Bowl breakthrough tops Northwestern's 'Will-do' list

Northwestern linebacker Quentin Davie has All-Big Ten potential. (Icon SMI)

By Jeff Reynolds

Northwestern is coming off two successful seasons. Both ended in unsuccessful bowl appearances.

“We’ve got some unfinished business,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “When you’ve got that kind of attitude, I think your approach is, ‘Let’s go get better. Let’s go improve.’”

Northwestern has sustained momentum for almost three full seasons. But 2010 is, in many ways, a crossroads season for the ‘Cats.

Consider that the key subtractions from the team that took the field Jan. 1 in the Outback Bowl include eight senior starters, including quarterback Mike Kafka (a draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles), defensive end Corey Wootton (Bears), cornerback Sherrick McManis (Texans) and safeties Brendan Smith and Brad Phillips.

Add to that list Kafka’s top two receivers and defensive tackle Adam Hahn. In decades past, deleting that kind of leadership and relative star power from the previous season’s roster would guarantee a rebuilding project in Evanston. Fitzgerald plans on nothing of that sort.

The Wildcats have embraced the “next man in” way of thinking. Production at key positions is vital for Fitzgerald to continue to feed that idea. He can point to recent history. At one point, Brett Basanez, C.J. Bacher and Kafka all were obscure quarterbacks ... but all three eventually flourished and finished their NU careers as winners.

It’s plausible Fitzgerald’s optimism will be justified and he’ll be right when he insists the Wildcats will be in the running again in the Big Ten. After all, at this time last year, Kafka was projected as a run-first, throw-little quarterback, and no one disconnected from the team could even spell Zeke Markshausen (the team leader in receptions).

“That’s the great thing about football,” Fitzgerald said. “There are so many different working parts; there are so many different roles that can be taken over. ... You can never give up on a guy. I think that’s what makes our program so special.”

Amid the wholesale defensive change, coordinator Mike Hankwitz has the unit’s leaders Quentin Davie and Nate Williams, both linebackers, to build around. The biggest questions facing Fitzgerald and Hankwitz are related to size and experience. There’s no quick fix for experience, but the Wildcats might just bring enough pressure from their mobile fleet of defensive ends and linebackers to cover up for a collective lack of beef.

OFFENSE

The offense has beef with all five starters from the line returning, but there was healthy competition at multiple spots in the spring. Keegan Grant and Doug Bartels missed spring practice and roles among the top seven, possibly eight, linemen could shift by mid-August.

“We’re going to go through some growing pains with new guys in new roles,” Fitzgerald said.

But the newfound depth — a goal seemingly achieved throughout the lineup — should be a boon by Labor Day. That’s a positive for the Wildcats’ first-year starting quarterback. Dan Persa is the leader in the summertime clubhouse. He’s a capable scrambler and accurate passer whom Fitzgerald labeled a “legitimate dual-threat” quarterback. His primary spring competition was from redshirt freshman Evan Watkins, a pocket passer who is 6-6, 235 pounds and can fling it 50 yards flat-footed.

The quarterback competition might percolate throughout fall camp and perhaps into the non-conference schedule depending on results. Maybe it won’t — but the testy tussle among the team’s top three or four running backs definitely will be undecided until one back emerges as a game-proven starter.

Coordinator Mick McCall’s spread offense has thrived, amazingly, with little contribution from the ’Cats litter of ball-carriers. Having a mobile quarterback helps. But 302 yards rushing from your so-called featured back isn’t enough. Sophomore Arby Fields earned plaudits for performing in a complex system that asks a lot in terms of lining up throughout the formation, blitz pickup and recognition of defenses and coverages. But he’ll be pushed by freshman Mike Trumpy, among others.

Fields, Scott Concannon, Stephen Simmons and Jacob Schmidt combined for 993 rushing yards in 2009, with Fields also finishing with five touchdowns.

Sure, Northwestern has options. But what’s the biggest question facing the Wildcats?

“Can we continue to develop the running game?” Fitzgerald asked. “We want to run the ball with more efficiency. We had pretty good balance. We were about a 50-50, run-pass team a year ago. But we need to run it more efficiently, more effectively. We need to figure out who our playmakers are going to be, our weapons.”

NU last had a 100-yard rusher in a game in 2008 (Tyrell Sutton). Northwestern is losing its top two receivers — Zeke Markshausen and Andrew Brewer — and the top returnee is superback (hybrid TE/H-back) Drake Dunsmore, who had 47 catches for 523 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Sidney Stewart is back after catching 42 passes for 470 yards and two scores.

Jeremy Ebert, a junior, finished the season strong with 12 catches in the final three games. He’s not a big-play type and didn’t score a touchdown — he had two among 15 catches as a freshman — but he could be a breakout player if stability is found at quarterback.

DEFENSE

The Wildcats allowed 38 offensive touchdowns — the same number Northwestern scored — and 24.5 points per game. Fitzgerald expects that number to be lower. But he might also expect it to be good enough, considering NU went 8-1 when allowing less than 32 points.

