HEARTBREAKER: MIZZOU 30, NU 23
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008SAN ANTONIO — In many ways, Northwestern played the perfect game in the Alamo Bowl.
Pat Fitzgerald’s squad outgained Missouri by almost 100 total yards, forced three critical turnovers, and held the ball for more than 35 minutes. The Wildcats overcome injuries to key players and special teams miscues to battle the heavily favored Tigers to the final seconds — and beyond.
It was a perfect game. The only thing missing was the victory.
Sidebar: One play away from ending the drought
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008SAN ANTONIO — Despite pundits’ predictions and pessimists’ prophecies, Northwestern went toe-to-toe with Missouri for a 15-round dogfight, forcing the Big 12 North champions to the brink.
The Wildcats won the turnover and time-of-possession battles and contained the high-powered, dual-threat attack of Chase Daniel. Still, the Cats were missing something.
One more play.
“I thought that we came out swinging,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “When we did face some adversity we just kept on fighting. We’ve just got to find a way to make one more play to get over this mountaintop.”
It wasn’t so much the Tigers making plays as it was the Cats not making plays. Numerous times throughout its 30-23 overtime loss, NU had potential game-changing opportunities to put the game out of reach.
• Facing third-and-nine at the NU 11-yard line with less than seven minutes remaining in the first quarter, senior quarterback C.J. Bachér found Tyrell Sutton on a screen pass. The senior running back let his
blockers set up and scampered 43 yards into Missouri territory. Instead of running out of bounds or getting tackled, Sutton attempted to initiate contact and run over safety William Moore. Moore popped the ball loose from Sutton, who was wearing a soft cast due to a wrist injury suffered against Indiana earlier in the season. The fumble was mitigated by the fact that the Tigers went offsides on the play, but third-and-four at the NU 16 is different than first-and-10 at the Missouri 46.
• Halfway through the second quarter, NU set up for a 47-yard field goal by senior kicker Amado Villarreal. Instead of running the ball on third-and-two, Fitzgerald opted to pass. Had the Cats run to pick up
the first down or get into the middle of the field, it would have been a chip shot. Instead, Villarreal missed the field goal wide left from the left hash. A field goal would have put NU ahead 13-3.
• With one minute remaining in the first half, NU’s offense stalled at its own 40-yard line. Sophomore punter Stefan Demos had pooch kicked away from returner Jeremy Maclin earlier in the game, but this time
his kick found Maclin. The dynamic All-American fielded the linedrive punt, juked two defenders and went 75 yards untouched for the score. NU could have gone into the locker room ahead by a touchdown had Demos done a rugby-style kick, punted out of bounds or if one tackle had been made.
• The Cats marched down the field on a six-play, 80-yard drive to open the second half. After taking a six-point lead on the 46-yard touchdown pass from Bachér to senior wide receiver Rasheed Ward, Villarreal came on for the extra point. This time, he hit the right upright. The one-point advantage would have forced Missouri to go for a touchdown, rather than a field goal, in the fourth quarter.
• Ahead by a field goal with the ball deep inside its own territory, NU looked to put the game away with one last drive in the final minutes. A touchdown would make it a two-possession game with fewer than five minutes remaining. A field goal would force Missouri to go for a touchdown. On two separate occasions, pass plays that could have led to first downs were called back on holding penalties on the interior of the line.
• With slightly less than five minutes remaining in the game. Missouri began a drive at its own 48-yard line. On second down inside NU territory, the front four pressured Daniel into an erratic throw. As the pass sailed out of Daniel’s hands and beyond Maclin, junior cornerback Sherrick McManis saw the pass go through his hands as a potential interception flashed before his eyes. Five plays later, Jeff Wolfert kicked a 37-yard field goal to tie the game. McManis’ near interception would have given the Cats the ball with the ability to
run out the clock.
