2006 Northwestern football preview

2005 Record: 7-5 (5-3 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald

Players Drafted:
Barry Cofield DT - Round 4 - NY Giants
Zach Strief OT - Round 7 - New Orleans
Tim McGarigle ILB - Round 7 - St. Louis

Top Recruits:
Quenton Davie OLB - 6'4" 200 St. Louis, MO
Stephen Simmons RB - 5'7" 169 St. Louis, MO
Brad Phillips QB - 6'4" 210 Murrysville, PA
Carl Fisher WR - 6'0" 200 Bolingbrook, IL

Key Players Returning:
Tyrell Sutton RB
Shaun Herbert WR
Marquice Cole CB
Kevin Mims DE
Ryan Kennan G
Trevor Rees C
Nick Roach LB
Bryan Heinz SS
C.J. Bacher QB

Northwestern Offensive Outlook

The Wildcats return 8 starters from the 2005 offense which scored 32.3 points per game. Their biggest strength may be the offensive line. Senior guards Ryan Kennan and Joe Tripodi, junior C Trevor Rees, and junior tackles Dylan Thiry and Austin Matthews should continue to provide stability for the running and passing games.

RB Tyrell Sutton returns after a very impressive freshman year and has been named to Maxwell Award Watch List. Sutton is a speedy back who can go the distance at any time and also is able to catch the ball. He provided a spark out of the NU backfield in 2005 and should build on what looks to be a promising career. Shaun Herbert led the team in receiving with 862 yards and 6 TD receptions in 2005, but will need some young receivers to step in and help him assist the new QB.

Northwestern Defensive Outlook

The Wildcats return 8 starters on defense after allowing a whopping 33.9 points per game in 2005. The defense has not been dynamic in the past, but Randy Walker always found players who would buy into the system and do just enough to win games. Walker was a running back in his playing days, and now former linebacker Pat Fitzgerald will be in charge. The focus on defense may change with Fitzgerald as the head coach.

Junior linebackers Nick Roach and Adam Kadela both collected over 70 tackles last season and should be a good combination in the heart of the defense. Cornerback Maurice Cole is a tremendous athlete that will be used to cover top receivers.

Northwestern Special Teams

Senior Joel Howells is a decent kicker, but needs to work on his accuracy. He didn’t connect on many long kicks last season, and with the loss of Basanez on offense he may be called on for more crucial kicks this year. Howells was 2-10 on kicks beyond 40 yards last year and this stat will need to improve considerably in 2006. Slade Larscheid will likely assume the role as punter. He’s an accurate punter who has battled injuries throughout his career, but he looks ready to go for his senior season.

2006 Keys to Success: The defensive line does not have a ton of experience. DE Kevin Mims returns as a highly touted playmaker with size and speed, but the other linemen will need to find a way to produce as teams will focus on Mims. While CB Maurice Cole should be able to cover one receiver, the other DBs will need to be at the top of their game to stop the second and third options.

Brett Basanez left some huge shoes to fill, and it looks like either C.J. Bacher, Andrew Brewer or Mike Kafka will be the one trying to fill them. Bacher has seen minimal game time with just 15 pass attempts last season while Kafka has no game experience. Brewer turned a lot of heads this past spring and should push for playing time. However, the lack of experience leaves a huge void after Basanez provided so much production in the past.

2006 Overview: There’s no doubt the Wildcats will be playing with a heavy heart this season after the loss of Randy Walker. Walker put together respectable teams each season, and now it is up to Pat Fitzgerald to build upon Walker’s ideals. At age 31, Fitzgerald becomes the youngest head coach in Division I-A. He’s a former linebacker who played at Northwestern so he understands the environment and should relate well to the players.

The Wildcats begin the season with a crucial visit to Miami (Ohio). The RedHawks have had Northwestern’s number in the past, and the Wildcats need to start off on the right foot. It’s hard to say the long season hinges on game one, but this game could determine whether the Wildcats get over five wins in 2006.

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