Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Host MAC East Favorite Miami Saturday
9/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 8, 2003
Game Notes vs. Miami (Sept. 13)
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The Game
After dropping a one-point decision to Air Force in its home opener last Saturday, Northwestern remains at Ryan Field this Saturday, Sept. 13 for another stiff test, entertaining Miami University, the Mid-American Conference East Division preseason favorite. ESPN Plus is televising the game regionally.
Miami, the alma mater and former employer of Northwestern coach Randy Walker, has earned a reputation over the years of knocking off schools from the major conferences. Northwestern fans know all too well of Miami's out-of-league successes as the then-Redskins handed the Wildcats their only regular-season loss during NU's 1995 Rose Bowl season. In 1999, Miami defeated Northwestern in Walker's debut as the Wildcats' head coach.
Miami is coached by Terry Hoeppner, who is in his fifth season as the RedHawks' head mentor. Hoeppner, who has been on the Miami coaching staff since 1986, was an assistant on Walker's staff all nine years (1990-98) in Oxford. The primary reason the RedHawks have been tabbed the East favorite over Marshall, the MAC East Division champion the past six years, is the presence of Ben Roethlisberger, one of the nation's top quarterbacks. Although he endured a rough start at Iowa two weeks ago when the RedHawks dropped a 21-3 decision, the 6-foot-5 signal caller, in just his third season, is poised to own every Miami career, single-season and game passing record in the coming weeks.The RedHawks also tout a solid one-two punch at running back in seniors Luke Clemens and Cal Murray, who combined for 1,262 yards last year. Defensively, the RedHawks are led by middle linebacker Terrell Jones and safety Matt Pusateri. Pusateri and Jones ranked first and third, respectively, on Miami's tackle charts last year. Jones had 11 tackles, including 1.5 pass sacks, in the the RedHawks' 21-3 season-opening loss at Iowa.
Gameday Promotions
This Saturday is "Heroes Day" at Ryan Field. All uniformed policemen, firefighters and military personnel/veterans, 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.
In addition, a limited number of upper-level reserved end-zone seats (sections 223 and 235) will be on sale this week for half price ($15). This offer is only available in advance or on gameday at the NU Ticket Office (1501 Central Street, Evanston). Call 847-491-CATS for further information.
The Series With Miami
Series Record: Miami leads 5-1
At Evanston: Miami leads 5-1
At Oxford: No meetings
Last Result: 28-3, Miami, 1999
Series Streak: 4, Miami
Series Notes: This is the second game of a "two-for-one" series-two games at Northwestern and one at Miami. The first meeting came in 1999, Randy Walker's first season as NU's head coach. The third meeting will come on Sept. 2, 2006 in Oxford, Ohio, Northwestern's first visit to Miami ... NU's lone series win came in 1963, a 37-6 victory. That team was coached by Ara Parseghian, a 1949 graduate of Miami ... Northwestern is a combined 7-7-1 vs. Mid-American Conference (MAC) competition. The Wildcats have played four MAC schools: Northern Illinois, Ohio, Bowling Green and Miami.
Northwestern Head Coach Randy Walker
Randy Walker's passion for excellence continues to be the driving force in his mission to return Northwestern's football program to the top of the Big Ten Conference, and among the nation's elite. A 27-year coaching veteran who has been associated with some of the game's greatest mentors, Walker places a high value on a student-athlete not only excelling on the field, but also in the classroom and in the community.
In his fifth season with the Wildcats, Walker has produced a 19-29 record, highlighted by an 8-4 mark in 2000. That season, the Wildcats won a share of the Big Ten title-NU's third conference crown since 1995. Overall, in his 14th year as a college head coach, Walker is 78-64-5. He spent his first nine years at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Walker departed his alma mater as the program's winningest coach with a 59-35-5 (.621) record.
The NU-Air Force Recap
Although the Wildcats received another 100-yard rushing effort from Jason Wright (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) and solid effort from its defense, Northwestern was unable to hold off Air Force in its home opener and suffered a 22-21 setback to the Falcons. The Wildcats were in command much of the way, but three straight turnovers by the Wildcat offense-all interceptions-fueled the Air Force comeback. A 25-yard field goal by Joey Ashcroft with 2:01 remaining lifted the Falcons to the win.
