I've been writing the Northwestern preview for Lindy's preseason magazine the last few years, so I thought I would post this year's here. I just submitted it to them last week. It will hit newsstands in June or July.
Lindy's makes you follow a pretty rigid structure. There are a few features and then a lot of nuts-and-bolts about who is playing where. As true-purple fans, I don't think there is a lot new here for you, but you might want to pay particular attention to the depth chart -- those were all verified with sources.
FYI, I am posting this in multiple messages because of the character limit. Here it is...
MAIN FEATURE
Northwestern has long lagged behind its Big Ten rivals and just about every other major program in the country when it came to facilities. Not anymore.
The Wildcats this spring unveiled their spectacular new Ryan Fieldhouse indoor practice facility, which is part of a larger $270-million Walter Athletics Center. That hefty price tag immediately put the program’s new digs among the top facilities in the country.
"This is state-of-the-art. It's second to none," Fitzgerald boasted at the one spring practice the team held in their sparkling new building. "Somebody may build something bigger. But nobody's going to build anything nicer in a better location.
“It's a game-changer for us . . . and we're just getting started. So very thankful. The word that comes to mind is gratitude. We have such gratitude for the commitment and for the support. Our ability to prepare now has gone up to a whole other level. We're just so thankful. It's unbelievable."
Ryan Fieldhouse, which writers and fans have been calling the “Taj Fitz”, is a modern structure of glass and steel that includes an indoor field with 87-foot ceilings, a weight room, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, the team’s locker room and a medical training facility. In all, the building will house about 470,000 feet of space that will be utilized by football and several other Wildcat teams.
The views would make a realtor blush. The building sits on the shore of Lake Michigan so its floor-to-ceiling windows include views of waves rolling onto the sandy beach, with Chicago’s picture-postcard skyline visible to the south. It’s not a bad backdrop for doing wind sprints.
The building will also provide a lot of eye candy for potential Northwestern recruits, who were touring the facility in hard hats for months before it opened.
"Sometimes pictures are better than the actual facility," said athletic director Jim Phillips. "This is the other way around. I don't think pictures do this place justice."
Fitzgerald thinks that the new facility is just the beginning for Northwestern, which, despite 27 wins over the last three years, still has a long way to go.
“I’m going to challenge everybody that touches our program to step it up,” he said, raising his voice. “The university has stepped it up. I think we’ve stepped it up on the field. We all now need to collectively step up the program.”
OFFENSE
There’s no question that Northwestern has one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, if not the country, in Clayton Thorson. The mystery is whether he’ll be ready to start the season.
The fifth-year senior, who has started the last 39 games for the Wildcats, tore his ACL in Northwestern’s 24-23 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky last Dec. 29. He had surgery in January, less than seven months before the Wildcats’ opener at Purdue on Aug. 30, so it’s possible that Thorson won’t be ready until the end of September.
If Thorson isn’t ready to go, his replacement will be green. The three backups vying for the job are sophomore walkon T.J. Green, sophomore Aidan Smith and redshirt freshman Andrew Marty. The three have combined for one career pass attempt, by Green, the son of former NFL QB Trent Green. More of a game manager-type, Green may have the inside track going into the fall.
If the Wildcats have to rely more than expected on the running game early in the season, they should be in good shape, despite losing all-time leading rusher Justin Jackson to graduation. Sophomore Jeremy Larkin, a shifty, gliding back who dazzled fans with some explosive runs last season as Jackson’s primary understudy, looks primed to take over the No. 1 spot. John Moten IV, Jesse Brown and promising true freshman Isaiah Bowser also figure to be in the mix.
Those backs will run behind an offensive line that returns four starters. The front wall was a liability early in the 2017 season, but they improved as the season progressed and the Wildcats’ offense found its stride. Tackle Blake Hance and guards Tommy Doles and J.B. Butler are entering their third season as starters, while tackle Rashawn Slater will be in his second. The only newcomer will be at center, where former tackle Jared Thomas will likely win the job.
Cameron Green developed into a weapon in the passing game last season, catching 20 passes and two touchdowns as a superback, Northwestern’s sexy name for tight end. Green will be the inline tight end, while Trey Pugh will flex to the slot or in the backfield.
Northwestern has a host of familiar names at wide receiver. Solomon Vault returns after missing a year because of an Achilles tear, and his speed will help stretch the field for an offense searching for big plays. Flynn Nagel will continue to be the go-to guy in the slot, while Bennett Skowronek is one of those tall, possession receivers who knows how to use his body to outmuscle defensive backs for position. Also look for Riley Lees to play a bigger role as another shifty inside receiver.
