Where we stand post-Washington debacle

[Baz=Heisman]

The bye is well needed. We have zero margin for error now. Must beat IU next at home, Maryland on the road, Wisconsin at home and then Purdue on the road later in the season to bowl. None of the others feel winnable if we’re being honest. And this is assuming Cam plays and is Cam again. We don’t force turnovers like we did last year because of limited CB depth and our quarterbacks appear to be extremely limited.

 

[freewillie07]

This does not look like a team that will bowl, let’s be honest.

Maybe the bye and getting some guys healthy will rejuvenate them. We will see.

At this point I’m resigned to a 4-8 type season with the defense helping win a couple more as Lausch continues to take his lumps. I’m still not convinced he is the guy but he’s trying.

 

[DaCat]

QB play 8-27 53yds 0 TD/2 int is not gonna cut it. This is about as atrocious of QB play as we have ever seen.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

QB play 8-27 53yds 0 TD/2 int is not gonna cut it. This is about as atrocious of QB play as we have ever seen.

That line is far from exclusively on the QB.

 

[FanatiCat]

This does not look like a team that will bowl, let’s be honest.

Maybe the bye and getting some guys healthy will rejuvenate them. We will see.

At this point I’m resigned to a 4-8 type season with the defense helping win a couple more as Lausch continues to take his lumps. I’m still not convinced he is the guy but he’s trying.

Agree. We fought to a 7-5 season last year and that was with Bryant for most of the season. Our run is harder this year with OSU and Mich, a stronger Illinois team, probably stronger Maryland team and an Indiana scoring machine that I don’t see us keeping up with. So if Indy, Mich and OSU are almost certain losses, we absolutely have to beat Maryland again, Purdue, then 2/3 of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois. Seems less likely than last year unless our OL gets healthier AND it just clicks for Lausch and/or Wright over the bye week.

 

[Southport Cat]

That line is far from exclusively on the QB.

Mostly on the other units, frankly. He held the ball too long on several occasions and this was his biggest sin. Damn near double digit drops, and exactly zero quality plays made by the WR/TEs. Hard to imagine Kirtz or Johnson grades out as anything other than an F when the game film is reviewed.

 

[Jaguar 88]

The bye is well needed. We have zero margin for error now. Must beat IU next at home, Maryland on the road, Wisconsin at home and then Purdue on the road later in the season to bowl. None of the others feel winnable if we’re being honest. And this is assuming Cam plays and is Cam again. We don’t force turnovers like we did last year because of limited CB depth and our quarterbacks appear to be extremely limited.

IU and Maryland look really good and unless we have a divine intervention with our quarterbacks, then both will be losses. Purdue is the only team that I think is beatable of the 4 you have listed. Wisconsin is a toss up and it all hinges on vast improvement on our part. Right now I think my alma mater of EMU can beat the Cats at this point.

 

[CatManTrue]

The bye is well needed. We have zero margin for error now. Must beat IU next at home, Maryland on the road, Wisconsin at home and then Purdue on the road later in the season to bowl. None of the others feel winnable if we’re being honest. And this is assuming Cam plays and is Cam again. We don’t force turnovers like we did last year because of limited CB depth and our quarterbacks appear to be extremely limited.

If Cam Porter is badly injured then NU may finish 2-10.

We knew the offense would be bad with the QB situation… and it is tough to watch without #1.

I will watch the tape instead of NFL games tomorrow. The box score is brutal.

Hopefully Porter is alright. If not, letting Tyus go to Ohio was a much bigger loss than Sullivan as @IGNORE2 predicted

 

[phatcat]

QB play 8-27 53yds 0 TD/2 int is not gonna cut it. This is about as atrocious of QB play as we have ever seen.

There were a number of key drops, but he did look like Cole Freeman running around back there

 

[hdhntr1]

QB play 8-27 53yds 0 TD/2 int is not gonna cut it. This is about as atrocious of QB play as we have ever seen.

Second INT definitely not on him. And without the drops everything looks a lot better. Not great but a lot better

 

[Just Gary]

I will definitely agree that the team does not look like a bowl team and it is difficult to see us having a viable offense. But, I am not yet ready to throw in the towel after our first away game, 2000 miles from home, with a QB that had only 1 career start against a FBS school and our starting running back out of the game. I expected to lose this one and so the final result is not surprising. We will see how they respond after a week off and playing back at home against an Indiana team that has put up some big numbers. Unfortunately, the B1G teams we are facing this year, except for Purdue, have had some really good results . The only way we can pull out victories is to play incredible defense and opportunistic offense. The best thing for our future is to stick with Lausch and to let him grow.

