Northwestern 2005 Season | Team Page	Select Conference ACC Big East Big Ten Big 12 Conference USA Independents MAC Mountain West Pac-10 SEC Sun Belt WAC Select Team

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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (1st season, 0-0) 2005 record: 7-5 (Lost to UCLA in Sun Bowl) Big Ten finish: 5-3 (t-3rd) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 26th (193.6 ypg) Passing: 7th (306.8 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 113th (218.1 ypg) Passing: 101st (262.3 ypg) Date Opponent Aug. 31 at Miami (Ohio) Sept. 9 New Hampshire Sept. 16 Eastern Michigan Sept. 22 at Nevada Sept. 30 at Penn State Oct. 7 at Wisconsin Oct. 14 Purdue Oct. 21 Michigan State Oct. 28 at Michigan Nov. 4 at Iowa Nov. 11 Ohio State Nov. 18 Illinois Depth Chart: Offense 6 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 3 Shaun Herbert Sr. 32 Sam Cheatham Jr. WR 84 Kim Thompson Jr. 87 Tonjua Jones Jr. WR 8 Rasheed Ward So. 9 Ross Lane So. LT 74 Dylan Thiry Jr. 65 Thomas Bemenderfer Fr. LG 51 Joe Tripodi Sr. 77 Adam Crum Jr. C 50 Trevor Rees Jr. 52 Joel Belding So. RG 56 Ryan Keenan Sr. 76 Desmond Taylor Fr. RT 62 Austin Matthews Jr. 78 Kurt Mattes Fr. TE 44 Erryn Cobb Sr. 49 Frayne Abernathy Jr. QB 18 C.J. Bachér So. 13 Mike Kafka Fr. RB 19 Tyrell Sutton So. 11 Brandon Roberson Jr. Depth Chart: Defense 5 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 95 Kevin Mims So. 99 Corey Wootton So. DT 79 Adam Hahn Fr. 92 Keegan Kennedy So. DT 70 John Gill So. 58 Warren Anderson Jr. DE 72 David Ngene Jr. 91 Mark Koehn Jr. SLB 42 Demetrius Eaton Sr. 37 Campbell Black Sr. MLB 43 Adam Kadela Jr. 31 Mike Dinard So. WLB 38 Nick Roach Sr. 40 Eddie Simpson Jr. CB 20 Marquice Cole Sr. 35 Ryan Black Jr. CB 10 Eric Peterman So. 6 Cory Dious Sr. SS 21 Bryan Heinz Sr. 45 Ben Rothrauff Jr. FS 39 Brendan Smith So. 27 Reggie McPherson Jr. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 93 Joel Howells Sr. P 15 Slade Larscheid Sr. KR 23 Gerard Hamlett So. PR 20 Marquice Cole Sr.

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For the second time in five years, death has rocked Northwestern.

Randy Walker had built a level of stability in the last three years, helping the program overcome the passing of safety Rashidi Wheeler in 2001. But the Wildcats are again dealing with tragedy after Walker died of an apparent heart attack at age 52.

The charge of continuing Walker's legacy rides with Pat Fitzgerald, a former All-American linebacker at Northwestern, who most recently served as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. At 31, he is the youngest coach in Division I-A.

"It's a dream of mine to be a head football coach here, but not under these circumstances," Fitzgerald told the Associated Press.

Fitzgerald takes over a team that faces a major question at quarterback after the graduation of Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Year Brett Basanez. In addition, the nation's worst defense in 2005 loses star linebacker Tim McGarigle and dependable tackle Barry Cofield.

OFFENSE

The nation's fourth-best attack in 2005 retained most of its parts, just not its engine. Of Basanez's potential successors -- sophomore C.J. Bachér and redshirt freshmen Mike Kafka and Andrew Brewer -- only Bachér has ever played in a college game.

A fall off at quarterback is inevitable, but the new starter will be asked to manage games more than dominate them. Bachér has the strongest arm of the group, along with two years as Basanez's understudy and five games of experience. Kafka has good size (6-foot-3) and wide-ranging skills, while Brewer is easily the best athlete of the three.

Whoever wins the job will have a veteran offensive line to work behind as well as a star running back -- 2005 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Tyrell Sutton -- and a reliable receiver in senior Shaun Herbert.

The line loses All-America tackle Zach Strief but brings back four starters and center Trevor Rees, a two-year starter who was academically ineligible last year.

Sutton, who finished eighth nationally in rushing (122.8 ypg), will be the unit's focal point if he can limit fumbles. Big-play threats Kim Thompson, Ross Lane and Rasheed Ward complement Herbert on the outside.

DEFENSE

The nation's worst unit loses its leaders (McGarigle, Cofield and Herschel Henderson), but there is hope. Northwestern will use more 3-4 schemes to reduce pressure on a young line, and its back seven looks solid with linebacker Nick Roach, cornerback Marquice Cole and safety Bryan Heinz.

Following a strong offseason, sophomore end Kevin Mims is primed to lead a line that must improve following a season of growing pains. The Wildcats have excellent depth at end with Mims, David Ngene, Mark Koehn and Corey Wootton, but they are weak inside.

Health is the top concern for a linebacker corps that will be the defense's strength if it stays on the field. Roach has All-Big Ten potential, and Mike Dinard will push Adam Kadela in the middle.

Secondary coach Jerry Brown has three solid starters in Cole and safeties Bryan Heinz and Brendan Smith. Former receiver Eric Peterman could win the other cornerback job unless Deante Battle returns from a suspension.

SPECIALISTS

Joel Howell had a disastrous performance in the Sun Bowl and could be pushed by the arrival of freshman Stefan Demos. Punter could be a greater concern, as part-time starter Slade Larscheid will compete with two others for the top job. Cole leads the Big Ten's top punt return unit, but the Wildcats must upgrade their kickoff returns after finishing 10th in the Big Ten.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Fitzgerald faces a daunting task in his first year as a coach: He must guide the team through the aftermath of Walker's death and a schedule that includes road games at Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa.

Improving on last year's 7-5 record and Sun Bowl appearance may not be in the cards, but what's most important for the Wildcats is that Fitzgerald will bring continuity to a program that is again faced with tragedy.