Game Notes Wildcats Coaching Staff
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
W, 31-20 GAME NEBRASKA vs Nov. 4, 2017 • 2:30 p.m. CT • BTN L, 41-17 9 Lincoln, Neb. • Memorial Stadium NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS GAMEDAY INFORMATION NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS 2017 Record 5-3, 3-2 Big Ten Site Memorial Stadium 2017 Record 4-4, 3-2 Big Ten Rankings n/a TV Big Ten Network Rankings n/a W, 49-7 Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen and Lisa Byington Head Coach Mike Riley Record at NU (Yrs.) 82-64 (12th) Radio WGN 720 Record at Nebraska (Yrs.) 19-15 (3rd) Away Record 33-27 (.550) Dave Eanet, Ted Albrecht, Adam Hoge Home Record 12-7 (.631) #10 Big Ten Record 44-50 (.468) Live Stats NUSports.com Big Ten Record 12-10 (.545) L, 33-24 vs. Nebraska 2-4 (.333) Twitter @NUFBFamily vs. Northwestern 1-1 (.500) Offensive Coordinator Mick McCall Series Record 3-7 Offensive Coordinator Danny Langsdorf Defensive Coordinator Mike Hankwitz Last Meeting Nebraska 24, NU 13 (9/24/16) Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco #4 L, 31-7 OPENING DRIVE WINNER, WINNER, WILDCAT THRILLERS Northwestern has won in overtime in back-to-back weeks for the third time in program history after taking down No. 16 Michigan State W, 37-21 in triple overtime last week, 39-31. The last time the Wildcats won back-to-back overtime games prior to their victories over Iowa and the Spartans was in 2007 when they defeated Michigan State, 48-41, in overtime on Oct. 6 and Minnesota in double overtime, 49-48, on Oct. 13. The ’Cats posted their first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 23 Pittsburgh in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl and the victory marked NU's first ranked win in the regular season since topping No. 25 Wisconsin, 13-7, on Nov. 21, 2015. It is NU's highest ranked win since defeating No. 15 Notre Dame, 43-40, also in overtime, on Nov. 15, 2014. The Wildcats have won each of their last three overtime games dating back to the thriller in South Bend in 2014. BRICK WALL RUSHING YARDS ALLOWED (LAST 6 GAMES) SCHEDULE/RESULTS The Wildcats have won three straight and four of their last six games due in large part to the improved play of their run defense. After surrendering Entering Contest Versus Northwestern 375 yards rushing in the first two games of the season (187.5/game), the Bowling Green 114.0 yards/game 30 att., 96 yards (3.2 ypc) ’Cats have given up just 569 yards over the last six (94.8/game) while W, 17-10 (OT) Wisconsin 275.3 yards/game 37 att., 109 yards (2.9 ypc) holding each opponent under their season average. In Big Ten play, Northwestern has faced five of the top-100 running backs in the country Penn State 179.0 yards/game 38 att., 95 yards (2.5 ypc) #16 in terms of yards per game this season (Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin; Maryland 196.8 yards/game 31 att., 85 yards (2.7 ypc) Saquon Barkley, Penn State; Ty Johnson, Maryland; Akrum Wadley, Iowa; W, 39-31 (3OT) LJ Scott, Michigan State). They are averaging only 56.2 yards per game Iowa 138.7 yards/game 33 att., 89 yards (2.7 ypc) and just 3.55 yards per carry. None have run for more than 90 yards. Michigan State 177.4 yards/game 30 att., 95 yards (3.1 ypc) NOV. 4 - at NEBRASKA THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE Redshirt first-year linebacker Paddy Fisher was named the Walter Camp FBS National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten 2:30 pm - TV: BTN Defensive Player of the Week after making a career-high 19 tackles (career-high 14 solo), two forced fumbles and two quarterback hurries in the Wildcats' win over No. 16 Michigan State. See below for notes on Fisher's national prowess: • Fisher's 14 solo tackles are tied for the most in a FBS game this season. NOV. 11 - PURDUE • Fisher is one of three players in FBS (Khalil Hodge, Buffalo; Frank Ginda, San Jose State) to record 17 or more tackles in at least 6 p.m. - TV: ESPN2 two games this season. His 19 tackles versus MSU and 18 tackles at Duke are the top two performances in the Big Ten in 2017. • The Katy, Texas native leads all FBS first-year players in tackles (75; 9.4/game) and solo tackles (44; 5.5/game). • He is tied for the Big Ten lead and tied 10th nationally with three forced fumbles. NOV. 18 - MINNESOTA Rushing Passing Total Scoring Rushing Total Turnover Penalty TBD - TV: TBD Yards/GM Yards/GM Offense Offense Defense Defense Margin Yards/GM 127.8 270.8 398.5 27.6 118.0 388.8 -0.50 50.3 NOV. 25 - at ILLINOIS 121.9 274.4 396.2 25.8 170.0 391.4 -0.50 62.2 Rushing Passing Total Scoring Rushing Total Turnover Penalty TBD - TV: TBD Yards/GM Yards/GM Offense Offense