Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Face Midshipmen Saturday in Annapolis
9/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 16, 2002
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GAME 4
Northwestern (1-2) at Navy (1-1)
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2002/Noon EDT
Site: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Md.
Capacity/Surface: 30,000/Natural Grass
Television: None
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, play-by-play; Ted Albrecht, analyst)(also on wgnradio.com); WNUR 89.3 FM)
The Game
Seeking its second victory in a row, Northwestern closes out the nonconference portion of its 2002 schedule this Saturday, Sept. 21, playing at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Kickoff is set for noon EDT. There is no national or regional television coverage of the game. However, Navy is originating its own broadcast (HDNet television), which will be available on DirecTV on Channel 199. You must have a high definition television to view that channel. HDNet programming is also available at participating restaurants and bars and other public viewing locations throughout the United States. For locations showing HDTV go to: http://www.hd.net/sportsbars.html.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Paul Johnson, the Midshipmen have not played since Sept. 7 when they fell at home to nationally ranked North Carolina State, 65-19. Prior to the setback to the Wolfpack, Navy began its season by winning its first game since Dec. 2, 2000 with a convincing 38-7 victory at SMU.
After facing the triple option offense in its season opener at Air Force, Northwestern will get a second chance at defending that offense when they take on the Mids this weekend. Junior quarterback Craig Candeto triggers the Navy option and leads the team in rushing (105.5 ypg, 6.6 ypc) and rushing TDs (four). Fullback Kyle Eckel (47.0 ypg, 2.3 ypg), slotback Eric Roberts (44.5 ypg, 6.8 ypc) and slotback Tony Lane (30.0 ypg, 6.7 ypc) are the Mids' other top ground gainers. As a team, Navy is averaging 268.0 rushing yards per game and 5.0 ypc. In the air, Candeto has completed 6-of-15 passes for 139 yards. Defensively, Navy is allowing 412.5 yards per game and 6.2 yards per play.
Northwestern plays four of its next five games on the road.
The Series with Navy
Series Record: 2-0, NU leads
At Annapolis: 1-0, NU leads
At Evanston: 1-0, NU leads
Last Result: 16-7, NU (1951)
Series Streak: 2, NU
Series Notes: This is the second game of a home-and-home series with the Midshipmen. Last year's game, however, was canceled due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. That contest was scheduled to be played Sept. 15 in Evanston. The canceled game will not be made up on future schedules ... NU won the first game played between the two schools, 22-0, at Navy in 1950. The Wildcats won 16-7 in Evanston the following year.
The NU-Duke Recap
Sept. 14, 2002-After falling behind by as many as 11 points, Northwestern clawed its way back to gain a 26-21 victory over Duke at Ryan Field. Quarterback Brett Basanez (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) tallied the game-winning points when he scored on a 1-yard keeper with 10 minutes 39 seconds remaining in the game. The NU defense did its job the rest of the way, keeping the Blue Devils out of the end zone on their final four possessions. Northwestern allowed Duke to score on its first second-half drive, but after that, the Blue Devils would get no closer than the Wildcats' 39-yard line the remainder of the game. Basanez completed 21-of-34 passes for 245 yards and finished the game with 30 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
After Duke had moved ahead 21-13 following its third-quarter score, Ashton Aikens (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Country Day) helped shave six points off the lead later in the third when he took a reverse 32 yards for a score. Two possessions later, the Wildcats marched 97 yards-their longest scoring drive since Nov. 7, 1998-to take their first lead of the game on Basanez's score.
Jason Wright (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) finished with 107 rushing yards and 164 all-purpose yards. Jon Schweighardt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) totaled a game-high six catches for 104 yards. NU's defense was led by linebackers John Pickens (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) and Doug Szymul (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West), who totaled 19 and 15 tackles, respectively. Szymul also had a fumble recovery and an interception.
Northwestern Head Coach Randy Walker
Randy Walker is in 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 75-56-5 career record in 13 seasons and a 16-21 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.
Freshmen Figures
With his third full recruiting class on board, head coach Randy Walker has a high percentage of young players on scholarship. This year, 45.8 percent of the Wildcats' scholarship roster is comprised of freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
More Youthful Facts
With the loss of Pat Durr, just four seniors are in the Wildcats' starting lineup: three on offense (Jon Schweighardt, Austin King and Jeff Roehl) and one on defense (Raheem Covington). The rest of the lineup (offense and defense only) includes five juniors, seven sophomores and six freshmen. In 2000, when the Wildcats captured a share of the Big Ten crown, they had five seniors, 11 juniors, six sophomores and no freshmen in their starting lineup. Fourteen NU players have made their first collegiate start this year.
Northwestern 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.
Nonconference Success
With the victory over Duke, Northwestern kept its hopes alives of winning at least two nonconference games every year since 1995. If the Wildcats defeat Navy on Saturday, it will mark the eighth straight year that NU has won at least two non-Big Ten games. With a win next week, it will be the 10th straight year that NU has sported a .500 or better record in non-league action. (NU went 1-1-1 in 1994.)
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 (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) and offensive guard Jeff Roehl (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg), 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 named to 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.
