Is Northwestern back?
When I arrived at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for my first game of the season, I had one thought: How is this real?
After watching Jack Lausch’s second half performance, I was left thinking the same thing.
Switching the starting quarterback after only two games felt shocking. The way the Northwestern offense bounced back and played in the final 32 minutes of the game seemed even more mind-blowing.
I’m going to be honest. After watching Lausch underthrow a couple of passes and start the game 3-for-12, I thought David Braun might want to consider going back to Mike Wright at quarterback. The first 28 minutes of the game felt like the ‘Cats were stuck in the Big Ten West. However, after Lausch finished the game by completing 17 of his last 19 throws and scoring points on his final four drives, it showed a different sign of what is possible for this Northwestern football team.
The Wildcats have found their quarterback. If Saturday was Lausch’s “prove it” moment, he certainly did so. His ability to stay calm while evading pressure and take off with his feet was impressive but not as impressive as his ability to be safe with the football. When watching Wright and Lausch both play, their playstyles feel very similar. The main difference occurs when they throw on the run.
Against Duke, Wright threw multiple passes directly to an opposing player. Even though a good amount of them were dropped, his questionable decision making was too much to handle. When watching Lausch, it felt completely different as every pass in the final 32 minutes seemed controlled and on target.
The first 28 minutes of the game were rough, and Lausch deserved criticism for it. The fact that a rough start didn’t rattle him and throw him off his game is what makes the ending even more remarkable. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if a young quarterback got in his own head after starting the way he did, but Lausch stayed calm and confident in the second half.
With No. 12 under center, Northwestern’s offense did something it hadn’t done all season: throw a passing touchdown. He completely reinvigorated the passing offense and gave A.J. Henning the chance to have his best performance as a Wildcat. If Lausch is able to start connecting on some of the deep shots to Bryce Kirtz, this offense will hit a different level.
Outside of the passing game, the defense and run game remained spot on. Cam Porter averaged 5.1 yards per carry, his third straight game of averaging at least 4.8 yards while Lausch rushed for an additional 62 yards. The defense continues to look legit for the second year in a row as it has only allowed two touchdowns in the 12 quarters of football played in regulation this season. Add another three sack game while limiting the Panthers to only two yards per carry while running the ball, even without Anto Saka. The ‘Cats now find themselves ranking sixth in the country in rushing yards allowed per game. If those performances continue throughout the season and Lausch keeps on improving, there would be no reason to not be optimistic about this team’s success.
While Eastern Illinois isn’t necessarily the most challenging opponent, it is important to give Lausch the credit that he deserves. Winning is never easy, even against FCS schools which Northwestern has struggled against lately. Lausch showed enough potential in the second half that it should not surprise anyone if he is able to do the same thing against Big Ten opponents as he brings hope to a team that was desperate for answers a week ago.
Looking ahead to the ‘Cats’ first trip facing a west coast Big Ten team, they will take on last year’s national title runner-ups. While it may be upsetting to not be the only purple school in the conference anymore, this year’s Washington team is very different from the last. The Huskies just lost to Washington State in the Apple Cup, and the roster and coaching staff is completely different than the one which lost to Michigan in the national championship game. While Northwestern might head to Seattle as underdogs, the optimism for Jack Lausch and company to pull of the upset is there if Lausch can repeat his second half performance.