Northwestern University Athletics
Consistency, Preparation Fuel Aidan Hubbard’s Relentless Rise
10/7/2025 2:40:00 PM | Football
When Defensive Line Coach Christian Smith arrived in Evanston during spring practices in 2023, he entered a defensive line room that featured a young Aidan Hubbard.
He saw loads of potential in Hubbard, who was coming off a redshirt first-year campaign in which he logged 17 tackles and one sack.
"He was talented, but hadn't unlocked the inner beast yet," Smith said. "You see him doing the job, but he wasn't dominating at the point of contact like he could. His mindset shifted over time, and I think that's what helped him become the player he is now."
Since then, Hubbard has posted back-to-back seasons with 6.0 sacks, leading the team during both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Through five games in the 2025 campaign, he once again leads the team with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Most recently, against ULM this past Saturday, Hubbard moved into the No. 9 spot on Northwestern's career sacks leaderboard with 15.5. The graduate student defensive lineman was quick to credit his teammates for the accomplishment.
"It's really cool," Hubbard said. "It's also a testament to my teammates, and I wouldn't be able to get all those sacks without their help in getting pressure. It's a team game."
Smith summed up Hubbard's success in just two words: "consistency and persistence."
"He may not always have the flashiest sacks, but he finds ways to get sacks every year," Smith said. "It's a big honor for him to be top 10 in school history, and hopefully he'll be able to move up a couple more spots by the end of the season."
Hubbard's consistency has not gone unnoticed by coaches, teammates, and fans alike. According to Smith, Hubbard rarely misses practices, giving him constant opportunities to improve. Since the start of the 2023 season, he hasn't missed a single game.
Hubbard credits that consistency to his daily approach inside the facility. Leading up to Saturdays, he makes sure he's physically at his best by spending extra time in the training room for recovery after Thursday and Friday practices.
"It just comes down to preparation," Hubbard said. "Every week is an opportunity to showcase what you've been doing in practice, and that translates to the game. When you're just playing with full effort, good things happen."
When Hubbard first stepped on Northwestern's campus in 2021, he had little experience playing on the defensive line. After playing linebacker in high school, he prepared for the transition to edge by living in the weight room and putting on weight.
He didn't see the field as a true freshman that fall, but he burst onto the scene in his redshirt first-year season. With veterans like Adetomiwa Adebawore and Sean McLaughlin showing him the ropes, Hubbard quickly ascended the depth chart and has been a staple ever since.
"One thing that's separated him is his consistency and continuing to get better," Smith said. "The versatility of being able to be an every-down guy at the level he's been able to do it for is different."
Throughout his time at Northwestern, Hubbard has had several defining moments, including a three-sack game in 2023 — the second-most in program history — and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in 2024.
Naturally quieter and reserved, Hubbard has also begun to find his voice in the locker room. Smith said that when Hubbard speaks, his teammates listen because of the credibility he's built over five years in the program.
"Hubs is a dawg, and honestly, he probably doesn't get enough praise," redshirt junior defensive lineman Anto Saka said. "The way that he approaches every single day is just like clockwork. He's so regimented. He puts in all the work, all the film study."
Coming off a victory, Hubbard and the Wildcats shift their focus to taking on Penn State at 2:30 p.m. CT on the road this Saturday.
Although Northwestern's staff has emphasized the hostile environment in Happy Valley, Smith isn't concerned about Hubbard's ability to play through adversity and crowd noise.
"He doesn't really get rattled," Smith said. "No moment's too big, and no moment's too small. He's going to be consistent every single game. If he has one mistake, then I'm pretty sure he won't have a mistake the rest of the game."
With just seven guaranteed collegiate games left, Hubbard is taking each contest one game at a time while maintaining the steady approach that has worked so well throughout his career.
But the 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive lineman also knows his time as a collegiate football player is dwindling, making each game all the more meaningful.
"I've always kind of played with the mentality that this could be your last game because you never know what can happen. But this year, especially, knowing that this is my last year of eligibility has definitely changed a little," Hubbard said. "I'm trying to savor each moment a little more."
He saw loads of potential in Hubbard, who was coming off a redshirt first-year campaign in which he logged 17 tackles and one sack.