Defense Defense Margin Yards/GM 2017 Northwestern Football Notes 1 GAME NOTES WILDCATS COACHING STAFF CLAYTON THORSON TIES PROGRAM RECORD FOR VICTORIES ON THE FIELD Junior quarterback Clayton Thorson completed a career-high 33 passes on 48 attempts for 356 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another score versus Michigan State to earn his 22nd career victory to tie Brett Head Coach ....................................................Pat Fitzgerald Basanez (2002-05) for the most wins by a starting quarterback in program history. Defensive Coordinator.................................Mike Hankwitz • Thorson notched his third 300-yard passing game of the season and fifth of his career. NU is 5-0 when he throws for 300-plus yards. Offensive Line ...............................................Adam Cushing • Thorson recorded his fourth game of the season with at least two touchdown passes and 10th of his career; Defensive Line .....................................................Marty Long NU is 9-1 when Thorson throws at least two touchdowns. • His 1-yard quarterback sneak marked his 15th career rushing touchdown, breaking a tie with Mike Running Backs ........................................Matt MacPherson Greenfield (14; 1984-87) for the fourth-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in program history. Wide Receivers ............................................Dennis Springer • Thorson is just one of two Big Ten players with 300-plus yards passing in three games this season. Graduate Assistant .............................................Erik Frazier THORSON CONTINUES TO CLIMB TOWARDS THE TOP Graduate Assistant .........................................Tim Brandon The junior quarterback from Wheaton, Illinois, continues to climb the Northwestern record books. Thorson Graduate Assistant ......................................Deonte Gibson became the fourth player in program history to surpass 7,000 yards of total offense (7,254) and 600 career completions (621) last week. He enters Saturday's game at Nebraska with 6,748 career passing yards, needing Graduate Assistant .............................................Kevin Koch just 252 to become the fourth quarterback with 7,000 career passing yards. The #HOMEGROWN talent is also just six passing touchdowns shy of breaking Brett Basanez's (44; 2002-05) and Len Williams' (44; 1990-93) program record for passing touchdowns. IN THE PRESS BOX A TRICK AND A TREAT Senior running back Justin Jackson became the first NU running back since Brian Roberson in 2007 to throw Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks ............Mick McCall a touchdown pass when he completed a 12-yard strike to sophomore wide receiver Bennett Skowronek versus Assistant Head Coach/DBs ............................. Jerry Brown Michigan State. Jackson later scored his 38th career touchdown on a 3-yard run in double overtime, tying Damien Anderson's (1998-2001) program record for total touchdowns scored. The touchdown was Jackson's 37th career Linebackers ...................................................... Randy Bates rushing touchdown, leaving him just one shy of the school record also held by Anderson. Superbacks .........................................................Bob Heffner DEPTH CHART VS. NEBRASKA SPECIALISTS FIRST TEAM OFFENSE SECOND TEAM OFFENSE Kicker LT 72 Blake Hance 6-6, 300, Jr. LT 65 Jared Thomas 6-4, 285, So. 14 Charlie Kuhbander 5-11, 194, Fy. LG 59 J.B. Butler 6-3, 305, Jr. LG 72 Blake Hance 6-6, 300, Jr. 34 Makay Redd 6-1, 252, Gr. C 69 Brad North 6-2, 290, Sr. C 65 Jared Thomas 6-4, 285, So. RG 71 Tommy Doles 6-4, 292, Jr. RG 66 Nik Urban 6-3, 300, R-Fy. Punter RT 70 Rashawn Slater 6-3, 289, Fy. RT 73 Gunnar Vogel 6-6, 285, R-Fy. 96 Hunter Niswander 6-5, 235, Sr. 17 Daniel Kubiuk 6-1, 210, Jr. WR 15 Macan Wilson 6-0, 185, Sr. WR 82 Jace James 6-0, 194, Fy. WR 2 Flynn Nagel 5-11, 194, Jr. WR 6 Jelani Roberts 5-8, 172, Jr. Long Snapper WR 88 Bennett Skowronek 6-4, 218, So. WR 19 Riley Lees 6-0, 193, R-Fy. 43 Tyler Gillikin 6-2, 220, R-Fy. QB 18 Clayton Thorson 6-4, 220, Jr. QB 7 Matt Alviti 6-0, 204, Sr. 58 Trevor Stroebel 6-4, 233, Gr. RB 21 Justin Jackson 5-11, 200, Sr. RB 28 Jeremy Larkin 5-10, 194, R-Fy. SB 9 Garrett Dickerson 6-3, 248, Sr. SB 84 Cameron Green 6-3, 230, So. Kick Returner 19 Riley Lees 6-0, 193, R-Fy. FIRST TEAM DEFENSE SECOND TEAM DEFENSE 28 Jeremy Larkin 5-10, 194, R-Fy. DE 97 Joe Gaziano 6-4, 280, So. DE 54 Trent Goens 6-3, 254, So. DT 99 Jordan Thompson 6-3, 290, Jr. DT 75 Ben Oxley 6-6, 286, Jr. Punt Returner DT 1 Tyler Lancaster 6-3, 315, Sr. DT 95 Alex Miller 6-3, 280, So. 19 Riley Lees 6-0, 193, R-Fy. DE 91 Samdup Miller 6-3, 261, Fy.