When Northwestern takes the field on Saturday, it will be the final appearance at Ryan Field for the Wildcats’ 11 seniors.
And all 11 will depart as starters. NU head coach Randy Walker said he will start all of them as a “symbolic gesture.”
But the tribute will only go so far.
“We will not play all the seniors the whole game,” Walker said. “We’re going to play the best players.”
Six seniors are currently “ones” on the depth chart: linebacker Vince Cartaya, cornerback Raheem Covington, center Austin King, guard Jeff Roehl, receiver Jon Schweighardt and kicker David Wasielewski.
Seniors Brandon Evans, Onaje Grimes and George Woods will also start in their final collegiate game. Missing from that list is Ben Kennedy, who will not play due to injury.
“These seniors are a very special group of people,” Walker said. “These are players that this program is going to miss.”
Sweet Sioux: It’s rivalry week in college football, and although the Illinois interstate rivalry isn’t at UCLA-Southern California proportions, there’s more at stake than just the Land of Lincoln bragging rights.
The Illini (4-7, 3-4 Big Ten) and the Cats will duke it out for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk trophy. In 1945 staff members of the student newspapers at NU and Illinois created a wooden Indian trophy, and three years later it was replaced by the more convenient Sweet Sioux Tomahawk.
Since 1945, the Illini have a 30-23-2 edge over the Cats. Last year, the then-No. 10 Illinois took possession of Sweet Sioux, having beaten NU 34-28 on Nov. 22, 2001.
But the Illini don’t have a monogamous relationship with Sweet Sioux. Illinois also has traditional series trophies with Ohio State and Purdue. The Illini lost the “Illibuck” last Saturday in a heartbreaking overtime defeat by the Buckeyes, but won the battle for the cannon against Purdue.
“We have a trophy case with three shelves for the three games we’re involved in,” Illinois coach Ron Turner said. “It’s important to see the trophy case full. You always have the intangibles of pride and respect, but the trophy gives you something to hold onto.”
Leaving Early: While the Cats’ season will end after the Illinois game, between five and seven Big Ten teams will practice for about another month to prepare their bowl games.
“It’s definitely a disadvantage not going to a bowl when most of the conference is,” Walker said. “It’s a real disadvantage for your young players — that’s a month of practice that they aren’t getting.”
As of right now, five teams are bowl eligible, and two more — Wisconsin and Purdue — have the opportunity to join them if they win this weekend.
“It’s like Joe Paterno said a couple years ago, after his team wasn’t going to a bowl after going for years and years,” Walker said. “You end in November, and it’s like chopping off the end of your season.”
Injury Update: Freshman quarterback Derell Jenkins, who broke his hand in the Cats’ Nov. 9 loss to Iowa, is unlikely to play on Saturday. … Safety Dominique Price, who suffered an ankle injury against Penn State Oct. 19, is listed as probable for the game but is behind Mark Roush on the depth chart. Price started against Iowa but did not play the whole game.
