It has been an offseason with many more questions than answers for the Northwestern Wildcats.
The 2022 season was an unmitigated disaster. The team did not earn a single win in the United States and seemingly found new ways to lose nearly every week. By November, the Wildcats were between quarterbacks, could maybe muster up one or two touchdowns per game.
The nadir was the season finale, where the Wildcats were decimated 41-3 by Illinois, a team that had won six straight against their in-state foes before 2021’s loss in Champaign.
This summer, however, upended the program infinitely more than anything that happened last season.
Pat Fitzgerald was fired from coaching in July after alleged hazing within the program while on his watch. Several players chose to de-commit or transfer when temporarily disbanding the program seemed like a possibility. As of Thursday afternoon, Fitzgerald will serve as a volunteer coach for Illinois high school powerhouse Loyola Academy, according to The Record North Shore. The school is just outside the Northwestern campus, making the story even more ironic.
With less than three weeks to go until the season opener, which will see Northwestern travel to Rutgers in a rare Sunday matinee contest, winning the game should be considered a bonus.
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There are bigger fish to fry in Evanston. A passionate fanbase essentially lost the program they spent the last 20+ years supporting. A program that was continuously overperforming and seemingly on the path to sustained long-term success. Though no national titles were won during the Fitzgerald era, several bowl games, eight-to-10-win seasons, and NFL draftees were part of the immense bulk of success the program has ever had.
Initially hired as a defensive coordinator, Braun will now oversee arguably the worst Power Five program in college football, which could be the case for the next several seasons. His biggest priority should be putting a competent team on the field to compete. Northwestern’s few bright spots, including Michigan transfer wideout A.J. Henning, should be used at all costs.
Fake punts every few games? Go for it. A wildcat formation? Go for it. Ultimately, the Wildcats have nothing to lose in 2023. No one thinks the team can do anything substantial. If that is an extra motivation, it should allow the team to play loose, fast, and freely. Mistakes will happen, but with how youthful the team looks, it shouldn’t be a surprise.
The schedule is brutal, too. Minus a few winnable games against Howard and UTEP, Northwestern will have to endure games against some of the league’s best, including Iowa (at Wrigley Field), a road tilt with Illinois, a home date with Penn State, and a rematch against Duke.
Braun wants support from the fans and alumni, especially during a difficult transition. At Wednesday’s media availability, Braun said his team has been working to put forth the best team possible each Saturday.
“I certainly hope that this community, our alumni, all those that are associated with Northwestern University, will come out and show full support for 103 young men that have worked their butts off,” Braun told reporters.
While easier said than done, Braun will face an uphill battle with many growing pains as the rebuild of Northwestern football is just beginning. The Wildcats will open their home schedule against UTEP on Sept. 9, which also forms the nonconference slate.
Nonetheless, the 2023 season will arguably be the strangest in program history, and for the Wildcats, embracing the doubters is all they can hope for when it comes to potential on-field success.
