Northwestern University Athletics
The Skip Report: Spring Ball is Here
2/27/2018 3:14:00β―PM | Football
By Skip Myslenski
NUsports.com Special Contributor
A few words from Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald as Northwestern begins spring practice. . . .
The biggest curiosity, of course, is quarterback Clayton Thorson, who tore his ACL last December in the Music City Bowl: "Everything has been according to what we thought the plan would be. Off crutches when he was supposed to get off of them. Out of the brace when he was supposed to be be out of the brace. Things of that nature. He's having the follow up with his surgeon and I'd expect things to progress in the fashion they have been.". . .
But a typical recovery from that injury takes time and so this spring the spotlight will shine on his backups, the junior TJ Green and the sophomore Aidan Smith and the redshirt first year Andrew Marty.
"I would like (one of) them to walk out of the spring with the mentality that they're the starter. But nobody walks out of spring ball with the job for (the season opener at) Purdue. They walk out of spring ball, 'I've earned the job to this point. Now what I do in the summer and what I do at camp determines whether I am (the starter at Purdue). Nobody will be a starter, solidified, coming out of spring. I don't think we've ever done that with any position, let alone quarterback.". . .
Thumbnails: The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Green is a preferred walk-on who chose the Wildcats over Nebraska and Stanford. His father Trent spent 15 years as an NFL quarterback and he himself was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri as a high school senior.
"A guy who, three inches taller, is probably a scholarship guy in this league."
The 6-2, 205-pound Smith is from Ft. Wayne, which is also the hometown of wideout Bennett Skowronek. They attended different high schools, but starred together on a seven-on-seven team.
"He's got a big, talented arm."
The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Marty fractured a femur and played just two games as a high school junior, when most recruits are heavily scouted, but recovered well enough to account for 50 touchdowns as a senior (43 throwing, seven running).
"Wasn't heavily recruited (because of his injury), but we saw what we needed to see. Then personality wise, I would say all three are kind of the same. I'd say all three are uber-competitive.". . .
They will split reps evenly this spring unless "Somebody is playing head-and-shoulders above. Then they'll get more. My previous experience is that takes time, that doesn't happen quickly.". . .
Another position room that will be missing a familiar face is that occupied by the running backs, which will be without the graduated Justin Jackson. Sophomore Jeremy Larkin, who spelled him the most last fall, is back. But. "I know (the junior) Johnny Moten wasn't pleased with his role last year. He got a little banged up and probably got beat out by Jeremy last year. But that's over. I thought (sophomore) Jesse Brown did a great job in the kicking game all year long. Was kind of a guy, when you looked at him when he played, I thought he ran with an attitude. So I think he'll be in the mix too.". . .
A wish list: "I'd like to see our O line pick up where they left off. That would be nice. I think we have more experience at the receiver position than we've had in awhile. I think our D line was a group that played really solid all year. I'd like to see that continue. They're all (position groups) really important. But those groups (have primacy).". . .
Speaking of that D line:Β "I don't think we had anybody average over 35 reps up there last year." That is the plan the 'Cats hope to again follow come fall. . . .
The success of that plan was a big reason that D line could keep blockers off the 6-foot-4, 245-pound middle linebacker Paddy Fisher, who shone as a redshirt freshman. His ascendancyΒ was also predicated on his "Size-speed combination to begin with. Typically, when you list linebackers at 6-4, they're usually like six-one-and-a-half. And when you list them at 245 they're like 220. He's all of what it says he is. So that size-speed combo to start off with. Then he's got a high football IQ. He understands he's still got to really improve to be the best player he's capable of being. I know he's working really hard at that.". . .
In the rear view: "We were pretty resilient. We weren't Picasso's in every game. But when we finally started to play the way we were capable of and to coach the way we consistently need to, well, I think we have the longest winning streak (eight games) now in FBS. So looking at results is positive. Played a lot of young guys. It was the youngest team I've coached. I think, what did we play, 25 or something like that, freshmen or redshirt freshmen. Those guys are going to get better by experience.". . .
In 2012 the 'Cats finished 10-3. They went 5-7 in 2013. In 2015 the 'Cats finished 10-3. They went 7-6 in the 2016. Last season the 'Cats finished 10-3. Lessons learned to preclude another dip? "Think of Clayton's class. Clayton was a redshirt freshman when we won 10 games. They know why we didn't win it the next year, why we won seven. A majority of it goes back to the foundational process to avoid complacency. We don't have championship banners and divisional titles and things of that nature. We've built a consistent winner, but that's not good enough. I think the guys understand that.". . .
Another that didn't encore a previous season's success is the current 'Cat basketball team, so might it provide a cautionary tale for the football 'Cats? "I haven't had a chance to talk privately with Chris about what he learned throughout the challenge of the season. But as a fan, which I am first, I'm disappointed for the seniors because I know how hard those guys worked and the legacy they'll leave. As a fan I'm so thankful for what those guys have done for the program and for the university. I know it's hard when you don't live up to external expectations. But I think those pale in comparison to those guys' expectations. . . .
"Again. That's the fan in me. The coach in me, I'll spend some time with Chris and talk to him about what he learned, what his staff learned, what they would do differently. We've had some years that we've come off successful seasons and underachieved, and my experience with my team is some guys have just gotten individually complacent. And we haven't had the competitive depth to have them beat out. That's not Northwestern football's problem. That's society's problem. You've got to beat society. That's why I tip my hat to the Patriots of the world, who win year-in and year-out consistently. That's not easy to do.". . .
A notable observation: "I think we have as many guys that are going to be evaluated by the NFL as we've ever had.". . .
And finally, the bottom line: "It's spring. You've got a lot of questions. You hope to get some answered by the end of spring practice and then youΒ move forward from there."
