Closing Arguments - Northwestern
by Hilary Lee on Aug 24, 2010 7:15 AM CDT
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"...Everybody wrote us off. Everybody... But there are still a few out there who believe in you."
-- Coach Eric Taylor
I. Case History/Opening Argument
The story with Northwestern football this year is the same as it is in every pre-season in recent memory. The drive for a bowl win. The search for respectability, both within and out of the conference. The first post-season victory in 61 years. That's all we fans ask. And, honestly, is it all that much to ask?
No matter how many winning seasons Fitz puts together, how many appearances in any bowl not held in Detroit the Wildcats make, or how many vague memories of late 90s glory we fans may hold, it's all worthless without a bowl win. Why? Because the media doesn't take you seriously if you can't produce victories where it counts, where the whole of the college football world is watching (or at least, that portion which is up at 10am and not ridiculously hungover on New Years Day). It doesn't matter if you can crush the undefeated hopes and ankles of the conference's golden team in a single spectacular play, or if you can bounce back from a dismal season start to leapfrog a (possibly, though, not really) more deserving team for a prestigious New Years Day bowl slot. Winners write the history, as they say, and without the wins, your team is a mere footnote.
And the Wildcats have come oh so close in recent years. Cardiac comebacks with record setting offensive performances... incredible plays, which only led to incredible disappointment. But surely this can't continue forever, can it? Surely the Chicago area can't support two post-season cursed sports franchises? This has to be the year, right?
So is this really the year? Will Northwestern finally end their drought? My honest answer is that I don't know. I am this year, as I always am, a pre-season optimist. I see nothing but sunshine and kittens on the horizon until my team sees fit to let me down. And yet, the realist portion of me knows that the Wildcats are experiencing some changes, most notably under center, that serve to cast a cloud over the future.
For a school that relies primarily on a throw-happy spread offense, it's never easy to switch quarterbacks, especially to one whose arm strength and durability are a serious question. It could be that the loss of Mike Kafka to the NFL dooms this team to a year of mediocrity. Or it could be that the combo of Fitzgerald and Dan Persa stuns everyone and leads this squad to the promised land we Cats fans dream of. And then there's always the wildcard of a vastly improved run game for 2010 that Coach Fitz has hiding up his sleeve...
Ladies and gentleman of the Jury, I rise in defense of my client, Northwestern University. Some may have told you that this will be a down year for the Wildcats. Opposing counsel may have filled your head with images of a sorry squad that will have to scratch and claw its way to even a Detroit bowl game. You may have even been so misled as to believe that without the rocket arm of Mike Kafka under center the entirety of Northwestern's offense will fall apart. But I ask, I plead, that you not be deceived.
It is true that Dan Persa, at first blush, does not seem to be up to the task of equaling Kafka's offensive potential. But you must not forget the most important thing about this team -- our coach is a wizard. Seriously. Just ask Iowa fans.
In support of this premise, I offer you the following facts.
Let's take a trip back to 2008. That year, Mike Kafka filled in for C.J. Bacher in two games. He played in five others, but only had meaningful passing chances in games against Minnesota (where he's mostly remembered for his running) and Ohio State. His stats in those two games average out to:
160 passing yards / game, 1 passing TD / game, 1.5 INT / game, 150 rushing yards / game, .5 rushing TD / game.
Projected out to a 13 game season in 2009 (including a bowl game) his season stats would be:
2,080 passing yards, 13 passing TDs, 19.5 INT, 1,950 rushing yards, and 6.5 rushing TDs
His actual 2009 stats (also over 13 games)?
3,430 passing yards, 16 passing TDs, 12 INT (worth noting that five came in the bowl game alone, so he only had seven on the regular season), 295 rushing yards, and 8 rushing TDs.
In other words, Mike Kafka was a vastly improved QB from an offensive perspective in 2009 than what any football fan could have predicted he would be from his limited action in the 2008 season. Dan Persa may offer a similar profile this year.
