Ten years and a fortnight ago, ye olde Randy Walker led a rested, unranked team to a victory against an undefeated top-25 squad.
His group of knights: Miami of Ohio. Its victim: Northwestern, which went on to play in the Holy Grail of football – the Rose Bowl.
Walker now is king of NU (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten), but his crusade remains the same Saturday. The Wildcats coach must take a .500 team and all but derail a rival’s national title hopes.
While his focus this week rests on No. 14 Wisconsin (5-0, 2-0), Walker took time to reminisce about that storied win at Monday’s weekly news conference, five days before the legendary 1995 team will be honored at halftime.
“I knew then, I said, ‘That was a great win,’ ” Walker said 10 years after his Miami team besieged NU’s castle – then called Dyche Stadium – and slayed the No. 25 Cats 30-28, giving NU its only pre-Pasadena loss.
“Because these guys are not just another football team,” Walker said. “They’re a very good football team.”
Miami came from 21 points down in the second half to shock running back Darnell Autry and NU, which was coming off a 17-15, earth-shattering win at Notre Dame. Miami outscored the Cats 23-0 in the fourth quarter.
The triumphant coach said it came down to mobile freshman quarterback Sam Ricketts, backup to four-year starter Neil Dougherty, who was knocked out earlier in the game with a foot injury.
“Sam was too young and too naive to be scared,” Walker said. “And he just started running around, making plays.”
One of those plays went the wrong way. Down 21-7 at halftime, Walker said he told his young quarterback his battalion needed to come out and get a quick touchdown.
Ricketts promptly threw an interception, returned 20 yards for a touchdown by NU cornerback Rodney Ray.
“Sam runs over to the sidelines – (and) I go, ‘Sam, I meant touchdown for us,’ ” Walker said. “It kind of loosened him up.”
Ten years later, the Cats must stay loose while in a similar situation to Walker’s first big win.
NU, like Miami in ’95, is coming off a bye following a heartbreaking loss – Miami lost 17-15 to Ball State while the Cats lost in the last minute to Penn State, 34-29. Also, like Miami with Autry, the Cats also must contain a big-time running back, Brian Calhoun.
Walker said the Cats used the bye week to overcome injuries – they’re healthier than they’ve been all year – and improve their struggles on defense and in the offensive red zone.
“We continue to be in a dogfight, and this week is no exception,” Walker said. “All Wisconsin’s done is come out and gone 5-0.”
Though Walker said he won’t call upon any of the 1995 NU players for inspiration, perhaps his team can draw upon that team’s “magic,” as he called it.
“I don’t think any of them ended up being great pro players or having great (careers),” Walker said. “They just had a magic and a togetherness and a synergy, if you will.
“There’s something special about that crop.”
Reach Patrick Dorsey at [email protected]
