In its run to the Rose Bowl in 1995, Northwestern’s only regular-season loss was a 30-28 defeat at the hands of Miami University in the Wildcats’ home opener.
NU coach Pat Fitzgerald was an All-America middle linebacker on the 1995 team. He said the loss taught him lessons that persist to the present.
“When I look at the game, I see it as a blown opportunity to win a national championship,” Fitzgerald said. “That motivates me and reminds me how to get back up after a loss.”
Fitzgerald will have a chance to avenge the loss from the sidelines when the Cats take on the Redhawks in Thursday’s season opener in Oxford, Ohio.
But the game – Fitzgerald’s first as a head coach – will force the Cats to overcome a far more serious loss: the death of coach Randy Walker on June 29, of an apparent heart attack.
Walker, who was about to enter his eighth season in charge of the Cats, played tailback for Miami from 1973 to 1975 and is the winningest coach in the school’s history.
Miami Director of Athletics Brad Bates said a ceremony will be held prior to Thursday’s game to honor its departed coach.
“Coach Walker’s contributions will be forever felt throughout Miami, Northwestern, the NCAA and within the many lives impacted by his magnificent energy, creativity, intelligence, competitiveness
and sincerity,” Bates said.
Fitzgerald had been an assistant under Walker since 2001 and said he’s ready to make take the next step – even if, at 31, he’s the youngest coach in Division I-A.
“I have a great understanding of the game both offensively and defensively, having played for a while,” Fitzgerald said. “Maybe not as long as others, but I’ve paid attention and asked a lot of questions of the head coaches I’ve been around.”
Thursday will be the first time NU has ever faced the Redhawks away from Evanston.
Sophomore Tyrell Sutton said the game’s importance goes beyond getting the season off to a good start.
“There’s a lot riding on this game with Coach Walker and his history (with Miami),” he said.
The game will also be the first time in more than three years a quarterback not named Brett Basanez will be under center on the opening snap for the Cats.
Freshman Mike Kafka will make his first career start after winning a job that was up for grabs for most of the spring and summer.
Miami starting quarterback Mike Kokal, has seen limited game action as a back-up for Josh Betts over the last two years, attempting 27 passes.
While inexperience at quarterback is a concern for the Cats, a more troublesome area is the defense, which finished last in Division I-A last year and lost senior leaders Tim McGarigle and Barry Cofield to the NFL Draft.
Fitzgerald said he is not concerned over the state of his defense.
“We’ve got a little bit of a swagger going right now defensively,” he said. “We’re as fast as we’ve ever been. With that, we’ll just go out and play and you guys will stop asking me about last year’s defense.”
NU is 1-6 all-time against Miami, with its only win coming in 1963. The teams’ last meeting was in 2003, when Redhawks quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 353 yards and led his team to a 44-14 win.
Reach David Morrison at [email protected].