His snippets of playing time filling in for an injured Kafka during the Penn State and Iowa games would suggest a season with passing yard totals in the 1,200 range, and passing TDs in the single digits. Yet, just as Kafka was reported to be working hard on improving his arm in the off-season prior to the 2009 campaign, Persa has also been working on his throwing this year. That off-season work that Kafka put in translated to a near 1,500 yard increase from what his projected 2009 stats could be. Even if you remove the insanity of the record setting bowl game from Mike Kafka's stats, you end up with 1,000+ yards that seemed to come out of nowhere. And the truth is, even if Pat Fitzgerald's magic fails to work on Persa, the 'Cats have some intriguing other options in the passing game, including red-shirt freshman Evan Watkins, and true freshman Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian who could potentially grab the reins of the offense.
This is Venric Mark. Take a good look now, because you won't be able to keep up with him during the season.
Beyond the QB hope, Northwestern also has some intriguing developments coming out of the pre-season. Namely, an actual running game. The Wildcats look to start the 2010 season with a RB-by-committee approach of "I'm thinking Arby" Arby Fields, mid-season standout "Who the hell is that guy?" Scott Concannon, and "Evanston's version of a mini John Clay" Jacob Schmidt. Drake Dunsmore (mostly remembered for dragging an Auburn defender almost all the way into the end-zone on a game tying Outback Bowl catch) will also be returning in a hybrid TE / RB role.
The most exciting new entry to that crew is RB freshman Adonis Smith. Smith is a former three star recruit who was once ranked #62 at his position while in high school. For Northwestern, this is the type of player that doesn't come around all that often. Indeed, the most recent RB that Northwestern has had of Smith's caliber was former #59 ranked Tyrell Sutton, who finished his career at NU as the school's number two all time rusher with 3,883 yards. Yeah. That's what we might be looking at if Smith plays anywhere near what he is capable of. His contributions may not materialize until the 2011-2012 seasons, but I'm excited for his impact either way.
Though the 'Cats have lost walk-on standout Zeke Markshausen, they do have some add-ons to the receiving game that will hopefully help make up for the difference. Returning junior Jeremy Ebert will most likely fill Markshausen's role, but I would draw your attention to Venric Mark (pictured above). I'm not sure if he will show up in the receiving game at the start of the season, but he will definitely be making an impact on Northwestern's special teams almost from the get-go. Either way, I expect him to be a significant piece of the team this year.
So, even though it looks like Northwestern has lost a lot of play makers heading into this season, they've also reloaded in some very surprising ways that may alter the shape of the Wildcat offense. The defense is currently much more uncertain -- the losses of Sherrick McManis and Corey Wootton to the NFL will certainly impact the team, but it's too early to say if the rest of the defense and the new additions can pick up the slack or not. Next to Purdue and/or Indiana, this team might be one of the biggest surprises of the conference in 2010.
II. Factual Summation, or Discovery, as the Barristers Might Say
A. Off Tackle Empire Says
Here's some of what we've written about the Wildcats over the off-season:
- Evaluating the Mechanics of Big Ten Quarterbacks: Dan Persa, Northwestern
- Spring Field Guide
- Big Ten 2010: Keeping the Enemy Close
- Northwestern's Achilles Heel: Running the Ball
- Northwestern Blogger Roundtable
- Northwestern in the Aughts
- Northwestern Women's Lacrosse: Inside an Unlikely Dynasty
B. Northwestern's Got the Magic
As mentioned above, Pat Fitzgerald is a wizard. Literally. So it only seemed appropriate that our pop music analogy feature the latest catchy tune from artist B.O.B. entitled, "Magic." Hopefully Coach Fitz will work his magic over the throwing arm of Dan Persa this year.
Some lyrics:
I kick it like Adidas, flowin' sticky like adhesive
Be cautious, 'cause what I be on'll leave you with amnesia
I break all the rules like Evel Knievel
It's a spectacular show, 'cause my heart pumps diesel
So whatever you saying, it don't entertain my ego
I do this everyday, Hocus Pocus is my steelo
I got the magic in me (I got the magic, baby)
Everytime I touch that track it turns into gold (Yes it turns to gold)
Everybody knows I've got the magic in me (I got the magic, baby)
When I hit the floor the girls come snapin' at me (They be snappin' baby)
Now everybody wants a burst of magic
Magic, magic, magic
Magic, magic, magic
Magic, magic, magic
(ahoo)
I got the magic in me!
