BeavCats

Northwestern vs. Illinois

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 05:46:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Seniors. Northwestern sent its seniors out with one last win. Despite a disappointing season, Northwestern's seniors accomplished remarkable things during their time in Evanston, and went out with one last dominating performance.
THE BAD: Passing. Northwestern's passing game was virtually nonexistent again. This is obviously something Northwestern will look to correct heading into next season.
THE UGLY: Charlie Kuhbander. Kuhbander turned in another pathetic performance. His constant failure to do his job played no small part in Northwestern's struggles this year. He absolutely needs to be replaced if Northwestern hopes to bounce back next season.

Minnesota vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 05:58:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Andrew Marty. Marty played extremely well and really got the offense going.
THE BAD: Secondary. Northwestern struggled all day to cover receivers downfield.
THE UGLY: Coaching. It's inexplicable that Andrew Marty hadn't played all year, and someone needs to be fired.

UMass vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 05:58:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Evan Hull. Hull had a great game and was able to spark the offense.
THE BAD: Receivers. Riley Lees had a good game, but everyone else struggled mightily.
THE UGLY: Aidan Smith. Smith stinks and should not be on a Division I football team.

Purdue vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 05:59:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Kyric McGowan. McGowan used his speed and was able to make plays for Northwestern. He is someone who they need to keep utilizing as the season winds down.
THE BAD: Charlie Kuhbander. Kuhbander has one job, and he failed miserably. He either needs to step up, or Northwestern needs to replace him.
THE UGLY: Penalties. Northwestern committed far too many penalties and really hurt themselves. This needs to be cleaned up.

Northwestern vs. Indiana

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 05:47:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Hunter Johnson. Hunter Johnson finally made his return. He looked a little bit rusty, but it was nice to have him back.
THE BAD: Offense. Northwestern's offense stinks to high heaven.
THE UGLY: Discipline. Every single player who stepped on the field for Northwestern played extremely undisciplined. Penalties, turnovers, and all kinds of mistakes plagued Northwestern. Playing that sloppy and undisciplined is completely and utterly unacceptable and should not be tolerated by anyone. Something needs to change quickly.

Iowa vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 04:46:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Defense. Northwestern's defense did their job again. They just never get any help.
THE BAD: Mick McCall. Mick McCall is a moron.
THE UGLY: Aidan Smith. There aren't enough words in the English language to describe how bad Aidan Smith is at football.

Ohio State vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 04:48:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Isaiah Bowser. Bowser finally looked healthy and played a very good game.
THE BAD: Defense. Northwestern's defense looked tired from the start, and turned in their worst performance of the season. They need to move on from this performance and focus on finishing the season strong.
THE UGLY: Offense. Northwestern's offense is so unbelievably bad.

Bye Week vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 04:47:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Rest. Northwestern got a chance to rest and get healthy as they look towards finishing the season strong.
THE BAD: Rhythm. Northwestern lost a chance to keep any rhythm going.
THE UGLY: Getting late. Northwestern is running out of time to get their season on track.

Northwestern vs. Nebraska

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 04:38:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Defense. Northwestern's defense played great again. They are the only group doing their job so far this season.
THE BAD: Offensive line. Northwestern's offensive line got pushed around again and failed to open up running lanes. This group has had a very poor start to the season and needs to get going in the right direction.
THE UGLY: Offense. Northwestern's offense is repulsive. Something needs to change.

Northwestern vs. Wisconsin

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 04:41:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Defense. Northwestern's defense put together an amazing performance. They were able to make plays all over the field, and will need to continue to play well as the season goes on.
THE BAD: Blocking. Northwestern's offensive line turned in another abysmal performance. They generated no push up front in the run game and had far too many breakdowns in pass protection that led to free rushers at the quarterback. Something has to change in order for Northwestern to find success.
THE UGLY: Mick McCall. Mick McCall is the definition of incompetence. He continues to put his players in a position to fail. McCall constantly fails to make adjustments that would benefit the offense. McCall fails to see what would be in the best interest of the offense and continues to make the same mistakes time and time again.

Michigan State vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 04:41:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Defense. Northwestern's defense played aggressive and was able to make many good plays. They will need to continue to make strong tackles and play aggressive.
THE BAD: Offense. Mick McCall needs to be fired immediately. He is the definition of incompetence. He runs an extremely outdated offense, and within that offense he never seems to make the proper play call. He consistently puts his players in a position to fail and limits the team as a whole. If Northwestern wants to reach their potential they need a play caller who will maximize the talent he has to work with.
THE UGLY: Offensive line. Northwestern's offensive line was flat out soft. They got pushed around all game long. Northwestern will need their offensive line to turn it around in order to find success this season.