After Air Force scored the game's first touchdown, Northwestern countered with 21 unanswered points. A 2-yard run by Wright and a 20-yard reception by Noah Herron (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) lifted the 'Cats to a 14-7 halftime lead. NU made it 21-7 on the opening drive of the third quarter as Herron capped an 8-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring plunge. On Air Force's ensuing offensive series, quarterback Chance Harridge was ejected from the game following a fumble, but all that seemed to do was fire up the Falcons. In the game's final 20 minutes, the Wildcats mustered just two first downs. Although the 'Cats were stalled offensively late in the contest, they held the upperhand in total offense (452 to 409), first downs (21 to 14) and time of possession (30:36 to 29:24). Northwestern's defense allowed just three of Air Force's 53 rushing plays to go for distances of 10 or more yards. Safety Marvin Ward (Landover, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) led NU with 17 tackles and a fumble recovery.
NU Earns AFCA Academic Recognition Award ... Again
Once again, Northwestern's football program was lauded for its exemplary graduation rates by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) in 2003. Since the Wildcats have been eligible for the award (starting in 1998), they have either won the award (1998 and 2002) or received honorable mention recognition (for a graduation rate of 90 percent or better).
Northwestern was one of six schools with a 90 percent or better graduation rate (for its freshman class from the 1997-98 academic year), joining Boston College, Connecticut, Rice, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. Duke won the 2003 title with a 100 percent graduation rate. Northwestern or Duke have held the title all but two years since 1993.
Big Ten schools became eligible for the award in 1998.
Marvelous Marvin
For the first time since the 2000 season, a member of Northwestern's defensive unit has picked up Big Ten Player of the Week honors. Junior safety Marvin Ward, who was a late replacement in the starting lineup for the ailing Louis Ayeni (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury), is sharing this week's honor with Ohio State's Will Allen. Ward collected a career-high 17 tackles (11 solos) and a key fumble recovery in Saturday's game vs. Air Force. He played a key role in helping contain the Falcons' vaunted option attack. Only three of Air Force's 53 rushing plays went for distances of 10 or more yards.
Wright Earns Fourth Big Ten Honor
For his performance in the season-opening victory over Kansas, senior running back Jason Wright earned his fourth career Big Ten Player-of-the-Week. In that game, Wright equaled a career high in rushing yards (196) and rushing touchdowns (4). He also set a personal best with 41 rushing attempts. The 196 yards were the second-most on college football's opening weekend. Through two games, Wright is averaging 152.0 yards per game, the sixth-best average nationally.
The Wright Stuff
The 2002 season was a breakout year for running back Jason Wright. After toiling as a reserve receiver in 2001 (7 catches for 48 yards), Wright finished 2002 by being named a Verizon first-team Academic All-American and an honorable mention all-Big Ten running back. After Saturday's performance vs. Air Force (22 for 108 yds., 1 TD), Wright now has nine 100-yard rushing performances in his last 12 games. He also has moved into Northwestern's top 10 list for career rushing. Wright is third in Big Ten rushing, first in Big Ten scoring, and third in Big Ten all-purpose yardage.
An update on some other notable items/numbers for Wright:
* Owns a string of 260 consecutive carries without a fumble (fumbled once in 2002).
* Needs 47 rushing yards to move into ninth place on NU's all-time rushing list; 58 yards to move into eighth place; and 299 yards to move into seventh place.
* Needs 528 all-purpose yards to crack NU's top-10 career list.
* Averaging 123.8 rushing ypg in his last 12 outings.
* Missed NU's preseason scrimmage (Aug. 16) in order to take the medical school entrance exam (MCAT).
* Delivered the players' keynote address at the 2003 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon.
* Sang the national anthem prior to an NU men's basketball game (vs. Ohio State) and prior to a 2003 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament session at the United Center.
Jason Wright on Doak Walker Award List
Jason Wright is one of 39 preseason candidates for the 2003 Doak Walker Award, awarded annually to the nation's top college running back. He is one of four Big Ten running backs on the list, joining Wisconsin's Anthony Davis, Michigan's Chris Perry and Iowa's Fred Russell. The SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select eight semifinalists on Nov. 19, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will vote on the winner in late November. Penn State's Larry Johnson won last year's award.
Durr Leading the "D"
Northwestern's 2002 defensive woes are well-documented, and the rough year was certainly not helped by the absence of Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles), who tore every major ligament in his right knee in the season-opening game at Air Force. Durr has since completed an impressive rehabilitation process and registered a couple solid performances in his first two games. Through the Kansas and Air Force contests, Durr sits atop the NU tackle chart with 20 hits (nine solos). He also has a pass sack and a fumble recovery. More importantly, the Butkus Award candidate has helped the NU defense become a much-improved unit in 2003. After two games, the Wildcats are allowing 21.0 points per game, but the defense is only responsible for 23 of those 42 points. The other three scores (19 points) came via a pair of interception returns and a blocked punt return. Last year at this time, Northwestern was giving up 50.0 ppg.
