The cover of the Northwestern game program carried the words: “WELCOME, CLASS OF 2018!”
Perhaps it should have read: “THANK YOU, CLASS OF 2018!”
Freshmen tailbacks Solomon Vault and Justin Jackson scored all three Northwestern touchdowns Saturday, putting a future-is-now angle on an otherwise unimpressive victory.
The Wildcats went down in weight class, taking on a Western Illinois team that normally goes 12 rounds with the likes of Southern Illinois and Indiana State.
Northwestern walked off soggy Ryan Field with a 24-7 victory, but the Wildcats were outgained, 376-283.
It says a lot that the stars of the game were defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, who forced three fumbles on two sacks and Chris Gradone, who averaged 44.1 yards per boot and had six of his seven punts settle inside the 20 — at the 11-, 5-, 9-, 13-, 17- and 1-yard lines.
“I saw improvement in some areas — and lot of room for improvement in others,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
Northwestern (1-2) ended a six-game home losing streak and became the final Big Ten team to win a game. Up next comes a trip to 4-0 Penn State, begging the question: Can these Wildcats win Big Ten games?
“Yeah, absolutely,” Fitzgerald replied. “Quite frankly, I’m insulted by the question. I believe our team can win every football game they play. Are we playing at an incredibly high level? No, not necessarily.”
Northwestern converted 3 of 14 third downs, several efforts falling well short after Trevor Siemian’s check-down tosses. The Wildcats’ fifth-year quarterback, perhaps still bothered by the ankle injury suffered two weeks ago against NIU, lacked zip on his passes and finished 15 of 25 with just 117 passing yards.
“It has been a different receiver group almost every week,” Fitzgerald said of a contingent that has lost standouts Christian Jones and Tony Jones. “There’s not enough trust, continuity and chemistry. But the (number of) drops were down and the effort level was better.”
Indeed, this game was loaded with dark clouds and silver linings — literally and figuratively.
Jackson and Vault, fresh off “Wildcat Welcome” week festivities, give hope that the Wildcats can have a decent running game. They combined for 123 yards Saturday, with Vault motoring 11 for a score that featured excellent blocking from Eric Olson, Brandon Vitabile, Dan Vitale and another freshman, Garrett Dickerson.
Vault admitted he was “kinda surprised” to be Northwestern’s top choice along the goal line. His first touchdown came from the 1.
Jackson cut sharply inside to juke two Leatherneck defenders for his 21-yard score.
For those who think football is a simple game, check out Jackson’s description of the play: “We ran outside zone. I think the corner came hard off the edge, so I cut up off our superback. I saw the free safety and maybe the will (weak-side linebacker) flowing hard over the top, so I cut back underneath them. And then it was just green grass to the end zone.”
Odenigbo, the disruptive force, put it in simpler terms.
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Asked about defense, he replied: “The problem with us the previous two (games) is that we were waiting for things to happen instead of making things happen.”
Fitzgerald still needs much to happen for this team to have any chance to win the Big Ten West.
Of that he is certainly aware.
“My size 12 is going where the sun doesn’t shine with this team,” he said. “And it’s not going to end until we get where we need to be. We’re far from being there.”
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein