Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25
Loving this, BDawg. You continue to set the standard in my opinion.
Loving this, BDawg. You continue to set the standard in my opinion.
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Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25
I was getting the shakes playing the games and not feeling like I was prepared to post them yet. You already have an idea how my Wildcats are going with the live updates you and Roady are getting. You feel my pain on the daily.
I stole that line from my favorite Peloton instructor, Matt Wilpers. He teaches classes in a way that you ride charts should look fairly smooth, but it's impossible to keep the same power output exactly throughout a class. When there are dips, he calls them "struggle squiggles."
I've been a run-first team, but it seems like the CPU is on to me and has gotten better at shutting it down. Then the ball goes in the air and ... nothing good happens.
Hey, quote the whole stinking page if you like! I'm just glad to have a few people following this little obsession of mine. It seems like traffic isn't what it used to be.
You are too kind. I hope to live up to your expectations. Thank you for following.Comment
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2024 SEASON - GAME 5
Northwestern’s Carmine Bastone celebrates a sack of Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
Northwestern’s Devin Turner sacks Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
Indiana receiver Donaven McCulley is in the clear on a 71-yard touchdown catch that cut Northwestern’s lead to
27-21 in the fourth quarter.
Northwestern running back Cam Porter ran 37 times for 134 yards and three touchdowns.
Northwestern defensive tackle Nick Mills intercepts a pass.
Northwestern’s Cullen Coleman ends the game with a sack of Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
GRINDING IT OUT
Northwestern dominates possession time,
overcomes big plays in win over Hoosiers
EVANSTON, Ill. — When your quarterback throws for 322 yards and airs it out 42 times, you’d like to see a touchdown pass or two along the way.
But, at least early on, it appears Northwestern coach B-Dawg lacks the big strike in the passing game and will take his six points one short touchdown run at a time.
Cam Porter ran 37 times for 134 yards and three short touchdowns during a 30-21 victory over Indiana on Oct. 5, 2024.
Porter scored his touchdowns on two one-yard runs and a five-yard run. Indiana, meanwhile, scored all three touchdowns through the air despite passing only 15 times, with two of the scoring strikes going for 59 and 71 yards.
“It appears the CPU is going to have big-play capability and we’re going to have to grind out scoring drives,” B-Dawg said. “It isn’t the most exciting football and doesn’t make for compelling YouTube videos, but that’s where we’re at right now.”
Northwestern (4-1) had the ball for 33:29, compared to 10:31 for the Hoosiers (2-4).
Northwestern appeared to have the game well in hand with a five-yard run by Porter gave the Wildcats a 27-7 lead with 4:26 left in the third quarter. But the Hoosiers got back into it quickly on a 59-yard touchdown pass to Myles Price and a 71-yarder to Donaven McCullen from Kurtis Rourke. Both scoring drives took only two plays.
McCullen’s touchdown cut the deficit to 27-21 with 7:05 left in the game, plenty of time for Indiana to mount a comeback.
The Wildcats were able to milk the clock down to 18 seconds before putting the game away with an 18-yard field goal by Jack Olsen. Northwestern would have run the clock out, but an injury stopped the clock. Northwestern kept that drive alive by converting fourth-and-two from Indiana’s 43 with 2:54 left on a pass to A.J. Henning and fourth-and-two from the 23 on a 14-yard pass to Bryce Kirtz.
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Jordan Knox 13 pancakes, 0 sacks; Josh Thompson 6-0; Marshall Lang 6-0; Ben Wrather 6-0; Duke Olges 4-0; Caleb Tiernan 3-1; Thomas Gordon 3-0; Nick Herzog 3-0; Cam Porter 2-0; A.J. Henning 2-0; Reggie Fleurima 1-0.Comment
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Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25
Keep 'em off the field BDawg! Just keep grinding those runs out and chew clock. Best way to stay in games early in a rebuild. Who are you usering on the defensive side of the ball?Comment
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Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25
Do you play a lot of press zone? That's where I've seen my defense give up the biggest passing plays. if they hit a go route against the press as he drops into zone the safety for some reason doesn't slide over thinking the CB is going to take him and they end up wide open with no defender within a mile lol
Regardless, grinding out some nice wins. Can't go wrong with a punishing ground gameComment
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2024 SEASON - GAME 6
Maryland receiver Kaden Prather grabs the go-ahead 3-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left in the game.
Maryland’s Jalen Huskey picks off a pass that he took 97 yards to the house in the third quarter.
Ruben Hyppolite caps the scoring with an interception that he returned 32 yards for a touchdown with 8 seconds left.
Maryland running back Roman Hemby celebrates a touchdown run.
Northwestern tight end Duke Olges celebrates an 8-yard touchdown catch.
Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka sacks Maryland quarterback MJ Morris.
Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka knocks down a pass.
Northwestern running back Cam Porter ran 33 times for 206 yards and a touchdown.
Northwestern quarterback Mike Wright threw for 252 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
RUN THE BALL!!!
NW tries to get cute near goal line,
Terps make game-changing pick-6
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — It didn’t exactly require a PhD in football to know what Northwestern should have done.
Facing first-and-goal at Maryland’s 2-yard line with a chance to put a stranglehold on an unlikely key Big Ten Conference matchup, running the ball would have been the prudent thing.
After all, Cam Porter was in the midst of a game in which he had 33 carries for 206 yards.
And, after all, Northwestern coach B-Dawg’s adventures with interceptions through the early part of this dynasty has been the bane of his existence.
But B-Dawg moved the ball down the field on this particular drive via the passing arm of Mike Wright. He had suddenly become more enamored with the thought of rewarding his quarterback with a touchdown pass than he was with the opportunity to put away the unbeaten and 18th-ranked Terrapins.
B-Dawg called for a quick pass toward the right sideline and … you figured out the rest.
Maryland defensive back Jalen Huskey jumped the route, said “thank you, very much” and sauntered 97 yards down the left sideline for a game-altering touchdown with 3:10 left in the third quarter.
The Wildcats were up 20-10 at the time and would have all but iced the victory by punching the ball into the end zone. Instead, Maryland had new life, ultimately winning the game 34-26 by scoring 17 points in the last 2 minutes and 4 seconds.
“We are not playing a video game,” B-Dawg said. “This is football. What I did made me look like some kid on a PlayStation 5, not a veteran coach who should understand the situation at hand. I hang my head in shame.”
Northwestern had other chances to put it away, but was held to two Jack Olsen field goals in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 26-17.
B-Dawg was relieved when Maryland inexplicably took a delay of game penalty on third-and-six and settled for a field goal with 2:04 left on fourth-and-11 after an incompletion.
The kick return ended with 2:01 on the clock, so the clock stopped again at the two-minute warning (I’m under no obligation to call it a two-minute timeout). After two runs, a third-and-11 drag rout to A.J. Henning was one yard short of the field down with 1:51 left.
B-Dawg chose to punt and continued to have issues with short punts, setting up Maryland at the 50-yard line. The Terrapins converted a fourth-and-two on a 7-yard pass to Shaleak Knotts near the sideline with 59 seconds left. Replay review confirmed the catch.
Maryland passed the ball to the 5-yard line on the next play. A sack by Cullen Coleman drove the Terrapins back, but they passed to the 3-yard line with 27 seconds remaining. On the next play, MJ Morris found Kaden Prather in the back right corner of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 24 seconds on the clock. Again, replay was needed to confirm the catch.
“We were inches away a couple of times from getting out of here with a dub,” B-Dawg said.
Down by one point, the Wildcats just needed to get into field goal range to win the game, but B-Dawg seems ill-equipped to move the ball in chunks in College Football 25.
B-Dawg went full Will Levis mode and served up his second pick-six of the game when Ruben Hyppolite went 32 yards to the house with eight seconds remaining.
This game was played one day after the Chicago Bears beat the Tennessee Titans with a garbage offense and an opportunistic defense taking advantage of Will Levis being Will Levis, along with a blocked punt.
If stats mattered, the Wildcats should have won going away. They outgained the Terrapins 483-202 and outrushed them 231 yards to minus-3. The plus-two turnover advantage for Maryland proved to be the difference.
The Wildcats suffered their first serious injury when 76 OVR senior tight end Marshall Lang broke his collarbone. It will require a bowl game for Lang to return.
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Caleb Tiernan 10, 0 sacks; Duke Olges 4-0; Jordan Knox 3-0; Cooper Lovelace 3-0; Nick Herzog 2-0; Marshall Lang 2-0; Ben Wrather 2-0; Thomas Gordon 1-0; Josh Thompson 1-0; Jackson Carsello 1-0.Comment
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Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25
I have never been someone who user-controls defenders, because I'm so bad that it just means I'm taking that player out of the play. HOWEVER, I have found really good success controlling the left defensive end (Anto Sako most of the time) and looping him in for user sacks. I get at least one a game with him. In the right situation, that can kill a potential big drive.
My main defense has been the 4-3 Tampa 2. If I go to nickel or dime, it just seems to invite the CPU to run the ball for an easy 10 yards. I will spy the linebacker who drops deepest in coverage, because that deep drop seems to open up passes underneath. That defense has worked really well for me. The CPU doesn't grind out many drives, but occasionally hits the big play. The key for me is to be patient with it. You will see in subsequent games I've been burned by blitzing instead of staying the course.