Tight End Tallies
The Wildcats have received some key receptions from their tight ends in the season's first few weeks. The biggest reception, however, came on a third-and-21 play with the 'Cats on the Air Force 24-yard line. Backup Gilles Lezi (Laval, Quebec/Cegep du Vieux) caught a pass for a 22-yard gain, which was the key play in NU's first touchdown of the day.
Stiff Schedule
There is no question that Wildcats are facing one of the nation's most difficult schedules. A 12-game slate that College Football News rated the toughest in the Big Ten is challenging NU this fall. Overall, the 'Cats are facing seven teams that were invited to postseason play a year ago. Eight of this year's 12 opponents were ranked or received votes in the AP and coaches' preseason polls.
Kunle Patrick is Streaking
Dating to his freshman season, receiver Kunle Patrick has caught at least one pass in 36 consecutive games, which leads the nation with Texas Tech's Wes Welker. USC's Kareem Kelly set the NCAA Division I-A record last year, concluding his career with a 47-game streak.
In Saturday's game vs. Air Force, Patrick passed former teammate Jon Schweighardt on both the career reception and career receiving yardage lists on his second catch of the game.
O-Line Measures Up
With the losses of offensive linemen Austin King and Jeff Roehl to graduation and the NFL, there were off-season concerns about replacing those two players up front. Those fears were reduced, however, after Northwestern's offensive line, which weighs an average of 317 pounds (fourth heaviest in I-A football), has produced an offensive average of 459.5 yards per game (26th most nationally) and allowed just one sack. Following the season-opening game at Kansas, Jason Wright led the praises for his offensive line: "A lot of people think that's going to be our weak point, but I don't see that at all, not even a little bit."
Safety in Numbers
Northwestern worked hard in the off-season, shoring up its play at the safety positions. Former running back/receiver Louis Ayeni was moved to defense, joining another former running back, Torri Stuckey. In the season-opening tilt at Kansas, Ayeni was the star of the game, totaling seven tackles, a bone-crushing hit that forced a fumble and a fumble recovery. The following week with Ayeni sidelined with an injury against Air Force, Marvin Ward filled in at safety and all he did was earn Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors. Junior Dominique Price (Louisville, Ky./DuPont Manual) is also playing well at safety, with 10 tackles and a forced fumble in two games.
Out of Character
Throughout his coaching career, Randy Walker has proven to be nearly unbeatable when his teams carry a lead into the fourth quarter. But for the second time in three years, Walker's club lost a game (vs. Air Force) fter starting the final frame with a lead. In his 14 years as a head coach, Walker's teams have compiled a 63-3-1 record when leading at the end of the third quarter. At NU, he is 14-2. (The other loss came to Penn State in 2001.)
Baz at the Helm
Although he endured a rough finish in the Air Force game, sophomore quarterback Brett Basanez (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) still racked up 283 yards of total offense, including 234 passing yards. Playing in his 13th career game this weekend versus Miami, Basanez needs just 42 yards to crack NU's top-10 list for career passing yardage. After suffering a broken fibula midway through the 2002 season, Basanez came back to play the final three games and lead all freshman quarterbacks nationally in passing yardage (220.4 ypg). He concluded his season with a 368-yard effort vs. Illinois.
NU's Miami Ties
There is a notable list of coaches and administrators who have passed through Oxford, Ohio on their way to the Northwestern athletic department. Assistant coaches Jay Peterson, Howard Feggins, Jack Glowik and James Patton all followed head coach Randy Walker to Evanston in 1999. Peterson, Glowik and Patton are Miami alums, along with Walker. NU's director of football operations, Justin Chabot, is a native of Oxford and had a brother, Jeff, play for Coach Walker at Miami. Also, Mike Wolf, NU's assistant athletic director of media services, served in a similar capacity at Miami from 1998-2001.
'Cat Tails
* Tight end Ray Bogenrief (Cedarburg, Wis./Marquette) has five receptions in his first two games, but left the Air Force game with an injured knee. He is listed as questionable for this week's game vs. Miami.
* Northwestern's defense has forced seven turnovers (five fumbles, two interceptions) in its first two games. Last year, the NU defense had just one takeaway-a fumble-after two contests.
* Punter/kicker Brian Huffman (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg), a Ray Guy Award candidate, had an outstanding day vs. Air Force, booting six punts for a 45.7 ypp average. More impressive was the fact that four of his six punts landed inside the 20 and another was fair caught. He also had a strong day kicking off, with three of his four kicks going out of the end zone.
