By Paul M. Banks
EVANSTON, IL- In this city, the phrase “wait till next year” is a natural part of the local dialect. It specifically refers to the Chicago Cubs’ postseason ineptitude since 1908. (And if early returns are any indication, things will likely not change this October.
But the phrase also applies to another Chicago area team: the Northwestern Wildcats, who have the dubious distinction in the college football world of zero bowl wins since 1949. And they’ve plenty of chances: 1995, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, and 2009. The connection between the two teams grew even stronger yesterday, as it was formally announced that the Wildcats will play their in-state rivalry game with Illinois at the Cubs’ home of Wrigley Field this fall. The revelation created even more optimistic buzz within the program.
Today, the day of the NU spring scrimmage concluding spring football practice, is the first major step towards ending the 0-for-7 drought. And this same feeling of eternal optimism is present on campuses everywhere during this college football Saturday. Well, it’s sort of a college football Saturday.
The ‘Cats struggle mirrors that of spring college football itself. It’s getting bigger and better in recent years, but just not quite there yet. Fifteen years ago, most people were unaware that college football spring practice even existed. Today, it gets a fair amount of media coverage, and some people show up to watch it, but most…really do not care. Watching a team play itself, with a scoring system that makes absolutely no sense (when they even have a scoring system- most schools don’t even implement one) turns most casual sports fans off.
Likewise, NU has made HUGE strides in its program since 1995 (the year they became a competitive, Big Ten football program) but are yet to make that elusive postseason breakthrough. The last two bowl losses were oh-so-close, as errant kicks at the most inopportune moments did Northwestern in at both the 2008 Alamo Bowl and the Outback Bowl following the 2009 season. 
The latter was an especially fun game to watch as NU quarterback Mike Kafka (who was drafted by the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles on this very exact day) closed his collegiate career by throwing for four touchdowns and a school-record 532 yards in a thrilling 38-35 overtime loss to Auburn. His 532 passing yards — the fourth-highest total by a quarterback in NCAA bowl history — came courtesy of 47 completions on 78 attempts. He totaled an NCAA-record 98 offensive plays (78 passes, 20 rushes) vs. Auburn. Of course, he also totaled a whopping 5 interceptions that day which nearly equaled his entire season total entering that game.
Nevertheless, Kafka essentially was NU’s offense last year, and replacing him will be job 1A in 2010. Finding a good running game to complement the total offense produced by the quarterback will be job 1B. Junior Dan Persa, VERY GENEROUSLY listed at 6-1, 210, is the newly appointed starter.
“I like where the offense is at. We’re ahead of where we were last spring at this time. I like both quarterbacks (backup Evan Watkins as well as Persa). They both throw the ball really well,” Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
“They take good command of our offense. They’re both a perfect fit for what we try to do,” Fitzgerald continued.
Fitz also spoke about Persa’s progress and expectations:
“The quarterback position demands leadership, it expects leadership, and you’ve got to not only be the straw that stirs the drink on offense, but also lead the team. He’s always had that work ethic in the weight room and the film room. Then he made plays this spring and I think the young men have really rallied around him…I think Dan just needs to go out and be himself…I expect a smooth transition.”
Like Kafka, Persa is a dual threat QB so at least in theory there shouldn’t be too many major adjustments to the scheme. In the last decade, the Wildcats won six or more games seven times (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009) and finished with an overall record of 61-60. In the last 15 years, only Ohio State and Michigan have won more Big Ten titles than the Wildcats’ three.
NU has also won a combined 17 games the past two seasons, which ranks as the third-most wins in a two-year period in school history. But of course, they still don’t have that elusive postseason victory. If Persa can adequately follows in Kafka’s footsteps this fall, maybe that will finally change.