Northwestern 2008

One thing the media will harp on that is ridiculously off base:
Bright shiny offense, lots of yards, lots of passing yards, possibly a healthy “woah!” back in Sutton, returning experienced QB… One problem, Northwestern fails to turn all of those yards into points… for a team that had 11^th ranked passing attack in the country, and the 32^nd overall O in the land… well, finishing 72^nd in scoring points to a bit of a problem. The media will focus on all of the experience on the offensive side of the ball, but they better learn how to put the thing in the end zone before anyone gets too excited about challenging the upper echelon of the conference. Northwestern fans are attaching their hopes to new personnel in both coordinator positions, and I don’t have a problem with that, just understand that until this guy proves that he’ll be more effective in getting the pigskin over the goal-line, skepticism is the order of the day.

One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success:
Line play. Not to use statistics as a complete crutch for this preview, but, uh….

2007 Sacks Allowed: 97^th

2007 Sacks: 96^th
2007 TFLs: 95^th

2007 Rushing O: 97^th

It’d be easy to guffaw at these numbers on the surface, but we’re not about that here are we? A few caveats? Caveats: obviously more than just the D-line is responsible for sacks and TFLs, but a competent one certainly helps in those areas. It also doesn’t help that Northwestern loses their leading tackler (by 50 freakin’ tackles!!!) in LB Adam Kadela.

The sacks allowed will have to improve if Northwestern hopes to be able to find more success on the offensive side of the football. The rushing statistic is also somewhat misleading due to the fact that Not-Tyrell-Sutton was at running back for five of the twelve games last season. Although Sutton only averaged 74.5 yds/game in the seven games he did play. Needless to say however, a lack of solid experience on both lines is going to be an issue that this squad will have to overcome in order to have a successful season.

Most important contributors on each side of the ball:
I’ll whole-heartedly concur with what LTP had to say in this space: Tyrell Sutton on offense. The guy is the catalyst for this offense much in the same way that Mike Hart was for my Michigan squad over the past four seasons. In the three games where Sutton managed to get 20 or more touches last season, Northwestern went 2-1… for his career when he touches the ball over 20 times, the Wildcats are 8-3. If this offense wants to be effective, particularly in the red zone, then they MUST feature a guy in the backfield that makes defenses respect the run and the play-action, without that, you get what you’ve seen from the Wildcats lately… lots of yards, few points.

Defensively… wait… what’s happening here? (jarring painful memory) Anthony Thomas breaks through the line and….. WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY EYES! MY EYES!!!! NO ONE TOUCHED HIM!!@#$!>? NOOOOOOOOOO! Muffled sounds of agony emanating from a hat placed over a face (/jarring painful memory)

Area that scares you as an opponent:
The fact that Northwestern appears to be oh-so-close to having one of those “puncher’s chance” offenses that on any given Saturday could light you up like a Christmas tree. I hate track meets and given the way this team is shaping up on both sides of the football, track meets will be the order of the day if you were to ask me to draw up an ideal NW scenario. If, and as with all previews this remains an “if”, the new coordinators can get this team fine tuned a bit, then Northwestern could give a number of defenses fits.

Area that makes you salivate as an opponent:
No discernable threat as a pass rusher, the line has problems protecting the QB, teams will be able to bring a lot of pressure on Bacher who will need to cut down on his picks if Sutton is anything South of 100%. Teams will look to keep the football away from the Wildcats’ offense and there are enough offenses in the Big 10 that will be capable of pounding the football that this could present a problem.

Random factor that you think will come into play this season:
Northwestern’s schedule becomes decidedly tougher at the end of the season with the final three games featuring OSU, @ Michigan, and Illinois…. BUT leading up to that stretch the Wildcats play Indiana and Minnesota. Northwestern could very well have a bowl bid locked up heading into the final stretch, making them a team with nothing to lose heading into that final stretch…

Overall Record: 8-4 (4-4) I think NW stands a solid chance of running the non-conference table, needless to say they are horrifically overdue. I think matchups with Purdue, Michigan State or Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State will all present too much for the Wildcats to handle, however, which puts them into the endless quagmire of teams finishing with a .500 record in our ridiculously early preview series... math? What’s that?

Final Big Ten Standing: 4-4 is looking to be all the rage this season… I think the Wildcats are good enough for anywhere in the jumble from 5^th to 7^th with Illinois and Purdue.

Bowl Destination: Capital One Bowl week bowl du jour…