III. Emotional Plea
A. The Northwestern Challenge
I challenge you to not write Northwestern off this year if they suffer early losses to teams like Central Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. Oh, sure, their second half schedule (@ PSU, vs. Iowa, @ Wisconsin) isn't exactly laden with cupcakes, but they went into that same group last year and came away with two victories and a trip to the Outback Bowl. You never know what might happen.
Here are the three games I'm most looking forward to:
Northwestern v. Iowa (Nov. 13)
Always a good match-up, Northwestern will look to repeat its success against what will once again be one of the heavyweights of the Big Ten. Can Northwestern do to Iowa at home what they did to them at Kinnick last year? I'm excited to find out.
Football returns here on November 20th...
Northwestern vs. Illinois (Nov. 20th)
Two words: Wrigley Field. Yes my friends, this is the game that will be played in the friendly confines on the North Side of Chicago. It might even start a tradition. Even though the game is against lowly Illinois, it is probably the match-up I'm looking forward to the most this season.
Northwestern at Wisconsin (Nov. 27th)
The last game of the season. The Wildcats may have a bowl spot on the line, and the Badgers may have a BCS spot or Big Ten championship to claim. And it gives me an excuse to make a trip to Camp Randall. Behind walking down Sheffield to Wrigley in the crisp fall air, spending a Saturday in Madison is right up there for me on the list of best ways to spend a Saturday afternoon.
A. The Staff Calls the Games
Jonathan Franz:
7-5 (3-5) with losses to Purdue, MSU, PSU, Iowa, Wisconsin
Graham Filler:
6-6 (3-5) with losses to Vanderbilt, Minnesota, Indiana, PSU, Iowa, Wisconsin
Bama Hawkeye:
6-6 (2-6) with losses to Minnesota, Purdue, MSU, PSU, Iowa, Wisconsin
Paterno Ave:
10-2 (6-2) with losses to MSU, Wisconsin
Jerdogg1:
7-5 (3-5) with losses to Purdue, MSU, PSU, Iowa, Wisconsin
GregGoBlue:
8-4 (4-4) with losses to Purdue, PSU, Iowa, Wisconsin
Hilary Lee:
8-4 (4-4) with losses to Purdue, MSU, PSU, Wisconsin
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Yes, he is a wizard
He once made a 35 point second half lead disappear.
And Graham, get off the peyote, there’s no way a Vandy team that lost to Army last year beats Northwestern.
but it makes me giddy
until the crashhh
Off Tackle Empire
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
by Graham Filler on Aug 24, 2010 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions
On predictions
Obviously nuftw’s FanPost about pundits is well worth reading, but out of curiosity, I asked the Google about how this illustrious website (or, its previous incarnations) has been doing.
2008:
TRE Predicted: 6-6 (3-5)
Actual Finish: 9-3 (5-3)
2009:
TRE Predicted: Graham – 6-6 (2-6), Law Buckeye – 6-6 (2-6), Bama Hawkeye – 7-5 (3-5)
Actual Finish: 8-4 (5-3)
And now, we’ve got Jonathan, Graham, and Bama Hawkeye predicting… basically, the same thing.
It’s not that I don’t love you guys. This site is fantastic. I’m just feeling like my team is a little underrated, that’s all. I’d think recent success would outweigh stuff that happened 30 years ago.
And Paterno Ave, if that’s exactly what our season looks like, I’m buying you a drink.
If it weren’t for Purdue fumbling 6 times or IU’s meltdown, they would have been right on the money. NU was very fortunate to be 8-4.
Ever Grateful. Ever True.
True
And if it weren’t for Mike Kafka’s injury against Penn State and the early season injuries against Syracuse (a very winnable game), we’d be at least 9-3, possibly 10-2. That’s the sort of argument our Hawkeye friends like to make, anyway.
But it’s striking that even after playing some very good football (especially at the end of the season), NU is treated like it hasn’t moved forward at all. On defense and offense, this is a dramatically improved team from the 2007 iteration, which went 6-6. But while the team’s trend seems to be going up, in preseason predictions we’ve flatlined at mediocrity.
Um,
I seem to recall a bunch of you, in the aftermath of the Outback Bowl, lamenting how fortunate Auburn was because you had outplayed them and they were gifted a win with all your turnovers. While I think Iowa would have won the game, easily, had Stanzi not gotten injured, that’s not what happened and we lost, in the end the ball bounces both ways. But don’t act as if Northwestern was on the receiving end of a number of fortuitous breaks last year.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Revisionist history...
