Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Make Themselves At Home in Houston
12/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 27, 2011
Tuesday Post-Practice Interviews on Wildcats All-Access
| Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald |  Watch Video |
| Senior QB Dan Persa | Watch Video |
| Sophomore WR Venric Mark | Watch Video |
| Freshman WR Christian Jones | Watch Video |
HOUSTON, Texas -- After a smooth team travel day on Monday, Northwestern made the most of its first full day in Houston as it kicked off the final stretch of preparation for Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas (11 a.m., ESPN). The 'Cats spent Tuesday morning holding an 18-period practice at Rice Stadium, home of the Rice University Owls.
"I thought our guys brought great focus to today's workout," said head coach Pat Fitzgerald. "For the first time in three years our travel coming down to a bowl site was smooth and uneventful. Always you're going to have some mistakes and things you need to clean up on video but if your focus is in the right spot and we're taking advantage of the time we're in meetings and on the field, we're getting ourselves prepared."
Coach Fitzgerald also addressed his strong ties to Houston and the pipeline of players from the city to Northwestern that has developed in recent years.
"This is an area where, once we leave Chicagoland, we're coming to Texas and we're coming into Houston in particular, just because of the great in-roads we've had, the great high school coaches and the great players," Fitzgerald said. "A Northwestern degree resonates with young people down here. It's critically important for us to be here and we've got quite a few young alums coming back down after they've earned their degree and played a great career for us being very successful in business in Houston."
A couple takeaways following Northwestern's first practice in Houston:
• The Wildcats were able to enjoy six full days at home for the holidays before reconvening in Evanston in the afternoon on Christmas Day with meetings and a brief walkthrough. NU returned to the practice field in earnest on Monday with a physical 19-period practice before loading the buses to catch their 5 p.m. charter flight to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
• Upon Northwestern's arrival to its team hotel Monday evening, the Wildcats were greeted by a large contingent of purple-clad fans, family and alumni welcoming them to Houston. Members of a local marching band also turned out to play "Go U, NU" as the 'Cats entered the hotel.
• Although Houston endured a spell of bad weather over the holiday weekend, the Wildcats took the field at Rice Stadium Tuesday under perfectly clear skies and were treated to temperatures that climbed into the 60's by session's end. The outlook for the rest of the week remains bright, with only the possibility of showers forecasted for gameday Saturday (Reliant Stadium, home of the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, boasts a retractable roof).
• Northwestern's use of Rice Stadium as a bowl practice site comes on the heels of a two-year series between the Wildcats and Owls; NU scored a 30-13 win in Houston in 2010 before downing Rice, 28-6, on Nov. 12 in Evanston this season. Rice Stadium was the original site of what became the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, hosting the game for nine years beginning in 1959 when it was the Bluebonnet Bowl and again in 1985-86. Rice Stadium also is one of two university stadiums to have hosted the NFL's Super Bowl, having done so for Super Bowl VIII in 1974 when the Miami Dolphins defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 24-7, in front of 71,882 fans.
• Several Houston-based television networks and media members turned out both to the hotel and Tuesday's practice to meet the 'Cats, speaking specifically to sophomore running back/kick returner Venric Mark and freshman wideout Christian Jones. Most of the NU players who call Houston home spent their holiday breaks in the Lone Star State and reported back to Evanston over the weekend, only to return to Houston Monday with their teammates.
• After meetings Tuesday afternoon, the Wildcats will be heading to an improv comedy show together, one of several events arranged by the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas committee for NU and Texas A&M.
• And finally, Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern have implemented a sure-fire way to remain focused on the ultimate goal of this week. Everywhere the Wildcats venture, one player will carry a stuffed gorilla sporting the number 63 on its shirt -- a reminder that it's time to get the proverbial monkey off their back and end its drought of bowl victories. During postpractice lunch on Tuesday, it was running back Treyvon Green's turn to bear the burden.
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