Gopher Football
Two years ago in Evanston, Gophers coach Tim Brewster watched his team blow a 35-14 lead. In the second overtime, he went for two points after a touchdown run by quarterback Adam Weber.
Weber’s pass fell incomplete. NU won 49-48.
Last November at the Metrodome, the Gophers were 7-1 and ranked in the top-25. In maybe the unluckiest of ways, tied at 17, Weber made a throw he should not have in the final seconds. It was picked off by S Brendan Smith and it was returned 48 yards for a touchdown.
Saturday, it’s Brewster vs. Northwestern, part 3. What kind of drama will unfold this time?
We get a preview of the current Wildcats bunch with play-by-play voice Dave Eanet.
GH: Adam Rittenberg on ESPN.com writes this week: Northwestern’s defense has seen a decline in fundamentals and overall explosiveness. This true, and if so, why?
DE: I think the overall defensive numbers are down from a year ago, but I think they’re still rounding into form. The defensive line has three of four starters coming off knee injuries, and that includes their best defensive player, DE Corey Wootton. I think Corey had his best game against Syracuse, and so did the other end, Vince Browne. The other thing that’s hurt them defensively has been the absence of cornerback and co-captain Sherrick McManis the last two games. His return should help immensely. They led by a combined 51-0 in their first two games, and a lot of the yards they gave up in those games came after they were way ahead.
GH: QB Mike Kafka set a Northwestern record by opening the Syracuse game with 16 consecutive completions. He also set a team record for single-game completion percentage (83.3 percent). Has he fully proven with that performance that he is more than just a runner?
DE: Without a doubt. People forget Kafka was the starter at the beginning of the 2006 season, in Pat Fitzgerald’s first year. A hamstring injury took him out, and eventually C.J. Bacher won the job, and kept it for good reason. We haven’t really seen Kafka run very much the first three games, but everybody knows he brings that dimension, as does his back-up, Dan Persa. But, aside from the critical interception at the end of the Syracuse game, Mike has been terrific.
GH: The Wildcats are 5-1 against the Gophers since 1995 in games decided by 7 points or less (’95, ’96, ’00, ’01, ’07, ’08)…why has NW been able to win so many close contests?
DE: Northwestern plays a lot of close games, period. Look at their bowl game, vs Missouri. It was not expected to be close, but I still believe that if Wootton doesn’t get hurt in that game, NU wins it. They are used to being in tight games, and they never flinch when they’re in those situations. Even Saturday in Syracuse, they had the ball, in a tie game, in the last two minutes. Very unusual for them not to win a game like that.
GH: What is the status of stud CB Sherrick McManis & LB Nate Williams? Any other notable injuries to touch on?
DE: I think McManis and Williams will be back, which is a huge boost to the defense. RB Stephen Simmons missed last week’s game, and he’s the biggest question mark. But they’re playing tailback-by-committee anyway, so if he doesn’t play, you’ll see lots of Jacob Schmidt, freshman Arby Fields and Scott Concannon. Jeravin Matthews, who got hurt in the opener, is also back this week. Otherwise, they’re much healthier this week.
GH: WR Mike Williams of Syracuse went for 210 yds last Saturday, what might Eric Decker do this Saturday then, or would McManis potentially being back take care of that?
DE: McManis will help, but I think they know they’ve got their hands full with Decker. Who doesn’t? Williams broke a couple big plays on them that I think McManis might have prevented. But Decker is a great player. And I saw Brandon Green play in HS, and it looks like he’s coming on.
GH: The Gophers’ weakness: O-line play. Can NW generate a pass rush?
DE: They put a pass rush together last week in Syracuse, really for the first time. Like I said, they’re getting healthier. I know the Gophers have struggled to run the ball, and they could have trouble again this week.
GH: Is Kafka their best running option, and it looks like they use a few different RBs, who offers the Gophers their biggest challenge?
DE: If Simmons is healthy, he’s their best right now as far as the RB’s. Fields may turn out to be the best. He reminds NU fans of Tyrell Sutton, right down to wearing the same number 19. But he’s a true freshman, and there’s a learning curve.
GH: Who wins and why?
DE: I still maintain we haven’t seen the Cats put a solid game together yet, start to finish. It’s a better team than they’ve shown. That said, these teams always play close games, even when they don’t look close. Minnesota has played a tougher opponent (Cal) than the Cats have faced yet, this year. But NU plays tough at home, their students are back this week for the first time, and they know they need a quick start in the Big 10, if they want to duplicate their success of a year ago. Pretty much a toss-up game—two programs on the rise—but I give NU the slight nod.
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