Do you believe in magic?

Randy Walker should – especially after a few miracle finishes last season transformed the Wildcats from a sub-.500 team into a Big Ten title contender.

Let’s face it: No one, not even David Copperfield, could have tipped Zak Kustok’s hail mary pass into Sam Simmons’ hands any better than Kunle Patrick did against Minnesota.

And you have to wonder what forces were behind sure-handed Anthony Thomas’ sudden case of butterfingers when Michigan had its biggest conference road win of the year all but wrapped up.

Still, despite the sleight of hand tactics that gave NU some of its biggest victories last season, the Cats put themselves in position to win games because they bought into Walker’s system and vowed to no longer be the doormat of the Big Ten.

Now, according to many forecasters, NU is heading into the 2001 season holding the title of preseason favorites to win the Big Ten, and they have a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate to boot.

Here’s a list of factors that could affect the Cats’ title run next fall:

Many thanks to George Steinbrenner: If Walker wasn’t an adamant professional baseball fan before this spring, he now has every reason to cheer for the New York Yankees.

Why? It’s simple.

The Yankees recently pulled Wolverines quarterback and NU nemesis Drew Henson away from his senior season at Michigan and into a $17 million minor league contract. This is the same Henson that led the Wolverines to 51 points at Ryan Field last year, throwing for 300-plus yards and four touchdowns.

Henson’s departure means no more Drews for the Cats to face next season. Drew Brees, who led Purdue to a 41-28 romp over NU last year, will be playing in the NFL this fall.

The Heisman Hype: Can Damien Anderson be as effective as he was last season? Or will teams be able to adjust to the spread offense and contain him the second time around?

In theory, the Cats’ passing game should be too effective in doing just what it’s supposed to – spreading the field – for teams to stack seven and eight men up front to stuff the run.

If Anderson succeeds in finding holes and the end zone, he and Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey will be in a Heisman battle until the end of the season, and the Cats will be perched atop the conference at come December.

The N factor: Anderson is being touted for the Heisman. Linebacker Billy Silva has been nominated for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for best defensive player of the year. And some call Zak Kustok the best quarterback in the Big Ten.

So who will the Cats’ most important player be when they hit the field next fall? Probably Napoleon Harris.

Harris was one-third of the heart of NU’s defense last year along with senior linebackers Silva and Kevin Bentley. Next fall Harris will once again line up at the linebacker position, but only on some of the plays.

Harris will also give opposing offenses a different look by moving up to the defensive line at times. And the Cats will probably run some 3-4 sets so junior Pat Durr, who came on last season as a proven commodity, can get into the mix as well.

However it works out, Harris will be the one doing the majority of the position switching, and his ability to adapt to different roles will affect just how efficient NU’s defense is.

The X factor: Whether Anderson is the best running back next season, whether Kustok is the highest-rated quarterback and whether Harris is in fact the Cats’ most valuable player next season all remain to be seen. But the one advantage NU already knows it will have next fall is the man with the headset.

Walker is a hard-nosed, demanding perfectionist – hard to deal with off the field but vital to NU’s continued success on it. No one expects more of the team than Walker, and no one works harder than he does to make his team better.

The Cats will never be totally satisfied this season – even if they are 11-0 and playing in the Rose Bowl for the national championship – because Walker won’t let them. What he’s after is perfection.

“Great teams win 12,” Walker said.

A 12-0 record. A Rose Bowl win and a national championship. That would be magical.

But it’s also a bit unrealistic. I’m thinking more like a 10-1 regular season. And then we’ll see what magic the Cats have left.