It might just have to be. The Wildcats are replacing five defensive stalwarts — end Corey Wootton, tackle Adam Hahn, cornerback Sherrick McManis, safety Brendan Smith and first-team All-Big Ten safety Brad Phillips — who made a combined 196 career starts.

There are a few pillars still standing, and the rebuilding job isn’t as severe as the numbers might signal. Though limited by injuries during spring drills, senior linebackers Quentin Davie and Nate Williams, who have started a combined 44 games, are the leaders and most productive players coming back.

Davie led the team in total tackles (90) and had 11.5 for loss. He’s a fine natural athlete who has the pass-rush skills to excel as a blitzer. Williams was the team leader in tackles per game (7.2). Junior Ben Johnson, who started seven games and missed four others with injuries, totaled 28 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in 2009.

Cornerback Jordan Mabin is a feisty competitor who finished fourth on the team in tackles last season and has upside as a playmaker. Phillips and Smith missed plenty of time over the past two seasons, including 2009, when Smith played only eight games, creating chances for others — Brian Peters (three interceptions last season) started in Smith’s spot last season.

There’s also an experienced option in David Arnold, who made the move back to strong safety from linebacker in the spring.

Justan Vaughn, a starter in 2008 before injury pushed him aside, and Demetrius Dugar, who played in 12 games last season, are likely to split time at cornerback.

“I’ve been very pleased with the way Justan’s offseason has gone,” Fitzgerald said, citing his complete health for the first time in 18 months.

If there is a trouble spot, inasmuch as it’s an unknown as a whole, it’d be the defensive line. Wootton was a do-everything anchor who played better late last season than his stat line would imply. The Wildcats are younger at defensive end. Coordinator Mike Hankwitz would argue they’re also more athletic.

Northwestern had 30 sacks and 17 interceptions — they’d like more of each in 2010.

End Vince Browne, who tied Davie for the team lead with five sacks, and defensive tackle Corbin Bryant could challenge for All-Big Ten honors.

Redshirt freshmen Davon Custis and Anthony Battle are in the mix with junior Kevin Watt to start at defensive end.

“That’s a group that’s pretty athletic,” Fitzgerald said. “... I think it’s deep; I think it’s talented.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Stefan Demos was named a second-team All-Big Ten kicker and one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, which honors the nation’s top placekicker. He converted 18 of 25 field-goal attempts last year and led the team in scoring with 88 points.

Demos has punted out of team need for three seasons, but the coaching staff continues to search for a full-time replacement. Jeff Budzien, also a placekicker by trade, and Brandon Williams are challenging for the punting role.

Fitzgerald doesn’t want to have to stick with Demos at punter — he averaged a career-low 35 yards per punt in 2009 — but will if needed.

SCHEDULE ANALYSIS

Fitzgerald and the Wildcats were hardly convincing last September — specifically in an easy-to-forget three-point loss to Syracuse and a three-point win over hapless Eastern Michigan — but they’ll need to gain traction early in 2010.

They go to Vanderbilt for the first time in decades to begin the season and have winnable games the next three weeks (vs. Illinois State, at Rice, vs. Central Michigan) before opening Big Ten play at Minnesota.

Missing from the Big Ten schedule for a second straight year are Michigan and Ohio State, but the season will no doubt be made or broken in November. The Wildcats play at Penn State and revenge-minded Wisconsin with “home” games against Iowa and Illinois (at Wrigley Field) in between.

2010 SCHEDULE

Date Opponent (2009 Record)

Sept. 4 at Vanderbilt (2-10)

Sept. 11 ILLINOIS STATE (6-5)

Sept. 18 at Rice (2-10)

Sept. 25 CENTRAL MICHIGAN (12-2)

Oct. 2 at Minnesota (6-7)

Oct. 9 PURDUE (5-7)

Oct. 23 MICHIGAN STATE (6-7)

Oct. 30 at Indiana (4-8)

Nov. 6 at Penn State (11-2)

Nov. 13 IOWA )11-2)

Nov. 20 vs. Illinois at Wrigley Field (3-9)

Nov. 27 at Wisconsin (10-3)

TOP NEWCOMER

QB Evan Watkins: Watkins enters Camp Kenosha fall camp as 1A at quarterback behind junior Dan Persa. Offensive coordinator Mick McCall said Watkins, who is 6-6, also has good feet and mobility outside the pocket. Other newcomers, including redshirt freshman WR Drew Moulton and redshirt freshman RB Mike Trumpy, deserve mention as potential impact players in 2010. Watkins was rated a Top 20 quarterback recruit by Rivals.com.

OVERVIEW

Northwestern lost three players to the NFL and hasn’t won a bowl game since 1949. This could be the year in which the Wildcats go from near-miss to postseason euphoria — in a middling bowl game. NU skips Michigan and Ohio State and plays a soft non-conference schedule, which will pad the win total.

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