….a lot of Iowa fans lament the loss of Stanzi (somewhat like you do here, claiming Iowa would have won easily if he had not gotten injured), but conveniently overlook the fact that Kafka did not start the Iowa game due to a hamstring injury….and that then NU lost Persa to a hand injury, meaning a gimply Kafka had to come in and preserve/get the win for NU….so the injury thing goes both ways in that game. (Please note — I’m making no claim that Northwestern would have won that game if Stanzi had stayed healthy….just noting that both teams’ best QBs were sidelined significantly.)
As for receiving fortuitous breaks, Northwestern evened out in that department — the injury-riddled/unlucky team that lost to Syracuse and Minny early in the season (and was leading PSU at the half when Kafka got hurt) got some breaks later against Iowa and Wisconsin. And that Auburn game was an example of the Even Steven principle at work — Auburn benefitted TREMENDOUSLY from NU’s 5 INTs (including one returned for a TD, and another snuffing out another TD/redzone drive), but NU got some fortuitious fumbles (though a lot of them were from aggressive stripping of the ball, which is less luck than skill/effort) too.
In the end, I’d say Auburn though was slightly luckier, given Demos’ kicking misses, which ended up being the difference.
It's not revisionist, it's irrelevant
I think (1) Iowa was a clearly superior team such that (2) it didn’t matter who started for Northwestern until (3) Stanzi went down and our offense took the rest of the day off.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
I think I can speak for all Iowa fans here when I say
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU.
jNW, the 5th fiddle of the Big X.
Um,
Surely the Chicago area can’t support two post-season cursed sports franchises?
I’m pretty sure any picture of Ryan Field on gameday would prove that Chicago does, in fact, only support one post-season cursed team.
No Big Ten team’s, outside of Wisconsin, rise over the past 20 years has been as impressive as Northwestern. A bowl win this season would be huge, the more so because it would guarantee that Northwestern had a winning season, marking the first time since 1931 that the Wildcats had three consecutive winning seasons. Despite all you’ve accomplished, people are going to tend to discount Northwestern until it proves that it can be a consistent winner, not a team that exceeds expectations for 1-2 years then sinks back down to the bottom for the next couple of seasons.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
by HoyaGoon on Aug 24, 2010 9:03 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I know, I know
I’m just an old man complaining about the kids playing on his yard, remembering things from that long ago time known as 2007
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
FAIL
If you as an Iowa fan wants to go back and impugn Northwestern’s history on the field, it might be a good idea to go back a LITTLE farther than 2007, when Iowa and Northwestern had identical 6-6 records……
As for consistency, I’d argue Northwestern is there, or pretty damn close — good young coach who is not going ANYWHERE (and whose first season was his only losing season as a coach, in a year when he took over a few weeks before the season after Randy Walker’s tragic death), a team built for longterm success on depth and experience (thanks in large part to Fitz red-shirting almost every player), improved recruiting, and an administration that is FINALLY starting to support the team/program financially (recent improvements to the stadium sound system, hiring more personnel in marketing/ticket sales, spending on advertising in Chicago area, etc.).
It’s a VERY exciting time to be a Northwestern fan….
Quiet you
Iowa may have been 6-6 that year, but they did beat Northwestern for the only time since 2002. That pretty much makes the season for the Hawkeyes right there.
Northwestern Football - All games decided on the last play or your money back.
No it doesn't
Unlike y’all, we don’t fixate on the Northwestern-Iowa game. I was only referencing 2007 to point out that Northwestern’s “consistency” of winning seasons is incredibly short-lived, one only has to go back three seasons to find a non-winning season. How Iowa did (for the record, poorly) at the same time is irrelevant, we are analyzing Northwestern’s performance. Chad makes a bunch of (rather bold) predictions based on an incredibly small sample size of two seasons, I am only pointing out that Northwestern has yet achieved that level of consistent winner that warrants inclusion in the upper-half of the conference. Are you right on the cusp? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean you’re there yet.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Consistency?
Didn’t Iowa have a 1-10 season not too long ago? I’d say that’s a worse black mark in the consistency column than a couple 6-6 years.
