It may have come against an FCS team, but Saturday night’s victory included a lot of promising signs for the future.
Thousands packed the Lakefront in blackout fashion for Northwestern’s Week Three matchup against the Eastern Illinois Panthers. After an ugly start in the first half, the ‘Cats were able to pull away, winning 31-7 soundly. Here are five things we learned from Northwestern’s dominant win over EIU.
The Lausch Era is off to a great start
On September 9, coach David Braun decided to make a QB switch, naming QB Jack Lausch the starter for Saturday vs EIU. While the offense sputtered in the first two weeks, many did not expect such an abrupt change at QB this early into the season. Lausch ended up having himself a game, throwing for 227 yards, rushing for 62 yards, and had two passing TDs with zero turnovers. While it may look like Lausch was dominant the entire game on paper, it was far from the truth. This was a tale of two halves, as his first-half performance drastically differed from his performance in the second half. In the first half, Lausch looked precisely like someone making their first career start, as he only completed 45% of his throws and threw for 64 yards. He was very jittery, leading to poor footwork in the pocket and a lot of underthrows at this point. However, after halftime, the redshirt sophomore took a deep breath and answered the call, leading the Wildcats to victory with big-time throws and command in the pocket. His footwork sharpened, and he was much more decisive with his reads. His performance brings lots of optimism for this season and the foreseeable future for the ‘Cats. This year made it eight straight seasons where a transfer started at QB for Week One, and while that may work as a yearlong stopgap, it has made it hard to have consistent QB play year to year. However, if Lausch can continue to develop rapidly with game experience, Northwestern fans may be looking at their starter for years to come.
Establishing the run game is vital
While Lausch was taking his bumps in the passing game, the run game was dominant, with critical contributions from RB Cam Porter, RB Joseph Himon, and even Lausch. This trio combined for 188 rushing yards, which was significantly higher than their totals vs Miami (OH) and Duke. The passing game began to open in the second half because EIU had to respect NU’s rushing attack, leading to more favorable defensive play calling. Lead back Cam Porter picked up 77 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, and ran for a touchdown. RB Joe Himon only had four carries but had an explosive 32-yard touchdown to cap off the first half and take Northwestern into halftime with all of the momentum. Lausch is an excellent dual threat, picking up 62 yards with his legs on seven carries. While the ‘Cats are now entering Big Ten conference play, it will be vital to continue establishing the run game as Lausch develops and the offense faces more formidable defenses.
AJ Henning is back
In the first two games, WR AJ Henning was off to a quiet start to the season, having only 71 receiving yards and no touchdowns. This was very unusual to see, as Henning was arguably the team’s MVP last season, as he had 45 receptions for 418 yards and four touchdowns but also 27 carries for 110 yards. He was the team’s gadget guy, and former offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian could place him all over the field and allow him to make big plays. He had built a strong rapport with former QB Ben Bryant, and on Saturday, we began to see flashes of that with Jack Lausch, as he had seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. Henning had two explosive receptions for 45 and 46 yards, bringing a ton of juice to the passing attack. If Lausch can get Henning involved consistently, alongside WR Bryce Kirtz, this offense will take leaps as the season continues.
The offensive line looked very stout
OL coach Bill O’Boyle had his unit firing on all cylinders on Saturday, as they dominated the line of scrimmage all night. They were creating big holes in the run game, leading to big yardage chunks. They also did a fantastic job in pass protection, giving Lausch plenty of time in the pocket to make proper reads and deliver on time. The O-line only gave up one sack, and few run plays were stuffed at the line of scrimmage. As the game progressed, Lausch took advantage of this as he began to flourish in the second half. Look out if the big guys up front can continue to play at a high level going into conference play.
Playing complementary football always leads to success
Saturday was the first showing this season where all three phases played sound football in order to win. In the first two games, the defense and the special teams have constantly shined, generated turnovers and sacks, and have given the Wildcats offense good field position, but the offense hadn’t been able to capitalize on it. Maybe it was due to erratic QB play, the bumps of an OC new to FBS play in Zach Lujan, or both, but it just did not click. However, on Saturday, Northwestern found an identity on offense with Lausch at the helm. The ‘Cats’ skill players finally returned the favor to the defense and special teams with long scoring drives, extending the time of possession. If NU continues to use that formula in conference play against better competition, this will lead to more wins and a successful season.