• On third-and-goal at the Missouri eight-yard line, NU needed a touchdown to tie the game and force a second overtime. As the Cats shifted before the snap and brought Sutton into the backfield, the Tigers changed their blitz package and brought first-team All-Big 12 defender Sean Weatherspoon. Bachér looked downfield and had an open receiver. There was a breakdown in protection up front, and as Bachér was sacked, he fumbled for a loss of 24 yards. If the blocking scheme was shored up before the play, NU may have tied the game.
Fitzgerald stressed throughout the season that football is an 11-man operation. Little individual breakdowns prevented the Cats from making that one, game-altering play.
“They made more plays than we did,” Bachér said. “A couple plays here and there, maybe there’s a different result.”
If the team needed one more play, the solution to getting over the proverbial mountaintop is simple.
“We’ll run one more sprint next time,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re going to do one more rep and just find a way to get one more play.
MatthewForman2007@u.northwestern.edu
Simon: Cats seniors can hold their heads high
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008SAN ANTONIO — Three of Northwestern’s senior leaders trudged into the post-game interview room in the bowels of the Alamodome on Monday night. They had been defeated in their final collegiate game and they looked defeated.
Still half in their uniforms, drenched with sweat, C.J. Bachér, Prince Kwateng and Tyrell Sutton made their way to the table and sat around coach Pat Fitzgerald, facing the gathered press. Sutton’s eyes were bloodshot, and the faces of all three players were stained with disappointment.
The realization had set in. Their collegiate careers were finished, and so was the goal they had established — to capture NU’s first bowl victory in 60 years.
It hurt.
Gentilviso: Nothing’s ever planned for NU
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008SAN ANTONIO — This wasn’t the plan.
When the 2008 season began, few people in college football planned to see Northwestern win nine games and reach the Alamo Bowl.
Check.
When the bowls were announced, few Missouri Tigers planned to see their season end with NU on the other sideline.
Check.
When the Cats were announced as a 14-point underdog, few expected them to play a quality football game and have a chance to win.
Check.
When the ball was kicked off, few seated in the Alamodome expected the Cats to fall to the Tigers, 30-23, in a cataclysmic three hour and 54 minute contest that needed overtime to name a victor.
Alamo Bowl keys to the game
Monday, December 29th, 2008SAN ANTONIO — Northwestern vs. Missouri. We’ve been talking about it for a few weeks now, with all sorts of analysis and opinions flying around. With game time growing ever closer, let’s boil it all down to the five most crucial things to watch for from the Alamo Bowl.
1. Will C.J. Bachér make his final game a memorable one? NU’s senior quarterback has one more chance to put his stamp on Wildats football and solidify his status as one of the premiere signal-callers in school history. He has a fantastic opportunity to do just that against a Tigers pass defense that ranks 117th of 119 FBS teams, giving up 340.4 yards per game through the air.
Bachér has had his ups and downs throughout his career. His bugaboo? Interceptions. In the past two seasons, Bachér has thrown 33 of them, to go with his 33 touchdowns. When he limits his mistakes, NU is a much better team. The Cats are 6-0 this year when he throws less than two picks and 2-2 when he throws two or more. With the NU defense facing an electric MIzzou offense that can light up the scoreboard, it is imperative that Bachér is able to impose his will on the TIgers’ defense and at least come close to matching Chase Daniel. He’s capable of doing so. One possibly relevant stat to keep in mind: The last time he played in a dome, against Eastern Michigan last season, Bachér completed 25 of 42 passes for 361 yards and a touchdown.
2. Can NU keep the Missouri defense/special teams off the board? The Cats have their hands full against Mizzou’s offense. Chase Daniel and the rest of the O will put up their fair share of points, which means NU absolutely cannot afford to allow the Tigers’ defense or special teams to make any big plays. No turnovers or big returns that give Daniel and company a short field. This was a big problem for NU in losses to Michigan State and Ohio State. Meanwhile, the Tigers are dangerous in both regards. They have returned five interceptions for touchdowns, and Jeremy Maclin is one of the most dangerous return men in the game, averaging 9.9 yards on punt returns and 24.1 on kick returns, including a 99-yard touchdown. The Cats have struggled on kick coverage and with turnovers at times this year. They cannot today.
