I’ve struggled to come to terms with Pat Fitzgerald’s belief of flushing the good and flushing the bad.
At first glance, it was puzzling to see one of the most successful players in Northwestern history use this technique to motivate his team.
As I watched alums flock to Ryan Field for Homecoming this weekend and the Wildcats cruise to their most convincing Big Ten victory in three seasons, it finally clicked in my head as to what Fitzgerald is trying to do here.
Homecoming is all about memories. And it made me realize – many Evanston locals and NU students struggle in forgetting the good and the bad.
I remember working on my application to Northwestern, and watching Brian Huffman miss five field goals against TCU in 2004’s 48-45 double overtime loss.
I remember sitting in the stands freshman year as then-freshman Tyrell Sutton blasted No. 14 Wisconsin’s defense for 244 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a thrilling 51-48 victory.
It makes for great conversation. But what good does it do for a coach striving to establish a winning football program?
After clinching bowl eligibility against Purdue, Fitzgerald did not change his stance on what his team looks to accomplish each week.
“We just went 1-0 today, ” Fitzgerald said. “I’m not worried about the other things. That’s for you guys to write about and people outside of our football family to talk about.”
When you think of NU and Fitzgerald, you always think about the good. Back-to-back Big Ten championships. Back-to-back bowl appearances (Rose, Citrus).
But more importantly, you think about NU football being a competitive program. No occasional upsets. No permanent underdog status.
The 1995 Cats stomped on eight Big Ten teams en route to Pasadena, jumping from No. 25 to No. 3 in the national rankings. The 1996 team nearly did the same, winning seven of eight conference games to jump from No. 25 to No. 11.
Led by Fitzgerald in the middle of the defense, the ability of these teams to respond to a loss was a key reason why they were so successful.
At 6-1, NU is off to its best start since that 1996 season. Coincidence? No.
Maybe the conference was better back then. Maybe the talent is better here now. But neither of those things is what Fitzgerald is preaching to his players.
Football isn’t just about the games you win or lose. It’s about the principles you establish to prepare your team to battle each week for a win. If the principles seen Saturday – forcing turnovers, converting points into bunches, and playing 60 minutes – stay in place, expect the Cats to go 1-0 next week.
And Fitzgerald is right. That’s all he and his players should be thinking about. Not the BCS standings, not the national rankings, and not the larger expectations. Just ask Michigan State how much they enjoyed their one-week stay in the polls before being manhandled in a 38-point home loss to Ohio State Saturday.
But for everyone in Evanston – students, alumni, residents, faculty, and even Fitzgerald – something special is happening here.
“The buzz here on campus, there’s something special going on right now at Northwestern,” Fitzgerald said. “You guys can sense it who have been around here for awhile. And those of you who that are here for the first time, don’t be a stranger. … We’re starting to feel that same kind of buzz as when I was a student-athlete here.”
If that buzz is really here, feel free to start predicting where the Cats will go in December or January. But realize that predictions never win out over principles.
