Oct. 14, 2002
Penn State Game Notes in PDF Format
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GAME 8
Northwestern (2-5, 0-3) at No. 20/21 Penn State (4-2, 1-2)
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002/11 a.m. CDT
Site: Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pa.
Capacity/Surface: 107,282/Natural Grass
Television: ESPN2
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, play-by-play; Ted Albrecht, analyst)(also on wgnradio.com); WNUR 89.3 FM)
The Game
Playing its third Big Ten road game in four weeks, Northwestern travels to "Happy Valley" to take on 20th-ranked Penn State this Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is set for 11:05 a.m. CDT (12:05 p.m. EDT). The game is being televised nationally by ESPN2. Pam Ward (play-by-play), Chris Spielman (analyst) and Dave Ryan (sideline) will describe the action.
The Wildcats are coming off a tough week that saw them lose two games in a five-day period: NU dropped a hard-fought 27-16 home decision to fifth-ranked Ohio State before making a valiant comeback bid at Minnesota, only to lose 45-42 after facing a 24-point deficit early in the fourth quarter. With their Thursday game at Minnesota, the 'Cats, who have not had an open weekend since the season began on Aug. 31, did earn two extra days of rest before beginning their preparations for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State, which has started the Big Ten season with one of the league's toughest opening three games (Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan), returns home after falling to the Wolverines 27-24 in overtime. The Nittany Lions lost their only other game in overtime as well, losing 42-35 to Iowa in their Big Ten opener. PSU's lone win came 34-31 at Wisconsin. Sophomore quarterback Zack Mills guides the Penn State offense, which ranks sixth in Big Ten total offense and fourth in passing yardage. Mills leads the league in those two categories, averaging 275.3 yards per game in total offense and 261.0 ypg in passing. He is also third in the Big Ten in passing efficiency with a 143.6 rating.
This week's game also features the Big Ten's top two all-purpose backs. Northwestern's Jason Wright (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) averages a conference-best 179.6 ypg while Penn State's Larry Johnson ranks second in the league with a 175.0 ypg average. Both Wright and Johnson average over 100 yards rushing per game and rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in Big Ten rushing. Northwestern is expected to be without its starting quarterback Brett Basanez (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator). He fractured his leg (fibula) on the offense's final play (a two-point conversion run) at Minnesota.
The Series with Penn State
Series Record: PSU leads 6-1
At Evanston: PSU leads 3-1
At University Park: PSU leads 3-0
Current Win Streak: PSU, 4
Last Meeting: Oct. 20, 2001 (Penn State 38, Northwestern 35)
First Meeting: 1993 (Penn State 43, Northwestern 21)
Series Notes: Northwestern began its series with the Big Ten's newest member in 1993, the year the Nittany Lions began official league play. Penn State won the first meeting, a 43-21 decision in Evanston ... The Nittany Lions have won all three meetings at Beaver Stadium: 45-17 in 1994, 34-9 in 1996 and 41-10 in 1998 ... Northwestern's first win against Penn State came in its Rose Bowl season, a 21-10 win in 1995.
The Last NU-PSU Meeting
Oct. 20, 2001 -- On this day, the Wildcats were unable to muster any last-second magic and lost a heart-breaking 38-35 decision to Penn State. It was the first time in the Randy Walker-era that Northwestern had lost a game that was decided by seven points or less. The win gave legendary head coach Joe Paterno his 323rd career victory, tying him with Paul "Bear" Bryant on the Division I-A all-time wins list. Penn State won the game with 22 seconds left when Eric McCoo caught a 4-yard scoring pass from freshman quarterback Zack Mills. The touchdown capped a 13-play, 69-yard drive that started with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
The Wildcats got the ball back, but were unable to get within field goal range for a potential game-tying boot. The defeat spoiled a spectacular effort from NU quarterback Zak Kustok, who totaled 413 yards in total offense. Included in that figure was a personal-best 115 rushing yards. Kustok scored NU's first two touchdowns and then equaled a career high with his third rushing TD of the game. That tally put the 'Cats in front 35-31 with 2:03 to play. Wide receiver Sam Simmons savored a career-best day as well. He caught seven passes for a personal-best 168 yards and one touchdown. Led by Kustok and Simmons, NU's offense rolled up 527 yards. Matt Senneca threw for 234 yards and Larry Johnson had 68 rushing yards to lead the Lions. Penn State totaled 501 yards in total offense.