Glad to see so many familiar faces/screen names here. The dynasty boards are like family.Comment
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Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25
always tough to lose one like that---Comment
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CLASS OF 2025 RECRUITING UPDATE
Northwestern lands first commit
Nobody knows what the future holds for Jose Watford, but he will always hold a special place in B-Dawg’s heart.
Watford is the first player to commit to Northwestern during the B-Dawg regime.
The Crystal Lake, Ill. product is actually not a horrible recruit, as you might expect from the first commit during a rebuilding job. Watford is a three-star prospect who is the 45th-ranked cornerback in the nation and the No. 527 overall prospect.
Watford visited Evanston for the Week 6 game against Indiana. He chose Northwestern over Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan. At the start of recruiting, Northwestern was first, Western Michigan second and Maryland third on his list.
B-Dawg hoped to land some bigger fish, but four-star receiver Scott Bequette of Chicago committed to Iowa. (Good luck getting the ball there!) Northwestern was third on Bequette’s list. Bequette had Northwestern No. 1 and Iowa No. 2 on his list going into the season.Comment
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2024 SEASON - GAME 7
Northwestern defensive back Coco Azema leaps to break up a pass.
Northwestern running back Cam Porter busts off a 57-yard run.
Northwestern quarterback Mike Wright celebrates a 20-yard touchdown run.
Backup Northwestern running back Joseph Himon catches a touchdown pass.
Northwestern receiver A.J. Henning hauls in a pass.
Northwestern receiver Frank Covey reaches down to catch a 15-yard touchdown pass.
UNLEASH THE BEAST!
Northwestern finally uses QB’s speed,
knocks off top-25 team for first time
EVANSTON, Ill. — It’s as if B-Dawg forgot that his quarterback has 91 SPD.
Imagine how much fun it is to hold a quarterback with 91 SPD in your hands. Yes, that was intended to sound creep.
In his quest to establish a ground-and-pound attack while figuring out the passing game, B-Dawg has turned Northwestern senior Mike Wright into a pocket passer.
But then he decided to call a read option early in the third quarter.
Wright took off, busting off a 32-yard gain. So, B-Dawg went back to the same call and Wright was in the clear for a 20-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats a 20-7 lead in what would become a 26-14 victory over 16th-ranked Wisconsin on Oct. 19, 2024.
“Where have you been all my life, Mike Wright?” B-Dawg asked. “I should be guilty of negligence for having not taken advantage of his wheels. I’m excited to revamp our offense for an entire game to see what he’s capable of. There’s no way this guy should be asked to throw 30, 40 times a game.”
Wright finished with 69 yards on nine carries. He completed 19 of 33 passes for 240 yards, two touchdowns and (yes!) no interceptions. He spread the ball to 10 different receivers.
Coming into the game, Wright had minus-22 yards on 20 carries, managing a positive run in only two of six games.
Cam Porter had 128 yards on 24 carries, but 57 of those came on one run.
“We really didn’t establish our traditional ground game as well as I would have liked,” B-Dawg said. “All credit to Wisconsin. Hopefully planting the seed in teams’ heads that now they have to watch out for Mike Wright to take off will open up things for Cam.”
It was the first Big Ten Conference loss for Wisconsin, which is 3-1 in the league and 5-2 overall. Northwestern improved to 3-1 in the league, 5-2 overall.
Down 20-7 after Wright’s touchdown run, Wisconsin blew a chance to get back in the game. The Badgers had the ball at Northwestern’s 2-yard line, but a holding penalty on left tackle Jack Nelson pushed the ball back to the 16. Wisconsin wound up settling for a field goal attempt and missed with 5:07 left in the third quarter.
On the bright side for Wisconsin’s offensive line, center Jake Renfro racked up 15 pancakes. However, he also allowed two sacks.
It was the first top-25 victory for Northwestern under B-Dawg.
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Jordan Knox 7 pancakes, 0 sacks; Josh Thompson 3-0; Ben Wrather 3-0; Nick Herzog 3-0; Caleb Tiernan 2-0; Bryce Kirtz 1-0.Comment
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Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25
solid first commit, winning on and off the field this week---Comment
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CLASS OF 2025 RECRUITING UPDATE
Northwestern lands another 3-star DB
Northwestern is building itself a secondary for the future with its early commitments on the Class of 2025 recruiting trail.
The Wildcats’ second commitment is three-star free safety Lamar Bakhtiari of Grand Rapids, Mich.
(Note: He is no relation to Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari.)
The commitment of Bakhtiari comes after three-star cornerback Jose Watford of Crystal Lake, Ill. became Northwestern’s first recruit in the B-Dawg era.
Bakhtiari is the 30th-ranked free safety and 605th overall recruit in the Class of 2025. The 6-foot-3, 219-pounder is a run support tendency.Comment
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