Northwestern University Athletics
Expect Victory: 20 Years Later
LOOK BACK. EXPLODE FORWARD.
On the 20th anniversary of the 1995 Big Ten Champion and Rose Bowl team,
the #B1GCats honor their heritage with #UAFlashback uniforms.
EXPECT VICTORY: RELIVE 1995
Relive the magic of the 1995 season with this interactive timeline.
On the 20th anniversary of the 1995 Big Ten Champion and Rose Bowl team,
the #B1GCats honor their heritage with #UAFlashback uniforms.
EXPECT VICTORY: RELIVE 1995
Relive the magic of the 1995 season with this interactive timeline.
EXPECT VICTORY: THE LEGACY
Student-athlete members of the Big Ten Championship program share their memories and thoughts on the legacy of the 1995 #B1GCats season.
RYAN PADGETT
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
Wow, choosing just one is like asking which of your kids do you like most.
I'll say the win over Purdue to clinch at least a part of the Big Ten title. My folks had come to town early from Seattle for the game and the Senior banquet was scheduled on the following Tuesday. In the post game celebration on the field I turned around to find my Mom had jumped the fence to participate in the festivities. She died far too young and I know that that was one of her most cherished memories.
Remembering her joy makes it one of mine.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
That all is possible with the right people and effort. We bought into Expect Victory and Take the Purple to Pasadena. It allowed us to ignore the fact that we had mediocre talent and a legendary reputation for losing.
More importantly, no matter what has happened since or will in the future, I will forever have an unbreakable bond with an amazing group of guys.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
You can play football at a high level and do it the right way.
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
Wow, choosing just one is like asking which of your kids do you like most.
I'll say the win over Purdue to clinch at least a part of the Big Ten title. My folks had come to town early from Seattle for the game and the Senior banquet was scheduled on the following Tuesday. In the post game celebration on the field I turned around to find my Mom had jumped the fence to participate in the festivities. She died far too young and I know that that was one of her most cherished memories.
Remembering her joy makes it one of mine.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
That all is possible with the right people and effort. We bought into Expect Victory and Take the Purple to Pasadena. It allowed us to ignore the fact that we had mediocre talent and a legendary reputation for losing.
More importantly, no matter what has happened since or will in the future, I will forever have an unbreakable bond with an amazing group of guys.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
You can play football at a high level and do it the right way.
PAUL JANUS
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
So many great memories, but theRoseBowlstands out as the pinnacle and the rush of being part of history.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
We were able to defy all odds and do something no other Northwestern team had done in almost 50 years.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
A team of players from across the country and from different backgrounds coming together to accomplish one goal.We had nothing, but each other. With suchlow expectations and very little in terms of facilities, the players and coaches believed in each other and we took it upon ourselves to work harder and truly believe we could accomplish the unthinkable and win the Big Ten.
GLADSTON TAYLOR
For me, there are dozens of great memories from that year, but I guess a standout for me starts with a coach from Colorado State literally yelling at me over the phone in disbelief when I told him I was committing to Northwestern my senior year in high school. NU was 3-8 the previous season and he wanted to be sure I didn't overlook that fact. The win over Notre Dame validated my decision, but the next week we lost to Miami of Ohio. Lee Corso and every other college football pundit swore our win over the Irish was a fluke. But in typical Wildcat fashion, we always do the opposite of what everyone thinks we will. It was fuel for our fire every Thursday night at training table watching Lee Corso having to eat his words from the previous week, yet still somehow picking us to lose the upcoming Saturday. That's what I loved most about being a Wildcat is learning no matter how far you're down, you only stay there if you choose to quit fighting. For every naysayer that year and all the years afterwards that we faced individually and as a team, that 95' squad was the start of our program truly earning the respect of our peers, alumni and fans.
