The turning point in Northwestern’s 30-13 triumph over Rice on Saturday came towards the end of the first half.
With the Owls backed up to their own nine-yard line, quarterback Trevor Cook, in for Nick Fanuzzi, tried to throw quickly to his left. Senior linebacker Quentin Davie stepped in front, picked it off, and ran it into the end zone to put the Wildcats ahead 13-0.
“It was a great feeling,” Davie said. “All I saw in front of me was the end zone.”
The interception marked Davie’s third of the season, after recording just one pick in his first three seasons at NU.
“He’s disciplined in his drop plans,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “He’s right where he’s supposed to be.”
And according to Davie, a little pressure from the defensive line hasn’t hurt.
“My defensive line is getting pressure on the quarterback and he’s having to make quick decisions,” Davie said. “I’m 6’4”, so I know he sees me. It’s my defensive line that makes him get rid of it quick.”
As Davie points out, the defensive line has made direct as well as indirect contributions to interceptions. The veteran linebacker points to a play late in the fourth quarter against Rice when senior defensive tackle Corbin Bryant tipped a ball into the air and sophomore safety Hunter Bates picked it off.
NU’s pressure has improved over the course of the season, and it’s no coincidence that the number of takeaways has increased as well.
In fact, the correlation between quarterback pressure and interceptions has been oddly precise. In the season opener versus Vanderbilt, the team recorded just one sack and one interception. Against Illinois State, NU took down the quarterback three times and hauled in three picks. And in Saturday’s game, the Cats notched two sacks and two interceptions.
In that home opener against Illinois State, NU recorded eight quarterback hurries, including three from sophomore defensive end Quentin Williams. Three of the team’s hurries led directly to interceptions.
The Cats have also forced three fumbles.
“We’ve gotten good pressure,” Fitzgerald said. “On the three picks this year, we hit the quarterback or got in his face and forced him to make a move.”
Several Wildcats are looking to break personal records this season. Junior defensive end Vince Browne is on pace for a career year with three sacks, four quarterback hurries and five tackles for losses so far. With three and a half tackles for losses, Bryant is also well on his way to breaking last year’s mark. And junior defensive tackle Jack DiNardo has impressed, posting three tackles for loss in his first season as a starter.
The stellar defense has helped motivate the offense. After the defense dominated the first half for NU, the offense rebounded from a sluggish start and put up 17 points in the second half.
“They were playing their butts off,” sophomore offensive guard Brian Mulroe said. “They were playing awesome. When they score, you know we love them scoring, but we need to be the ones scoring.”