Yes, in 1999
No one is saying that a team’s record won’t fluctuate from season-to-season and, occasionally, have a year that is an outlier. That doesn’t change the fact that for the past 20-30 years, Iowa has consistently been a team with a winning record and frequent bowl game participant. Northwestern has had back-to-back winning seasons exactly twice in that same time frame and many more back-to-back (or more) losing seasons in the same period. That is a lack of consistency. There is nothing inherently good or bad in this, just that if Northwestern wants to make a jump to “the next level”, they need to be a consistent winner.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Yes, Ferentz's first year.
One of his first big conference wins coming back from that tepid season was against Michigan St. You guys look to be pretty good this year with a quarterback that grew up a Hawkeye.
by HawkeyeRecon on Aug 24, 2010 9:23 PM CDT up reply actions
Don't fixate?
Oh come now Hoya. I know you’re more intellectually honest than that. The amount of grief I have heard from Iowa fans over that game is approaching ridiculous levels. The mere fact that you guys even bother to make up a derogatory nickname for Northwestern should be sufficient alone to indicate your fixation.
Off Tackle Empire - Ruling on the Big Ten since 2008.
Well
Indiana made up their own derogatory nickname (what’s a Hoosier again?), Illinois are the Fighting Zookers, Minnesota…actually, we need one yet for Minnesota. Besides, I think the fact that Northwestern’s nickname is derived from the fact that is in fact just a direction, and is also the only Big Ten school smaller than Iowa. Everybody needs a little brother. You can have Western Kentucky.
You see what I did there? Yeeeaaaaaahhhh.
did somebody call my name?
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 24, 2010 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm guessing
most Hoosiers would not say that the term is derogatory….
Off Tackle Empire - Ruling on the Big Ten since 2008.
No, we're dismissive of Northwestern
Which is what causes us so much angst when you (far too regularly) beat us. The fixation is one-sided between you and Lake the Posts.
As an aside, I can understand the glee you get from beating us, especially ruining a perfect season last year, and I don’t begrudge you that. But the same glee you and far too many Northwestern fans seem to take in having injured a key player on Iowa in route to victory just bespeaks a pettiness that is unseemly for any football fan.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Well
Coming from a school whose student section has thrown batteries at visiting marching bands, “unseemly for any football fan” is a little bit of a stretch.
And while it’s obvious that Northwestern benefited from Stanzi’s injury, I think I speak for just about all of us when I say our glee came from beating the #4 team in the country, not from the misfortune of one player. There’s a big difference, and I don’t see anything remotely resembling injury-inspired glee here or in any of Hilary’s other pieces for OTE/TRE.
HoyaGoon, you really seem like a nice guy, but for as much as you claim to not be bothered by Northwestern, our team and our fans seem to have really gotten under your skin. Every time NU comes up or every time there’s a bit of NU-Iowa trash talk (pretty mild really), you and a few select other Iowa fans get defensive and bitter.
You’ve got to know that only encourages it! It’s the internet! It’s a mix of thoughtful discussion and 12-year-old taunting. Speaking from experience as a member of the fan base that sets the standard for overreacting to harmless internet banter (“jNW” really used to get to me), you’re not doing yourself any favors.
The
“crushing the ankles” reference was really just a stylistic turn of phrase for me. I was (and am) excited about the upset victory, not the fact that Stanzi actually got hurt.
Off Tackle Empire - Ruling on the Big Ten since 2008.
Really?
Because an honest reading of the following:
It doesn’t matter if you can crush the undefeated hopes and ankles of the conference’s golden team in a single spectacular play,
would tend to indicate you were rather giddy about both. One really has to contort himself to read it the way you claim.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
I'm the author
Therefore, what I say about the meaning of my words should be taken over any supposed “honest” interpretation of the same. Mistaken construction is fine without an explanation by me (though, frankly, you’ve been reading my writing for a while and should know that I tend to write in such a manner and that I am not a psychopath, or douchebag). But, either way, once clarified by me there is no ambiguity, unless you find me to be untrustworthy, which would just be sad.
Off Tackle Empire - Ruling on the Big Ten since 2008.