Β
Β
Β
NUsports.com Special Contributor
A few words from Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald as Northwestern begins spring practice. . . .
The biggest curiosity, of course, is quarterback Clayton Thorson, who tore his ACL last December in the Music City Bowl: "Everything has been according to what we thought the plan would be. Off crutches when he was supposed to get off of them. Out of the brace when he was supposed to be be out of the brace. Things of that nature. He's having the follow up with his surgeon and I'd expect things to progress in the fashion they have been.". . .
But a typical recovery from that injury takes time and so this spring the spotlight will shine on his backups, the junior TJ Green and the sophomore Aidan Smith and the redshirt first year Andrew Marty.
"I would like (one of) them to walk out of the spring with the mentality that they're the starter. But nobody walks out of spring ball with the job for (the season opener at) Purdue. They walk out of spring ball, 'I've earned the job to this point. Now what I do in the summer and what I do at camp determines whether I am (the starter at Purdue). Nobody will be a starter, solidified, coming out of spring. I don't think we've ever done that with any position, let alone quarterback.". . .
Thumbnails: The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Green is a preferred walk-on who chose the Wildcats over Nebraska and Stanford. His father Trent spent 15 years as an NFL quarterback and he himself was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri as a high school senior.
"A guy who, three inches taller, is probably a scholarship guy in this league."
The 6-2, 205-pound Smith is from Ft. Wayne, which is also the hometown of wideout Bennett Skowronek. They attended different high schools, but starred together on a seven-on-seven team.
"He's got a big, talented arm."
The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Marty fractured a femur and played just two games as a high school junior, when most recruits are heavily scouted, but recovered well enough to account for 50 touchdowns as a senior (43 throwing, seven running).
"Wasn't heavily recruited (because of his injury), but we saw what we needed to see. Then personality wise, I would say all three are kind of the same. I'd say all three are uber-competitive.". . .
They will split reps evenly this spring unless "Somebody is playing head-and-shoulders above. Then they'll get more. My previous experience is that takes time, that doesn't happen quickly.". . .
Another position room that will be missing a familiar face is that occupied by the running backs, which will be without the graduated Justin Jackson. Sophomore Jeremy Larkin, who spelled him the most last fall, is back. But. "I know (the junior) Johnny Moten wasn't pleased with his role last year. He got a little banged up and probably got beat out by Jeremy last year. But that's over. I thought (sophomore) Jesse Brown did a great job in the kicking game all year long. Was kind of a guy, when you looked at him when he played, I thought he ran with an attitude. So I think he'll be in the mix too.". . .
A wish list: "I'd like to see our O line pick up where they left off. That would be nice. I think we have more experience at the receiver position than we've had in awhile. I think our D line was a group that played really solid all year. I'd like to see that continue. They're all (position groups) really important. But those groups (have primacy).". . .
Speaking of that D line:Β "I don't think we had anybody average over 35 reps up there last year." That is the plan the 'Cats hope to again follow come fall. . . .
The success of that plan was a big reason that D line could keep blockers off the 6-foot-4, 245-pound middle linebacker Paddy Fisher, who shone as a redshirt freshman. His ascendancyΒ was also predicated on his "Size-speed combination to begin with. Typically, when you list linebackers at 6-4, they're usually like six-one-and-a-half. And when you list them at 245 they're like 220. He's all of what it says he is. So that size-speed combo to start off with. Then he's got a high football IQ. He understands he's still got to really improve to be the best player he's capable of being. I know he's working really hard at that.". . .
In the rear view: "We were pretty resilient. We weren't Picasso's in every game. But when we finally started to play the way we were capable of and to coach the way we consistently need to, well, I think we have the longest winning streak (eight games) now in FBS. So looking at results is positive. Played a lot of young guys. It was the youngest team I've coached. I think, what did we play, 25 or something like that, freshmen or redshirt freshmen. Those guys are going to get better by experience.". . .
In 2012 the 'Cats finished 10-3. They went 5-7 in 2013. In 2015 the 'Cats finished 10-3. They went 7-6 in the 2016. Last season the 'Cats finished 10-3. Lessons learned to preclude another dip? "Think of Clayton's class. Clayton was a redshirt freshman when we won 10 games. They know why we didn't win it the next year, why we won seven. A majority of it goes back to the foundational process to avoid complacency. We don't have championship banners and divisional titles and things of that nature. We've built a consistent winner, but that's not good enough. I think the guys understand that.". . .
Another that didn't encore a previous season's success is the current 'Cat basketball team, so might it provide a cautionary tale for the football 'Cats? "I haven't had a chance to talk privately with Chris about what he learned throughout the challenge of the season. But as a fan, which I am first, I'm disappointed for the seniors because I know how hard those guys worked and the legacy they'll leave. As a fan I'm so thankful for what those guys have done for the program and for the university. I know it's hard when you don't live up to external expectations. But I think those pale in comparison to those guys' expectations. . . .
"Again. That's the fan in me. The coach in me, I'll spend some time with Chris and talk to him about what he learned, what his staff learned, what they would do differently. We've had some years that we've come off successful seasons and underachieved, and my experience with my team is some guys have just gotten individually complacent. And we haven't had the competitive depth to have them beat out. That's not Northwestern football's problem. That's society's problem. You've got to beat society. That's why I tip my hat to the Patriots of the world, who win year-in and year-out consistently. That's not easy to do.". . .
A notable observation: "I think we have as many guys that are going to be evaluated by the NFL as we've ever had.". . .
And finally, the bottom line: "It's spring. You've got a lot of questions. You hope to get some answered by the end of spring practice and then youΒ move forward from there."
Β
β’β’β’β’β’β’
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