Northwestern University Athletics
The Season Wrapup
1/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 21, 2003
2002 Football Wrapup Release
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2002 Big Ten Football Season Wrapup
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Despite the emergence of offensive stars Jason Wright (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) and Brett Basanez (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator), Northwestern could not overcome its inexperience and youth, especially on the defensive side of the ball where eight starters were either freshmen or sophomores. As a result, the Wildcats wrapped up the 2002 season at 3-9 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten.
Early on, Northwestern received a sign that perhaps this would not be the year it turned its defense around. Six plays into the season-opening game at Air Force, the Wildcats were dealt a blow that was as damaging mentally as it was physically. Senior co-captain and defensive leader Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles) suffered a season-ending knee injury. He was anchoring the 'Cats' young defense, playing middle linebacker, the most important position in NU's new 4-3 system. With his loss, the Wildcats never seemed to recover, rotating linebackers throughout the season and trying to find a productive and effective combination.
Northwestern went on to lose its season-opening game as well as its home opener vs. TCU before righting the ship. In the Duke and Navy games, the 'Cats began to form an identity on offense, with Wright and Basanez playing lead roles. The Wildcats beat Duke 26-21 before exploding for a 49-40 win at Navy. With the two straight wins, NU carried some momentum into Big Ten play and went to Michigan State ready to upend the Spartans. Northwestern battled the Spartans into the fourth quarter, but could not overtake them.
The 'Cats returned home for a nationally televised night game against the fifth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, the eventual national champion. Although they came up on the short end of an 11-point decision, NU showed some aggressive play on defense, forcing freshman sensation Maurice Clarett to fumble three times. Five days later, the Wildcats traveled to Minnesota to take on the Gophers. The game was played two days earlier than originally scheduled after conflicts arose with the Metrodome schedule due to the Minnesota Twins' participation in the postseason playoffs. Northwestern lost a shootout, falling 45-42, but was encouraged with its strong offensive showing. One day later, the 'Cats found out that Basanez suffered a broken fibula on his final play of the game. He would miss the next two games before returning.
With Basanez out of the lineup, the Wildcats' offense never found the rhythm it had in previous weeks, and NU scored just 13 points in its next two games, losses to Penn State and Purdue. Basanez returned for the Indiana contest and helped lead NU to a 41-37 come-from-behind win over the Hoosiers. Wright earned his third Big Ten Player-of-the-Week honor for his 196-yard rushing performance against the Hoosiers.
In the final two contests, the Wildcats fell at Big Ten co-champion Iowa before returning home to take on Illinois in the season finale. Iowa showed why it was one of the nation's top teams, defeating the 'Cats 62-10. After an open date, NU battled the Illini to the wire, only to see Illinois hold on for a 31-24 victory. Basanez turned in the sixth-best passing day in school history, completing 31-of-49 passes for 368 yards.
Wright finished the season with 1,234 rushing yards and 2,013 all-purpose yards, the third-best season figure in NU history. Basanez finished second in Big Ten total offense and third in passing yardage per game. Nationally, he led all freshmen quarterbacks in passing yards.