"He was talented, but hadn't unlocked the inner beast yet," Smith said. "You see him doing the job, but he wasn't dominating at the point of contact like he could. His mindset shifted over time, and I think that's what helped him become the player he is now."
Since then, Hubbard has posted back-to-back seasons with 6.0 sacks, leading the team during both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Through five games in the 2025 campaign, he once again leads the team with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Most recently, against ULM this past Saturday, Hubbard moved into the No. 9 spot on Northwestern's career sacks leaderboard with 15.5. The graduate student defensive lineman was quick to credit his teammates for the accomplishment.
Hubbard Hits ??@AidanHubbard6 now ranks ninth in school history with 15.5 career sacks! https://t.co/PQm2e4OvCi pic.twitter.com/aNOnzAi99u
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) October 4, 2025
"It's really cool," Hubbard said. "It's also a testament to my teammates, and I wouldn't be able to get all those sacks without their help in getting pressure. It's a team game."
Smith summed up Hubbard's success in just two words: "consistency and persistence."
"He may not always have the flashiest sacks, but he finds ways to get sacks every year," Smith said. "It's a big honor for him to be top 10 in school history, and hopefully he'll be able to move up a couple more spots by the end of the season."
Hubbard's consistency has not gone unnoticed by coaches, teammates, and fans alike. According to Smith, Hubbard rarely misses practices, giving him constant opportunities to improve. Since the start of the 2023 season, he hasn't missed a single game.
Hubbard credits that consistency to his daily approach inside the facility. Leading up to Saturdays, he makes sure he's physically at his best by spending extra time in the training room for recovery after Thursday and Friday practices.
"It just comes down to preparation," Hubbard said. "Every week is an opportunity to showcase what you've been doing in practice, and that translates to the game. When you're just playing with full effort, good things happen."
When Hubbard first stepped on Northwestern's campus in 2021, he had little experience playing on the defensive line. After playing linebacker in high school, he prepared for the transition to edge by living in the weight room and putting on weight.
He didn't see the field as a true freshman that fall, but he burst onto the scene in his redshirt first-year season. With veterans like Adetomiwa Adebawore and Sean McLaughlin showing him the ropes, Hubbard quickly ascended the depth chart and has been a staple ever since.
"One thing that's separated him is his consistency and continuing to get better," Smith said. "The versatility of being able to be an every-down guy at the level he's been able to do it for is different."
Throughout his time at Northwestern, Hubbard has had several defining moments, including a three-sack game in 2023 — the second-most in program history — and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in 2024.
Naturally quieter and reserved, Hubbard has also begun to find his voice in the locker room. Smith said that when Hubbard speaks, his teammates listen because of the credibility he's built over five years in the program.
"Hubs is a dawg, and honestly, he probably doesn't get enough praise," redshirt junior defensive lineman Anto Saka said. "The way that he approaches every single day is just like clockwork. He's so regimented. He puts in all the work, all the film study."
Coming off a victory, Hubbard and the Wildcats shift their focus to taking on Penn State at 2:30 p.m. CT on the road this Saturday.
Although Northwestern's staff has emphasized the hostile environment in Happy Valley, Smith isn't concerned about Hubbard's ability to play through adversity and crowd noise.
"He doesn't really get rattled," Smith said. "No moment's too big, and no moment's too small. He's going to be consistent every single game. If he has one mistake, then I'm pretty sure he won't have a mistake the rest of the game."
With just seven guaranteed collegiate games left, Hubbard is taking each contest one game at a time while maintaining the steady approach that has worked so well throughout his career.
But the 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive lineman also knows his time as a collegiate football player is dwindling, making each game all the more meaningful.
"I've always kind of played with the mentality that this could be your last game because you never know what can happen. But this year, especially, knowing that this is my last year of eligibility has definitely changed a little," Hubbard said. "I'm trying to savor each moment a little more."
Players Mentioned
Football - Penn State Game Week Press Conference (10/6/25)
Monday, October 06
Football - ULM Postgame Press Conference (10/04/25)
Sunday, October 05
Football - Northwestern Secures Comprehensive Win Over ULM, 42-7 (10/4/25)
Sunday, October 05
Football - ULM Game Week Press Conference (9/29/25)
Monday, September 29
