outback bowl guide
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The Daily Northwestern's comprehensive guide for the Outback Bowl.TRANSCRIPT
GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWLFriday, January 1, 2010
INSIDE:! NU features, 3 & 5! Player Q&As, 4 & 6
! Game preview, 5-6! Roadtripper, 7! Big Ten bowl games, 8
1949 Rose Bowl
It might sound ridiculous to cancel classesafter securing a second-place conferencefinish. In 1948, that’s exactly whatNorthwestern did — because it meant the
school was headed for its first-ever Rose Bowlappearance.
The rules for whatwas then known as theBig Nine prevented thesame team from playingin the Rose Bowl in con-secutive years. Undefeated league championMichigan won in Pasadena the previous year,opening a spot for the next best team: NU.
“When the Rose Bowl (invitation wasannounced), that was just like havingHalley’s Comet collide with something,” saidGlenn Opie, a drum major in the marchingband who was also on the track team withseveral football players. “The excitement andthe euphoria among the students were withus for several days.”
The achievement electrified Evanston andexcited the students. The upstart Wildcatswere thrilled to have an opportunity to repre-sent the Big Nine.
“It was a magnificent experience,” saidGaspar Perricone, a junior backup fullback in1948. “It was exhilaration for a week. Iremember the team gathering on the roof ofone of the sorority houses, and a big rally justbefore we went to California.”
There were impromptu parades downSheridan Road and pep rallies at Scott Hall,the student union. Much of the student body,which Opie estimated was twice as big as it istoday, tried to cram into Patten Gymnasiumdays later for a campus-wide meeting.
That’s where University President FranklinSnyder delivered the stunning news.
“He went into about how great it was to beat a University where the academics andscholarship were of prime importance,” Opieremembered. “Finally, he just smiled andsaid, ‘On the other hand, let’s just dismissclass.’ It’s a wonder that the roof didn’t justblow off. Those kids just went ballistic.”
Looking back, maybe the hoopla to honorthe 1948 squad wasn't enough. In the sixdecades since, NU has failed to field a teamthat accomplished what that one did: win abowl game.
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONSAt the start of the 1948 season, the Cats’
chances of playing in Pasadena seemed slim.They had finished the previous year with a 3-6 record under rookie coach Bob Voigts andwere blown out against Minnesota, Michiganand Wisconsin, the class of the conference, bya combined score of 115-42.
“There was no indication that we weregoing to go to the Rose Bowl that year,” saidEd Nemeth, a junior in 1948 who started atguard and played both ways.
It was also a relatively inexperiencedteam, as most of its key players were sopho-mores and juniors. But like other schools, themajority of the squad was mature beyond itsyears from having served in World War II.
The influx of veterans gave Voigts, a veter-
an himself, one of the deepest teams in theconference.
“With all these veterans coming back, andall the normal graduating seniors that hadcome in the last three years, we had a lot ofdepth,” said Ed Tunnicliff, the junior startingright halfback. “And that’s what made thedifference — we probably had six or eight
ends I would have putup against any six oreight ends on any teamin the country.”
NU’s offense reliedheavily on the run out of the T-formation,though quarterback Don Burson mixed in afew deep balls. The performance of threestandouts — Art Murakowski, Alex Sarkisianand Frank Aschenbrenner — made thescheme effective.
Murakowski, the sophomore fullback andright outside linebacker, and Sarkisian, thesenior center and left inside linebacker, wereboth named All-Americans in 1948.Aschenbrenner returned kicks and handledthe punting duties during his senior cam-paign, in addition to being the Cats’ second-ary ground threat.
Defensively, NU featured five down line-men, four linebackers and two cornerbacks.Pee Wee Day and Tom Worthington clampeddown on the outside, and the team's physi-cality in the middle created problems foropponents.
“We had a real tough defensive line, andthose four linebackers were exceptional,”Tunnicliff said. “George Sondheim was on ourleft side, Sarkisian was inside on the left, andthen we had Ray Wietecha and Murakowski.”
