COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s the inevitable question whenever the backup quarterback comes in for the starter. Quarterback controversy?
No, not this time.
Coach Randy Walker said the use of backup Alexander Webb was planned and didn’t have to do with the performance of starter Brett Basanez in the Wildcats’ 20-0 loss to Ohio State on Saturday.
“We did it just to get a little quarterback run going,” Walker said. “We’ve been planning this and we wanted to go with more Alexander Webb and more of two quarterbacks. We had been hesitant to do it until this point, and we found a way to do it a little today.”
Webb came in for the first play of the second half and ran a quarterback draw off right tackle for six yards. He came out after the run and Basanez finished off the 11-play drive. Webb entered again for the first play of the next series to run a draw, but was stopped for no gain.
Webb, a redshirt freshman from Dallas, had the opportunity to stay on the field for more than one play on NU’s final drive. The drive was only three plays, however, as Webb threw an incompletion, was stopped for no gain on a draw and was sacked for a 14-yard loss.
After the game, Basanez said Walker told him to expect Webb to get a chance, and Basanez supported the decision to use Webb to keep defenses on their heels.
“Webb is obviously a good runner,” Basanez said. “We’re definitely going to try to maximize his speed.”
PLAYING CATCH UP: Safety Bryan Heinz wasn’t on the Cats’ depth chart last year.
He wasn’t even on scholarship.
But against the defending national champions on Saturday, Heinz intercepted Ohio State quarterback Scott McMullen in the second quarter. McMullen’s pass bounced off the hands of Buckeyes tight end Ben Hartsock and fell right into the arms of Heinz.
Heinz pick wasn’t the most difficult, but that didn’t matter to his teammates.
“That’s a great story,” defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. “When Bryan got here we knew he was a player right away because he just has that special something. When you see guys like that out there it’s kind of a rallying cry and it just boosts the whole team’s morale.”
Heinz, a native of Lone Tree, Colo., earned a scholarship before the season started as he impressed defensive coaches in spring practices. The 6-foot-1 205-pound safety has seen action in every game as a reserve and has 10 tackles this season.
“He flies to the ball and good things happen when you break on the ball,” NU cornerback Jeff Backes said. “That’s what happened today.”
NATIVE SONS: Ohio is a rough place to have to come home to. Just ask the 11 NU football players and four coaches who returned to the state for Saturday’s game.
After losing 20-0 in fronty of more than 104,000 people, Columbus native Jeff Backes didn’t seem eager to answer questions from the local media. He also didn’t act too enthused about his friends and family having seen the game.
“I had a little butterflies, but no more than normal,” Backes said. “I’ve seen the field and heard the crowd before so it wasn’t really that new.”
Backes grew up watching the Buckeyes in Columbus, but the trip was no less painful for Milford, Ohio, native Zach Strief.
“It’s nice to come home, and there’s a lot of people I know here,” said Strief, an offensive lineman. “But as much as it’s nice to come home, it’s just as bad to come back and have this happen.”
