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player ready...Here is the thing about an intrasquad scrimmage, which Northwestern held Saturday at Carthage College. The Wildcats’ running game, still minus injured starter Tyrell Sutton, was anemic, with Sutton’s primary backups Brandon Roberson and Omar Conteh combining to net all of zero yards on 10 carries.
But when asked if their poor performances concerned him, coach Pat Fitzgerald went the other way.
“I thought our defense looked good,” he said. “I thought our defense stuffed the run very well. I’ve been very encouraged by the camp that Omar Conteh and Brandon Roberson have had. Very encouraged. … They’re going to push to be in our top 11, both those guys.”
These affairs, then, are all about the impressions the individual viewer wishes to take, so:
*The first defense, which faced the second offense, did show promise, getting nicked only by a questionable touchdown that came on a long scramble by quarterback Mike Kafka. It was questionable since the defense was not allowed to hit Kafka, yet when permitted, it often did just that impressively.
Most impressive was a play by Corey Wootton, the 6-foot-7-inch, 280-pound defensive end. He steamrolled the tackle across from him, collected both Kafka and Conteh as the ball was being handed off and deposited both for a 4-yard loss.
*Fitzgerald, during preseason camp, has deemed any discussion of injuries off limits, but Saturday he could not hide the condition of sophomore wide receiver Andrew Brewer, who appeared with his left arm in a sling. He broke its humerus while blocking during a drill on Thursday and, though he will not need surgery, he is out indefinitely.
Senior Kim Thompson, another wide receiver, also sat out the scrimmage and so did starting safety Brendan Smith, who rested his surgically repaired shoulder. Fitzgerald did allow later that he expected all but Brewer to be ready by the Wildcats’ Sept. 1 season opener against Northeastern.
*Junior quarterback C.J. Bacher, the returning starter, looked comfortable in his role and efficiently directed a conservative offense. He ended his limited duty with nine completions in a dozen attempts for 106 yards.
His performance was expected. More revelatory was the work of Kafka, who had struggled during the practices that led up to this scrimmage. Saturday he appeared more settled, going 8-for-10 for 51 yards.
*No matter what Fitzgerald says, the offense needs Sutton.
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