Northwestern University Athletics
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The Skip Report: Cornerstone of the Linebackers
11/15/2017 2:43:00 PM | Football
By Skip Myslenski
NUsports.com Special Contributor
The warm glow of the spotlight has often bathed Paddy Fisher this season, and that is understandable. The middle linebacker, just a redshirt first year, has often dazzled while collecting 95 tackles, the most among the Wildcats and the second most in the Big Ten. Center stage has also belonged to the junior Nate Hall, and again there are reasons for that. The SAM linebacker is not only the 'Cats' second-leading tackler with 67, he also punctuated their triple-overtime win over Michigan State with an end zone interception.
But neither is the name mentioned by Pat Fitzgerald when he is asked the reason for the improved play of the linebackers as this season has moved along.
"It starts with Brett Walsh," he instead says, referring to the senior Will linebacker. "He has done a terrific job leading. I don't think he gets any of the credit outside of our building, which is fine with Brett. There's been more flash plays and more statistical plays by Paddy and by Nate, but that's just my stats-are-for-losers deal. I think Brett has been absolutely outstanding.
"It's been really fun to watch. I'm really proud of him, I'm really happy for him, and he has just grinded. He has maximized every ounce of everything he's got. And he's not only doing it with the linebacking corps. His leadership with the rest of the defense has been as good as I've had here. I'm really proud of Brett. He's done a great job."
"That's awesome. I appreciate the kind words and stuff like that," Walsh will say when told of his boss's Valentine. "But that's been my goal. I told the guys early on in the year, when expectations for us were low, that we plan on being one of the best linebacking corps in the Big Ten and even the nation. We've always had that goal and we've been trying to play like that the whole season. I know early on in the year, some of the guys weren't playing well, especially me. We all had to step up our game. But I think we're playing really well right now. It's cool to get recognition from Coach Fitz because he was a great linebacker here. But we've still got a lot of work to do."
Back in 2013, when he was a senior at Monrovia (CA) High School, Walsh received a ton of recognition as he averaged 25.3 tackles-per-game. But still he was snubbed by those ubiquitous rating services, which awarded him no stars, and by the football names out West, which didn't like his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame. None of that deterred the 'Cats from offering him.
"He just made a lot of plays, he made a lot of tackles," linebacker coach Randy Bates says when asked what they liked about him. "I don't know how many tackles he made in high school, but it was a ton. You could see he was a playmaker and that's what we're looking for. Not necessarily stars. But guys who just are playmakers."
And they didn't care what the rating services or the other schools thought?
"Nah. We don't even look at it. People talk about who's offered him and all that. Don't even ask. Don't care. That has nothing to do with who we recruit."
But did those snubs leave Walsh toting around that proverbial piece of lumber?
"Being recruited out of high school, I was told I'm a smaller guy, and I am a smaller guy I suppose," Walsh says. "But, yeah, I definitely remember a lot of the coaches saying I'm not big enough or physical enough to play football on the Division I level, on the Big Ten level. So I would say so. I think we all do. I think all the linebackers play with a chip on their shoulder."
Injuries, Bates says, hindered Walsh's progress after he joined the 'Cats. But last fall, when Jaylen Prater went down against Ohio State, he was prepared enough to move in for him, and he started the final five games of that season.
"And," says Bates, "every game he got better. He's just continued to improve."
That experience he received and that improvement he made was not unimportant as the 'Cats prepared for this season, and here is why. Walsh was the only senior with experience in his room, a reality that was not lost on him. (The other senior in it, Warren Long, had played running back until this year.)
"We had a ton of young guys and I felt my responsibility was to give the young guys what I got as a freshman," he says when asked how he reacted to his status. "Give them knowledge. Try to include them in as much stuff as possible. I offered to take them to extra workouts, extra film sessions, stuff like that. I felt if I could do that, that would be my role and help the room. And I do think it has helped some guys. That's one thing I'm proud of— I feel some of the younger guys have come a long way since September."
"He's another coach in the room," Bates attests. "He's taught the guys how to prepare. We have always expected our seniors to teach the younger guys. But he has given Paddy a calmness on the field that's really hard to get as a freshman. He's been able to help him, and get guys lined up, and do all the things an older guy can do."
So does Walsh call the signals, which is usually the chore of the middle linebacker?
"Paddy still makes that," Bates says. "But he makes all the other calls to take a lot of pressure off Paddy. We kind of change that according to who the older guys are. When a freshman comes in, we put that onus on an upperclassman. That's where he's done such a great job, taking all the pressure off of Paddy so he can just play. That's where he's done such a great job."
"The thing is, Paddy is an outstanding player and the last thing you want him to do is overthink," Walsh explains. "I've been around some time, I'm used to the playbook, so I'll take the mental burden off him. Paddy still does a lot of stuff. But I try to help out as much as I can because when he's playing fast our defense is playing great.
"What Anthony (Walker, now with the Indianapolis Colts) did for me last year, I try to do that for Paddy now. Last year (when he replaced the injured Prater) the spotlight was really bright and everything was moving fast. But Anthony would help me with my calls and stuff like that. Now sometimes I'll look at Paddy and say, 'Hey, Paddy, maybe we should go this.' That's all I try to do, slow down the game for him a little bit. That let's him play fast."
