(Photo Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Ryan Hilinski, QB Brendan Sillivan, WR Bryce Kirtz, OT Josh Priebe, DE Sean McLaughlin, LB Bryce Gallagher, LB Greyson Metz, LB Xander Mueller, CB Garnett Hollis Jr., CB Theran Johnson, NB Rod Heard II, FS Coco Azema, SS Devin Turner and PT Luke Akers.
Key Players Departing:
RB/KR Evan Hull, WR/PR Donny Navarro III, WR Malik Washington, OG Charlie Schmidt, OT Peter Skoronski, OT Ethan Wiederkehr, DE Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE Ryan Johnson, DT Devin O’Rourke, CB Cameron Mitchell, SS Jeremiah Lewis and PK Adam Stage.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Jordan Knox (Rock Hill, South Carolina), DS Nigel Glover (Clayton, Ohio) and OL Anthony Birsa (Joliet, Illinois).
3 Star Recruits: OL Dylan Senda (Dearborn, Michigan), DS Damon Walters (Bolingbrook, Illinois), QB Ben Bryant (Cincinnati transfer), DL Tyler Gant (St. Louis, Missouri), ATH Frank Covey IV (Mt. Prospect, Illinois), WR AJ Henning (Michigan transfer) and TE Camp Magee (Orlando, Florida).
2022 Results:
G01 NEBRASKA W 31-28
G02 DUKE L 23-31
G03 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS L 24-31
G04 MIAMI (OH) L 14-17
G05 @ #11 Penn State L 7-17
G06 WISCONSIN L 7-42
G07 @ Maryland L 24-31
G08 @ Iowa L 13-33
G09 #2 OHIO STATE L 7-21
G10 @ Minnesota L 3-31
G11 @ Purdue L 9-17
G12 ILLINOIS L 3-41
Team info:
2022 Record: 1-11 (7th in Big Ten West)
Home: 0-6
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 1-8
Non-B10: 0-3
Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald
Northwestern: 110-101
Career: 110-101
Bowls: 5-5
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Ryan Hilinski (144-258, 1644 yards, 55.8%, 6.4 avg., 6 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Cam Porter (87 car., 286 yards, 3.3 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Bryce Kirtz (19 rec., 121 yards, 11.2 yards, 0 TD)
TDs Scored: Raymond Niro III/Cam Porter (2)
Sacks: Xander Mueller (2.5)
Tackles: Bryce Gallagher (100)
Tackles For Loss: Xander Mueller (10.5)
Interceptions: Xander Mueller (2)
Pass Deflections: Cameron Mitchell (9)Forced Fumbles: Garnett Hollis Jr. (2)
Kick Returns: None
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Adam Stage (7-9 fg/fga., 78%, 17-17 xp/xpa., 38 pts.)
Punting: Luke Akers (45 punts, 1846 yards, 41.0 avg., 14 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 2 Ben Bryant (RS SR/TR
)RB: 4 Cam Porter (RS JR)
WR: 00 Cam Johnson (RS SR/TR)
WR: 17 Bryce Kirtz (RS SR)
WR: 00 AJ Henning (SR/TR)
TE: 88 Marshall Lang (SR)
LT: 68 Josh Priebe (SR)
LG: 74 Nick Herzog (RS FR)
OC: 71 Ben Wrather (SR)
RG: 63 Dom D’Antonio (RS SR)
RT: 72 Caleb Tiernan (RS SO)
KR: 00 AJ Henning (SR/TR)
PK: 92 Jack Olsen (RS JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 91 Aidan Hubbard (RS SO)
DT: 00 Matt Lawson (RS SR/TR)
DT: 95 Najee Story (RS SO)
DE: 97 Sean McLaughlin (RS JR)
LB: 34 Xander Mueller (RS JR)
LB: 32 Bryce Gallagher (RS SR)
NB: 24 Rod Heard II (RS SR)
CB: 10 Theran Johnson (RS SO)
CB: 13 Garnett Hollis Jr. (RS JR)
FS: 00 Coco Azema (RS SR)
SS: 23 Devin Turner (SO)
PR: 00 AJ Henning (SR/TR)
PT: 47 Luke Akers (SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: A
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/02 @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Northwestern trails the series 2-3. The Wildcats won (21-7) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/09 UTEP MINERS | First meeting between schools.
09/16 @ Duke Blue Devils | Northwestern trails the series 10-12. The Wildcats are 2-4 since restarting the series in 2015 and their last series win (24-13) dates back to 2016.
09/23 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Northwestern trails the series 36-56-5. The Wildcats are 3-6 since 2013 and their last series win (24-14) was in 2018.
09/30 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | Northwestern trails the series 5-15. The Wildcats lost (7-17) last season’s meeting between schools and their last series win (23-21) sates back to 2015.
10/07 HOWARD BISON | First meeting between schools.
10/21 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | Northwestern trails the series 7-9. The Wildcats are 5-5 since 2013 and their last series loss (7-56) was in 2021.
10/28 MARYLAND TERRAPINS | Northwestern leads the series 2-1. The Wildcats lost (24-31) last season’s meeting between schools and their last series win (43-3) was in 2020.
11/04 IOWA HAWKEYES | Northwestern trails the series 28-53-3. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (21-20) was in 2020.
11/11 @ Wisconsin Badgers | Northwestern trails the series 37-62-5. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2013 and their lasts series win (17-7) was in 2020.
11/18 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS | Northwestern trails the series 33-53-1. The Wildcats are 6-3 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series win (27-20) was in 2020.
11/25 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | Northwestern trails the series 54-57-5. The Wildcats are 7-3 since 2013 and their last series win (28-10) was in 2020.
Predictions:
Home: 2-4
Road: 0-5
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 1-8
Non-B10: 1-2
Overall: 2-10 (6th in Big Ten West)
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