I thought we were all post-modernists
therefore original intent doesn’t matter!!!! All the counts is what one can read into it.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
And I believe you
It’s just that your comment above came at time where, in the space of the last couple weeks, I had read a number of comments in various forums from Northwestern fans who expressed pleasure in Stanzi having his ankle “snapped”. Any one or two probably could be ignored/shrugged off, but the combination of all them just rubbed me the wrong way and probably left me more sensitive to it.
And, if you’re completely honest, you have to admit that your wording was inartful to say the least.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
It's not my best
work. I’ll give you that. But I did write the entire thing in the span of two hours basically…
Off Tackle Empire - Ruling on the Big Ten since 2008.
by Hilary Lee on Aug 25, 2010 11:14 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Untrustworthy?
Not after all those bitter complaints about property law finals and bar exams. I trust you to come up with good content and you deliver almost all the time (that is, when you aren’t out for the season with horrific studying sessions). Keep it up.
My kingdom for a spellchecker. Or Devin Harris. Hopefully both.
"What's your formula for the corner?" -Doctor Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
"Ah gravity, thou art a heartless b*tch." --Doctor Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Aug 25, 2010 10:02 PM CDT up reply actions
I LOVE Ryan Field
its basically a home game
More frequently than an alcoholic diabetic, Ohio State pisses excellence, week in and week out
were you there in '06?
when the wildcat got humped in the end zone?
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 24, 2010 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
I was there in '04...
…and saw a different kind of humping. I think Zwick cried a little after. I know the tête-à -tête history, but just couldn’t resist a comment. For some reason I bet Tressel likes missing NU as much as we miss the Bucks these past couple seasons. And for reference, my dad’s been an dOSU season ticket holder since ‘85 and I’ve seen more games at the Shoe in my life than 4 years of not missing a game at Dyche/Ryan. Just don’t bring up molesting Hannibal. It’s not cool…
umm, but it happened. i saw it with my own eyes.
and zwick is as zwick does/did.
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 24, 2010 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Let us not forget 2008
when Tressel LITERALLY winced in pain as we scored ANOTHER TD against that vaunted jNW Defense. Boom runs up the gut to run out the clock, but the kitties just never learned to tackle, six on the board…..
More frequently than an alcoholic diabetic, Ohio State pisses excellence, week in and week out
and everyone called tressel an asshole
for something cheat carroll did every week.
FU Mark May
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 24, 2010 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions
i'm sure there are more things. but most people can agree that he sucks
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 24, 2010 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions
His new little butt-boy name on ESPN's shows: "May-Day."
Espn tossed Trev Alberts for this ass-clown.
by HawkeyeRecon on Aug 24, 2010 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions
trev and may day are about the same in my book
i just can’t resist posting that gif…
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 25, 2010 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions
Hey, now
May’s a step up from Palmer. In fact, he’s this many steps up.
You see what I did there? Yeeeaaaaaahhhh.
yeah, Palmer is a turd
career back up = analyst?
Trev might have stepped down for the dbag throne just because he hasn’t been around to bash OSU every chance he gets since ESPN canned him.
MMay just sucks. As does Pitt. I’d throw out an old blow out score from and OSU/Pitt game but I didn’t go to Penn State.
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 26, 2010 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions
You beat them all of one time
And during the season where Ohio State had more in-conference losses than any other season this decade. And for that you think Tressel is scared of you? Good God, any modicum of success/achievment Northwestern gets and you guys act like you just won the Super Bowl. Which, of course, could never happen, since it’s a bowl game.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Northwestern is now the object of Jim Tressel's scorn
he never burries/blows out/runs up the score on anyone but nerdwestern.
I happen to love Evil Jim when he comes out to play.
Close. It only counts in Horseshoes, hand grenades and Penn State football.
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Aug 24, 2010 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions
take it easy
Io-a Goon… when did you become a Buckeye apologist? I know Senator Tressel isn’t afraid of anybody no matter how conservative he calls a game and everyone will always say NU only has championship years when they don’t play dOSU, etc… I’m a realist. But then the Buckeyes haven’t also faced (dare I say) some of our better, more dangerous NU teams? As our multiple wins in Iowa City show, depending on which team shows up we can be dangerous on any given Saturday to anyone. All we ask is a little respect when we deserve it and the usual scorn when we don’t. Hence the scorn generated from what must be your reoccurring nightmare… the recent results of the NU v. Io-a Ha-keye series and your lack of W’s. And don’t take it before the modern era cause the past is past, but I will, quoting the immortal Hayden Fry when I say, “I hope we didn’t hurt your guys too bad.”