"He won't get the credit those other two will get," Randy Bates finally says. "But he is really the cornerstone of the linebackers."
NUsports.com Special Contributor
The warm glow of the spotlight has often bathed Paddy Fisher this season, and that is understandable. The middle linebacker, just a redshirt first year, has often dazzled while collecting 95 tackles, the most among the Wildcats and the second most in the Big Ten. Center stage has also belonged to the junior Nate Hall, and again there are reasons for that. The SAM linebacker is not only the 'Cats' second-leading tackler with 67, he also punctuated their triple-overtime win over Michigan State with an end zone interception.
But neither is the name mentioned by Pat Fitzgerald when he is asked the reason for the improved play of the linebackers as this season has moved along.
"It starts with Brett Walsh," he instead says, referring to the senior Will linebacker. "He has done a terrific job leading. I don't think he gets any of the credit outside of our building, which is fine with Brett. There's been more flash plays and more statistical plays by Paddy and by Nate, but that's just my stats-are-for-losers deal. I think Brett has been absolutely outstanding.
"It's been really fun to watch. I'm really proud of him, I'm really happy for him, and he has just grinded. He has maximized every ounce of everything he's got. And he's not only doing it with the linebacking corps. His leadership with the rest of the defense has been as good as I've had here. I'm really proud of Brett. He's done a great job."
"That's awesome. I appreciate the kind words and stuff like that," Walsh will say when told of his boss's Valentine. "But that's been my goal. I told the guys early on in the year, when expectations for us were low, that we plan on being one of the best linebacking corps in the Big Ten and even the nation. We've always had that goal and we've been trying to play like that the whole season. I know early on in the year, some of the guys weren't playing well, especially me. We all had to step up our game. But I think we're playing really well right now. It's cool to get recognition from Coach Fitz because he was a great linebacker here. But we've still got a lot of work to do."
Back in 2013, when he was a senior at Monrovia (CA) High School, Walsh received a ton of recognition as he averaged 25.3 tackles-per-game. But still he was snubbed by those ubiquitous rating services, which awarded him no stars, and by the football names out West, which didn't like his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame. None of that deterred the 'Cats from offering him.
"He just made a lot of plays, he made a lot of tackles," linebacker coach Randy Bates says when asked what they liked about him. "I don't know how many tackles he made in high school, but it was a ton. You could see he was a playmaker and that's what we're looking for. Not necessarily stars. But guys who just are playmakers."
And they didn't care what the rating services or the other schools thought?
"Nah. We don't even look at it. People talk about who's offered him and all that. Don't even ask. Don't care. That has nothing to do with who we recruit."
But did those snubs leave Walsh toting around that proverbial piece of lumber?
"Being recruited out of high school, I was told I'm a smaller guy, and I am a smaller guy I suppose," Walsh says. "But, yeah, I definitely remember a lot of the coaches saying I'm not big enough or physical enough to play football on the Division I level, on the Big Ten level. So I would say so. I think we all do. I think all the linebackers play with a chip on their shoulder."
Injuries, Bates says, hindered Walsh's progress after he joined the 'Cats. But last fall, when Jaylen Prater went down against Ohio State, he was prepared enough to move in for him, and he started the final five games of that season.
"And," says Bates, "every game he got better. He's just continued to improve."
That experience he received and that improvement he made was not unimportant as the 'Cats prepared for this season, and here is why. Walsh was the only senior with experience in his room, a reality that was not lost on him. (The other senior in it, Warren Long, had played running back until this year.)
"We had a ton of young guys and I felt my responsibility was to give the young guys what I got as a freshman," he says when asked how he reacted to his status. "Give them knowledge. Try to include them in as much stuff as possible. I offered to take them to extra workouts, extra film sessions, stuff like that. I felt if I could do that, that would be my role and help the room. And I do think it has helped some guys. That's one thing I'm proud of— I feel some of the younger guys have come a long way since September."
"He's another coach in the room," Bates attests. "He's taught the guys how to prepare. We have always expected our seniors to teach the younger guys. But he has given Paddy a calmness on the field that's really hard to get as a freshman. He's been able to help him, and get guys lined up, and do all the things an older guy can do."
So does Walsh call the signals, which is usually the chore of the middle linebacker?
"Paddy still makes that," Bates says. "But he makes all the other calls to take a lot of pressure off Paddy. We kind of change that according to who the older guys are. When a freshman comes in, we put that onus on an upperclassman. That's where he's done such a great job, taking all the pressure off of Paddy so he can just play. That's where he's done such a great job."
"The thing is, Paddy is an outstanding player and the last thing you want him to do is overthink," Walsh explains. "I've been around some time, I'm used to the playbook, so I'll take the mental burden off him. Paddy still does a lot of stuff. But I try to help out as much as I can because when he's playing fast our defense is playing great.
"What Anthony (Walker, now with the Indianapolis Colts) did for me last year, I try to do that for Paddy now. Last year (when he replaced the injured Prater) the spotlight was really bright and everything was moving fast. But Anthony would help me with my calls and stuff like that. Now sometimes I'll look at Paddy and say, 'Hey, Paddy, maybe we should go this.' That's all I try to do, slow down the game for him a little bit. That let's him play fast."
"He won't get the credit those other two will get," Randy Bates finally says. "But he is really the cornerstone of the linebackers."
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