 

[Skunkpilot]

These receivers dropping the balls are almost shocked to see the ball coming to them. Wright did get the ball out a lot faster than lausch. He threw to open areas as well. Lausch takes forever to get the ball out and throws into together windows. Both through ugly balls. Give hillinski a shot. How bad could he be?

 

[NU Houston]

Give hillinski a shot. How bad could he be?

He's not the answer. He came in briefly in the bowl game last season and did not look good. Wildly inaccurate throws, like bouncing passes five feet in front of receivers and launching them over their heads.

Lausch will improve. There's an adjustment period, same as with Caleb Williams with the Bears.

 

[olshin]

That line is far from exclusively on the QB.

Correct.
But also correct is that the game is moving way too fast for him right now. And particularly damning that he's the best option.

 

[Baz=Heisman]

I’m very much getting 2019 vibes to this point. Good defense, solid special teams but major QB issues. The Indiana game will likely tell us how the rest of the season will go.

I do still want to see Lausch with a healthy Cam, in his second conference start, before I’m ready to declare that he doesn’t have it. However, if he doesn’t, and Aiden Gray is healthy (not sure if his injury was season-ending - maybe someone knows?) I’d give him a shot.

 

[NUCat320]

Correct.
But also correct is that the game is moving way too fast for him right now. And particularly damning that he's the best option.

I mean, it’s a Northwestern quarterback. After a long run of really-goodness we’re in a decade of putridity. Hopefully that can be shaken off.

What’s apparent is that NU is dead if NU can’t figure out the transfer game.

None of IU’s QB, or top five ball carriers, or top five receivers were with the program last season. They’re mostly brought in from JMU (head coach) and Ohio (OC, I assume), with I think a UNC guy and a Wake guy. Now, IU has gone from laughingstock to seeming powerhouse in one offseason…I guess long-term success depends on whether they’re following the Mel Tucker plan or not.


I’ll say, my favorite play of the game was what I believe to be Lausch’s final completion. A quick bubble screen to the right, probably Henning. Washington knew exactly what was coming and Lang was making an “omg I didn’t get to my guy quickly enough” gesture before the tackle was even complete. Felt like a nice microcosm of an ass-kicking.


Anyway, not enough talent on this roster. Winless in conference is more likely than a bowl.

 

[DaCat]

That line is far from exclusively on the QB.

It all begins with the QB play.

 

[DaCat]

The only way we can pull out victories is to play incredible defense and opportunistic offense.

Voila! Complementary football.

Which means if the defense gets a turnover deep in enemy territory, the offense cashes in with a TD. We didn’t do that against Wash. Lujan and his crew needs to do better.

 

[Baz=Heisman]

I mean, it’s a Northwestern quarterback. After a long run of really-goodness we’re in a decade of putridity. Hopefully that can be shaken off.

What’s apparent is that NU is dead if NU can’t figure out the transfer game.

None of IU’s QB, or top five ball carriers, or top five receivers were with the program last season. They’re mostly brought in from JMU (head coach) and Ohio (OC, I assume), with I think a UNC guy and a Wake guy. Now, IU has gone from laughingstock to seeming powerhouse in one offseason…I guess long-term success depends on whether they’re following the Mel Tucker plan or not.


I’ll say, my favorite play of the game was what I believe to be Lausch’s final completion. A quick bubble screen to the right, probably Henning. Washington knew exactly what was coming and Lang was making an “omg I didn’t get to my guy quickly enough” gesture before the tackle was even complete. Felt like a nice microcosm of an ass-kicking.


Anyway, not enough talent on this roster. Winless in conference is more likely than a bowl.

Agreed on the transfer comment but the Indiana powerhouse comment is comical. They’ve played no one of substance. Yeah, they’ve been the hell out of the teams they’ve played, and that’s a credit to them, but their QB is a 6th year guy. It’s not like he’s going to be there for 2 more years…

 

[AdamOnFirst]

I really think that if anybody watched that game last night and thinks the number 1 problem is QB play that I question their feel for the game.

