Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Ready to Open Season at Air Force
8/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 26, 2002
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GAME 1
NORTHWESTERN (4-7 in 2001) at AIR FORCE (6-6 in 2001)
Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31, 2002/11 a.m. CDT
Site: Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Capacity/Surface: 52,480/Natural Grass
Television: ABC-TV, Split National (Terry Gannon, play-by-play; Mike Mayock, analyst)
Radio: WCSN 820 AM (Dave Eanet, play-by-play; Ted Albrecht, analyst) (also on wgnradio.com)
The Game
Northwestern opens the 2002 football season this Saturday, Aug. 31 when it battles the United States Air Force Academy. Kickoff is slated for 10:10 a.m. (11:10 a.m. CDT) in Colorado Springs. ABC is televising the game to a regional audience (click here to see an official map of ABC's television schedule for Saturday). Terry Gannon and Mike Mayock will describe the action.
Northwestern is paced offensively by its top two linemen, seniors Austin King (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) and Jeff Roehl (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg). Both players have received several preseason accolades and will lead an offense that features first-year starters at quarterback and running back. Returning wide receivers Kunle Patrick (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) and Jon Schweighardt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) add experience to a relatively young offensive unit. Defensively, senior linebacker Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles) and senior cornerback Raheem Covington (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) lead a defense that was re-tooled during the off-season. Northwestern, which has ranked a respective first and second in Big Ten offense the past two seasons, has ranked ninth and 11th in defense.
Coming off a 6-6 season, the Falcons have 10 starters back from a year ago and were picked to finish fifth in the preseason Mountain West Conference media poll. Air Force, which owns the 12th-best winning percentage in I-A football the past five years (43-18), traditionally ranks in the nation's top five for rushing average. This is the first of four nonconference games for the Wildcats before they begin Big Ten action Sept. 28 at Michigan State. NU plays it second nonconference road contest at another military academy, Navy, on Sept. 21.
For Openers
Northwestern is 68-42-4 (.614) in season-opening contests. Since 1995, the Wildcats are 5-2 in opening games. Coach Randy Walker, who is beginning his 13th season as a college head coach, is 7-4-1 in season-opening contests. Northwestern has won two of its last three season-opening road games: 1995 at Notre Dame (17-15) and 2001 at UNLV (37-28). NU also won a neutral-site game (Soldier Field) in 1997 vs. Oklahoma (24-0).
The Series with Air Force
Series Record: 2-2, series tied
At Colorado Springs: 1-1, series tied
At Evanston: 1-1, series tied
Last Result: 30-6, Northwestern (1995)
Series Streak: 2, Northwestern
Series Notes: This is the third home-and-home series between the Falcons and Wildcats. NU and Air Force battled in 1988 and '89, and 1994 and '95. After games in 2002 and '03, another series is scheduled to begin in 2006 between the two programs ... The previous four games in this series have featured it all: a blowout by Air Force (62-27 in 1988), a blowout by Northwestern (30-6 in 1995), a tightly contested defensive struggle (14-10 NU win in 1994) and an offensive shootout (48-31 Air Force win in 1989).
The Last Meeting With Air Force
Sept. 23, 1995--Northwestern began a nine-game victory string with a 30-6 win over the Falcons at Ryan Field. Sam Valenzisi booted three field goals, including a 46-yarder, and the Wildcats held the Falcons to just two field goals in front of a national ESPN audience. Darnell Autry led the NU offense, rushing for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Valenzisi's 46-yard field goal and a 1-yard scoring run by Autry gave the 'Cats a 10-0 first-quarter lead. The two teams then exchanged field goals in the second quarter--a pair by each team--which gave NU a 16-6 halftime lead. The Wildcats put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter with two more TD runs--a 7-yarder from Darnell Autry and a 5-yarder from Adrian Autry. Pat Fitzgerald totaled 14 tackles and one interception and earned Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors. NU outgained the Falcons 468 to 271 yards.
Northwestern Head Coach Randy Walker
Randy Walker begins his fourth season at Northwestern after spending the previous nine years (1990-98) at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In just his second year with the Wildcats, Walker directed a stunning turnaround. After a 3-8 season in 1999, he engineered a complete overhaul of the Wildcat offense and the result was an 8-4 record, an Alamo Bowl berth and a share of the 2000 Big Ten championship.
Walker was recognized for his 2000 efforts by both his peers and the media, as he was named Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year and the Region 3 Coach of the Year by the AFCA.
Walker owns a 74-54-5 career record in 13 seasons and a 15-19 mark at Northwestern. Prior to gaining his first head coaching job at Miami in 1990, Walker spent one year as an assistant at Miami (1977), 10 years as an assistant at North Carolina (1978-87) and two years as an assistant at Northwestern (1988-89).
