July 17, 1998
EVANSTON, Ill. - Coach Gary Barnett's 1998 squad returns 33 letterwinners and 13 starters from his 1997 team which had an impressive victory in the Pigskin Classic as well as triumphs over two Top 25 teams. After making two-consecutive New Year's Day bowl trips (Rose and Citrus), the sting of not making a postseason appearance in 1997 burns deep for this talent-laden group. Watching bowl games on television didn't sit well with the players and the coaches, and it's the hunger to return to a holiday bowl which will drive the Wildcats this season.
"It was a terrible feeling not be a part of the bowl picture last year," said Barnett. "We all talked about how difficult it was not to be playing and, instead, watching the contests from our respective homes. We don't want to have that feeling again."
Looking strictly at the numbers, it would appear that the strength of Northwestern in 1998 will be the defense. NU returns seven starters and 19 letterwinners on this side of the ball. If spring practice was any kind of an indicator of things to come, then this unit could be dominant, much like the squad in 1995 which led the nation in scoring defense. Heading the pack is the Big Ten's tackle leader in 1997, Barry Gardner. Gardner, a walk-on as a freshman, has matured into one of the best linebackers in the country. The fifth-year senior put up astounding numbers last year (174 tackles), and if he repeats this type of play in 1998, Gardner will have an excellent chance of bringing back to NU the Bednarik and Nagurski Awards as the nation's top defensive player.
Backing up Gardner at the Hawk linebacker position will be junior Conrad Emmerich. Last year as a redshirt freshman, Emmerich played in all 12 contests and started two games at inside linebacker. At middle linebacker, junior Preston Letts returns after earning starts in the last three games of 1997. Letts collected 49 stops last season as a redshirt freshman, fourth highest among the returnees. Senior Josh Kolar will back-up Letts and should vie for plenty of playing time. At drop linebacker, senior Kevin Buck looks ready to have an all-star year. He started in the first 10 contests last season and racked up 50 tackles before being sidelined with an elbow injury. Pushing Buck for playing time will be redshirt freshman Napoleon Harris. The highly-touted recruit played basketball for Kevin O'Neill's Wildcats last year as a walk-on and led the team on several occasions in rebounds and once led them in scoring.
"Although we are thin in numbers at the linebacker spots, I believe we'll be very good at these positions," commented Barnett. "Barry should have another stellar year. If we are to be successful in 1998, we'll need his leadership again, on and off the field. Preston Letts continued to improve in the spring and should become a great player and Emmerich, with a year under his belt, should be vastly improved. Kevin Buck, who is our third-highest returning tackler, and Napoleon Harris should prove to be impact players for us."
The defensive line returns three experienced players in fifth-year senior Bobby Russ, senior Jeff Dyra and junior Darryl Hodge. Russ started in all 12 games last year at right tackle, garnering 24 stops, four for loss. Dyra started two contests in 1998 at left tackle and registered 15 tackles, two pass deflections and one fumble recovery. Hodge, who will back-up Russ, got valuable playing time last year, appearing in 10 games.
"Going into the spring, this was an area where we needed to develop some depth," remarked Barnett. "I think we met that need as several players really stepped up their play. Bobby and Jeff will be our starters heading into the fall, but Darryl Hodge, Javiar Collins and Marc Lapadula will all seriously challenge for quality minutes. All of them had productive springs. Bobby missed the entire month of April due to a shoulder injury, but he'll be ready come camp."
Dwayne Missouri and Thor Schmidt look to hold down starting positions at left and right end, respectively. Missouri, a junior who saw time in seven contests last season, tallied two TFLs and one fumble recovery. He'll be backed up by redshirt freshman Salem Simon. Schmidt, a fifth-year senior, split time last year at the end positions backing up NFL picks Casey Dailey and Keith Lozowski. He improved tremendously as the season progressed, earning starts in three of the last four games while racking up 34 tackles, six TFLs, two sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble. Senior Gladston Taylor will be the back-up at right end.
"Although we lost our all-time sack and TFL leader (Dailey) and another NFL signee (Lozowski), we do return Thor Schmidt who got a lot of experience and playing time in 1997," commented Barnett. "Thor got better with each game and continued his improvement this spring. Dwayne Missouri hopes to fulfill his potential this fall and Salem Simon should become an impact player for us. He has tremendous ability. Gladston is back at the end spot after a year at tight end, so that gives us much needed help and depth."
The Wildcats return a wealth of experience and numbers at defensive back. Junior Harold Blackmon and fifth-year senior Josh Barnes will battle it out for playing time at the left corner, while redshirt freshman Shegun Cummings-John will contend there as well. Blackmon started four games last season at this position and two at the opposite corner, while Barnes garnered nine starts at right corner before being replaced by Blackmon. Blackmon had 27 tackles, one interception, two pass deflections and one forced fumble, while Barnes registered 32 stops, two interceptions, four pass deflections and one forced fumble.