Smith did break down one play though where Lausch whiffed on seeing an open TE over the middle in front of him as he got a little pressure, if the film revealed a lot more of that that would be an exception

 

[phatcat]

Not great but a lot better

Like 12/27 for 120 yds with a TD and an Int? Still pretty terrible

 

[cattul]

Like 12/27 for 120 yds with a TD and an Int? Still pretty terrible

Just to put things in perspective regarding 2nd year starting quarterbacks, here are the stats for one of the few guys we’ve thrown into that position during the years I’ve been following the team.

Season Stats:
162 completions / 302 attempts
4 touchdowns
12 interceptions
103.4 QB Rating

That was of course the 2003 season, and the 2nd year guy was Brett Basanez.

I’m not comparing the two players. I’m merely pointing out the obvious fact that QB is a position where experience helps a lot.

 

[hdhntr1]

Like 12/27 for 120 yds with a TD and an Int? Still pretty terrible

Not great but a whole lot better. It would have kept drives going opening up other opportunities and keeping their O off the field and kept us in the game where anything could have happened

 

[hdhntr1]

It all begins with the QB play.

It begins with the OL and at present, that is not a strength

 

[phatcat]

Not great but a whole lot better

I hope you don't mean that this is acceptable. Those numbers would be Iowa bad. This was a dreadful performance at all levels by the offense. We will lose every single game in which the offense performs that poorly

 

[Bwm57]

Hope Cam Porter isn’t out long. Henning and Himon do a good job with their speed, but they aren’t going to be able to run through the middle very often.

 

[Skunkpilot]

We stinks. Period.

 

[FeralFelidae]

That line is far from exclusively on the QB.

It was a team effort, for sure.

 

[Seattle_Cat]

Just to put things in perspective regarding 2nd year starting quarterbacks, here are the stats for one of the few guys we’ve thrown into that position during the years I’ve been following the team.

Season Stats:
162 completions / 302 attempts
4 touchdowns
12 interceptions
103.4 QB Rating

That was of course the 2003 season, and the 2nd year guy was Brett Basanez.

I’m not comparing the two players. I’m merely pointing out the obvious fact that QB is a position where experience helps a lot.

I'm not a QB expert but I was at the game and Lausch seemed totally unable to complete passes that a decent QB could do.

 

[DaCat]

I'm not a QB expert but I was at the game and Lausch seemed totally unable to complete passes that a decent QB could do.

Lausch obviously is not solely to blame for the poor performance by the offense, but his performance was absolutely not close to be being enough to win, and anyone who says otherwise has no feel for the game and lacks basic understanding of how important the play of the QB is. I haven’t given up on him yet, let’s see what the next few games look like.

 

[hdhntr1]

I hope you don't mean that this is acceptable. Those numbers would be Iowa bad. This was a dreadful performance at all levels by the offense. We will lose every single game in which the offense performs that poorly

It is his second start. For a seasoned pro it would not be but for a youngster in his second start in a hostile road environment with no running game, it would be reasonable. And if those passes had not been dropped, it would have kept our O on the field and probably given other opportunities that could have improved those numbers and put us in a position to win

 

[hdhntr1]

I'm not a QB expert but I was at the game and Lausch seemed totally unable to complete passes that a decent QB could do.

It is his second start, his first road start, first conference start, had no running attack, OL losses. He has only been with the first team in practice for about 10-12 days. Definitely not used to the speed of the game at this level. Would we like to see the guy come in and be an immediate stud? Sure but that is not reality. Give him some time to get get the game to slow down for him.

Caleb Williams is the first overall pick and supposedly the Bears franchise QB. He has looked awful through his first two starts. Today was his third and while you see some reason to be hopeful, there were also a lot of bad moments. With the young guys in their first starts, there are a lot of ups and downs. We have seen plenty of that at NU in the early years of our best QBs

 

[Jaguar 88]

He's not the answer. He came in briefly in the bowl game last season and did not look good. Wildly inaccurate throws, like bouncing passes five feet in front of receivers and launching them over their heads.

Lausch will improve. There's an adjustment period, same as with Caleb Williams with the Bears.

If he doesn't improve and the season is lost, I would like to see Boe get some reps. This is on condition that Lausch's receivers actually start catching decently thrown balls on a consistent basis. Lausch wasn't the only one not performing out there.

 

[palbeans]

Second INT definitely not on him. And without the drops everything looks a lot better. Not great but a lot better

First INT was because the receiver fell down (Henning, I think). Several guys slipped and fell on the field.