SECOND-PLACE SURPRISEThe Cats didn't take long to establish that
putting points on the scoreboard would bedifficult against their defense. In 11 of the sea-son's first 12 quarters, NU blanked its oppo-nents, including shutout victories over UCLAand Purdue.
A disastrous start nearly doomed the Catsin the third game of the year. Minnesotajumped out to a 16-0 edge during the firstquarter — a wake-up call after the previoustwo weeks. But NU got back on track and ral-lied to win, 19-16.
“We got in the huddle for the kickoffreturn, and Sarkisian, our captain, says,‘Nuts, let’s start a new ballgame. The score is0-0,’” Tunnicliff said. “By the end of the half,we were leading.”
Neither team scored in the final two quar-ters, preserving the three-point victory.Though that vaulted the Cats to third nation-ally, they couldn’t muster another comebackthe following Saturday. They fell 28-0 atMichigan, their worst loss of the season,before recovering with a three-game winningstreak. NU defeated Syracuse, Ohio State andWisconsin by a combined 71 points toimprove to 6-1.
A setback to one of the Cats’ key contribu-tors marred their hot start. Aschenbrennerinjured his leg against Minnesota and tried toconceal it.
“I really got hit hard in my thigh on oneleg,” he said. “It was difficult for me to run —
I told one of the assistant coaches and one ofthe trainers I had no feeling in one leg. ... Inever told anyone else about it. The guysnever knew I was hurt in that game.”
Aschenbrenner was demoted to the secondteam for a few weeks, a shock for a player whohad started every game since high school. Hewon the starting job back later in the year, buthis relationship with Voigts was strained.
A close battle in South Bend, Ind., provedthe Cats were not a fluke. NU put a scare inNotre Dame, but the Cats let a late lead slipaway. The Irish kept their record blemish-freewith a 12-7 nailbiter.
The nonconference loss didn't hamper theCats' Rose Bowl chances. All they had to dowas beat in-state rival Illinois, and they camethrough with an impressive 20-7 triumph. Itwas the fourth time in the last five games NUheld its opponent in single digits.
ROSE BOWL REUNIONHeavily favored California stood between
NU and its first bowl victory. The unbeatenGolden Bears were ranked third in the finalAP Poll and set a school record for totaloffense. Fullback Jackie Jensen, a multi-sportathlete that later starred for the Boston RedSox, became the first player to rush for morethan 1,000 yards for the Golden Bears.
NU players were also familiar with thecoach roaming the opposing sideline. Lynn“Pappy” Waldorf, in his second year leadingCal, had preceded Voigts at NU and recruit-ed most of its Rose Bowl roster. In fact,Waldorf mentored Voigts during his 12-yeartenure in Evanston, molding the tackle intoan All-American.
Facing their old coach as underdogs madethe Cats focused, and Voigts did his best toeliminate any possible distractions.
“We were like prisoners — he kept us inthat hotel,” Perricone said. “We got out onChristmas day for a little while. ... We prac-ticed in some sort of a municipal park some-where, two times a day.”
Less than one week before the game, NUendured a setback when its quarterback camedown with a sore throwing arm. The injuryaffected Burson during the game, preventingthe Cats from taking their usual shots downthe field. They didn’t try many short routes,either, and attempted just four passes. Thelone completion wasn’t even thrown byBurson — Aschenbrenner found end DonStonesifer on the final drive.
Fortunately for NU, the ground attackpicked up the slack. Aschenbrenner put theCats ahead early with a 73-yard touchdownrun, a Rose Bowl record that stood until 1993.
“It was an off-tackle play,” Aschenbrennersaid. “I guess it surprised them, because usu-ally our halfbacks didn't run through the linetoo much, we tried to run around ends.”
