I watched the one hour Northwestern visit program on the B1G Network yesterday. NU was the final stop on their 18 campus tour. There is a two-way battle ongoing for starting QB between rangy Mississippi State transfer Mike Wright (6-4, 195) and last season’s Wildcat backup Jack Lausch.
Coach Braun wryly told Gerry DiNardo that he is not going to name a starter prior to game time on August 31. But DiNardo had said earlier in the show that Wright had looked to be the much better QB in the practice he watched.
I think we’ll be facing Wright, the NU Grad Student who backed up Will Rogers for the Bulldogs the last couple of years. Rogers is now a Grad Student at Washington.
It appears NU’s major concerns to start the season are its OL, inexperienced receiving corps, and secondary…
Had no idea Northwestern finished with 8 wins last season. Including 5 of their last 6. With all of the turmoil the program went through with Fitzgerald being fired, they seemed to find their footing. I think that says a lot about David Braun.
The passing game was a strength of theirs last season. Ben Bryant was slinging it pretty well as they started to hit their stride later in the season. Wright isn’t nearly as talented as a passer, so I’d be surprised if they aren’t more run heavy this season. Cam Porter, their starting tailback, is returning. Combined with Wright, who is a decent runner, means I think they’ll try to establish the run game. Even more so against us, as we’re a little thin on the interior DL.
I think our gameplan has to be to force Wright to beat us with his arm.
I like Miami a lot in this one. No true home stadium advantage and Miami’s best team in a long time. I’ll be betting my sister’s kidney transplant fund. The lot of it.
Interesting to see Ritchie Haggarty as a DL on the Northwestern roster. He was at Miami his first two years in college (‘19 and ‘20 - redshirt and COVID years).
Transferred to SIU and played two years there. Then transferred to Northwestern last season and played in 11 games.should be starting against us as a grad student this week.
