Heading into the 2004 season Northwestern’s offense was peppered with familiar faces.
Eight of 11 starters were returning, including quarterback Brett Basanez and all five offensive linemen. And new starting tailback Noah Herron had seen plenty of action the year before as a backup.
A year later, with the departure of Herron and three linemen, the Wildcats must close holes as wide as those opened by their departed blockers.
“It’s a work in progress,” coach Randy Walker said. “We’re not where we want to be.”
The line returns junior center Trevor Rees and senior second-team All-Big Ten tackle Zach Strief, but none of the other returning Cats has started a game in the trenches.
Still, Walker said he likes what he sees out of his budding linemen and expects as many as seven to compete through August for the spots vacated by tackle Trai Essex and guards Ikechuku Ndukwe and Matt Ulrich.
“We just need plays,” Walker said. “There’s no magic formula. We just need to get them out there and get them playing.
“I think we’re going to be fine athletically. It’s developing some cohesiveness. It’s learning how to play that game.”
At running back, NU must start from scratch for the first time in three years, especially after Terrell Jordan, last year’s backup, pulled his hamstring in the first practice of the spring.
Walker said he and the Cats are up to the task.
“I didn’t know a thing about (All-American) Damien Anderson in 1999,” Walker said. “I didn’t know a thing about Jason Wright in 2002. I’ve (broken) in a guy before. In 30 years, you’re going to break in a new tailback a few times.”
That new tailback may be sophomore Brandon Roberson, who has impressed coaches with a strong spring. Roberson, who carried the ball twice for 15 yards in 2004, ran for 141 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in Saturday’s scrimmage.
“He’s learning, and that’s the main thing,” offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar said. “He played very little last year. Now he’s got a window of opportunity and he’s taking advantage of that opportunity.”
Despite Roberson’s showing, Walker said he’s not yet ready to name a starter and could wait until the week of the first game of 2005 so Jordan and the incoming freshman get a chance to compete.
One position with no competition is quarterback, where Basanez looks to be the steadying force in his fourth year as a starter.
Coming off a dismal four-touchdown, 12-interception 2003 campaign, Basanez completed almost 54 percent of his passes last year while throwing 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
This year, Walker said he expects the senior to be even better because of his superior game-management and leadership skills.
Also helping Basanez will be the receiving corps, which returns five of its top six pass catchers from last season. Only Ashton Aikens will be missed from the group that includes seniors Mark Philmore, Jonathan Fields and Brandon Horn, junior Shaun Herbert and sophomore Kim Thompson.
Some receivers have been injury-riddled this spring. Philmore, who led the Cats in receptions and yards last year, has been held out of some practices, while Jonathan Fields, first on NU in receiving touchdowns and second in receptions and yards last year, will not return until the fall.
“It’s kind of a blessing in disguise that a lot of top guys are hurt,” Basanez said. “Now the young guys are getting reps, so we’re getting even deeper.”
Depth and experience are what the offense is looking for, Walker said, especially with so many crucial roles to be filled before the Cats kick off Sept. 3 against Ohio.
“I’m not going to panic,” Walker said. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us there. We’ve just got to get a lot of snaps, and hopefully, as we get through August and as we get to game week, we’ll be ready.”
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