DEFENSE
Northwestern lost some key players on defense, most notably a 300-pound monster at defensive tackle and a pair of safeties who anchored the secondary. But the Wildcats have players with the talent, if not experience, to fill those roles, and once again their front seven should be stout against the run. The goal will be to cut down on the number of explosion plays they surrendered last season.
At defensive tackle, the Wildcats have quick and explosive senior Jordan Thompson, who was the sidekick to the graduated Tyler Lancaster last year. Filling Lancaster’s extra-wide shoes will most likely be Alex Miller, a rotational tackle who will step into a bigger role this year. The strength up front will be the defensive ends, who are strong against the run but can also get after the passer. Joe Gaziano led the Big Ten with nine sacks a season ago, and he will be bookended by Samdup Miller, Alex’s younger brother, who was a force as a true freshman last season and will only get better as he gains experience and strength. Trent Goens, who racked up four sacks in a limited role a year ago, will be the first DE off the bench.
Northwestern’s defensive leader will be middle linebacker Paddy Fisher, who was a revelation last season as a redshirt freshman, leading the team with 113 tackles. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Fisher is big enough to plug holes between the tackles but also has the speed to make plays sideline-to-sideline. He twice registered 18 or more tackles in a game last season. Flanking Fisher will be Nate Hall, the fastest linebacker of the bunch who suffered an ACL injury during bowl practice last December but is expected to be ready for the season. Nate Fox will most likely win the battle to replace Brett Walsh at weakside linebacker, but look for Blake Gallagher and true freshman Khalid Jones to get some playing time as well.
In the secondary, starters Montre Hartage and Trae Williams both return at cornerback. Hartage is the Wildcats’ best cover corner and leads all returnees with three interceptions and seven PBUs last season. Williams returned from a knee injury last season to nail down a starting job. Alonzo Mayo and Roderick Campbell will give the unit depth.
The Wildcats lost starting safeties Godwin Igwebuike and Kyle Queiro to graduation but have a couple experienced players ready to step up. Jared McGee has been a nickel back and spot starter the last couple seasons and J.R. Pace showed big-play potential as a true freshman, racking up two interceptions last season in limited action. Redshirt freshmen Travis Whillock and Bryce Jackson should also carve out niches on the two-deep.
Lindy's makes you follow a pretty rigid structure. There are a few features and then a lot of nuts-and-bolts about who is playing where. As true-purple fans, I don't think there is a lot new here for you, but you might want to pay particular attention to the depth chart -- those were all verified with sources.
FYI, I am posting this in multiple messages because of the character limit. Here it is...
MAIN FEATURE
Northwestern has long lagged behind its Big Ten rivals and just about every other major program in the country when it came to facilities. Not anymore.
The Wildcats this spring unveiled their spectacular new Ryan Fieldhouse indoor practice facility, which is part of a larger $270-million Walter Athletics Center. That hefty price tag immediately put the program’s new digs among the top facilities in the country.
"This is state-of-the-art. It's second to none," Fitzgerald boasted at the one spring practice the team held in their sparkling new building. "Somebody may build something bigger. But nobody's going to build anything nicer in a better location.
“It's a game-changer for us . . . and we're just getting started. So very thankful. The word that comes to mind is gratitude. We have such gratitude for the commitment and for the support. Our ability to prepare now has gone up to a whole other level. We're just so thankful. It's unbelievable."
Ryan Fieldhouse, which writers and fans have been calling the “Taj Fitz”, is a modern structure of glass and steel that includes an indoor field with 87-foot ceilings, a weight room, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, the team’s locker room and a medical training facility. In all, the building will house about 470,000 feet of space that will be utilized by football and several other Wildcat teams.
The views would make a realtor blush. The building sits on the shore of Lake Michigan so its floor-to-ceiling windows include views of waves rolling onto the sandy beach, with Chicago’s picture-postcard skyline visible to the south. It’s not a bad backdrop for doing wind sprints.
The building will also provide a lot of eye candy for potential Northwestern recruits, who were touring the facility in hard hats for months before it opened.
"Sometimes pictures are better than the actual facility," said athletic director Jim Phillips. "This is the other way around. I don't think pictures do this place justice."
Fitzgerald thinks that the new facility is just the beginning for Northwestern, which, despite 27 wins over the last three years, still has a long way to go.
“I’m going to challenge everybody that touches our program to step it up,” he said, raising his voice. “The university has stepped it up. I think we’ve stepped it up on the field. We all now need to collectively step up the program.”
