After snap problems and holding penalties grounded Northwestern’s offense in a 33-17 loss to No. 22 Michigan, NU coach Randy Walker announced Wednesday that sophomore center Austin Matthews will replace redshirt freshman Joel Belding in the starting lineup.
Matthews had been sidelined by back spasms, giving way to Belding since NU’s game at Purdue three weeks ago.
“Austin is over his problem,” Walker said. “I think he’s ready to play.”
Walker said both will play Saturday when Iowa comes to Ryan Field. Like Matthews the past three weeks, Belding will back up both the center and guard positions.
Belding impressed Walker and senior quarterback Brett Basanez with good snaps and solid line play, but regressed when the then-No. 21 Wildcats fell to the Wolverines.
He committed three holding penalties in the second half and had several errant snaps early in the game. Basanez was under pressure all night and the Cats’ offense, ranked fourth in the nation going into the game, tallied its lowest point total of the season and was shut out in the second half for the first time in more than a year.
“(Belding’s) going to be all right,” Walker said. “Joel was good enough to beat Michigan State.”
Kicked Around changes
Walker replaced senior punter Ryan Pederson for the last punt against Michigan, and he said Tuesday that move may be permanent.
“We just need to have a higher level of execution from our punter,” Walker said. “I think I’ve been patient for several games.”
Pederson is averaging 40.9 yards per punt and has downed five punts inside the 20, but Walker said Pederson is too inconsistent and not hitting his spots on his directional punts.
“We’ve had some that are as good as you can do,” Walker said. “We’ve had very good execution.”
Others, Walker said, are just plain bad, forcing him into an “almost play-by-play” decision.
“I’m not asking (him) anymore,” Walker said. “It needs to get done. And if it doesn’t get done, we’ll make a change.”
That change could involve junior Slade Larscheid, who subbed for Pederson Saturday and sent his only punt 36 yards. Larscheid was the Cats’ starting kicker for the first seven games of 2003, but did not punt.
“Slade’s worked hard,” Walker said. “Slade’s doing better, and so it’s going to be virtually every day, even through the games.”
Dropping the ball
The 2004 Cats lost just two fumbles.
This year, the number is 10, including four from freshman running back Tyrell Sutton – and two in the last two games, one of which was returned 83 yards by Leon Hall for a touchdown that put Michigan up 14-0 in the first quarter.
Sutton also fumbled late in the fourth quarter against Wisconsin.
“I don’t think he’s trying to put it on the ground,” Walker said.
Though he said he’s concerned with Sutton’s fumbling, Walker said he’s not doing anything special in practice to medicate the problem.
“I’ve coached that as hard as anything in my coaching career,” he said. “You’ve got to work at it. It’s a lot harder than in high school. They don’t hit you as hard. Michigan hits you pretty hard.”
Reach Patrick Dorsey at [email protected].