Holding on to a slim six-point lead on Saturday, Northwestern’s defense appeared on the wrong side of Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa’s two-minute drill.
After the Terrapins nabbed a quickfire touchdown and forced a Wildcat three-and-out, the visitors were just 31 yards away from pulverizing a valiant upset effort into the chilly late-October air.
For interim head coach David Braun, this game was never going to be easy. He said he often tells his team that he wants warriors and not mercenaries — guys who put on the pads for the love of the game and battle for their teammates.
“We’ve talked frequently about the difference between warriors and mercenaries,” Braun said. “Warriors are purpose driven. They know their purpose, (and) they know what they’re playing for.”
Needing a player to step up at the final round of a fight against a double-digit point favorite, one of Braun’s most willpowered warriors won the day, sinking a dagger into his opponent’s resurgence.
In a game-sealing moment, NU’s veteran defensive back — fitted for battle in gothic gear — shifted the course of the team’s season. As Tagovailoa’s third-down throw left his hand and veered toward redshirt senior safety Coco Azema, the Texas native said he knew he needed to make a play.
Azema, who’s faced character building trials and tribulations throughout his NU career, met the low-arcing pass before it could strike the Ryan Field grass. The play all but cemented a 33-27 victory for the ‘Cats, pushing them onward in their quest for bowl eligibility.
“All the work that you put in and being able to seal a game off like that — it’s amazing,” Azema said.
Once Azema secured the crucial catch, the veteran leapt to his feet, high stepping on the surface where he’d grown from a gadget player at running back to the engine of the team’s secondary.
The defensive back played in just three games last season before his redshirt junior campaign came to a screeching halt with a torn ACL. NU’s senior captain had a long and bumpy road ahead in his recovery.
“Had to get a cleanup surgery on that (ACL), so (there were) a lot of setbacks,” Azema said. “But having faith in God, and knowing that your time is going to come. That’s all you can do.”
Even after he overcame the debilitating injury, Azema’s most difficult moments still remained ahead. One month before the ‘Cats kicked off their season-opener at Rutgers, Azema’s brother Cameron tragically passed away in a shooting on Aug. 3.
After last month’s Minnesota game, Azema described how Braun — who’d just been thrust into head coaching duties — was right there for him during that time of loss and grief.
Braun said this resilience and heart make Azema’s value to NU immeasurable.
“When I speak with pro scouts about Coco, it is very easy to say ‘You find a way to get this young man on your team, he’s gonna make everyone around him better,’” Braun said. “His presence in the locker room, on this team, on the sideline makes everyone around him better.”
Through eight games, Azema has made his mark in a multitude of ways, rising to the occasion in the grandest of moments. Barreling between the sidelines, the safety imposes his will on every ball carrier that crosses his path.
But on Saturday, Azema’s ferocious play took a backseat to his finesse. He practically put the weight of the team’s offense on his back during the third quarter, breaking loose for a 61-yard kick return that secured the quarter’s lone three points for the ‘Cats.
Although he momentarily tended to his battle scars in the locker room, Azema trotted right back onto the field when his team needed him the most.
When he was tested in coverage, Azema delivered the most vital play of his season — and possibly his collegiate career.
“This is why you play college football, Azema said. “You want to be in that spotlight. You want to have those plays come to you.”
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Twitter: @jakeepste1n
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