Walker came to Evanston with an impressive coaching resume already intact. The 48-year-old Walker departed Oxford as the winningest head coach in school history. His mark at Miami of 59-35-5 (.621) is even more impressive when you consider the coaching greats that Miami has produced: Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler ... and the list goes on.
Walker's Coaching Record by Month School August September October November December Miami 3-1 15-16-2 22-13-3 19-5 0-0 NU 1-0 8-3 4-7 2-8 0-1 Totals 4-1 23-19-2 26-20-3 21-13 0-1Northwestern Receives AFCA 2002 Academic Achievement Award
Northwestern University's football program is receiving the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 2002 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. NU recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its football squad when all members of its freshman class of 1996-97 earned a degree. Northwestern's win is the second for the school, and it has been honored every year it has been eligible for the award. The Wildcats also earned the honor in 1998 with a 100 percent rate. Northwestern earned honorable mention honors in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Prior to 1998, the award honored only members of the College Football Association. Since 1998, when the award was expanded to include all Division I-A conferences, Big Ten schools have been honored 23 times, with the Wildcats winning the award twice.
Big Ten Conference Standings
2002 Standings Conference Games All Games Ohio State 0 0 .000 1 0 1.00 Wisconsin 0 0 .000 1 0 1.00 Illinois 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Indiana 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Iowa 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Michigan 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Michigan State 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Minnesota 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Northwestern 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Penn State 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 Purdue 0 0 .000 0 0 .000
All-America Watch List
The Football Writers' Association of America (FWAA) has announced its 2002 All-America Watch List and two Northwestern players are listed among the best at their position. Center Austin King and offensive guard Jeff Roehl, two of NU's returning honorable mention All-Big Ten players, made the list.
More Roehl and King
Senior Jeff Roehl has accepted an offer to play in the East-West Shrine Game, set for Jan. 11, 2003 in San Francisco's Pacific Bell Park. Roehl is slated to play for the East squad, which will be coached by Notre Dame's Tyrone Willingham. He was the second Big Ten player to join the East roster, joining Illinois' Walter Young. Roehl will be the 75th player to suit up for the Shrine Game, and the first since Eric Collier and KeJuan DuBose played in 1997. NU ranks fourth among Big Ten schools and 14th overall in all-time Shrine Game participation.
Roehl and classmate Austin King also have been named to the Rotary Gridiron Classic initial watch list. The Rotary Gridiron Classic, a game that matches the top collegiate players from around the nation against those in Florida, will be played Jan. 25, 2003.
Previewing the 'Cats
While college football's prognosticators have forecast a "rebuilding" season for Northwestern, the Wildcats are out to prove that there is more to the 2002 season than just working for the future. Widely picked 10th in the Big Ten race by the preseason magazines, etc., NU is relying on some talented youth to fill several key positions, many that were manned by players who were either drafted by the NFL or signed free-agent contracts. (NU had nine players from its 2001 team in NFL camps this summer.)
Many of the off-season questions have focused on who is replacing Zak Kustok at quarterback and Damien Anderson at running back. Redshirt sophomore Tony Stauss (Racine, Wis./Horlick), Kustok's backup a year ago, will take the first snap at Air Force. During the spring and preseason, Stauss was part of a healthy three-way quarterback competition with redshirt freshman Brett Basanez (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) and freshman Alexander Webb (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park).
At running back, junior Jason Wright (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar), redshirt freshman Jeff Backes (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and redshirt sophomore Noah Herron (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan), will likely all get a chance to showcase their skills against the Falcons. Senior Kevin Lawrence (Montreal, Quebec/Avon Old Farms, Anderson's backup the past two years, practiced during the preseason but is still working his way back into "football-shape" after undergoing knee surgery in the off-season. Wright, who has played receiver the past two seasons, will start at tailback. The Wildcats' deepest position could be wide receiver. NU has several talented youngsters ready to join Kunle Patrick and Jon Schweighardt as the team's top wideouts. Returnees Ronnie Foster (Peoria Heights, Ill./Peoria Heights), Ashton Aikens (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Country Day) and Roger Jordan (League City, Texas/Clear Creek) all have extensive experience. Those five players will receive additional support from true freshmen Mark Philmore (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) and Brandon Horn (Farmington, Mich./Detroit Country Day), two players who had an impressive preseason camp.
NU should also get some production from its tight end position. Redshirt freshmen Joe Wohlscheid (Grand Ledge, Mich./Grand Ledge) and Taylor Jones (Gladstone, Mo./Winnetonka) will play, along with junior Eric Worley (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield). During preseason camp, injuries to the offensive line led to plenty of player shuffling at different positions. Austin King, Jeff Roehl and Carl Matejka (Houston, Texas/Clear Brook) are definite starters.
