I have questions. You probably have questions, too, even if you didn’t realize it. My questions are in regards to our football opponent on Saturday, the Northwestern Wildcats. We reached out to our sister site, Inside NU, and Editor in Chief Miguel Munoz was kind enough to answer my questions, as follows.
ATQ: I would like to say, out of the gate, that we’re very happy at Addicted To Quack to be talking with our sister SBNation site for Northwestern, Inside NU. I am probably not alone in admitting
that I know little to nothing about Northwestern University. What are some basic things that we in Oregon should know about Northwestern University and its athletic department?
Miguel: Firstly, Northwestern’s got quite the storied history as far as Big Ten football goes. We were one of the original members of the conference, which is a big reason we’re part of the conference today. We stand out as a Big Ten school, with the smallest student body (approx. 8,000) and we’re not necessarily known for our success in college revenue sports (football, basketball) but have seen tons of success in lacrosse, field hockey and most recently in women’s golf, where we won a national championship this past spring. Our new athletic director, Mark Jackson, came over from Villanova last summer and has been particularly focused on NU Athletics’ success in the NIL era. That’s everything I can think of off the top of my head.
ATQ: What constitutes the typical fan experience on game day? Lots of tailgating? Eating at nearby restaurants? What is the transportation system like? If I was attending Saturday’s game, would I need to plot a place to park in advance and then plan on a lot of walking? And how is having to play at Martin Field impacting the game day experience, outside of the obvious lesser seating capacity?
Miguel: Well, it’s important to note that the upcoming game day isn’t necessarily a “typical” one for us Northwestern fans. Our football field, Ryan Field, is currently undergoing a reconstruction upwards of $800 million, so in the meantime the school has built a temporary field for last year and this year while we await the rebuild. The tailgating experience has remained largely the same, with tons of alumni grilling and hanging out in the nearby parking lot, while a lot of students will come in droves and head straight to the student section after pregame parties. Parking can be complicated right next to the stadium, so I’d recommend parking a little ways off campus, and then walking — it shouldn’t take longer than 5 minutes. As for Martin Stadium, the view is beautiful, as you can see the Chicago skyline on a clear day. Tickets are expensive and the small seating capacity hurts the home field advantage, but it’s definitely a sight to see.
ATQ: Head coach David Braun had a winning record and a Las Vegas bowl win in 2023, his first season as head coach. Since then, the going has been rougher. Last season, NU only won two conference games. Is his seat getting warm? Are there extenuating circumstances that are impacting the Wildcats? And are the fans getting restless yet?
Miguel: The general consensus heading into the season was that David Braun was relatively safe from firing. A great first season was followed by a dud in Year Two, although most of us would attribute that to a lack of a serviceable quarterback and overall abysmal offense. After a beatdown against Tulane in Week One, though, his seat has gotten a little warmer. Northwestern’s schedule is unfortunately really tough this year, but if this team doesn’t win the games it’s supposed to, Braun will definitely be on the hot seat headed into Year Four.
ATQ: How much do you think losing Cam Porter for the rest of the season affects NU’s run production? Who do the Wildcats turn to now for production in the running game – is it going to be run-by-committee between Komolafe and Himon II? What is your thinking on this?
Miguel: Cam Porter’s injury is undeniably devastating, not just from a depth perspective, but because of the kind of guy he was on and off the field. Porter was one of the leaders of the team as well as an impact player, so losing him really hurts in all facets. I think the next guy up has to be Joseph Himon II, although Caleb Komolafe has shown some really promising signs and could be a perfect one-two punch going forward. I don’t think it’ll necessarily be a “by-committee” situation, but Komolafe will still see meaningful reps even if behind Himon.
ATQ: Who are the Northwestern offensive and defensive players that Ducks fans should be watching? Who do you think is in the best position to have a good game, regardless of the final score? And if the Wildcats are going to be competitive, which unit has to play out of their minds, or what needs to specifically happen?
Miguel: Offensively, Griffin Wilde is a name to watch. Everyone this offseason was quick to rave about Preston Stone, the transfer QB from SMU, but Wilde’s talent quietly went under the radar after coming in from South Dakota State. The Stone-Wilde connection has been the most promising thing about this offense through two games, as Wilde has already racked up 11 catches for 158 yards while looking like the clear-cut WR1. Defensively, Anto Saka has been garnering tons of hype as a potential first-round talent, but my pick is going to go to cornerback Josh Fussell, who showed flashes of being a lockdown corner and has been everything fans had hoped. Fussell looks like he could be the next great corner in a recent history of talented NU defensive backs. For the ‘Cats to have any chance, they’re going to have to slow down the game to a snail’s pace and hope they can limit the explosive Ducks offense.
ATQ: What score do you think we see at 00:00?
Miguel: My prediction for the game is gonna be Oregon 45, Northwestern 6. I think the ‘Cats keep things close early by trying to keep the ball in their hands and slowing the game pace, but Oregon’s offense is just going to be too good for Northwestern to stop or even slow down over the course of 60 minutes.
Thanks again to Inside NU for taking the time to answer our questions about Northwestern football and the upcoming game!
