Notebook: Braun stays tight-lipped about starters ahead of season opener

[lou v]

Here's @mshelton33's story from the first game-week press conference of the year.

WildcatReport - Braun stays tight-lipped about starters ahead of season opener

Northwestern head coach David Braun didn't disclose any position battle winners in his first game-week presser today.

northwestern.rivals.com

 

[Go Catz]

I didn't know about Adeyi's injury. With the loss of Heard, Hollis, Joseph, and now Adeyi, it seems like we're going to be seeing some new faces in the secondary. I will be watching that second corner spot on Saturday; it seems likely that MOH and Gabbert would go after the new guy.

Also a huge bummer to lose Hagarty. I think we've got more guys ready to rotate at DE, so hopefully we can weather that loss and hopefully he's able to get back.

 

[EvanstonCat]

I can’t believe there’s any chance that Wright isn’t the starter, based just on experience alone. Braun can try throwing this curveball but Miami’s DC would be stupid not to assume that Wright isn’t our guy.

 

[phatcat]

I can’t believe there’s any chance that Wright isn’t the starter, based just on experience alone. Braun can try throwing this curveball but Miami’s DC would be stupid not to assume that Wright isn’t our guy.

Yeah, I agree. I wouldn't mind being wrong, and I CAN envision a new OC making a difference; however, it feels like Wright is just better. Lausch had one long run v UTEP, and averaged <2ypc other than that.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

The comments around there being difficulty with administration over the 105 spot roster limit is infuriating.

 

[zeek55]

The comments around there being difficulty with administration over the 105 spot roster limit is infuriating.

I don't think the issue is difficulty in terms of friction, I think the issue is how to scale up from 85 to 105 scholarships and whether to have walk ons or not.

At least that's my read on the situation.

Right now roster is at 111.

 

[techtim72]

I don't think the issue is difficulty in terms of friction, I think the issue is how to scale up from 85 to 105 scholarships and whether to have walk ons or not.

At least that's my read on the situation.

Right now roster is at 111.

I think football won't be increasing scholarship numbers and instead will be under pressure to reduce. The reason is that other sports also are seeing increased scholarship limits per the new NCAA guidelines and will be looking to add. For example, lacrosse, softball and field hockey have been highly successful but to maintain their success likely believe they need more scholarships. NU has a finite budget on what it is willing to spend on athletics and undoubtedly they will be looking to keep overall scholarship costs the same.

 

[FanatiCat]

I think football won't be increasing scholarship numbers and instead will be under pressure to reduce. The reason is that other sports also are seeing increased scholarship limits per the new NCAA guidelines and will be looking to add. For example, lacrosse, softball and field hockey have been highly successful but to maintain their success likely believe they need more scholarships. NU has a finite budget on what it is willing to spend on athletics and undoubtedly they will be looking to keep overall scholarship costs the same.

Will be interesting to see how this affects NU. Could see big increases for field hockey, lacrosse and swimming. The allowed increases are massive. For a cost of attendance over $90K per year, 20 scholarships is almost $2 million per year. Although maybe these are full tuition scholarships and not full cost of attendance.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

Will be interesting to see how this affects NU. Could see big increases for field hockey, lacrosse and swimming. The allowed increases are massive. For a cost of attendance over $90K per year, 20 scholarships is almost $2 million per year. Although maybe these are full tuition scholarships and not full cost of attendance.

Swimming??? Good grief. 🤦‍♂️

 

[FanatiCat]

Swimming??? Good grief. 🤦‍♂️

Swimming is allowed like 20 additional scholarships and we have had Olympian swimmers.

 

[techtim72]

Swimming is allowed like 20 additional scholarships and we have had Olympian swimmers.

That's my point. Every sport saw a major increase in the max scholarships allowed. Elite programs in a sport will likely have the pull to max out scholarships. Then every competing school with a comparable or an up and coming program will want to keep up with the Jone's. There's only so much money for scholarships school wide at a university. Lots of tough decisions.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

Swimming is allowed like 20 additional scholarships and we have had Olympian swimmers.

And six fans.

 

[techtim72]

I like watching the ladies diving - for all the wrong reasons I suppose.

 

[FanatiCat]

That's my point. Every sport saw a major increase in the max scholarships allowed. Elite programs in a sport will likely have the pull to max out scholarships. Then every competing school with a comparable or an up and coming program will want to keep up with the Jone's. There's only so much money for scholarships school wide at a university. Lots of tough decisions.

I’m afraid this will only make the year round traveling youth sports cabal a bigger industry - if there are tons more schollies available even in non revenue sports, so many will see that as a ticket to ride. I was not attuned to this. You really should have your kid work on being great at an obscure sport rather than football or basketball. The “stunt”’team can now go from 14 to 65 scholarships which is the biggest jump in the NCAA.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

And six fans.

Are you counting Bob in those six?

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I’m afraid this will only make the year round traveling youth sports cabal a bigger industry - if there are tons more schollies available even in non revenue sports, so many will see that as a ticket to ride. I was not attuned to this. You really should have your kid work on being great at an obscure sport rather than football or basketball. The “stunt”’team can now go from 14 to 65 scholarships which is the biggest jump in the NCAA.

No way they increase scholarships to the maximum in those non-revenue sports. They still need to deal with Title IV.

The more likely outcome is elimination of many non-revenue sports ( especially Men) and focus on a few sports where you can excel. School will get a reputation as a “baseball school”, a “wrestling school”, a “swimming school” etc. as an example , if the schools in the South and West have a full allocation to baseball, many schools in the North like NU would be foolish to fund the sport. They couldn’t compete. It will be hard to keep all of the non-revenue sports and doing so would increase costs of Title IV compliance where some Women’s sports may have third string players on full scholarships.

 

[IGNORE2]

Are you counting Bob in those six?

Because there are sooooo many WBB non-family and friends fans…

MBB and FB are the only Revenue sports. All the rest are equal. Equally challenging to compete while maintaining a high student status. Equally challenging to achieve elite level so to earn the recognition of a D1 schollie.

With NIL, I say direct more school budget to nonrevenue and let the boosters pay the revenue players.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Because there are sooooo many WBB non-family and friends fans…

MBB and FB are the only Revenue sports. All the rest are equal. Equally challenging to compete while maintaining a high student status. Equally challenging to achieve elite level so to earn the recognition of a D1 schollie.

With NIL, I say direct more school budget to nonrevenue and let the boosters pay the revenue players.

Boosters don’t pay for anything but facilities at NU.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

That's my point. Every sport saw a major increase in the max scholarships allowed. Elite programs in a sport will likely have the pull to max out scholarships. Then every competing school with a comparable or an up and coming program will want to keep up with the Jone's. There's only so much money for scholarships school wide at a university. Lots of tough decisions.

Swimming isn’t what brings in the nine figure annual TV dollars

 

[Pulmocat]

And six fans.

Yeah, only 285,202 fans attended US nationals this year. The largest single session crowd was north of 22, 000