Another week, another injured wide receiver and another show of support for starting quarterback Brett Basanez.
Northwestern coach Randy Walker announced at his weekly Monday press conference that senior receiver Roger Jordan will probably miss Saturday’s game against Penn State with a “chest, rib, shoulder injury,” he suffered in Saturday’s 34-14 loss to Purdue.
Walker also restated his confidence in Basanez after the signal caller had three fumbles in the loss, and Basanez said the criticism has not affected him.
“We can sit here and throw rocks at Brett Basanez all day and that’s what’s easy to do,” Walker said. “I think he can play better, I think we can all play better, but to pin this on a quarterback is an unfair thing and you just don’t understand football if that’s what you are doing.
“Some of our best players are on the shelf, and last time I looked, the quarterback needs someone to throw it to.”
Jordan is the third starting receiver to go down in the last month. Ashton Aikens suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury against Minnesota on Oct. 4 and Mark Philmore has been sidelined ever since suffering a knee injury against Wisconsin on Oct. 25.
Jordan hurt himself on a 40-yard, full-extension grab in the third quarter of the loss to Purdue, Walker said. Jordan is the Wildcats’ top receiver with 30 catches for 436 yards.
On Monday, NU safeties Dominque Price and Louis Ayeni proposed a solution to the shortage of receivers.
“Me and Lou are going to play receiver next week,” Price said. “They say defensive backs don’t have the best hands, and I might be guilty of that.”
Basanez said it didn’t really matter who played receiver and that injuries have not effected his play. Basanez, who has thrown nine interceptions and three touchdowns, admitted that he wasn’t playing to the best of his ability, but Walker affirmed him as the starter.
“Brett Basanez is the best quarterback we have, and he’s our best chance to win,” Walker said. “It’s not even close.”
Walker said Basanez has better mechanics and a deeper understanding of the NU offense than backup Alexander Webb. Webb, a redshirt freshman, has appeared briefly in four games this season after missing almost all of last year with a lacerated liver he suffered in the second game of the season against Texas Christian.
“Alexander Webb is making progress, but let’s not forget he went through one spring ball, came out, played 12 plays in a game and there was a mythology created about him,” Walker said. “He played 12 plays at the end of a game that was over.”
While Walker defended Basanez’s play this season, the quarterback said the criticism of his leadership this season doesn’t bother him.
“People who don’t play the game and don’t understand it’s a team sport can write these articles,” Basanez said. “You just go out and have fun, I’m with the guys I love, playing the game I love.”