OFFENSE
There’s no question that Northwestern has one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, if not the country, in Clayton Thorson. The mystery is whether he’ll be ready to start the season.
The fifth-year senior, who has started the last 39 games for the Wildcats, tore his ACL in Northwestern’s 24-23 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky last Dec. 29. He had surgery in January, less than seven months before the Wildcats’ opener at Purdue on Aug. 30, so it’s possible that Thorson won’t be ready until the end of September.
If Thorson isn’t ready to go, his replacement will be green. The three backups vying for the job are sophomore walkon T.J. Green, sophomore Aidan Smith and redshirt freshman Andrew Marty. The three have combined for one career pass attempt, by Green, the son of former NFL QB Trent Green. More of a game manager-type, Green may have the inside track going into the fall.
If the Wildcats have to rely more than expected on the running game early in the season, they should be in good shape, despite losing all-time leading rusher Justin Jackson to graduation. Sophomore Jeremy Larkin, a shifty, gliding back who dazzled fans with some explosive runs last season as Jackson’s primary understudy, looks primed to take over the No. 1 spot. John Moten IV, Jesse Brown and promising true freshman Isaiah Bowser also figure to be in the mix.
Those backs will run behind an offensive line that returns four starters. The front wall was a liability early in the 2017 season, but they improved as the season progressed and the Wildcats’ offense found its stride. Tackle Blake Hance and guards Tommy Doles and J.B. Butler are entering their third season as starters, while tackle Rashawn Slater will be in his second. The only newcomer will be at center, where former tackle Jared Thomas will likely win the job.
Cameron Green developed into a weapon in the passing game last season, catching 20 passes and two touchdowns as a superback, Northwestern’s sexy name for tight end. Green will be the inline tight end, while Trey Pugh will flex to the slot or in the backfield.
Northwestern has a host of familiar names at wide receiver. Solomon Vault returns after missing a year because of an Achilles tear, and his speed will help stretch the field for an offense searching for big plays. Flynn Nagel will continue to be the go-to guy in the slot, while Bennett Skowronek is one of those tall, possession receivers who knows how to use his body to outmuscle defensive backs for position. Also look for Riley Lees to play a bigger role as another shifty inside receiver.
DEFENSE
Northwestern lost some key players on defense, most notably a 300-pound monster at defensive tackle and a pair of safeties who anchored the secondary. But the Wildcats have players with the talent, if not experience, to fill those roles, and once again their front seven should be stout against the run. The goal will be to cut down on the number of explosion plays they surrendered last season.
At defensive tackle, the Wildcats have quick and explosive senior Jordan Thompson, who was the sidekick to the graduated Tyler Lancaster last year. Filling Lancaster’s extra-wide shoes will most likely be Alex Miller, a rotational tackle who will step into a bigger role this year. The strength up front will be the defensive ends, who are strong against the run but can also get after the passer. Joe Gaziano led the Big Ten with nine sacks a season ago, and he will be bookended by Samdup Miller, Alex’s younger brother, who was a force as a true freshman last season and will only get better as he gains experience and strength. Trent Goens, who racked up four sacks in a limited role a year ago, will be the first DE off the bench.
Northwestern’s defensive leader will be middle linebacker Paddy Fisher, who was a revelation last season as a redshirt freshman, leading the team with 113 tackles. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Fisher is big enough to plug holes between the tackles but also has the speed to make plays sideline-to-sideline. He twice registered 18 or more tackles in a game last season. Flanking Fisher will be Nate Hall, the fastest linebacker of the bunch who suffered an ACL injury during bowl practice last December but is expected to be ready for the season. Nate Fox will most likely win the battle to replace Brett Walsh at weakside linebacker, but look for Blake Gallagher and true freshman Khalid Jones to get some playing time as well.
In the secondary, starters Montre Hartage and Trae Williams both return at cornerback. Hartage is the Wildcats’ best cover corner and leads all returnees with three interceptions and seven PBUs last season. Williams returned from a knee injury last season to nail down a starting job. Alonzo Mayo and Roderick Campbell will give the unit depth.
The Wildcats lost starting safeties Godwin Igwebuike and Kyle Queiro to graduation but have a couple experienced players ready to step up. Jared McGee has been a nickel back and spot starter the last couple seasons and J.R. Pace showed big-play potential as a true freshman, racking up two interceptions last season in limited action. Redshirt freshmen Travis Whillock and Bryce Jackson should also carve out niches on the two-deep.
