...and ready for a Rock-n-Rye and seven Carlings!
The music playing is the NU Alma
Mater.
Press here to stop:
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...and ready for a Rock-n-Rye and seven Carlings! The music playing is the NU Alma
Mater.
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| A Very Unofficial Site for Northwestern Wildcat Football |
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'Cat2K Nears...This, of course, will not come to pass. NU will do just fine, and everyone will breathe a big sigh of relief (and regret that they spent $500.00 on 300 cans of Chef Boyardee Chili-Mac and $4.99 on Lindy's Big Ten/Notre D*me Preview). Sure, the Big Ten season will be tough, but there is no reason to expect that NU won't be a tough team as well. Walker has had a year and a half to settle in, and the players also have had time to adjust. The offensive line should be much improved, the receivers are all Big Ten-level and should be healthy, Damien Anderson is poised to carry on the success NU's running backs have had for much of the last decade, and Zak Kustok.... well, we shall see, but I expect Kustok to be a conference surprise. Kustok could very well repeat what Kurt Kittner achieved Downstate last season. The defense was ready last year, and it (and its potential) remains ready this season. Once NU's time of possession improves (as it undoubtedly will), the defense's potential will be realized. Aside from its time on the field last year and the problems this caused the defense, are there other opportunities for improvement? Of course, but the needed improvements are a fine-tuning, not a major overhaul. Fans complained about the number of blown, near interceptions. What hasn't been as widely discussed is that NU shattered its season record for passes broken up (60 PBU's last season, breaking the record of 44). Blackmon now already holds NU's career record for PBU's. All it will take is a little less time on the field, a few more errant balls caught, a few more turnover battles won, and-- watch out. The experts believe 'Cat2k will bring mediocrity; they ask, "why believe otherwise?" There is a mountain of reasons to believe otherwise. The bigger question is, do the players believe otherwise? Do the coaches believe in the team? Do the players have the will and attitude of a Winner? They have the tools; do they have the will and belief? That is the true unknown on the eve of 'Cat2k. My prediction is that the team won't be in a bunker this fall-- they'll be on the field as champions, and the gurus, experts, consultants, and pundits will be wrong. It won't be the first time. |
NU Athletic Site FarEastWildcat Purple Reign: The Rivals Site (More features and links coming this Fall.) |
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| The Wildcats lead this series four wins to
none, with one tie. NIU has had some rough luck during the off-season:
two of their best running backs, William Andrews and Ivory Bryant, are
gone because of academic problems. While some NU fans expect that
the running back woes at NIU have doomed the Huskies' chances, the 'Cats
should take note: the most likely starter for NIU will be Thomas Hammock.
Hammock saw limited playing time as a frosh last year (five games, total
23 carries, 3.5 ypc), but he has potential. He racked up 1775 yards
his senior year at Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bishop Luers H.S. and was all-area.
Luers is a football factory and has produced a lot of outstanding RB's.
Pre-season mags predicted (before Andrews and Bryant departed) NIU 65th or higher, and 2nd in the MAC west. They might still be correct-- NIU could very well finish with a winning season. Their last winning season was 1990. This is also the last year that the 'Cats played NIU. Northwestern won, 24-7. Expect a small but feisty crowd; a larger, stronger, and angrier NU line; the new four WR set; and NU QB Zak Kustok to work some frustrations out. Last year, NIU coach Joe Novak said, " The time is now. It is time. You can't rebuild forever. Hey, I'm not predicting a championship caliber football team. I will say this: we can be competitive. We have a chance every Saturday." They will be competitive. However, we play 'em on a Thursday. . . No chance. Prediction: NU 35, NIU 10. NIU goes on to a 7-4 record. |
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NU Football Trivia Question of the WeekThis week's question: Who is NU's most recent entry into the College
Football Hall of Fame? (he was enshrined in 1999)
Last week's question: Last year Damien Anderson rushed for 1,128 yards
and became the fourth Wildcat in the last five seasons to rush for at least
1,000 yards in a single season. How many players have achieved this
feat throughout NU's history?
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| Night games at Ryan Field. | 9 |  |
| Tailgates at Ryan Field. | 2 | |
| The sound of the new Four Wide Receiver set. | 7 | |
| The sound of the new Four Tops box set. | 7 | |
| Likelihood that, by the end of his college career,
Damien Anderson will hold at least two school rushing records. |
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| Willie, 1983 - 1996 (with a tie for every occasion). | 9 | |
| Willie, 1996 - present (Wilie E Coyote, Supergenius). | 5 |
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What would you like to see?Thanks to all who have sent their feedback, including Eurocat, TennCat, PeoriaCat, ShoreCat, Purplecheesehead, Wes T., Rene, Vicki, and of course OperaCat (Mrs. GoUPurple). Feedback has been surprisingly positive, and I'll continue to expand and improve the page. Several good suggestions have also been sent to me (including the Alma Mater "kill switch" on the sidebar above). Coming September 30: features on NU football history, links, and more. The approach of this page will continue to be somewhat eclectic. If you hit this page looking for in-depth coverage of NU football or recruiting info, there are some other sites that provide excellent information, including FarEastWildcat's site (best NU fan site on the Web) and the Rivals.com site (links provided above). See you at Ryan Field August 31!
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 (Muuuuuuusso!!
A typical circus catch, 1996) |
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| ©2000 GoUPurple |