Defensively, the Wildcats' frontline is young, but deep and relatively talented. Up front, NU plans to start a redshirt sophomore, Colby Clark (Austin, Texas/Westlake), a true sophomore, Thomas Derricks (Garland, Texas/Jesuit Prep), a redshirt freshman, David Thompson (Rockledge, Fla./Rockledge), and a true freshman, Loren Howard (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro). Howard is the only true freshman starter. Pat Durr anchors the linebacking corps, manning the middle for the 'Cats. He will be flanked by sophomore John Pickens (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) and redshirt freshman Braden Jones (Harrisburg, Ill./Harrisburg).
Like the linebackers, there is only one starting senior in the defensive backfield: cornerback Raheem Covington. Sophomores Herschel Henderson (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) and Marvin Ward (Landover, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) man the other corner spot while junior Mark Roush (Richmond, Va./Douglas Freeman) and sophomore Jarvis Adams (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby) are the starting safeties. Senior David Wasielewski (Odessa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit) and sophomore Brian Huffman (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) will split the place-kicking and punting duties. Wasielewski, a former punter at Florida, gets the nod at place-kicker, while Huffman will begin the year as NU's punter. Wasielewski handled NU's place-kicking duties last year.
Turnovers Told The Story
The difference between winning and losing a football game often comes down to turnovers. Northwestern found that out the hard way last year, going from a tie for first in turnover margin (+9) in 2000 to 10th place (-1) in 2001. In 2000, the season the Wildcats captured a share of the Big Ten crown and earned a spot in the Alamo Bowl, they had six games in which they committed no turnovers. Last year, NU suffered at least one turnover in every game.
61-2-1
Throughout his coaching career, Randy Walker has proven to be nearly unbeatable when his teams carry a lead into the fourth quarter. In his previous 12 years as a head coach, Walker's teams have compiled a 61-2-1 record when leading at the end of the third quarter. At NU, Walker is 12-1 when taking a lead into the final quarter.
Coaching Changes
For the first time since Randy Walker became a head coach in 1990, he will have both a new offensive and defensive coordinator calling plays when the Wildcats open at Air Force. In the offseason, Greg Colby was named the Wildcats' new defensive coordinator, replacing Jerry Brown, who was named assistant head coach and defensive secondary coach. Colby, who spent the past four years helping Kent State turn its football fortunes around, has ties to both Michigan State and Illinois, his alma mater. Also, Walker's long-time offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson assumed a new position at Oklahoma, which allowed Walker to promote assistant Mike Dunbar to the vacant position. Dunbar had offensive success at both Toledo and Northern Iowa.
Passing on the Prom
Two freshmen, Alexander Webb and Clifton Dawson (Scarborough, Ontario/Birchmount Park Collegiate Inst.), got a head start on their NU experience, graduating from high school early and enrolling in time for NU's spring quarter. As a result, the two were able to take part in the Wildcats' spring drills and gain some valuable experience. Webb ran a spread offense similar to NU's at his high school in Dallas.
A Northwestern Win vs. Air Force Will ...
* Give the Wildcats their third straight season-opening victory and improve their overall opening day record to 69-42-4.
* Halt the Wildcats' losing streak at six games.
* Give NU Head Coach Randy Walker an 8-4-1 record on opening day.
* Improve the Wildcats' all-time record vs. Mountain West foes to 7-3.
A Northwestern Loss vs. Air Force Will ...
* Drop the Wildcats' opening day record to 68-43-4.
* Extend the Wildcats' losing streak to seven games.
* Give the Wildcats an all-time record of 6-4 vs. Mountain West teams.
'Cat Tails ...
* Seniors Pat Durr and Austin King were elected captains by their teammates for the 2002 season. In addition to Durr and King, NU will name "game captains" each week.
* Only five seniors are in the Wildcats' starting lineup: three on offense (Jon Schweighardt, Austin King and Jeff Roehl) and two on defense (Raheem Covington and Pat Durr). The rest of the lineup (offense and defense only) includes four juniors, eight sophomores and five freshmen.
* This is only the third time in NU football history the Wildcats have opened their season in August. The other two times were 1997 (24-0 win over Oklahoma on Aug. 23) and 2000 (35-17 win over Northern Illinois on Aug. 31).
* Northwestern is 7-3 all-time versus the three I-A military academies: 2-2 vs. Air Force, 3-1 vs. Army and 2-0 vs. Navy.
* At NU, Coach Randy Walker is 6-3 vs. nonconference opposition.
* Since NU went to its "spread" offense in 2000, the Wildcats have scored in double digits all 23 games. The fewest points in a game during that stretch was 14 (a 41-14 loss to TCU on Sept. 16, 2000).
Up Next
After the Air Force game, the Wildcats return home for their Sept. 7 Ryan Field opener against TCU. Kickoff is set for noon. That day is designated "Heroes' Day." All uniformed policemen, firefighters and military personnel, along with their immediate families, will be admitted free to the game. Uniformed personnel, who will enter through Gate J with their families that day, may be asked to present official identification from their organization upon admission.
