The Daily Northwestern

Choosing a starting middle linebacker to replace Pat Durr has been tough for Northwestern linebackers coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Saturday’s spring game is the team’s final practice before the summer, but the Wildcats’ coaches still haven’t decide who will be the starter next season.

Fitzgerald can’t really tell the difference between the three sophomores vying for the spot — Adam Kadela, Demetrius Eaton and Erryn Cobb.

“They’re all big, they’re all physical and they can all run,” Fitzgerald said. “They’re almost mirror images of each other.”

Cobb is the biggest of the three weighing in at 245 pounds. The redshirt sophomore spend most of last season on special teams, but got a few shots at linebacker in the Motor City Bowl.

The other redshirt sophomore of the group is Eaton who was limited to special teams during his freshman year. Eaton is barely the smallest of the group at 235 pounds.

As a true freshman last season Kadela saw action in 10 games as a reserve linebacker. The 6-foot-2 240 pound sophomore also played special teams.

Fitzgerald said the competition is so close that he might go into Camp Kenosha without having selected one of them.

“All three of these guys have raised the level of they’re play,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a lot of fun to be their coach.”