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Chat Reel: Randy Walker

Simmons to answer the call at wide receiver

CNNSI Host: Thank you for joining our chat with Northwestern coach Randy Walker. Welcome Coach Walker!
Randy Walker: No problem

From Whitey in Denver, Colo.: Up to date, how has your experience been in heading a Big Ten football team? And do you think the Cats can be competitive in the Big Ten this year?
Randy Walker: Well, first of all, I certainly think we can be competitive. We return a lot of quality players who have grown through adversity, but also made significant strides in the offseason. We're bigger, stronger and faster at every position. I'm really proud of the way they've responded. We're a better football team than we were in November, and I'm really excited to get started. As far as the Big Ten, in my opinion, it's the best football conference in the country. Starting out the preseason this year, there are seven teams in the top 25. It's a demanding conference, but in a larger scale, you see that across Division I. In the 25 years I've been in Division I, the parity, the competitiveness is incredible. I grew up in the Midwest, in Ohio, and it was the Big 2 and the Little Eight. Quite frankly, it's not that way anymore. There are a lot of teams that will battle for a championship.

From BoilerFan: Coach -- The Big Ten looks tough this year (again). How would you breakdown the conference, excluding Northwestern?
Randy Walker: Well, honestly there are probably five or six teams capable of winning the Big Ten. Since I'm responding to BoilerFan, I certainly think Purdue is one of those five or six. It really believe it's five or six. It's not a couple. How's it going to shake down? It's a matter of staying healthy, especially in the key games at the key positions. And in those big games on the road, in a hostile environment, you've got to play well. It's those big games in November that make the difference.

From Alex Arteaga in Wheeling, Ill.: Are you planning to move any offensive lineman to d-line to add depth?
Randy Walker: Depth is a concern on the defensive line, but it is not our intention at this point to make any moves. I'm pleased with the quality of play. Everyone talks about Dwayne Missouri, as they should, but I'm really impressed with Conrad Emmerich since his move from LB to D-line. He's made rapid progress for a position change in his last year of eligibility

From Lorien in Apex, N.C.: Hey Randy, Just wondering which position you think is the biggest question mark for the team? And who do you think is the person to watch this year for break-out success? Thanks and keep up the good work -- you make this NU grad proud!
Randy Walker: The biggest question mark, I would have to say, and this might surprise people, is wide receiver. It's a position that was decimated a year ago by injury, and really critical to our ability to rebound is to throw the ball efficiently. And in the same case, I believe that position group has a potential to have a breakthrough year. Sam Simmons returns to us healthy and is having a great preseason camp at this point, and I really expect to see a big year out of him and the rest of the receiving corps.

From Adam Lynch in Madison, Wisc.: How do you feel about the Badgers now that Ron Dayne is gone? Does it make them easier or harder to prepare for now that they are expected to try and mix it up more on offense?
Randy Walker: Well, I've known Coach Alvarez since long before he was a head coach, and I'm really impressed with the job he's done at Wisconsin. The sign of a good football program is, Ron Dayne leaves but they were good even before Ron Dayne. They don't make mistakes, they are not penalized, they don't make mental errors, they play very sound football. They're underrated as a defense, and certainly Ron Dayne was part of their football team, but they had a lot of great players on offense. They will make a run at that third championship.

From Luke Winn in Atlanta, Ga.: Randy: Student fan support for NU sports seems to be dwindling. Does it bother you at all that your first two home games are scheduled when your student body isn't even on campus yet?
Randy Walker: To be honest, it's really something we can't control. Because we are a quarter school that doesn't start classes until late September -- and by then you're into Big Ten schedule. No one's going to give us six Big Ten home games, so there's really nothing we can do unless the school goes to a semester system, and I don't think that's going to happen. I wish it wasn't that way, but it's one of those things you really can't control.

From Joe Davenport in Highland Park, Ill.: Special teams can make or break a team. Have you seen improvement in Kenosha in this area?
Randy Walker: That was a real area of concern a year ago. I think we're a little better, maybe in large part to the fact that we have a little more competition in camp. Brian Huffman, from Schaumburg -- one recruiting service rated him the best kicker in the country last year. His signing has made for a very good competition in camp. We also brought in a punter, David Wasielewski, who was the starter on Florida in 1998. He's also had an impact. He'll sit out this year as a transfer. The fact that we've brought in a couple quality specialists has helped become a better special teams football team.

From Montgomery Radler in Chicago, Ill.: Will Rashidi Wheeler start at safety this season? I hear that he has NFL-type size and speed. Is this true?
Randy Walker: At this point, Rashidi is starting at the safety position, he is a very gifted kid. He is a 6-1, 210 pound kid who's very strong, very fast. He wasn't as disciplined a football player as he needed to be a year ago. He has worked extremely hard at becoming a better-disciplined football player. He had a great spring and a great camp so far

From Adam Holdt in Evanston, Ill.: The word from my people around campus is that many of the players are excited about the upcoming season and expect to surprise a lot of people (go 'Cats!). One obvious concern for a relatively new coach trying to rebuild a program is the development of team chemistry and camaraderie, especially when dealing with players you didn't recruit. How do you feel the team is coming together? Also, do you see any key incoming freshmen we can expect to see a lot of this year?
Randy Walker: I think that was a real handicap a year ago. We walked around the field that opening game in September with not one kid I recruited and a team I was still getting to know, especially as a team under fire. The rigors of a competitive season bring out things that you just don't see in practice. This year, I think we all feel more comfortable with each other. I think the players feel that way. I think I know them a lot better. So there's that getting to know each other, not just on a social level, but having gone through an 11-game season. I think it gave us a clearer picture of where we need to go. As I told them after the last game in Champaign, a lot of you are coming back, but we'll go 3-8 again if we don't change. So I told them, we need to make ourselves better players - bigger, faster, stronger, more explosive at every position. So I'm really thrilled with the way our guys have responded to that challenge. So I think we're all looking forward with a lot of anticipation toward the 2000 season.

It's no secret that we made a concerted effort to recruit some running backs, we were a little bit concerned at the receiving position. So I think you'll have a chance to see a young tailback or two in the mix. And at receiver, Roger Jordan has been impressive at camp so far. There's a lot of excitement around Tony Stauss at quarterback, and he hasn't disappointed anyone so far. So he'll have a chance to be in the mix at quarterback. I think we have a very solid group of linemen too. But I think the best chance for playing time is at the running back group, receiver and perhaps Tony Stauss.

From DocCat: We seem a bit thin at DL. Can you comment on the development of underclassmen George Woods, Gabe Nyenhuis, Peter Chapman?
Randy Walker: Nyenhuis, George Woods, Matt Anderson -- those kids all came in at the same time last year as freshman. I'm really pleased with all those kids. Pete is in the mix to get a starting spot at one of the tackles, But we're going to mix them all in as part of a rotation. The thing I'm really excited with Matt, Pete, George and Gabe, they've all improved dramatically since last year, when they were primarily scout team guys. Three of those four are bench pressing over 400 pounds. These are kids who have put themselves in a position to line up and battle with the Big Ten. And they're going to push the Dwayne Missouris and Conrad Emmerichs. That's one of the most important things you can have as a coach

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Coach Walker, thanks for joining us and good luck this season.
Randy Walker: No problem. I appreciate it.

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