes that need to be made for the future.

 

[stpaulcat]

True. Many Hoosiers, Alabamians, and Floridians called me to tell me how impressed they were. Especially the Auburn guys who liked how hard we played and said that we were in better shape than them right now. For what it's worth.

No kidding, I received at least 2,600 calls from Alabama alone.

 

[phatcat]

The way they were talking about Sullivan, I thought the transfer portal might come calling… … … this is where we are.

Great story about early enrollment and missing the post-COVID state championship game. What a bummer. I had no idea.

We have so very little to be excited about, so...I recall a young man forced into action that showed flashes but wasn't spectacular. His name was Dan Persa.

Whether Sullivan develops into anything like that remains to be seen, but I am a firm believer that this TYPE of QB is essential to our success: escapability, few mistakes, field vision. Thor and Siemian were of a different mold but they had terrible trouble with the rush. So long as we have Fitz, I believe we need a mobile QB

 

[MotownMedilldo]

We have so very little to be excited about, so...I recall a young man forced into action that showed flashes but wasn't spectacular. His name was Dan Persa.

Whether Sullivan develops into anything like that remains to be seen, but I am a firm believer that this TYPE of QB is essential to our success: escapability, few mistakes, field vision. Thor and Siemian were of a different mold but they had terrible trouble with the rush. So long as we have Fitz, I believe we need a mobile QB

Sullivan ran the read option as well as I've seen from a Northwestern QB since Colter, Persa, and Kustok. It makes such a difference to be in 3rd and 4 or shorter consistently.

 

[Titanium999]

No kidding, I received at least 2,600 calls from Alabama alone.

Our defense played fabulous

 

[ubercat]

I heard they were rehearsing Saturday morning for a repeat performance but their banners blew away.

 

[Katatonic]

We have so very little to be excited about, so...I recall a young man forced into action that showed flashes but wasn't spectacular. His name was Dan Persa.

Whether Sullivan develops into anything like that remains to be seen, but I am a firm believer that this TYPE of QB is essential to our success: escapability, few mistakes, field vision. Thor and Siemian were of a different mold but they had terrible trouble with the rush. So long as we have Fitz, I believe we need a mobile QB

That one circus escape Sullivan had was reminiscent of Persa.

Siemian and Thor were totally different types of QBs - Trevor was a pretty polished passer coming out of HS (most polished since Bacher), whereas Clayton was pretty raw as a passing QB (as we saw in his 1st season starting), w/ the coaching staff inexplicably trying to turn Thor into strictly a pocket passing QB.

While no Persa, Siemian had enough mobility to extend passing plays w/ his legs (Kubiak would never have drafted Trevor if he wasn't athletic enough to bootleg), but McC and Fitz never took advantage of that til very late in Siemian's NU career.

Thor had more straight-line speed than Siemian, but always seemed to me an overly stiff runner.

Nonetheless, it was a disappointment that McC and Fitz never seemed to try to develop Thor in extending passing plays w/ his legs.

W/ Sullivan, hope he continues to develop in being able to throw accurately while on the run, and the coaching staff should sprinkle in a few design runs a game and tell him to take the yards if he sees a running lane (but slide before he gets hit).

Despite his running ability, Colter had a higher sack rate than Siemian.

 

[TerraCat]

That one circus escape Sullivan had was reminiscent of Persa.

Siemian and Thor were totally different types of QBs - Trevor was a pretty polished passer coming out of HS (most polished since Bacher), whereas Clayton was pretty raw as a passing QB (as we saw in his 1st season starting), w/ the coaching staff inexplicably trying to turn Thor into strictly a pocket passing QB.

While no Persa, Siemian had enough mobility to extend passing plays w/ his legs (Kubiak would never have drafted Trevor if he wasn't athletic enough to bootleg), but McC and Fitz never took advantage of that til very late in Siemian's NU career.

Thor had more straight-line speed than Siemian, but always seemed to me an overly stiff runner.

Nonetheless, it was a disappointment that McC and Fitz never seemed to try to develop Thor in extending passing plays w/ his legs.

W/ Sullivan, hope he continues to develop in being able to throw accurately while on the run, and the coaching staff should sprinkle in a few design runs a game and tell him to take the yards if he sees a running lane (but slide before he gets hit).

Despite his running ability, Colter had a higher sack rate than Siemian.

Remember the time they sent him out to catch a pass? That didn't work out too well! They wanted to keep Thorson upright. Because with his arm, and JJTBC they had a chance against anybody! Those were the days!

 

[stpaulcat]

Came across fine. They lost to OSU by only a couple of touchdowns. Which is what they're supposed to do.