Ryan Field = House of Horrors for Wisconsin football
Trust me, the last few matchups have NOT been pretty. If Wisconsin CAN lose a game, it’s usually that game, and fequently the defense will give up an infinite number of points and the offense will HAVE to dig itself out of a hole to come back, evening the score before Northwestern scores the soul-crushing points as time expires.
My kingdom for a spellchecker. Or Devin Harris. Hopefully both.
"What's your formula for the corner?" -Doctor Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
"Ah gravity, thou art a heartless b*tch." --Doctor Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Aug 24, 2010 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions
I really don't know where to peg Northwestern this year
I don’t think there is a team in the Big Ten that is harder to project. A lot of questions and reasons to give one pause, replacing a lot of starters and relying on that many freshmen to have an impact is an incredibly dicey proposition. On the other hand, Northwestern has an easy schedule that could set them up to be 8-0 entering the last month of the season. I think all predictions on Northwestern’s season are valid until we have some sense of what kind of team they are.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
I'll disagree...
…with Hilary’s preview on the number of freshmen playing big roles — really, the only TRUE freshmen you can peg as playing a role right now is Venric Mark, and he’ll be doing so on KR/PR (where NU has not had anything resembling a threat for years), so it’s a clear plus.
Everywhere else? It’s sophomores (mostly RS sophomores) and juniors (mostly RS juniors)….that’s part of Fitz’s strategy for this team, in fact — aggressively redshirting most players to get them an extra year of practice/weight training/familiarity with the system, playing them on special teams and in reserve roles their RS freshmen year, and then giving them more playing time as they warrant it.
And the scary thing about that plan? If you look at Northwestern’s 2-Deep, they’ll lose almost NO ONE in 2011 from this year’s team: one projected starter on Offense is a senior (WR Sidney Stewart), at most 4 starters on defense are seniors (DL Corbin Bryant, LB Quentin Davie, LB Quentin Williams, and borderline/possible starting CB Justan Vaughn), and only 2 special team starters (LS John Henry Pace and K Stefan Demos). To lose 7 starters out of 24 or so total in all 3 phases? THAT is a recipe for a deep/experienced team for 2011….
Of course, that’s presuming those starters are talented, and perform up to or exceed expectations…..which is maybe what I’m least worried about, given Fitz’s track record for getting his guys to overachieve…
I agree on Venric
as I wrote above. He’ll be in special teams immediately, and may end up in the receiving game despite how things go in that department. I sincerely hope we don’t see one of the freshman QBs (either redshirt or true) taking the majority of snaps because if we do that means either that Dan Persa has sucked enough to warrant that or that he got injured in some horrific fashion. Neither would be good. Unless he sucked and then got injured. Hm.
However, I do think we might be seeing Adonis Smith in the run game. Fields currently has a shoulder injury, and I’m just not sure how effective the RB-by-committee approach is actually going to be. Smith has the potential to be that good. And, to my knowledge, he has yet to be red shirted.
Off Tackle Empire - Ruling on the Big Ten since 2008.
Technically...
…no one is “redshirted” until they fail to appear in a game all season, I think. Hence Fitz’s reluctance in the Outback Bowl in OT to “burn” the shirt of Jeff Budzien (backup K) to fill in for Demos…..
Your point on Smith is taken, but I don’t see him being such an improvement on the current committee (Fields, Concannon, Schmidt, Simmons) to warrant being added to the mix. Remember, Fields may be back in time for Vandy, but really Northwestern should be favored in all of their first four games, regardless of who the RBs are — no need to burn a shirt for a guy you could have for 4 years to fill in for a guy that may miss what are (on paper at least) at most 4 winnable, opening, non-conference games.
One other true freshman to look at — Will Hampton, who apparently is turning heads on the DL…..one position I still think NU needs to do better at in recruiting….
Good point on Adonis
If he’s up to speed, I’d much rather have him as number two on the depth chart rather than Schmidt or Concannon. I think there is much more need to get the run game producing now rather than save his eligibility for years down the road.