UNLV vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 04:38:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Backfield. Northwestern got great play from their backfield all game long. They were able to find success running and throwing the ball through out the game. This is something they will need to continue to build upon as the season progresses.
THE BAD: Tackling. Northwestern continued to struggle with missed tackles. It was devastating in the first half as it created multiple big plays that hurt the defense. This is a serious issue that Northwestern will need to correct immediately.
THE UGLY: Red zone. Northwestern was forced to settle for field goals on multiple occasions in the red zone. Converting those opportunities into touchdowns is something they will need to focus on correcting if they hope to have success this season.

Bye Week vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 04:34:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Rest. Northwestern gets time to recover and get healthier before they continue on with their season.
THE BAD: Rhythm. Northwestern misses an opportunity to continue to establish a rhythm on both sides of the ball. This is something they will need to continue striving for as the season progresses.
THE UGLY: No game. There was no opportunity for Northwestern to get more live game practice. They will need to quickly get up to game speed in order to achieve their goals for this season.

Northwestern vs. Stanford

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 02 Sep 2019 04:38:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Isaiah Bowser. Bowser looked both fast and powerful when he had the ball in his hands. He will need to keep improving as the season goes along in order to help the offense move the ball and stay on the field.
THE BAD: Tackling. Northwestern missed far too many tackles. This contributed to extended drives, and forced the defense to be on the field for long periods of time. This issue needs to be figured out soon.
THE UGLY: Sloppiness. Northwestern played very sloppy and shot themselves in the foot too many times. The mistakes in all three phases of the game continued to pile up as the game went on. Northwestern will need to play much cleaner in the future if they hope to reach their goals.

Northwestern vs. Utah

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 05:28:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Clayton Thorson. In his final game, Thorson delivered a masterpiece. He made countless plays to lead Northwestern back. Every time Northwestern needed a big play, they turned to Thorson, and he delivered every single time. It was a fitting end to a career in which Thorson always stepped up when he needed to in order to help his team win.
THE BAD: Start. Northwestern started extremely poorly. They were slow and sloppy across the board, and dug themselves a huge hole. This is something Northwestern will need to work on in the future before it becomes a serious issue that hurts them.
THE UGLY: Blocking. Northwestern struggled to open running lanes and protect the passer. Northwestern was forced to go to quick passes in order to combat the pass rush that could not be picked up by the offensive line. The offensive line has consistently been a problem for Northwestern, and something they will need to rectify in the future.

Bowl Preparation Week vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 05:38:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Almost here. Northwestern has one last chance to end their season on a successful note.
THE BAD: End. As the college football season rapidly races to the finish, it has been a great season, and it will be sad to see it end.
THE UGLY: Packers. Rumors as swirling about the Packers and Pat Fitzgerald. Losing Pat Fitzgerald would be a very sour end to a season where Northwestern was able to achieve many of their goals.

Bowl Preparation Week vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 05:38:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Bowl season. As bowl season carries on, there are constant reminders of why it is the greatest sports event of the year. The excitement and intensity are unmatched.
THE BAD: Time off. Northwestern has had a long break since they last stepped on the field. This creates the risk of becoming rusty. Northwestern will need to stay loose and keep focused in order to end the season successfully.
THE UGLY: Clayton Thorson. Thorson has done so much for Northwestern, and his final game is quickly approaching. It will be sad to see him go after all he has done.

Bowl Preparation Week vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 05:31:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Practice. Northwestern gets extra bowl practices as a great way to help the team continue to grow and get better.
THE BAD: Missed opportunities. Northwestern missed some great chances to make this season even more special. In the future they will need to capitalize when presented with great opportunities.
THE UGLY: Seniors. Northwestern's seniors only have one more game left. This senior class has done so much for Northwestern, and they have one last chance to leave their mark.

Bye Week vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 05:56:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Rest. Northwestern gets to rest and recover from various injuries that have affected them down the stretch.
THE BAD: Almost done. Northwestern's season is nearing its close. So far it has been an awesome year with many goals accomplished, but still many more to work towards.
THE UGLY: No game. Any week without a Northwestern game is worse than a week with a Northwestern game.