The NU-Minnesota Recap
Oct. 10, 2002 -- Down 45-21 early in the fourth quarter, Northwestern staged a valiant comeback, only to fall short, 45-42, in a game that was originally scheduled for Oct. 12, but moved up two days due to the American League Championship Series being held at the Metrodome. After Minnesota's Dan Nystrom kicked a 37-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter for its 24-point lead, it appeared the Gophers would cruise to their second straight Big Ten victory. But the Wildcats had other ideas. On Northwestern's first possession following Nystrom's kick, Jon Schweighardt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) hauled in a 34-yard TD reception from Brett Basanez (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) with 13:37 remaining. That score left the fans wondering if the Wildcats were going to pull off another stunning comeback as they did in 2000 when they overcame a 35-14 deficit to win 41-35. Northwestern kept the heat on, scoring on its next two possessions-a 1-yard run by Basanez and a 32-yard scamper by Jason Wright -- while the NU defense came up with a fumble and a fourth-down stop.
With just over four minutes remaining and NU now down 45-42, the Golden Gophers ran out the clock to preserve the victory. Two special teams miscues in the first half-an onside kick that Minnesota recovered and a blocked punt-both led to Gopher touchdowns. The blocked punt return for TD late in the second quarter gave Minnesota the lead for good at 28-21 with 1:07 to go in the half.
Northwestern Head Coach Randy Walker
Randy Walker is in his fourth season at Northwestern after spending the previous nine years (1990-98) at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In just his second year with the Wildcats, Walker directed a stunning turnaround. After a 3-8 season in 1999, he engineered a complete overhaul of the Wildcat offense and the result was an 8-4 record, an Alamo Bowl berth and a share of the 2000 Big Ten championship.
Walker was recognized for his 2000 efforts by both his peers and the media, as he was named Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year and the Region 3 Coach of the Year by the AFCA. Walker owns a 76-59-5 career record in 13 seasons and a 17-24 mark at Northwestern. Prior to gaining his first head coaching job at Miami in 1990, Walker spent one year as an assistant at Miami (1977), 10 years as an assistant at North Carolina (1978-87) and two years as an assistant at Northwestern (1988-89).
Walker came to Evanston with an impressive coaching resume already intact. The 48-year-old Walker departed Oxford as the winningest head coach in school history. His mark at Miami of 59-35-5 (.621) is even more impressive when you consider the coaching greats that Miami has produced: Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler ... and the list goes on.
Northwestern Receives AFCA 2002 Academic Achievement Award
Northwestern University's football program is receiving the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 2002 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. NU recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its football squad when all members of its freshman class of 1996-97 earned a degree. Northwestern's win is the second for the school, and it has been honored every year it has been eligible for the award. The Wildcats also earned the honor in 1998 with a 100 percent rate. Northwestern earned honorable mention honors in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Prior to 1998, the award honored only members of the College Football Association. Since 1998, when the award was expanded to include all Division I-A conferences, Big Ten schools have been honored 23 times, with the Wildcats winning the award twice.
More Academic Kudos
According to the latest NCAA graduation rate data, Northwestern's football programs ranks first among all Division I-A schools in graduation rate (85 percent) for the class entering the 1995-96 school year.
Freshmen Figures
With his third full recruiting class on board, head coach Randy Walker has a high percentage of young players on scholarship. This year, 45.8 percent of NU's scholarship roster is comprised of freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
More Youthful Facts
With the loss of Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles), just four seniors are in the Wildcats' starting lineup: three on offense (Jon Schweighardt, Austin King and Jeff Roehl) and one on defense (Raheem Covington). The rest of the lineup (offense and defense only) includes six juniors, eight sophomores and four freshmen. In 2000, when NU captured a share of the Big Ten crown, it had five seniors, 11 juniors, six sophomores and no freshmen in their starting lineup. Fourteen NU players have made their first collegiate start this year.
