7/27/2023 football Edit

Behind Enemy Lines: Northwestern Football Edition

Craig Epstein • TheKnightReport

Staff Writer

With the 2023 Rutgers Football season right around the corner, we here at The Knight Report have decided to go around to each of the beat writers from the Scarlet Knights upcoming opponents this season to learn more about each team ahead of the first kickoff to the season.

With that being said, let's start things off with our Northwestern preview as TKR spoke with WildcatReport.com's Matt Shelton to learn more about the Wildcats.

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What is the feeling around the program after the firing of Pat Fitzgerald and how do you think the team will respond?

I think the feeling around the program is one of shock. There are a lot of different camps among the fanbase over how much responsibility Fitzgerald did or didn’t have to know about what was going on in the locker room, and whether or not it was warranted that he was fired. But the quick transition from a two-week summer suspension to total firing was seismic, especially for the new players. I keep thinking about a quote that a player gave anonymously in our story about the team’s meeting where the administration told them they were firing Fitzgerald, and then Fitz spoke to the team.

“The same guy who sat in my living room and promised my parents and me that he wasn’t going anywhere was now addressing us as his players for the final time," he said. ”Even after 3-9 and 1-11, there was little doubt about Fitz’s job security. He completely embodied the program and that was a key pitch on the recruiting trail, he guaranteed he would be there for all four or five years of their careers."

All of that being said, I think the players and coaches are gearing up to face the season head-on. Defensive coordinator David Braun spoke to the team after Fitz’s firing, and players said they felt that his message connected. They recommended him to the administration as an interim, though we don’t know how much stock the administration put into that. People are definitely still reeling from the investigation’s fallout, but Braun is working to put Northwestern into gear for 2023.

What are Northwestern’s expectations going into the season?

About as low as you can get. Before Fitzgerald’s firing, I was thinking optimistically in the 5- to 6-win range. The Wildcats added transfer quarterback Ben Bryant and some new blood defensively with Braun coming in from North Dakota State as defensive coordinator. Now Fitz is gone, and Braun has to step up as interim for the first head coaching gig of his career. I expect them to be the underdogs in all 10 of their Power Five games. Braun might give the Wildcats an edge as an unknown quality on the headset after 17 years of Fitzgerald, but I think their winnable games will be few and far between. I think they’ll pick up blatant non-conference wins like UTEP and Howard and have a puncher’s chance against a few conference opponents, but that they’ll struggle for most of Power Five play.

What would you say Northwestern’s greatest strength and weakness is?

Northwestern’s greatest strength will be its secondary, especially at safety, where Coco Azema and Jeremiah Lewis are coming back as starters, with sophomore Devin Turner and junior Jaheem Joseph rotating in. They’ll also have redshirt senior Rod Heard II at cornerback, though with AJ Hampton’s transfer to Tulane, they’ll have to count on Theran Johnson and Garnett Hollis Jr. to step up across from him and when the team goes nickel.

Northwestern’s greatest weakness is in the trenches on defense. The Wildcats had just two scholarship defensive tackles this spring, and they’ve brought in two transfers to try and add some depth: Reggie Pearson from Bethune-Cookman and Matt Lawson from Fresno State. Junior DT Najee Story is one of the two scholarship returners and has continued to improve, but then Northwestern depends on the two transfers, sophomore Brendan Flakes, who appeared in just two games last season, and a pair of freshmen: Tyler Gant and Dylan Roberts. Story and Co. will have help at the defensive end from veterans Sean McLaughlin and Aidan Hubbard, as well as Richie Hagarty, a transfer from SIU. But they’ll have a lot to prove and will be put to the test by massive offensive lines in conference play.

Who do you think is poised for a breakthrough season?

Wide receiver AJ Henning is a player poised for a breakthrough. Henning transferred into Northwestern this offseason after three seasons at Michigan as their punt returner. He has blazing speed but couldn’t crack the wide receiver rotation of a College Football Playoff team. Now that he’s in Evanston, his speed and skill stand out significantly and he is the presumed No. 1 WR on the depth chart after Malik Washington transferred to Virginia. With way more reps and targets, look for Henning’s game to take a massive leap. He’ll also be working with a new quarterback, likely to be fellow transfer Ben Bryant. Bryant came in from Cincinnati after losing the quarterback battle to transfer Emory Jones. Finding Henning should be Bryant’s bread and butter as he tries to put together tape to play at the next level.

What would mark a successful season for Northwestern?

I think a successful season for the Wildcats would be 4-8, as grim as that is. Even with the tumultuous offseason, they should be able to count on wins over UTEP and Howard. I don’t think it would be enough to earn another season, but I think right now if Braun can beat two Power Five opponents out of 10, then that’d be an accomplishment. In Week 3 they play at Duke, a team that has beaten the Wildcats four straight times and looking to build off a nine-win season, but that’s been a close series over the years. Then there are a few fellow programs with new head coaches like Nebraska, Purdue, and Wisconsin. I expect the Badgers to compete for the West division title, but if the Boilermakers and Huskers struggle to adjust to new coaching, then those will be opportunities for Northwestern to pick off a game or two. I also think they have their best chance at a conference win in Week 1 at Rutgers. If Braun can find a way to four wins, I think that’d be a success. He’d earn some admiration from the fanbase and possibly a full-time job.

What is your season-long prediction for Northwestern?

I predict the Wildcats will finish the year at 3-9. UTEP and Howard should be gimmes even with Fitzgerald’s firing and some of the transfers leaving the program. I think with Northwestern’s transfer talent and a back-against-the-wall mentality, they’ll be able to beat Rutgers. If they can’t pull that off, I also think they’ll have a puncher’s chance against Purdue and Illinois late in the season and can find their third win against one of those three teams. Outside of those games, I predict there will be some tough sledding. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa were all lost by 20 points or more last season, and while the Wildcats could have a new quarterback and weapons, it’s by and large the same roster. Penn State was tight because it was played in a monsoon, expect the Nittany Lions to run away with that this year. After 3-9 in 2021, 1-11 in 2022, and firing its head coach for cause a little more than a week ago, it's incredibly hard to give this team the benefit of the doubt, even in games that were wins or one-score losses like Nebraska and Maryland last year.