In assessing the secondary’s performance through the first four games of the season, Northwestern safety Marvin Brown couldn’t recall too many long bombs that have found their way into the hands of opposing receivers. Of course, he also couldn’t recall too many spectacular stops by the Wildcats’ last line of defense.
“I’d give us a C,” the senior said. “We’re about average right now and we haven’t done anything too special. We can always improve.”
Only problem is, now-unranked NU is trying to pass as a bowl-bound, Big Ten title contender – and mediocre won’t cut it.
NU’s secondary suffered from the death of safety Rashidi Wheeler and also lost seniors Rashad Morton and Harold Blackmon after last season, leaving Brown and junior Sean Wieber to patrol the backfield. The novice pair was victimized in the season-opener against UNLV on a 53-yard pass and then a 42-yarder, both going for touchdowns.
The secondary has improved since then, and NU currently ranks sixth in the conference in pass defense. But Wieber and Brown have been called on to cover for an inexperienced defensive line that has allowed opposing running backs to slip into their territory.
Just last Saturday, Ohio State’s Jonathan Wells scored on a 71-yard run on the first possession of the game.
But Brown insists the secondary isn’t alone in feeling the heat this season.
“We had pressure as a whole defense coming into this year because we were so bad last year,” he said.
Kick-return kid: Noah Herron had the third-most yards on the ground against Ohio State, behind Damien Anderson and Kevin Lawrence. And the redshirt freshman wasn’t handed the ball on a single offensive snap.
Herron picked up all of his yards – 44 on three carries – on kickoff returns. He replaced Lawrence, who’s had the ball slip out of his hands this season.
Herron was informed of his new special teams role last week, after showing coach Randy Walker that he could snag the ball against Michigan State. He returned one kickoff against the Spartans for 22 yards.
And it didn’t hurt that he had some experience returning kickoffs in high school.
“Having the ball in my hands and the spotlight on me is always good preparation for in the future when I play tailback,” Herron said. “It’s just a part of my game where I think I can help the team.”
Withering on the pine: Highly touted Notre Dame transfer Jovan Witherspoon has seen little action this season at wide receiver after breaking his foot in the spring.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound receiver was on the field for about a dozen snaps in the season-opening win at UNLV. But he’s been pacing the sidelines on the nagging foot ever since.
Witherspoon used up his redshirt year last season after transferring. But offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said the sophomore may yet use a medical redshirt this season to extend his playing time at NU another year. The decision, which would be made by the team’s medical staff, won’t come until later in the season.
“That’s on the back burner,” Wilson said. “But at the same time, as soon as you say that, he’ll have to play Saturday because somebody else will be hurt.”
