With a bowl game forthcoming and the Big Ten title up for grabs, nearly forgotten are the nine Northwestern seniors playing their final home game Saturday against Illinois.
The passion and fire absent in the Wildcats’ 27-17 loss to Iowa should return this weekend, as players try to end the regular season — and for some, their NU careers — on a high note. Several seniors, such as defensive end Conrad Emmerich, have started to reflect on their years at NU and the bittersweet feeling of sprinting out of the tunnel for the final time.
“This is probably the greatest thing I’ve ever been a part of, playing college football, being here at Northwestern, having the relationships with my teammates that I’ve had,” Emmerich said. “College athletics can provide that if you’re in the right system and you’re part of the right program.”
Seven of the nine departing seniors will start Saturday: Emmerich, Dwayne Missouri, Javiar Collins, Harold BlackMonday, Teddy Johnson, Tim Long and Derrick Thompson. Also graduating are Jack Harnedy and Rashad Morton.
With the Cats assured of a bowl game, this weekend will not be the last time seniors strap on their helmets and pads, yet the emotion will still be present for NU players and coaches.
“I had the good fortune of playing in three bowl games as a player,” said coach Randy Walker, who played tailback at Miami (Ohio). “It’s something about walking off that home field for the last time, I still feel it, I still remember it. You played at least 20-something of your games of your life in that stadium, it’s been something you’ve been taught — this is our turf, this is our yard, this is where we play.”
Though the seniors will not be recognized individually, their parents will be honored in a brief pregame ceremony. Most teams bring seniors into their final home games for at least one down, which was the case last Saturday when Iowa senior placekicker Greg McLaughlin kicked an extra point in the first quarter.
Whether or not they play on Saturday, the experience will be shared by all NU’s seniors.
“I’ve been with these guys for three, four years now and you share a lot of times together,” Emmerich said. “It might be one of the closest relationships a group of people will ever have in life.”
KITTNER KEPT OUT: After taking a helmet-to-helmet shot from Ohio State safety Mike Doss on Saturday, Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner will not play Saturday’s game in Evanston. Kittner suffered a “moderate” Level II concussion and lay motionless for several minutes on the Ohio Stadium turf .
“He had a concussion and was knocked unconscious,” Illinois coach Ron Turner said. “Basically the doctors have a standard policy that if that happens that it’s going to be a week. So we’ve had him talk to a couple doctors and they all said the same thing. We’re not going take any risks with his health, even as important as this game is.”
Redshirt freshman Dustin Ward will start under center. In six appearances this season, Ward has completed 13 of 25 passes for 144 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
NU REPLACEMENT KILLER: With linebacker Kevin Bentley suffering through ankle and knee injuries the last few weeks, Pat Durr has done a strong job filling in, racking up nine tackles last Saturday versus Iowa and eight against Minnesota on Oct. 28. Coming off the bench, Durr ranks seventh on the team with 48 tackles, including five for loss, and has forced two fumbles.
“He’s a great player, we all knew it last year when he came in as a true freshman and he balled out,” linebacker Billy Silva said. “Even in Kenosha he taught me a few things about getting off blockers. He’s a wonderful player and I don’t think anyone had any doubt in his ability to step in.”
The prowess of starters Bentley, Silva and Napoleon Harris keeps Durr on mop-up duty, and though Walker has explored different defensive sets, Durr will likely stay with the second team for the remainder of 2000.
CATS STILL AILING: Though Bentley suffered a sprained knee and sat out most of the second half against Iowa, he expects to play against Illinois.
Guard Jeff Roehl is playing with turf toe, a common foot ailment among football players that forces him to play in a great deal of pain.
Morton, a free safety, will remain out of action for the fourth consecutive game, as he continues to rehabilitate a back injury.
INCHES TO GO: Though he gained only 132 yards against Iowa, Damien Anderson’s average of 195.7 yards in seven Big Ten games keeps him on pace to break the conference record of 183.7 set by Michigan State’s Lorenzo White. … The loss to Iowa was the first game this season in which NU’s defense failed to force a turnover. … Despite a muffed snap against Michigan on Nov. 4, Long’s streak of 43 consecutive extra points made remains intact.