3. What will Mizzou’s attitude be? NU has every reason to be fired up. The Cats have a lot to prove and they want to be the first NU team in 60 years to win a bowl game. They are happy to be in San Antonio. On the other hand, the Tigers have fallen short of their lofty goals this season, after being ranked as high as second in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. This game has to be something of a letdown for them. But if Mizzou comes out with passion and plays up to their potential, it will be difficult for NU to prevail.
4. Which running game will be most effective? Mizzou’s passing game gets all of the attention, but tailback Derrick Washington has been extremely effective this season. Benefiting from defenses spread out by the Tigers’ passing game, he has run for more than six yards per carry and scored 17 touchdowns. Can the Cats contain him while focusing on Daniel? For NU, Tyrell Sutton returns today after missing the past four games with a broken wrist. When he played this season, Sutton was effective, rushing for almost 100 yards per game. He’s also a weapon as a receiver. However, he has not played in a long time and is wearing a cast on his left forearm today. You have to wonder if that will make him more fumble-prone or decrease his effectiveness as a receiver. Whoever has the advantage here will get a big boost.
5. Can Pat Fitzgerald match Gary Pinkel? This is Fitzgerald’s first bowl game. He has improved his decision-making this season but is still learning on the job. On the other hand, Pinkel has coached in bowl games in four of the past five seasons and will not be flustered by anything that happens. If the game comes down to a big decision by one of the coaches, the Tigers could have an advantage.
Pop the Champaign
Monday, November 24th, 2008Coach Pat Fitzgerald walked into the Nicolet Football Center after Saturday’s 27-10 win over Illinois holding the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk trophy.
The 63-year old trophy will stay in Evanston for good. Northwestern’s senior class made sure of it.
Offense finally discovers its rhythm
Monday, November 24th, 2008A season ago, C.J. Bachér and the Northwestern offense put up 97 points in back-to-back wins against Michigan State and Minnesota on the way to a standout season. The Wildcats have spent most of this year struggling to recapture that spark.
Led by a quartet of seniors, the offense finally clicked against Illinois.
Bachér and wide receivers Eric Peterman, Ross Lane, and Rasheed Ward led a rejuvenated NU attack that dictated the tempo of the game from start to finish, powering the Cats to an easy 27-10 victory.
The offense put up its second-highest point total of the year in a Big Ten game in its final regular-season contest. Afterwards, Lane said the unit was gelling at the best possible time.
“People always say you want to play your best football at the end of the season,” he said. “Tonight we played a really good game.”
From the outset, NU (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) wore down the Illini defense with a patient game plan and a slow but steady passing attack. Bachér led the offense deep into Illinois territory on its first three drives, coming away with two touchdowns and staking the Cats to a 13-0 lead.
The key to NU’s success was its willingness to stick with what Bachér called a “dinking and dunking” philosophy. While the senior signal-caller passed for 162 yards in the first half, he completed just one pass for more than 20 yards, a 22-yard strike off his back foot to Peterman. The rest of Bachér’s completions were underneath the Illinois secondary, as the Cats moved steadily up the field a few yards at a time.
Bachér credited offensive coordinator Mick McCall’s scheme for the early scores.
“We had a great game plan going in,” Bachér said. “I know that the offense really bought into it, and we stuck to it the entire game.”
While running back Stephen Simmons had his most productive game of the season (68 yards rushing and a touchdown), the Cats did most of their damage through the air. Bachér finished with 220 yards passing, 14 of which came on the offense’s biggest play.
Midway through the second quarter, the Cats faced a third-and-seven at the 14-yard line of the Illini (5-7, 3-5). Bachér was flushed from the pocket and scrambled to his right. Weeks ago, Fitzgerald commented on a different Bachér interception: “I’ve been playing football since the second grade, and you don’t throw across your body.” On Saturday, the senior quarterback ignored his coach’s words, lobbing a throw across his body to a wide-open Lane in the back of the end zone.
