Northwestern University Athletics
Camp Kenosha Day Nine
8/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 19, 2005
KENOSHA, Wis. - Still north of the Illinois border in Kenosha, Wis., for preseason camp, the Northwestern football team went through a two-hour practice Friday morning. Scheduled as a two-a-day practice, this afternoon's session will be a walk-through, which will give players a longer time to recuperate for Saturday's noon-time scrimmage.
NUsports.com caught up with offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar after practice to see how things are progressing on the offensive side of the ball.
NUsports.com: The team has been in camp nine days. In that time, how has the offense progressed?
Dunbar: We're making steady progress. When we got to camp we threw everything at them right away. Now we're more into refining and paying closer attention to detail. We have the base concepts of our entire offense installed, now we need to find out who our playmakers are going to be.
NUsports.com: Have any freshmen stepped up and impressed you so far in camp?
Dunbar: The young guys are doing a good job. I don't want to single anyone out until I see them in a full-scrimmage situation. The freshmen class is an outstanding group of young athletes. It's a developmental process and time will tell, but we like what we see and they continue to make progress. The scrimmage (on Saturday) will show us a little more, but they will be an important part to the success of our football team throughout the season.
NUsports.com: Speaking of the scrimmage, tomorrow is the team's first `full-go.' What are you expecting from the offense?
Dunbar: Offensively, we'd love to go out and move the ball consistently and make some plays when it counts. We've been practicing against each other for nine days now; they (the defense) have a good idea of what were doing. So we'll go out, disguise our checks and play those games against the defense. But it will be a good go, we need to get out and scrimmage. Both sides of the ball need to get out and hit someone in a game-like atmosphere, feel the intensity, the chaos and the exhilaration that goes with game like situations.
NUsports.com: What kind of a difference does it make having (Brett) Basanez, a four-year starter, at quarterback?
Dunbar: It makes a tremendous difference. Obviously he is very experienced and a tremendous student of the game. Not only is Brett good at managing our offense, but also he's very good at managing the game. The biggest thing Brett needs to do is stay sharp and make the plays the defense gives him. He does a tremendous job of making reads, making the right decisions and delivering the ball on time.
NUsports.com: How do you see the tailback position unfolding?
Dunbar: We'll know a lot more after the scrimmage Saturday. We have a good group at tailback and they all can run the ball. But, in our offense there is a lot more to do than just run the ball. They block, catch passes, all of those elements we'll be evaluated at the scrimmage.
NUsports.com: What is your favorite part of Camp Kenosha?
Dunbar: I like the all-football aspect of Camp. I'm your typical football coach, being up here 24 hours a day; there really isn't anything to do but football. I hunker down in my meeting room relax and watch film. I meet with the quarterbacks, it's football 24 hours a day and for us football junkies, it's great.
