–> Follow Noel on Twitter: @n0elthompson
- A step back from last year.
This 2021 Northwestern team doesn’t look like the 2020 Big Ten West Champs, who finished 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten last year. They also beat Auburn pretty well in the Citrus bowl. While their offense hasn’t improved since last year, it’s the defense that has taken the biggest step back. This year in the Big Ten, they rank 13th in points allowed, dead-last against the run and last in yards given up on defense with 417 yards a game. They ranked 22nd in total defense last year when they gave up 341 yards a game.
- Injuries, Injuries, Injuries.
They lost projected starting running back Cam Porter for the season during fall camp. Since then, they lost wide receiver playmaker Bryce Kirts and linebacker Khalid Jones. Northwestern could be without another good wide receiver in Stephon Robinson Jr., who got injured against Michigan last week. Northwestern was one team that needed to stay healthy all year, as they entered the season 127th out of 130 in returning production on offense according to ESPN SP+ rankings.
- Pat Fitzgerald is a true Wildcat.
Fitzgerald became the head coach of the Wildcats in 2006 at 31 years old. At the time he was the youngest head coach in division football by 5 years. Currently the longest-tenured head coach at Northwestern, Fitzgerald is also a legend on the field. As a linebacker from 1993 to 1996, he won both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award twice as the best defensive player in college football. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
- Another grad transfer at Quarterback.
For the third year in a row, Northwestern added a grad transfer in Ryan Hilinski. Hilinski joins Hunter Johnson and Peyton Ramsey. Hilinski transferred from South Carolina where he threw 2,391 yards, 11TDS, 5 INTs in his career there. So far, Helinksi has had a mediocre year, throwing for 759 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Back up Andrew Marty could make an appearance this week.
- Loss, Win, Loss, Win.
Interestingly enough, if you look at the Northwestern schedule, they have responded with a win every time they have lost. They opened their season with a loss against Michigan State, then beat Indiana State, lost to Duke, defeated Ohio, got beaten by Nebraska, won against Rutgers, and then they lost to Michigan last week. Not sure how much you believe in trends but clearly Northwestern can learn from losses and can adapt. Trend or not, we know the Wildcats are well-coached behind Pat Fitzgerald.