THOR SCHMIDT
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
I would say running out onto the field at theRoseBowlbefore the start of the game. The amazing part to me was that the majority of the crowd was wearing purple considering that this was practically a home game for USC. I would say a significant majority was wearing purple. That was pretty amazing seeing how many people came out to support the team. It sure made all the blood, sweat and tears worth it.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
It meant that no matter how many people think you can't do something (Lee Corso), or how much adversity there is, the only thing that matters is what you think you can do, and how hard you work for what you want.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
The 1995 Wildcat Football Team were the ultimate underdogs who nobody believed in, but we believed in ourselves. We proved that you don't need to have the best recruiting class or the best facilities to win. What you do need is everyone to be bought in to what you are trying to accomplish, you need an incredible work ethic, you need to be confident that you can win and amazing things can happen.
PS. I remember like it was yesterday a phone call with my dad the day before the ND game at ND. He asked me " how do you think you will do?" I said right away with all the confidence "we will win", and he said "no really how do think you will do" and I simply repeated myself. That was the power of motivation and the coaches influence.
We had very good coaches that pushed us very hard and believed in us.
We had very good coaches that pushed us very hard and believed in us.
DARRYL HODGE
I was a senior in high school when I walked into my head coaches office, Coach Ricca knew I was interested in playing at a high level while pursuing a top education. He told me to check out a school named Northwestern and handed me a letter. That year I caught part or all of almost every game, a season which culminated with theRoseBowl. That season began with me catching the final two minutes of their historical last minute win at Notre Dame, the first of many memorable come from behind wins that year. The next fall I found myself at NU and a part of their back to back Big Ten championship teams. The rest is history!
The 95 team was special, they weren't the most talented, they were just a bunch of guys who believed in each other. They all had the same goal and all performed on the same page.You could see the momentum that they had, and even when they were down you always believed in them, you were rooting for them! You knew they emulated the words they broke huddles with "one heart beat."
DANNY SUTTER
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
My favorite memory was winning the Big Ten title at Purdue. I had an interception late in the game that helped seal it. I'll never forget getting a hug from Coach Barnett on the sideline after the pick. After the game we were given "Big Ten Champ" hats and I was able to spend a few brief moments with family on the field, before heading into the locker room for our celebration.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
I had a unique situation that nobody else on the team had. My brother (Ed)played the four years before I arrived in 1992. Therefore, my parents sat through 7 straight years of NU football games before the magic happened. All of the tough losses, adversity, and inclement weatherthey endured for the years leading up to 1995, finally paid off. There was not a happier family than mine during the 1995 run. The season left a lasting mark on me and my family that will bewith usforever.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
I truly believe that the 1995 season changed the perception of NU football forever. It was so important to us to gain the respect of the sports world and have people "respect the hat"....this was a term and rallying cry we often used in the time leading up to 1995. We wanted to be viewed as winners and compete with the big names in college football. Coach Barnett was the key for all of this. He made us believe, when there appeared to be no conceivable hope for the program. He was also the glue of the program. The fact that he was able to stabilize the coaching staff from 1992-1995 was very important and might get overlooked. We had great coaches that went through the same growth process as the players. Combined, we were all on the same page and had an incredible thirst for the success we finally achieved.
MATT FORDENWAIT
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
Running out of the tunnel onto theRoseBowland seeing a sea of purple in the stands. I will never forget that feeling of pure adrenaline.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
The team was/is a brotherhood that would do anything selflessly for each other, a sum of diverse experiences and backgrounds that bonded over the pursuit of a goal bigger than any individual.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
A standard for a team that changed expectations.
LARRY GUESS
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
It is hard to pick a single memory as my favorite because there were so many tremendous memories There are two events that would share the title as my favorite memory: (1a) Our road win against Notre Dame to open the season and (1b) Our decisive road win over Purdue to end the season.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
Our 1995 team and season demonstrated to me that excellence can be achieved with extremely hard work and focus coupled with a unified team working towards the same goal and vision.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
The 1995 Big Ten Champion Wildcats was a game changing team for the Northwestern University football program. It was an inflection point for our football program.
SHANNON JONES
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
My favorite memory from the '95 season is the sensation of walking out of the locker room tunnel at theRose Bowlto a sea of purple in the stands and a deafening cheer. We were accustomed, when playing Big Ten road games, to seeing a very small sliver of the stadium occupied by our own fans. Frankly, most of those people were our own families. I remember expecting to see something similar for the game against USC. When we walked out, I was stunned by how many alumni came to support us.
What did the team and that season mean to you?
