After Northwestern coach Randy Walker’s questionable decision to send true freshman Derell Jenkins into Saturday’s game against Indiana, Walker made another questionable decision, announcing an impending quarterback controversy — for the 2003 season.
“We believe there’s going to be a quarterback controversy at this school anyway, so we’re going to let Derell join the fight,” Walker said after the game.
The statement was surprising, especially after the return of redshirt freshman quarterback Brett Basanez, who was 18 of 27 for 233 yards and one touchdown in the game.
Basanez played well on Saturday — broken fibula and all — and rallied the Wildcats to a much-needed victory over Big Ten bottom-dweller Indiana. Basanez, despite his youth, has appeared to inspire confidence in his teammates this season.
Walker’s envisioned quarterback controversy includes four signal callers: Basanez, Jenkins, Tony Stauss and Alexander Webb. (In reality, Stauss most likely will not be involved because he will transfer.) Only two of them have seen significant action. Neither Webb nor Jenkins has been on the field for more than a few plays.
OK, maybe there will be a controversy. But why bring it up now? Why make that statement, especially right after the team broke its 10-game conference losing streak?
Walker didn’t have to say anything. But it appeared he made the statement simply to justify his insertion of Jenkins into the game for one series. (By putting Jenkins into the game, Walker took away one year of his eligibility. Jenkins could redshirt next season — Walker mentioned the possibility Saturday — but that would mean by the time the 2004 season rolled around, Jenkins would have barely played for two straight years.)
Walker could have a few reasons for making such a surprising and odd statement.
Maybe it’s to give Basanez incentive to impress the coaching staff in the next two games. Maybe it’s to have the threat of a rushing quarterback in the game, as Walker said.
Or it might be to let Basanez know that the job isn’t automatically his. Basanez has seemed to be the best — and only — choice at quarterback this season after the injury to Webb and the ineffectiveness of Stauss.
But Webb hopefully will be back next season, fully recovered from the lacerated liver he suffered against Texas Christian in the second game of the season. He will be near the top of the depth chart coming into the season, right under Basanez.
Walker’s rush to get the true freshman in the Texas Christian game — over the unimpressive Basanez and Stauss — indicated a preference for Webb. In fact, this entire quarterback controversy potentially could be a way for Walker to reintroduce Webb to the lineup after his medical redshirt season.
If Walker wants Webb to be his quarterback of the future — and it’s entirely possible — that’s fine. He’s been evaluating Webb since spring ball, after Webb left high school early to start practicing with the team, so he knows some of what he can do.
But Webb is no guarantee.
Having Jenkins around for an extra year might benefit both him and the team. (After all, Stauss was hailed as the successor to the NU quarterback throne, and see how that panned out.) Essentially, Walker sacrificed a year of Jenkins’ eligibility for a made-up quarterback controversy.
It’s impressive how Walker could look ahead to next season and still be so shortsighted.
Why put Jenkins in?
Good question.