Classmate Austin King has accepted an invite to the Hula Bowl Maui on Feb. 1, 2003. He has started 33 career games at center, including 29 in a row from 1999 to 2001. Last week, King was named to the Rimington Award Watch List. Established in 2000, the Rimington Trophy honors the top NCAA Division I-A center each season.
Roehl and 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.
Injury Update
Northwestern freshman quarterback Alexander Webb (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park) lacerated his liver after taking a hard hit to the stomach in the Sept. 7 game against TCU. Webb, who was hospitalized immediately following the injury, was scheduled to leave Evanston Hospital on Monday, Sept. 16. The injury did not require surgery.
Webb will likely sit out the remainder of the season and take a medical hardship this year. He was one of three quarterbacks to play in NU's game vs. TCU. Webb rushed for 20 yards on four carries and completed 2 of 6 passes for 45 yards and one interception.
Middle linebacker Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles) underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee last Friday, Sept. 13. The surgery revealed a tear to his ACL, which was repaired. Durr is expected to apply for a medical hardship.
Still the One
Junior Jason Wright continues to lead the nation in kickoff return average after recording one return for 32 yards against Duke. (The return actually went for 40-plus yards, but due to a holding penalty, Wright was credited with a 32-yard return.) He is averaging 49.0 yards per return.
Last week, Wright earned Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors after a record-setting effort against TCU. Wright shattered NU's single-game marks for longest kickoff return (100 yards, for TD), yards per kickoff return (63.7) and total kickoff return yards (191). The kickoff return average was also a Big Ten record. Wright's 100-yard touchdown return was Northwestern's first kickoff return for a TD in 108 games. (NU's Lee Gissendaner returned a kickoff 90 yards vs. Michigan State on Oct. 31, 1992.) In addition, it was the first kickoff return for TD scored on TCU since Oct. 8, 1986 (175 games). Wright's performance also helped NU set a single-game team mark with 270 return yards.
Punter Brian Huffman (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) now ranks 18th nationally in punting average with a 43.2 mark. He was first in the nation after the season's first week with a 48.9 average.
What a Turnaround
Last year, the Wildcats ranked 11th in the Big Ten and 96th nationally in kickoff return average. Northwestern averaged 18.1 yards per return. This season, led by junior Jason Wright, the Wildcats have moved to the top of the Big Ten list and fifth nationally. As a team, NU is averaging 31.9 yards per return. Tennessee leads the nation with a 42.0 mark.
Century Receivers
Junior Kunle Patrick (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) and senior Jon Schweighardt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) became members of NU's "Century Club" for career receptions on Saturday against Duke. Schweighardt caught six passes for 104 yards and Patrick had five receptions for 54 yards. Both players are now tied for ninth place on the career reception list with 102 catches. The two are also moving up on the career yardage list. Schweighardt, who leads NU in receiving yardage this season, has 1,151 yards (16th place) and Patrick has 1,170 yards (13th place).
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 13 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.
On Saturday, the Wildcats trailed Duke 21-19 at the start of the fourth quarter. That was the fourth time since Walker came to NU that the Wildcats had overcome a fourth-quarter deficit.
On This Date (Sept. 21) in NU History ...
Six years ago (1996): Northwestern notched one of its nine season victories with a 28-7 home victory over Ohio University. The Wildcats scored all 28 points in the second quarter. Darnell Autry, who scored one of the 'Cats four TDs, ran for 115 yards on 28 carries.
39 years ago (1963): The Wildcats began what would become the final season of the Ara Parseghian era with a 23-12 road victory at Missouri. NU, which won four of its first five games that season, finished 5-4 that year.
Building the "D"
While the Wildcat defense continues its maturation process, there are signs that the unit is headed in the right direction. In the last two weeks (vs. TCU and Duke), Northwestern has recorded nine "three-and-outs" on defense. Last year, the NU defense had a total of 28 "three-and-outs" for the entire season.
Like the previous weeks, a majority of the Wildcats' top playmakers are freshmen and sophomores. Middle linebacker John Pickens, who leads NU in tackles this season with 37 hits, notched a career-high 19 tackles against the Blue Devils. Junior Doug Szymul, making his second collegiate start, had 15 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception. In just his third collegiate game, true freshman Loren Howard (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) notched 14 tackles (10 solos). Three of those tackles went for losses. Redshirt sophomore Colby Clark (Austin, Texas/Westlake) racked up a career-best 12 tackles (six solos).
Not to be outdone by Szymul, his classmate, junior Torri Stuckey (Robbins, Ill./Eisenhower), who was converted to safety from running back during the preseason, earned his first career interception.
'Cat Tails ...
* NU's top eight tacklers against TCU were either freshmen (four) or sophomores (four). Against Duke, NU's top 10 tacklers were divided this way: one junior, five sophomores and four freshmen.
* Freshman Terrell Jordan (Clarkston, Ga./Tucker) provided some big hits on special teams, recording two solo tackles vs. Duke.
NU-Navy Ties
Two NU players, freshmen David Thompson (Rockledge, Fla.) and Chris Horton (Pickerington, Ohio) have prep teammates playing at Navy-Brian Yarbrough (Rockledge) and Sam Brown (Pickerington).
Up Next
Northwestern kicks off the Big Ten season next Saturday, Sept. 28, taking on Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. Kickoff is TBA.
