First, defensive end Vince Browne went down. Now, defensive tackle Corbin Bryant is out for the season.
Normally, those injuries would decimate a defensive line. But the Northwestern front four is more like a front eight.

Veterans and newcomers alike have stepped up to fill in for the injured Wildcats, bolstering a defensive front that has been arguably the team’s most successful unit this season.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald raved about his line’s depth after Wednesday’s practice.

“It’s huge,” he said. “Especially early on in the year, it was huge, when it was warm and we had to rotate eight or nine guys. Now, that experience is paying dividends down here at the end of the year.”
Fitzgerald said junior defensive tackle Adam Hahn would fill in for Bryant, who was lost for the season after suffering a knee injury against Michigan. Fitzgerald called Hahn, who was a starter last season, “a wily veteran.”

Sophomore Marshall Thomas will also take snaps at both defensive end and tackle. While Thomas has yet to make a start in his NU career, his versatility makes him a valuable asset to the defense.

“What I like about Marshall is his flexibility to play tackle and end,” Fitzgerald said.

Redshirt freshmen Jack DiNardo and Kevin Watt could also see time at tackle, while linebacker Ben Johnson may continue to take snaps at defensive end in third-down situations.

Whoever lines up for NU will have the support of the defensive leaders.

“They’re great,” senior linebacker Prince Kwateng said of the defensive linemen. “Without the defensive line, you can’t make any plays.”

TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY

Last season, Illinois knocked off NU 41-22 to keep Fitzgerald’s squad out of a bowl game. With the Fighting Illini sitting at 5-6, the Cats have a chance to return the favor.

“The roles have kind of been reversed from last year to this year,” quarterback C.J. Bachér said. “We get the opportunity to do what they did to us last year.”

A lot is on the line going into Senior Day. With a win, NU will secure its first nine-win season since 1996 and only its fifth since 1905. The Cats would also move one step closer to a possible Outback Bowl berth. It would be only the fourth New Year’s Day bowl game in program history.

While the Cats have captured four of the last five Sweet Sioux Tomahawk meetings, the Illini hold a 52-44-5 edge overall in the series. NU can close that gap and win the last game at Ryan Field for the team’s 23 seniors.

“This is a big opportunity for us,” senior defensive tackle John Gill said. “I definitely do want to walk off (Ryan Field) a winner.”

AN EYE ON TAKEAWAYS

The Cats forced two turnovers against the Wolverines, their highest total since notching four takeaways against Purdue on Oct. 18. Illinois, meanwhile, has turned the ball over 24 times, eighth in the Big Ten.

Gill emphasized the momentum-changing aspect of a forced fumble or interception.

“It’s such a game-changer when you get a lot of turnovers,” he said. “It’s been shown that when we get turnovers at key times, it can make the game.”

james-simpson@northwestern.edu

Tags: Illinois Fighting Illini, John Gill, Marshall Thomas, Pat Fitzgerald, Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Trophy