NU led 13-7 at the half, giving up a longrun to Jensen but adding another touchdownon a controversial call. As Murakowskifought his way in, he lost the ball and Calrecovered in the end zone. But field judge JayBerwanger — also the first winner of theHeisman Trophy 14 years earlier — deter-mined Murakowski maintained possessionacross the goal line before the ball came loose.
The Cats missed the ensuing kick, and italmost came back to haunt them. But Jensenleft the game with a leg injury on his firstcarry of the third quarter, and Cal struggledwithout him. The Golden Bears still found away to score after that, with halfback JackSwaner’s touchdown and a successful extra-point attempt giving the Golden Bears a 14-13advantage.
Then, with less than three minutes remain-ing, NU started the winning drive on its own12-yard line.
“The guy I think won the game for us wasFrank Aschenbrenner,” Tunnicliff said. “Hecompleted one pass to Stonesifer that got usout of the hole, and then he just fought to thesideline. He’d get knocked out of boundsand just pop back up and go charging backto the huddle. He just picked the rest of usup, and we just took it from there and wonthe ballgame.”
After Aschenbrenner moved the chainsearly, Tunnicliff provided the go-ahead score.The Cats ran a trick play, and he received thedirect snap. The Golden Bears were caughtoff-guard, allowing Tunnicliff to scamper 43yards to the right corner of the end zone.
The game wasn’t over, as Cal advancedinto NU territory on the following series.With just seconds remaining, the GoldenBears’ desperation pass was intercepted at the5-yard line. It was Cal’s fifth turnover of theday, allowing NU to close out an improbable20-14 upset. While the players were enjoyingthe fitting end to a magical season, they got aspecial visit from Waldorf.
“He was a real gentleman,” Tunnicliff said.“He came into our dressing room after thegame and congratulated us. He said, 'Well,this was one game I couldn’t lose.'”
The Cats couldn't celebrate for too long,though. They were on a train back to campusat 10:15 a.m. the next day, since they werealready late for the start of winter classes.
LOOKING AHEADNU has been in position to break through
for another bowl win, earning six postseasonberths since that season. But it squanderedfourth-quarter leads in both the 1996 RoseBowl against Southern California and the 2008Alamo Bowl against Missouri, losing the latterin overtime. The seventh opportunity willcome against Auburn in the Outback Bowl, 61years to the day after the historic win.
“We’ve been close too many times,” coachPat Fitzgerald said. “We have 60 minutes togo out and win one football game, and it’d benice to get that monkey off our back, there’sno question about that.”
Twenty members of the 1948 team are stillliving. Many of them live in smaller townsand have a hard time following their almamater, though they watch the Cats on TVwhenever possible.
While they understandably take pride inwinning the only bowl game in school histo-ry, they're more than willing to embrace anNU team that duplicates the feat.
“You bet we would love to have someoneelse join us,” Perricone said.
BY DANNY DALY
COVER STORY
Retrospective“When the Rose Bowl
(invitation was announced), that was just like having Halley’s Comet collide
with something.”— GLENN OPIE
Former drum major, NU Marching Band
At middle left, coach Bob Voigts takes a knee. At bottom left, Voights stands with senior centerand captain Alex Sarkisian.
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ACROSS FROM RYAN FIELD
As a high schooler, Zeke Markshausendreamed of playing football on oneof the biggest stages in the country,the Big Ten. Four years and two
schools later, Markshausen has gotten thatopportunity, and he has stolen the stage.
Even with the longest surname on theteam, Markshausen’smoniker has become acommon one aroundEvanston. But it wasn’talways that way. Seniorwide receiver Andrew Brewer remembersthe first time Markshausen was introducedto the team.
“Former offensive coordinator GarrickMcGee brought Zeke to the front of theoffensive meeting and said, ‘Zeke, introduceyourself. I would introduce you, but I don’teven know how to pronounce your lastname,'” he said.