Injury Update
On his two-point conversion run in the fourth quarter, quarterback Brett Basanez suffered a fracture to his left fibula (lower leg). The injury occured to a small non-weight-bearing bone. He is expected to miss Saturday's game at Penn State. Sophomore Tony Stauss (Racine, Wis./Horlick) will start in place of Basanez.
Two Northwestern players are out for the season. Freshman quarterback Alexander Webb (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park) lacerated his liver after taking a hard hit to the stomach in the Sept. 7 game against TCU. Webb was hospitalized for nine days, but the injury did not require surgery. Webb will sit out the remainder of the season and apply for a medical hardship.
Middle linebacker Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles) underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Friday, Sept. 13. The surgery revealed a tear to his ACL, which was repaired. Durr is applying for a medical hardship.
Nonconference Success
With its Sept. 21 victory over Navy, Northwestern maintained its string of winning at least two nonconference games every year since 1995. It is also the 10th straight year that NU has sported a .500 or better record in non-league action. (NU went 1-1-1 in 1994.)
Turning it Around
After suffering seven turnovers -- the most miscues by a Randy Walker-coached team -- in its 48-24 loss to TCU, the Wildcats have come back to post a +9 margin (15-to-6) in turnovers in their last five games. In two of those games (Navy and Minnesota), Northwestern did not commit a turnover. In four of the five games, the Wildcats committed fewer turnovers than the opponent. Northwestern and Michigan State each committed two turnovers in its Sept. 28 game.
King, Roehl Lead Offense
Prior to being held to 396 yards in total offense by Ohio State on Oct. 5, NU's offense had accumulated 430 or more yards in three straight games (Duke, Navy, Michigan State) -- the first time the Wildcats had done that since the seventh, eighth and ninth games (Purdue, Minnesota and Michigan) of the 2000 Big Ten championship season. Northwestern went over the 500-yard mark for the second time this season when it totaled 522 yards against the Gophers last Thursday.
Much of the recent offensive surge can be attributed to the play of the offensive line, led by Austin King (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) and Jeff Roehl (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg). Earlier this season, the duo were named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America Watch List. After a slow start (248.0 ypg after two games), the Wildcats are now averaging a season-best 409.4 yards of offense, which ranks 35th nationally. After two games, the Wildcats ranked 101st nationally in total offense.
More Roehl and King
Senior Jeff Roehl has accepted an offer to play in the East-West Shrine Game, set for Jan. 11, 2003 in San Francisco's Pacific Bell Park. Roehl is slated to play for the East squad, which will be coached by Notre Dame's Tyrone Willingham. He was the second Big Ten player named to the East roster, joining Illinois' Walter Young. Roehl will be the 75th player to suit up for the Shrine Game, and the first since Eric Collier and KeJuan DuBose played in 1997. NU ranks fourth among Big Ten schools and 14th overall in all-time Shrine Game participation.
Classmate Austin King has accepted an invite to the Hula Bowl Maui Classic on Feb. 1, 2003. He has started 38 career games at center, including 29 in a row from 1999 to 2001. Earlier this season, King was named to the Rimington Award Watch List. Established in 2000, the Rimington Trophy honors the top NCAA Division I-A center each season. Roehl and King also have been named to the Rotary Gridiron Classic initial watch list. The Rotary Gridiron Classic, a game that matches the top collegiate players from around the nation against those in Florida, will be played Jan. 25, 2003.
The Wright Stuff
For the fourth time in his last five games, Jason Wright rushed for more than 100 yards, totaling 148 yards at Minnesota. He also finished the game with a career-best 242 all-purpose yards. In his last five games, Wright is averaging 134.0 yards rushing, 6.2 yards per carry and 1.2 touchdowns per game. Among all Division I-A players, he ranks first in kickoff return average (37.6 ypr), second in all-purpose yardage (178.6 ypg) and 26th in rushing average (103.3 ypg). Wright's kickoff return average is 1.8 yards per return better than San Jose State's Charles Pauley (35.8 ypr).
