2016 B1G Previews: Northwestern Wildcats

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (West Division)

Location: Evanston, IL

Stadium: Ryan Field (47,130)

Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (11^th year): 70-56 at Northwestern/overall, 36-44 v B1G

2015 Northwestern Wildcats (10-3)(6-2)                 2016 Northwestern Wildcats

16        Stanford                        6                                S3        Western Michigan

41        Eastern Illinois               0                                S10      Illinois State

19        at Duke                        10                               S17      Duke

24        Ball State                     19                               S24      Nebraska

27        Minnesota                     0                                O1       at Iowa

  0        at Michigan                  38                               O8

10        Iowa                            40                               O15     at Michigan State

30        at Nebraska                 28                               O22     Indiana

23        Penn State                   21                               O29     at Ohio State

21        Purdue                         14                             

                                                                                   N5        Wisconsin

13        at Wisconsin                  7                                N12      at Purdue

24        at Illinois                      14                                N19      at Minnesota

  6        Tennessee                    45                                N26      Illinois

            (Outback Bowl)

Northwestern is coming off their second 10-win season in four years under Coach Pat Fitzgerald.   Although they lose some experienced players, the good news for the Wildcats starts in the offensive backfield where junior RB Justin Jackson returns.  Jackson is the B1G’s top returning rusher from last season with 1418 yards and 4.5 yards per carry, but with a mere five touchdowns.  He is a tough and shifty runner, who picked up over 1200 yards as a freshman, giving him a shot at the school record held by Tyrell Sutton (3886).  Also returning in the backfield is sophomore dual-threat quarterback Clayton Thorson.  The Northwestern coaching staff has been working on a more consistent passing game, as Thorson completed barely over fifty percent of his throws with just seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.  Senior WR Austin Carr will provide a quick, shifty target for Thorson as he hauled in 16 receptions for 302 yards and two scores.  Junior Solomon Vault and sophomore Flynn Nagel also figure to be heavily involved as the Wildcats aim to improve the downfield passing game.  Vault caught 11 passes and Nagel five in limited playing time last year.  Northwestern has good experience returning up front, led by senior RT Eric Olson, a candidate for all-conference honors.  Beside him will be his classmate Shane Mertz.  Junior center Brad North provides a solid anchor to this unit and is joined on the left side by senior LG Ian Park and sophomore LT Blake Hance.  That this unit can provide solid run blocking is a given.  Coach Fitzgerald hopes they can provide protection so the medium and deep passing game can emerge.

                                            RB Justin Jackson

Northwestern has a solid front seven on defense and it starts on the line with juniors Tyler Lancaster and C.J. Robbins making up a strong tandem at the DT spots.  Lancaster managed 33 stops, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last year, while Robbins garnered 17 tackles.  The ‘Cats also welcome back senior Ifeadi Odenigbo and junior Xavier Washington at the ends.  Out of his 19 tackles, Odenigbo tallied an impressive 5.5 tackles for loss and Washington had 14 stops, including a sack.  Junior Anthony Walker, a serious All-American candidate,  is back at MLB after leading the team in tackles with 103 to go along with an astounding 16.5 tackles for loss. Senior Jaylen Prater is also back after missing three games due to injury a year ago.  He still managed 46 tackles.  Sophomore Nate Hall impressed the coaches during spring practice and he figures to have locked down the other LB position.  He played well enough a year ago to be fifth on the team in tackles with 56.  The secondary features returning senior CB Matthew Harris, a ball hawk with four interceptions last year to go along with his 48 tackles.  Junior Keith Watkins II will join Harris at the opposite corner with 41 tackles and six passes broken up.  Juniors Godwin Igwebulke and Kyle Queiro round out the Wildcat secondary at SS and FS respectively.  Igwebulke was a stalwart a year ago, second on the team with 87 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss, who can cover as well as play excellent run support.  Queiro managed eight tackles in his limited playing time.  

                                            LB Anthony Walker

Northwestern is fortunate to return two good specialists in senior kicker Jack Mitchell and punter Hunter Niswander.  Mitchell was 18 of 27 on his field goal attempts with a long of 49 while Niswander averaged 38 yards per punt with a long of 56.

Managing ten wins figures to be a bit tougher for Northwestern this year.  They play a tougher Nebraska team at home this year, but they have what could be a brutal October in store for them with road games at Iowa, Michigan State, and Ohio State, while a strong finish could be had with a home win against Wisconsin.  The Wildcats went 5-0 in one-score games a year ago, but with the tough October schedule, their margin of error will be very narrow.

PROJECTION: 8-4 (5-4) 3^rd in B1G West