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Maryland Preview and Prediction
By Jersey Cat
Matchup: Maryland Terrapins (0-0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0-0)
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2020, 6:30 pm CDT
TV: BTN
Line: Northwestern (-11)
Outlook:
Welcome back for another Lowes Line season, Northwestern fans!
It’s been a week short of 11 months since the Wildcats last took the
field, when they topped the Illini for the fifth consecutive year, one
of the few bright spots in an otherwise brutal 3-9 season. For
quite a while, it didn’t look like the 2020 campaign would happen for
the Big Ten, but a reversal of fortune occurred after the initial
decision to cancel the season, and here we are with an 8+1 game
schedule.
The schedule consists of solely conference games, six against Big Ten
West rivals, and two crossover games with Big Ten East opponents. In
addition to this week’s game against Maryland, the ‘Cats will be taking
on Michigan State in Evanston on November 28th. The ninth game on
the schedule will also be a crossover game on December 19th, a matchup
with the East team with the same division finish as NU has in the West.
Things will be quiet inside Ryan Field this season, with COVID-impacted
capacity limited to approximately 1,100 fans and each player receiving
four tickets for family and friends. It’s ok, you can chuckle to
yourself and say, “Heh, probably no quieter than any other
game...” We’re all old and laugh at dad jokes too.
This will be a big year for the Northwestern offense, and the team will
likely be judged by how this unit performs. A team that went 8-1
in the Big Ten in 2018 did an about face last year and finished
1-8. This was the straw that finally broke the camel’s back, and
long-time offensive coordinator Mick McCall left the program after
leading the offense since 2008. It was viewed as a long time coming by
many, and last year was simply woeful by nearly any offensive
metric. Consider: the first six conference games last year had NU
averaging less than 7 points per game, and their total offense was near
the bottom of the collection of FBS squads.
Replacing McCall is Mike Bajakian, who comes to NU from Boston College
where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, having
also had the same role at Tennessee and Cincinnati prior to BC.
Bajakian also spent time in the NFL, as the quarterbacks coach for the
Tampa Bay Bucs. Expect a significant uptick from the offense
under his leadership and approach. In nine seasons as a college
offensive coordinator, Bajakian’s squads have averaged over 400 yards
and 30 points per game.
So what does new OC Bajakian have to work with? After no less
than four QBs taking snaps last season, Northwestern turns to graduate
transfer Peyton Ramsey, who played three seasons at Indiana before
arriving in Evanston. Ramsey was named honorable mention All-Big
Ten last year in Bloomington, where he threw for 13 TDs and ran for 7
more. He’s been named the starter on the two-deep this week.
Recovering from surgery after only seeing time in five games last
season is junior running back Isaiah Bowser, who looked very promising
as a true freshman in 2018. Bowser and NU running back legacy
Drake Anderson will be seeing the bulk of snaps in the backfield.
Offensive lineman and NFL prospect Rashawn Slater opted not to play in
August, and he’ll be missed on the line, but there’s considerable
excitement about true freshman Peter Skoronski, who’ll line up at left
tackle. Skoronski is considered one of the top five recruits in NU
history and was the second-rated high school player in Illinois last
year.
The receiving corps starts three seniors, with Riley Lees looking to be
the primary target. With the arrival of offensive coordinator
Bajakian is the departure of the term “superback” from the NU
lexicon. The ‘Cats start another graduate transfer at tight end,
John Raine, who comes to Evanston after receiving his degree last year
at Florida Atlantic where he was named honorable mention all-Conference
USA.
On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz will
have a tough time replacing the production of tackle Joe Gaziano, who
has graduated. The defensive line will likely be the weak link of
this unit, and the ability of the ‘Cats defensive front to mount a pass
rush will be critical. The linebackers’ starting unit consists of
three seniors, led by preseason All-Big Ten selection Paddy
Fisher. The secondary returns Cam Ruiz at corner and JR Pace at
safety. The other projected starter at corner, junior Greg
Newsome, is reportedly out for the opener this week with an injury.
Coach Fitz is going for career win # 100 in the season opener.
It’s hard to believe Fitz is entering his 15th season as head coach,
and he’s not yet 50 years old. Give him credit for making a
change at offensive coordinator. A fiercely loyal coach, the time
had come to finally admit things were woeful on offense and make a
change. Let’s hope Bajakian can have an immediate positive
impact.
What do we know about the Terrapins? Other than those dudes star
in Xfinity commercials about slow internet speeds and tasting damn good
in some soup with a dash of sherry, not a hell of a lot. They’re
very young and very new, for one. The Terps have 39 freshman and
18 transfers on the squad. Historically, Maryland tends to
recruit top tier receivers, with Jeshaun Jones and Dontay Demus being
the big names for the Terps. The NU secondary could have their
hands full containing this pair.
It’s a wild card to predict what’s going to happen with the ‘Cats at
the outset. How were they impacted by the pandemic, reduced
practices in both the spring and summer, etc.? Did Bajakian have
enough time since being hired to install all elements of his offense?
Not that it happens often with the Wildcats, but there are no
non-conference games to iron out the kinks, and every game will be
important to the division title.
One thing we know for sure, regardless: Northwestern as a big home
favorite? Has anyone in Vegas been paying attention over the past
15 years?
Pick: Slow and steady doesn’t win this
race. ‘Cats start off quick, but hold on to win this one.
Northwestern 27, Maryland 24. Take the Terps and the points.
The Lowes Line is an
e-mailed description of NU's
next
football game, with an invariably fearless prediction of the outcome
and
how NU will fare against what the other "experts" predict. Our
good
friend and Brother Marcus Lowes began the broadcast mailing in 1996.
The crack Lowes Line Staff (alumni Jersey Cat,
GallopingGrapes, P.S. O'Briant, Eric Cockerill, Joel Kanvik, Charlie Simon, and
MO'Cats) have continued the Line in memory of Marcus.
For
the 2020 season it has returned to HailToPurple.com,
for anyone to enjoy. Thanks to the gridiron brain trust at the Lowes
Line!
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