Last month, Wright became the first Big Ten player to be honored on both offense and special teams in the same season since 1997 when he earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for a career-high 186 yards and three touchdowns at Navy. (Iowa wide receiver Tim Dwight was the last Big Ten player to accomplish the feat in 1997.) Two weeks prior to the offensive honor, Wright was the Big Ten's Special Teams Player of the Week for his 191 kickoff return yards and his Big Ten-record 63.7 yards per return mark vs. TCU.
In the TCU game, Wright shattered NU's single-game marks for longest kickoff return (100 yards, for TD), yards per kickoff return (63.7) and total kickoff return yards (191). The kickoff return average also was a Big Ten record. Wright's 100-yard touchdown return was Northwestern's first kickoff return for a TD in 108 games. (NU's Lee Gissendaner returned a kickoff 90 yards vs. MSU on Oct. 31, 1992.) In addition, it was the first kickoff return for TD scored on TCU since Oct. 8, 1986 (175 games). Wright's performance also helped NU set a single-game team mark with 270 return yards. Wright's string of 100-yard rushing games (three) last month was the longest since a five-game streak by Damien Anderson in 2000.
Now This is Special
Last year, the Wildcats ranked 11th in the Big Ten and 96th nationally in kickoff return average. Northwestern averaged 18.1 yards per return. This season, led by junior Jason Wright, the Wildcats are first on the Big Ten list and 10th nationally. As a team, NU is averaging 25.2 yards per return. San Jose State leads the nation with a 27.6 mark.
Strength of Schedule
According to the NCAA's "Toughest Schedule" list, the Wildcats have played the 17th toughest schedule to date. The Wildcats' first seven opponents have a combined record of 27-14 (.658). Northwestern's entire 2002 schedule ranks as the country's 25th-most difficult (45-29, .608).
"Baz" Among Nation's Top Frosh QB's
Redshirt freshman quarterback Brett Basanez (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) ranks first nationally among all freshmen quarterbacks (true and redshirt) in passing yardage (202.0) and second in total offense (219.0, behind Missouri's Brad Smith, 302.8).
Century Receivers
Junior Kunle Patrick (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) and senior Jon Schweighardt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) became members of NU's "Century Club" for career receptions on Sept. 14 against Duke. Schweighardt and Patrick, who lead Northwestern this season with 32 and 28 receptions, respectively, are seventh and eighth on the all-time list with 121 and 118 catches. The two are also moving up on the career yardage list. Schweighardt, who leads NU in receiving yardage this season, has 1,420 yards (ninth place) and Patrick has 1,397 yards (10th place).
62-2-1
Throughout his coaching career, Randy Walker has proven to be nearly unbeatable when his teams carry a lead into the fourth quarter. In his 13 years as a head coach, Walker's teams have compiled a 62-2-1 record when leading at the end of the third quarter. At NU, Walker is 13-1 when taking a lead into the final quarter.
On This Date (Oct. 19) in NU History ...
Six years ago (1996): Northwestern ran its winning streak to six games with a 34-30 road victory at Wisconsin. Despite losing star running back Darnell Autry early in the game, the Wildcats won the game when D'Wayne Bates caught a 20-yard TD pass from Steve Schnur with 37 seconds left.
39 years ago (1963): In his final season at Northwestern, Ara Parseghian guided the Wildcats to a 37-6 victory over Miami (Ohio), Parseghian's alma mater, to move to 4-1 on the season.
'Cat Tails ...
* Northwestern has faced four of the top 13 rushing teams in the nation thus far: Air Force (first), Navy (eighth), Minnesota (ninth) and Ohio State (13th).
* The Wildcats ran for 306 yards against Minnesota, its highest single-game figure since totaling 315 yards against Illinois in its 2000 Big Ten-title clinching win on Nov. 18. The Wildcats averaged 7.8 ypc vs. Minnesota. NU's single-game yards per carry record is 8.1, set against Iowa State in 1953.
* After coming up empty in the receiving department in their first three games, NU's tight ends and fullbacks have caught 14 passes in their last four games. Eric Worley (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) leads the way with nine catches for 172 yards and a TD. He has a team-best 19.1 ypr average.
Up Next
Northwestern returns to Ryan Field next Saturday, Oct. 26. The Wildcats host Purdue in their annual homecoming game at 11 a.m. CT (ESPN+).