The ball got to Lane a split second before the Illini defenders did, and the senior receiver hung on to the ball as he was tackled into the goal post.
“After Ross caught that touchdown, he goes: ‘That was fun,’” Fitzgerald said. “And that’s Ross Lane. He’s a very gregarious young man.”
After failing to score in the third quarter, the offense capitalized on junior Brendan Smith’s 52-yard punt return, which gave NU the ball at the Illinois 20. Two plays later, Peterman broke free on a corner post, and Bachér hit him at the goal line for a game-clinching 18-yard touchdown.
The senior gunslinger had ample time to complete his two touchdown passes, as NU’s offensive line kept the Illinois front four away from Bachér all day. The performance of the “Big Uglies” was a fitting end to a stellar regular season for the linemen.
“It’s been a recurring theme in all of our wins this season,” Bachér said. “Our O-line has just been great, and that’s the reason, in my mind, that we have nine wins.”
Bachér used his time in the pocket to find his three senior receivers. Lane, Peterman, and Ward combined for 19 catches, 212 yards, and two touchdowns in their final regular-season game, as they walked off Ryan Field victorious.
“It looked like Ross and Rasheed and Eric probably played their best game collectively of the season,” Fitzgerald said.
james-simpson@northwestern.edu
Notebook: NU perplexes Big Ten’s best offense
Monday, November 24th, 2008After experiencing mixed success against running quarterbacks, Northwestern’s defense faced one of its biggest challenges of the season Saturday in mobile Illinois quarterback Juice Williams. The Illini signal-caller burned the Wildcats last season, racking up 357 total yards and three touchdowns.
This year, Corey Wootton and the Cats’ defense made sure Williams was kept under wraps — and out of the end zone.
The junior defensive end added to his team-leading sack total, leading a ferocious pass rush that kept the Illini offense on its heels and spurred the Cats to a 27-10 victory.
“I can’t say enough about the improvement our defense has made,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “We play pretty well together, as a team, on defense.”
The defense, which implemented coordinator Mike Hankwitz’s attacking style all season, employed a disciplined game plan to contain Williams.
Leading the charge was Wootton, who has emerged as a leading candidate for all-Big Ten by striking fear into opposing quarterbacks all season. Despite facing double teams throughout the game, the junior repeatedly got into the backfield, recording three tackles and a half sack.
While Wootton kept multiple players busy, senior Kevin Mims attacked Williams from his blind side. In his final game at Ryan Field, Mims terrorized the Illini offense, forcing a key fourth-quarter fumble and finishing with seven tackles and two and a half sacks.
“He is playing the best football of his career right now,” Fitzgerald said.
When Williams or running back Daniel Dufrene got past NU’s front four, linebackers Prince Kwateng and Nate Williams were there to bring them down. The duo finished with 21 tackles, helping limit the Illini offense to just two plays of more than 20 yards.
“The preparation behind the scenes, what you don’t see, it really paid off for them today,” junior safety Brendan Smith said of the linebackers.
Despite the desire to cheat up on the mobile Williams, the defensive backs stayed with their men and limited Illinois’ ability to throw down the field. The Cats’ lone interception of the day came when junior cornerback Sherrick McManis outjumped wideout Will Judson to corral a deep ball.
KEY TAKEAWAYS, BIG PAYOFF
Mims’ forced fumble was one of two turnovers caused by the defense, and it ended Illinois’ last chance at a comeback. While the Cats scored only three points off turnovers, they seized the momentum back with each takeaway.
Fitzgerald said he discussed turnovers before the game with his counterpart on the Illini sideline.
“It’s critical that you take care of the football, because everyone is so evenly matched in this league,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s what (Illinois coach) Ron (Zook) and I were talking about before the game.”
