College football is here; finally!
Today will see Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald, along with team captains: WR Austin Carr, CB Matthew Harris, OL Connor Mahoney and LB Anthony Walker Jr. preview the season opener Saturday at home versus Western Michigan (we’ll have the game preview in this space here tomorrow).
The 2015 Northwestern football team quietly tied the school record for wins last season. Because they were lacking in style points last season, not as many people noticed as you would have expected.
“Say what you want about last year and it’s over, but everybody in the country including my 7-year-old son knew we were running the ball, and we still ran,” Fitzgerald said.
“I don’t think our offense and offensive line gets enough credit for that.”
Fitzgerald, quarterback Clayton Thorson, and the rest of the Northwestern football team are very well aware that they need more balance in 2016, and that means more explosion plays. More on this topic at this link.
Lindy’s named “Justin Jackson the ball-carrier” as the preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and they also include him on the preseason all-conference team. The all-star tailback will be the featured weapon in the offense, and he’s been so good that he two nicknames now- “bread and butter” and “the ball carrier.”
It’s just like the player who inspired his jersey number choice of #21, Deion Sanders, who also had two nicknames- “Neon Deion” and “Prime Time.” (More on Jackson at this link)
Anthony Walker Jr. could be a first team All-American this December and then a first round NFL draft pick come April in Philadelphia. He has certainly earned the nickname “Franchise.” (More on that topic here)
Fitzgerald has used a lot of rich imagery and interesting metaphors to describe Walker’s physique, including the word “jacked” and allusions to Lou Ferigno, the actor who played “The Incredible Hulk.”
It’s not exaggeration. Let Fitz tell you in his own words. Here’s the audio from Northwestern football media day. The Walker conversation takes place from the 25-27 minute mark.
You should also check out our exclusive with Walker at Northwestern football media day below:
Bottom Line:
From an infrastructure, and off-the-field standpoint it’s a renaissance and golden age of sorts for Northwestern football. You can read Fitzgerald’s in-depth explanation of that over here at this link.
Overall, this looks and feels like an 8-4 team. It would not be surprising if they finished 7-5 or 9-3; which would put them right in that same wheelhouse they were from 2008-2012. You can most likely expect them to finish anywhere between second and fourth in the B1G West.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.