Veneic Mark is just scary. He’s reportedly tearing up special teams practice already, and that kind of tackle-breaking ability in NU’s offense built around getting receivers the ball in space could be deadly. If he’s playing on special teams, which I really hope he will be, he may as well go in for some 4 or 5 wide sets. Toss him a screen and see what he can do.
by Batman42 on Aug 24, 2010 12:33 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
The keys to the season
are how Persa handles the offense and how the secondary gels. The O-line is experienced, the receivers always reload effectively and have returning talent, and the running backs are a year wiser and honestly don’t need to do much more if the offense operates similar to last year. Everything I’ve read in the offseason pegs Persa as the hardest working guy on the team (two-time winner of the offseason workout competition), this site likes his mechanics, and he’s been on the team’s leadership council since his freshman year. There isn’t much more you could ask for from a replacement QB.
On defense, the line loses Wootton, who was limited all year, but has enough capable players to run a deep rotation, which should make up for a lack of star power. The LBs return 2 seniors getting preseason All-Big Ten hype with good competition for the third spot. The question mark is the secondary, where the team must replace both safeties and a corner. Due to injuries, junior Brian Peters played about as much as either of the starters. At corner, senior Justan Vaughn should get the other spot, and likely would’ve started the past two years if not for injuries. That leaves RS soph Jared Carpenter at SS, who played some last year. Depth at safety is an issue, but I don’t think NU fans will be having panic attacks whenever the ball goes in the air this year. Leave that for Michigan
by Batman42 on Aug 24, 2010 12:07 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Young Cats
The big unknown for NU will be the development of frosh and soph play makers and their ability to add much needed depth to the roster . Pat is finally getting some impact players from the high school ranks, and if they mature, play within their bounds and learn the system, this group will take them back to Florida on New Year’s with a date against a 8-4 SEC foe.
Clear eyes, full hearts...CAN'T LOSE!
By the way, Hilary, mad props for using a quote from Coach Eric Taylor of the East Dillon Lions as your intro….
Speaking of (and here’s a fanpost worthy topic for you) — if you had to cast Friday Night Lights (all seasons) with personalities from the Big Ten, is Fitz your pick for Coach Taylor? (Young coach, family man, team outperforms expectations)
And isn’t Ricky “USA: Love it or Leave It” Stanzi the unanimous choice to play Tim “Texas Forever!” Riggins?
I’d also accept Rich Rodriguez as Joe McCoy (the man fans love to hate) and Tim Brewster as the new coach of the West Dillon Panthers (a loud rah-rah type, but one who ultimately doesn’t win), just because….
Can't lose!!
I seriously love that show, so it only seemed appropriate for my write up. I guess Fitz could stand in for Taylor, though I’m not sure if he has enough of that down home folksy grit that seems to permeate every sentence uttered by Taylor on that show.
As for Stanzi, maybe, but he would have to be a better bad-boy slight heart throb to really pull it off.
I could totally see RichRod as Joe McCoy though. I hate that dude.
Off Tackle Empire - Ruling on the Big Ten since 2008.
jNW, another year trying...
jNW has done remarkable things the past 20 years. They’ve probably averaged near or at the bottom of Big10 recruiting over that time in the past 20 years. Despite that, they’ve had some big wins over big Big 10 teams in that time. Done things most observers considered unlikely. Gee, they even played Mizzou and Auburn really daggummed close in bowl games. I personally respect what their program and coach have accomplished. I just don’t think they can turn the corner into becoming a top tier Big 10 team. First step doesn’t even involve the rest of the Big 10 though. It’s great jNW has shown they can get to a bowl game sometimes, however they need to WIN ONE! We actually want you to!
if you /really/ respected the program
you’d drop the j. until then…
seriously though, it is good to hear someone from iowa rooting for us. but why oh why can we not turn the corner into the upper b10 echelon? you present no valid arguments!
predicting the ’Cats to be 8-4 (5-3) this season, losses to Central Michigan, Purdue, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Vengeance can be a fickle moron
Northwestern can put up 50 points on one Wisconsin team and then get crushed the next year. It defies logical explanation.
My kingdom for a spellchecker. Or Devin Harris. Hopefully both.
"What's your formula for the corner?" -Doctor Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
"Ah gravity, thou art a heartless b*tch." --Doctor Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Aug 26, 2010 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions
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