Both coaches had dealt with turnover woes this season. NU came into the game with 24 giveaways, two less than Illinois’ 26.
Fitzgerald had ample reason to stress taking care of the ball to his team. With the win, the Cats improved to 7-0 this year when they win or tie the turnover battle.
TAKING IT TO THE HOUSE… ALMOST
Smith’s 52-yard punt return in the fourth quarter was the longest of his career and the team’s longest of the season. After the game, the junior said he was one move away from a touchdown.
“I was looking to cut back, and I just wanted to set up one more block to see what we could do,” he said. “But I’m not greedy.”
The play set up wide receiver Eric Peterman’s 18-yard touchdown reception that all but sealed the victory.
And in a game that was a nail-biter entering the four quarter, Smith’s return proved to be the game-changing play.
“It was huge,” senior quarterback C.J. Bachér said. “At that point, nobody really had the momentum, and that punt return really seized it for us.”
GAME NOTES
With the win, the Cats improved to 9-3. It was their first nine-win season since 1996 and only the fifth in school history… Both polls moved NU up after the win. The Associated Press poll ranked the Cats 24th, while the USA/Coaches’ Poll ranked them 20th, one spot ahead of Michigan State… The team will learn its bowl fate on Dec. 7. Smith, who came to the postgame press conference sporting a handlebar mustache, said he would have some creative facial hair for the bowl game. “It’s gonna be something nice,” he said.
james-simpson@northwestern.edu
Cats Pop the Champaign: Northwestern 27, Illinois 10
Saturday, November 22nd, 2008The Sweet Sioux Tomahawk will remain in Evanston for good. Northwestern made sure of that in its 27-10 win over Illinois on Saturday.
The Wildcats played arguably their most complete game of the season, dominating in all facets of the game and winning the rivalry trophy for the fifth time in six years. More importantly, the senior class walked off Ryan Field for the last time as winners. Continue reading »
Q&A with Brit Miller and Prince Kwateng
Thursday, November 20th, 2008The DAILY’s Matt Forman spoke with the pair of senior linebackers.
Daily Sports: What is your favorite song?
Prince Kwateng: “Green Light.” I just like what Andre 3000 says in the song.
Brit Miller: My favorite song is “Please Come to Boston” by Kenny Chesney. I listen to that a lot and love it.
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| 1. Alabama 11-0 |
| 2. Florida 10-1 |
| 3. Oklahoma 10-1 |
| 4. Texas 10-1 |
| 5. USC 9-1 |
| 6. Penn State 11-1 |
| 7. Texas Tech 10-1 |
| 8. Utah 12-0 |
| 9. Boise State 11-0 |
| 10. Ohio State 10-2 |
| 11. Oklahoma State 9-2 |
| 12. Missouri 9-2 |
| 13. Georgia 9-2 |
| 14. TCU 10-2 |
| 15. Ball State 11-0 |
| 16. Cincinnati 9-2 |
| 17. Oregon State 8-3 |
| 18. Georgia Tech 8-3 |
| 19. Oregon 8-3 |
| 20. Boston College 8-3 |
| 21. Brigham Young 10-2 |
| 22. Michigan State 9-3 |
| 23. Florida State 8-3 |
| 24. Northwestern 9-3 |
| 25. Mississippi 7-4 |
-As of Nov. 23, 2008
| Team | CONF | ALL |
| *-PSU | 6-1 | 10-1 |
| *-OSU | 6-1 | 9-2 |
| *-MSU | 6-1 | 9-2 |
| *-NU | 4-3 | 8-3 |
| *-IOWA | 4-3 | 8-3 |
| *-MINN | 3-3 | 6-4 |
| ILL | 3-4 | 5-6 |
| *-WISC | 3-5 | 6-5 |
| x-Michigan | 2-5 | 3-8 |
| x-IND | 1-6 | 3-8 |
| x-PUR | 1-6 | 3-8 |
*-bowl eligible
x-cannot become bowl eligible
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