Northwestern vs. Ohio State

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 05:05:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Clayton Thorson. Thorson came up big all night long. He made countless big plays to bring life to the Northwestern offense. Whether it was with his legs or his arms, Thorson was driving the offense. He was in command and consistently made big plays. Northwestern will need Thorson to continue playing like this in order to have success.
THE BAD: Receivers. Northwestern's receivers struggled to get separation at times. This is what caused the offense to stall at times, and made life difficult for the rest of the offense. Northwestern will need to rely on their receivers to run crisper routes and make more plays downfield to help the offense reach its full potential.
THE UGLY: Secondary. Northwestern's secondary struggled mightily. They gave the receivers too much cushion and struggled to match their speed downfield. The general youth and inexperience in Northwestern's secondary was on full display. The inability to step and make a big play was a constant in the back end for Northwestern. Northwestern will need someone to come up big and make plays in the future.

Illinois vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:58:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Running game. Bowser and Hanaoka were able to find huge lanes to run through. This got the offense rolling and will be a huge key in the future.
THE BAD: Defense. Northwestern's defense gave up way too many yards. They were able to do a nice job of forcing field goals after long drives, but giving up that many yards is a recipe for disaster in the future and must be corrected.
THE UGLY: Pat Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald pulled the starters way too early and nearly cost Northwestern the game. Northwestern will need great coaching from Fitzgerald in order to have success in the future.

Northwestern vs. Minnesota

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 05:01:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Clayton Thorson. Thorson rebounded nicely in this one. He made a ton of great throws to keep drives moving and make the offense work. He also had a couple key runs to keep the defense honest. Northwestern will need Thorson to keep leading the offense if they want to have success down the stretch.
THE BAD: Adjustments. Northwestern didn't seem to adjust very much on defense. Turnover bailed them out multiple times, but Northwestern really failed to stop the slant route. Northwestern's coaching staff will need to get better at recognizing patterns in the future. Northwestern gave up too much success on the same route. Adjustments will need to made in the future in order to continue to have success.
THE UGLY: Running game. Northwestern started the game running the ball well, but struggled mightily as the game went on. The offensive line began to get pushed around, and there was little room for the running backs to work with. The running game will be a key for Northwestern in the future, so this will need to turn around. The offensive line will need to toughen up and become the ones doing the pushing in order to open up lanes to run. It all starts with physicality up front, and Northwestern's offensive line needs to rekindle that.

Northwestern vs. Iowa

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 05:23:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Big Ten West champions. Northwestern did it. They clinched the Big Ten West. They've played hard all season and have achieved one of their biggest goals. This is a huge step in the right direction for them program, but they still have to continue to perform well to continue achieving their goals.
THE BAD: Clayton Thorson. Thorson struggled to make plays down field for most of the game. He held onto the ball too long sometimes and struggled to be accurate when hitting receivers for big plays. He will need to find consistency if Northwestern wants to achieve their goals.
THE UGLY: Receivers. Flynn Nagel is the only Northwestern receiver who can consistently get separation from defenders. Now that defenses are focusing on him, the rest of Northwestern's receivers cannot seem to get open. This has greatly hindered the passing game, and needs to be corrected by running different route concepts to scheme receivers open or giving new guys a chance to play.

Notre Dame vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 05:34:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Isaiah Bowser. For the third game in a row, Bowser ran with a purpose and was able to have great success. He has done a great job of taking advantage of his opportunity and has really changes Northwestern's offense for the better.
THE BAD: Pass rush. Northwestern generated almost no pass rush. This forced the secondary to cover for long periods of time and they could not maintain tight coverage for extended periods of time. This led to some big plays being given up through the air. Northwestern will need to generate pass rush in order for their defense to be effective in the future.
THE UGLY: Adjustments. Northwestern failed to adjust on defense. They continuously put their corners ten years off the line and were content to give up big plays on flat routes. They crashed down on the middle on run plays, but failed to account for the quarterback run on multiple occasions. Northwestern will need to make adjustments to what their opponent is doing in the future if they hope to have success.

Wisconsin vs. Northwestern

noreply@blogger.com (BeavCats Blog) — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 04:49:00 +0000

THE GOOD: Defense. Northwestern's defense was flat out dominant. They completely controlled the game and helped overcome mistakes by the offense. Montre' Hartage continued to dominate on the outside. He was in complete control of one side of the field and showed how important he is to this defense. The defensive line stuffed the run and got to the quarterback. It was amazing to see Nate Hall back in the linebacking corps and he picked up right where he left off and helped power the defense to a breathtakingly dominant showing.
THE BAD: Play calling. Northwestern's offensive play calling seemed very predictable. They were still able to move the ball both on the ground and through the air, but they would've been able to find more success had they mixed up the play calling a little bit.
THE UGLY: Clayton Thorson. Thorson made enough plays to win and that is what counts. His legs were one of his biggest weapons, but he made some horrible decisions. Three interceptions is unacceptable, and needs to be cleaned up in the future. Mistakes like those cannot happen if Northwestern hopes to achieve their goals this season.