Northwestern Wildcats
Overall Rank: #36
#7 Big Ten
Northwestern Team Page
2010 Record: (7-6, 3-5)
2010 Bowl: TicketCity Bowl vs. Texas Tech (L 38-45)
Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (34-29 at Northwestern, 34-29 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Mick McCall
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Hankwitz
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Mike Trumpy, RB, 530 yards
Passing: Dan Persa, QB, 2,581 yards
Receiving: Jeremy Ebert, WR, 953 yards
Tackles: Brian Peters, S, 107
Sacks: Vince Brown, DE, 7.0
Interceptions: Brian Peters, S, 3
Other Key Returnees: S David Arnold, C Ben Burkett, DT Jack DiNardo, TE Drake Dunsmore, WR Demetrius Fields, CB Jordan Mabin, LB Bryce McNaul, G Brian Mulroe, OT Al Netter, OT Patrick Ward, DE Kevin Watt
Key Losses: DT Corbin Bryant, LB Quentin Davie, K Stefan Demos, G Keegan Grant, WR Sidney Stewart, CB Justan Vaughn, LB Nate Williams
If quarterback Dan Persa is really going to run less this season, somebody else needs to run more. Mike Trumpy had a decent freshman campaign, rushing for 530 yards and four touchdowns. However, he is a bruising back and not really a dynamic rushing threat. Adonis Smith, another sophomore, has more breakaway speed, but failed to show it off last season. This offense is good, but it could be great if a running back can emerge as a consistent threat.
Strengths:
Persa rushed for 519 yards and nine touchdowns during his junior season, but he can do just as much damage with his arm. In a year shortened by an ACL injury, Persa threw for 2,581 yards and 15 touchdowns. Most impressively, despite throwing the ball over 300 times, Persa completed an amazing 73.5 percent of his passes and threw just four interceptions. It was that efficiency that won games for the Wildcats. Heading into 2010, it was unclear who would emerge as Persa’s top target. It ended up being Jeremy Ebert. The 6-0 senior caught 62 passes for 953 yards and eight touchdowns. Tight end Drake Dunsmore is an always reliable target as well and is a big option in the red zone. Demetrius Fields and Charles Brown never really lived up to their potential last season, but if Persa does indeed throw more and run less, they will be more involved in 2011. Persa spent a lot of time on the ground last year, thus the injury, which has limited his action in the off-season, but the offensive line returns four starters and is full of experienced upperclassmen.
Weaknesses:
The Wildcats defense ranked near the bottom of every major category in conference play. Big losses to Illinois and Wisconsin late in the year, when Persa was out, did not help the numbers, but still the defense will be an issue. The front four has a star in end Vince Browne, who should be in for a big senior season. With Jack DiNardo on the inside of the line, the front four has plenty of potential. The key will be getting more pressure from the other side of the line and that falls on the shoulders of Kevin Watt. The linebackers have the most players to replace after losing Nate Williams and Quentin Davie, the team’s second and third leading tacklers in 2010. Bryce McNaul is the lone returning linebacker who started last year, but all eyes will be on junior David Nwabuisi as he takes over in the middle of the defense. The secondary was not good last year, but they have reason for hope. If Browne has a solid year up front, the experienced secondary might be vastly improved. Jordan Mabin is a fine corner and safeties David Arnold and Brian Peters can make some big plays.
The Bottom Line:
On paper this should be a better team than they were last year, but on paper this should not have been a team that won seven games last season. However, when Persa was healthy, Northwestern beat teams they should have beaten and at least kept the other games pretty close. If the defense can improve and the ground game can move without Persa, the Wildcats and Coach Pat Fitzgerald will surprise a few teams…and not just Iowa as usual.
Projected Bowl: Texas Bowl
2010 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 155.92 (58th in nation, 6th in conference)
Passing Offense: 235.15 (48, 4)
Total Offense: 391.08 (48, 5)
Scoring Offense: 26.38 (63, 8)
Rushing Defense: 185.00 (92, 9)
Pass Defense: 241.15 (95, 10)
Total Defense: 426.15 (97, 10)
Scoring Defense: 29.00 (77, 8)
Turnover Margin: -.08 (63, 7)
Sacks: 1.23 (104, 10)
Sacks Allowed: 3.08 (112, 11)
Madness 2012 NFL Draft Rankings:
#94 Vince Browne
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