At right corner, Fred Wilkerson and Gerald Conoway will compete for playing time, with Wilkerson at the top of the depth chart heading into the fall. The fifth-year senior started four out of the last seven contests in 1997, replacing Conoway in the last two at left corner. Conoway, a senior, started at that position on five occasions in 1997. Wilkerson tallied 39 tackles last year, including one interception, four pass deflections, one blocked kick and one forced fumble. Conoway had 34 tackles, one fumble recovery and two pass deflections.
Free safety will be held by three-year starter Mike Nelson, Jr. The fifth-year senior has started in 24-straight contests. Last year, he was the Wildcats' third-leading tackler, registering 94 tackles, two TFLs, 10 pass break-ups and one forced fumble. He also returned one interception for 25 yards. Backing-up Nelson are junior Rashad Morton and redshirt freshman Marvin Brown.
At strong safety, former walk-on Kyle Sanders has a slight edge over sophomore Mycal Jones heading into the fall. Both will see plenty of playing time. Sanders, a fifth-year senior, missed half of the 1997 season with a hamstring injury. He collected 12 tackles, two for loss, and had two fumble recoveries. Jones, one of only three freshmen to play last year, had 12 stops and one TFL in nine games. He played mostly on special teams.
"Although we do have a lot of experience at defensive back, our productivity hasn't been what it needs to be and that is an area of concern," lamented Barnett. "In the spring, we had very spirited sessions and I feel confident that we'll turn it up a notch this fall. Mike Nelson will be our leader and he should have an all-star season. Rashad got a lot of experience in there last season and will do a fine job at backing-up Mike. All of our corners, Barnes, Wilkerson, Conoway and Blackmon, return with a lot of playing time under their belts. I expect quite a battle for playing time at strong safety between Kyle Sanders and Mycal Jones, while I'm not sure at this time how Scott Musso will progress from his achilles injury suffered in the spring.
"Defensively, we had a great spring," continued Barnett. "I really believe we'll have a vastly improved defensive unit this fall."
With the loss of Matt Hartl for the season while he battles Hodgkin's disease, the offense returns only five starters and 13 letterwinners from 1997. However, that number does not include one of the biggest offensive weapons in the country, D'Wayne Bates. Bates, who was a Biletnikoff semifinalist and led the Big Ten in receptions in 1996, missed almost the entire year when he broke his leg in the first game of the 1997 season.
The receiving and tight end corps will be the strong suit of the Wildcat arsenal. Led by Bates (99.91 receiving yards and 6.2 receptions per game in 1996), the receivers include fifth-year senior John Burden who had 22 catches (13.8 ypc) and scored three touchdowns, senior Aaron Burrell who played in 10 contests last year and averaged 9.0 yards per catch, sophomore Teddy Johnson and junior Phil Miller. Redshirt freshman Rob Johnson and junior Derrick Thompson also figure to be in the mix.
"D'Wayne's return will really help us with experience, especially since All-Big Ten performer Brian Musso has graduated to the professional ranks," noted Barnett. "John Burden should be in position to have another good year, while Teddy Johnson, Aaron Burrell, Phil Miller and Derrick Thompson all will have a chance to see time at our third receiver position."
Tight end will see Jay Tant, John Cerasani and Joel Stuart share duties and see extensive playing time. Tant, a junior, will be the starter heading into camp. He played the entire season with some type of ailment and still managed to start in 11 contests, catching 10 passes for 106 yards. Cerasani, a senior, is eligible to play this season after sitting out last year due to his transfer from Notre Dame. Stuart, a fifth-year senior, is the leading returning receiver from 1997. He started in three contests and caught 23 passes for 279 yards and one TD last year.
"With Joel Stuart, transfer John Cerasani and returning starter Jay Tant, I feel really good about our tight end depth and experience," said Barnett. "All three are big, physical players who deliver punishing blocks. Joel had a good year in 1997 and, if Jay remains healthy, he also should have a very productive campaign. I believe John is going to be a major factor for us and will turn a lot of heads with his style of play. In addition, redshirt freshman Mike Sherry will also be in the mix."
Throwing to these receivers will most likely be either redshirt freshman Gavin Hoffman or senior transfer John McArthur. Hoffman came out of the pack with a strong showing in the spring, while McArthur, who sat out last year after transferring from Missouri, also had a solid April. Senior Mark Broxterman and redshirt freshman Nick Kreinbrink round out the quarterbacks.
"I expect a real battle at camp for the starting quarterback position," explained Barnett. "Gavin and John definitely rose to the top of the pack during spring ball, however, I wouldn't rule out seeing Nick back in there. He is a great competitor as is Mark Broxterman. But at this time, I'd say it's a two-man race. Gavin is a real heady player, knows our system well and doesn't get flustered easily, while John brings experience to the position as he saw playing time at Missouri."