That team is the standard by which all other associations in my life have been measured. Since then I have strived to find or build teams and professional organizations defined by the same selflessness, commitment, accountability and dedication to a common cause. The lessons I learned through membership in that team have been the primary factor in any leadership success I have experienced in my career.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
I believe our team was the start of a cultural shift for Northwestern, and the beginning of the end of an inappropriate demureness. Prior to that team, our students and alumni were content with and accepting of poor performance in revenue sports like Football and Basketball.I believe we were also content that much of the world was not aware of Northwestern's status as a world-class institution.Our team dared to defy that convention, and refused to subscribe to the narrative of the happy, quiet loser.By shocking everyone but ourselves, we forced the rest of the Northwestern community to confront the real possibilities for our school, and to adjust our collective aspirations higher. The legacy of the '95 team is all the success Northwestern has experienced in winning international acclaim and recognition since, securing increasing levels of student excellence and financial success, and not the least, the fact that purple is a cool, mainstream color for men.
MATT STEWART
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
As a backup safety, I didn't get a whole lot of playing time so I savored starting on the punt return team. My favorite memory is during the Iowa game at home.It had snowed the night before and the temp wasone-degree wind chill, colder than any game I'd ever played in before. We needed this win against a tough Hawkeye team for a chance to win the Big Ten. In the second quarter, we had Iowa pinned back in their end zone on fourth down and needed a big punt return from Brian Musso to put us on top.Every one of us on the punt return team stuck with our man and opened up a nicehole for Brian to runthrough. I rememberBrian running right off my butt -- 60-yards to the end zone. It was a huge momentum boost helping us hold on to win 31-20.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
Coach Barnett conditioned us over the years to Expect Victory, so winning did not surprise us like it did the rest of the nation. Believe it or not, we knew going into the season we would win the Big Ten and play in theRoseBowland to our credit, we never lost sight of our goal. Twenty years later, it's amazing to know we actually accomplished that goal seeing as how Northwestern football had been so terrible for so long. But with blood, sweat and tears, by working together and leaning on each other, we developed a bond, trust, and love for each other that will never be broken.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
We created a new football culture at Northwestern. A new standard. It is no longer acceptable to lose. For future teams, there is now an expectation of victory that had never been there before. Fair or not, all future teams are judged by the excellence we displayed on the football field and hopefully - maybe even this year - we can inspire another Wildcat team to get to the Rose Bowl.
WILLIAM BENNETT
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season? My favorite memory was greeting my dad andmy girlfriend, Asinna (NU97) (now my wife) after the Notre Dame game in SouthBend.My dadtraveled from Phoenix to Chicago, and then they drove down to South Bend.He was an avid sports fan and former college football star. So he was very proud to see his son play, team win, and witness the beginning of that great season.
What did that team and that season mean to you?Respect. In sports, respectmust be earned bywinning.My only focus was to play each play with 100 percent effort, and be the best player that I could be.To be honest, I wanted to dominateevery opposing offense and give our offense the best field possession.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
We set the bar for all Northwestern Universityfootball playersto achieve as a team.
STEVE SCHNUR
What is your favorite memory from the '95 season?
There are probably too many to pick one. However, my top 3 would be:
1.Winning at Notre Dame to start the season. Huge underdogs, beautiful day, beating one of the most storied programs and coaches....got the whole thing started.
2.Beating Penn State at home....under the lights, Prime Time game and TV coverage. Such a monumental turning point for our program and school.
3.Coming out of the tunnel at theRoseBowlpre-game and seeing the stadium 60-70 percent purple.Unbelievable. Still gives me goose bumps to this day.
What did that team and that season mean to you?
There are so many life lessons that came from that team and that time in NU's history. That team proved that you can assemble the right group of people, give them great leadership and purpose, and literally accomplish things you never dreamed possible. Barnett started it Day 1 with the "Expect Victory" slogan...the culture from that day forward would never be the same.
How would you describe the legacy of the '95 Big Ten Champion Wildcats?
I would hope that fans and alumni remember our team as the catalysts who made Northwestern a household name again...in football, in academics, in everything. We brought back pride in the Northwestern community that extended beyond academics.