The running back position will see a rotation between Damien Anderson, Tyrone Gooch and Brian Marshall. The question is, who will emerge to become the fourth-straight Wildcat to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season (Darnell Autry 1995-96, Adrian Autry 1997)? Anderson, a redshirt freshman, had a very productive spring and rushed for just under 100 yards in the spring game. Marshall saw action last year as a freshman and carried the ball 42 times for 158 yards and one score. Gooch, a senior, rushed 79 times last year for a 4.6 yards per carry average.
"Damien Anderson showed a lot of promise in the spring," commented Barnett. "He is a very physical ball carrier, while Tyrone is more slippery and explosive. Brian returns with a year of experience and he should improve on his fine freshman season. All three will be counted upon heavily."
With the loss of Hartl, senior Levelle Brown sits atop the depth chart at fullback. Brown, who has scored one TD in each of the last three seasons, was hampered by injury in 1996 and 1997. When healthy, he is a very effective fullback who can deliver great blocks for the running back and bust through the defensive line in goal line situations. Junior Ian Miller switches back to the fullback position and will challenge Brown for the starting position. Seniors James McCaffrey and Mike Davis will be in contention for playing time.
"Losing Matt for 1998 hurts us in many ways," said Barnett. "Not only was he a terrific fullback but he was a great leader for our team. He has an unbelievable fighting spirit and a work ethic that is second-to-none. It's because of this that I know he'll beat this fight with Hodgkin's disease. Levelle is hopefully over all of his injuries and can become the kind of player we think he can be. Ian Miller, as a healthy participant, will push Levelle for the starting nod, while Mike Davis provides good depth."
The offensive line will be anchored on the strong side by returning starters Bryan LaBelle and Brian Hemmerle. LaBelle, a fifth-year senior, is the veteran of the line, having played there each of the last three seasons. He started in all 12 contests last year at tight tackle. Junior Jack Harnedy will be his back-up. Lining up next to LaBelle at tight guard will be Hemmerle. The senior started all 12 games in 1997. Replacing All-Big Ten center Nathan Strikwerda, who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, will be junior Ty Garner. Garner started the final two games at split guard and will move over to his natural center position this fall. Redshirt freshman Adam Fay may see some snaps as well. At split guard will either be redshirt freshmen Lance Clelland or Mike Souza, while split tackle will be held down by senior Ryan Friedrich with redshirt freshman Leon Brockmeier providing support.
"We have a lot of talent on our line, but we are very young," continued Barnett. "We also need to develop depth as we were nearly depleted of back-ups in the spring due to injury. Everyone should be healthy by the fall, so I'm not that concerned about the offensive line. They should mature into a very cohesive group."
Special teams should be solid again this year. Returning to hold down placekicking duties is All-Big Ten performer and All-America candidate Brian Gowins. The fifth-year senior has been a mainstay in the Wildcat lineup since midway through the 1995 season. Last year, Gowins led the nation for most of the season in field goals made and kicked a career-best 52-yarder at Michigan. Backing up Gowins will be junior Tim Long who missed last year with an ACL injury. The holder will be either Burden or junior Corbett Elsen, who switched from quarterback for wide receiver in the spring.
"Brian is one of the top placekickers in the country, so we are very confident in this position," said Barnett. "Now that Tim is healthy, I expect him to push Brian for the kickoff spot."
The punter spot is still up for grabs and will be filled by either junior Eron Kosmowski or sophomore J.J. Standring. Long snapper duties will, once again, be held by Harnedy.
Tyrone Gooch and Teddy Johnson will continue with their kickoff return duties. Johnson returned 15 kickoffs for an average of 22.9 yards per return, while Gooch averaged 23.6 yards per carry on seven returns. Aaron Burrell, who returned nine kickoffs last year for a 20.7 ypr average, could also be called upon to help out.
For the first time in four seasons, a new punt returner will emerge for the Wildcats. Gone is the Big Ten's second all-time punt return leader, Brian Musso. Vying for the vacated spot are Barnes, Bates, Teddy Johnson and Marvin Brown.
"Teddy did an excellent job last year on kick returns, as did Tyrone and Aaron," commented Barnett. "We should be in good shape there. It will be hard to fill Brian Musso's shoes as a punt returner, but I feel confident that Josh or D'Wayne will do a fine job for us.
"We had a very productive spring," Barnett said. "There wasn't a day that we didn't make significant strides in some aspect. The players were extremely focused and there was a lot of competition. We had a lot of holes to fill and I was very pleased with our development and by who stepped up when the pressure was on.
"I expect we'll have a very spirited camp in August," concluded the coach. "Whoever emerges as our quarterback will have very talented targets to throw the ball to. I'm really excited to see our defense perform in the fall as it was the most dominating unit I have seen in the spring since I arrived in Evanston. Our offensive line is relatively young and inexperienced and they will need to mature quickly. However, I think we'll be fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball and have a good chance of playing somewhere warm come the holidays!"