That summer was Markshausen’s first atNorthwestern. He transferred fromDivision-III Wisconsin-Platteville, where heplayed football and ran track. Though hedecided to transfer to NU halfway throughhis freshman year, Markshausen made themost of his time at Wisconsin-Platteville.
“I had a lot of questions about my faithand who God was,” he said. “I ended upfinding my belief there in Jesus Christ andcommitting my life to Christ at that school.”
Markshausen spent most of his time onthe sidelines during his first year at NU.
“I don’t think I was on a (depth chart)string,” Markshausen said after NU’s winover Wisconsin earlier this year. “It was justone of those things that was like, ‘Zeke justwatch for a while. Don’t do anything dumb.
Don’t get anybody hurt.’”Between 2006 and 2008, Markshausen
registered one catch. With NU’s recent histo-ry of successful receivers, not many peopleexpected a walk-on to play a significant role.
“You look at the history of the receiverroom, with guys like Ross Lane, EricPeterman and Rasheed Ward,” Brewer said.“It’s hard to get reps in our room the last
couple years.”During his time on the
scout team and the sec-ond team offense,Markshausen slowly
developed chemistry with another backupwho would come to play a big role in thisyear’s offense: senior quarterback Mike Kafka.
“Any time you spend you that much timewith someone, you’re either going to likethem or you’re going to have some beef withthem,” Markshausen said. “I saw that (Kafka)was willing to put in the longest amount oftime, and I think he saw the same in me.”
The Kafka-Markshausen connectiondeveloped into one of the best in the confer-ence. Against Michigan State, Kafka foundMarkshausen 16 times, the second most sin-gle-game receptions by a receiver in schoolhistory. Overall, Markshausen has hauled in79 catches this year, good for second in theconference.
In NU’s spread offense, Markshausenestablished himself as a threat over the mid-dle of the field. That’s often where lineback-ers are stationed, and Markshausen hastaken his share of hard hits.
“He’s not the biggest receiver in theroom, but the kid is not afraid to catch a bigroute across the middle or catch it and runinto linebackers,” Brewer said. “That’s just acredit to who he is. He’s tough as nails.”
Markshausen’s resiliency has come as asurprise to many, but not to him.
“It’s just the way I grew up, I guess,” hesaid. “You’re either hurt or you’re injured. Ifyou’re hurt you pop back up, if you’reinjured that’s another story.”
Ever since he stepped foot on campus,Markshausen has maintained this steadfastwork ethic.
“When he gets out on the field, he’s seri-ous about what he’s doing,” Brewer said.“He’s going to put in that extra effort nomatter if it’s chasing somebody on the backside to go block or catching it and runningdown the field.”
Even off the field, Markshausen is a hardworker. An active outdoorsman,
Markshausen has a knack for woodcarving— he crafted the bunk bed in his room inorder to maximize space.
“I spend a lot of time outside,”Markshausen said. “Learning from somebooks I read and people that are out in thewilderness.”
Whether it is by carving wood or carvingup defenses, Markshausen has made a namefor himself with his teammates and coaches.They have praised him relentlessly the entireyear, but recently Brewer paid Markshausenthe ultimate compliment.
“If I had a sister, he would be the guythat I want my sister to be with,” he said.
3 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL
Work ethic paves way for MarkshausenBY ROBBIE LEVIN
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As a redshirt freshman in 2008, JordanMabin was getting acclimated to playingcornerback. When then-sophomore JustanVaughn suffered a season-ending injury
in the second game of the year against Duke,Mabin was thrust into a starting role and had tolearn on the job. Mabin stepped in and excelled,tying for the team lead in interceptions (three)and forced fumbles (two). His performance earnedhim numerous honors, among them being nameda Freshman All-American by Sporting News andthe Football Writers’ Association of America.
THE DAILY’s Brian Chappatta caught up withthe second-year cornerback to discuss the chal-lenges of playing as a freshman, the future of theprogram and the new Call of Duty video game.
DAILY Sports: Why did you chooseNorthwestern?
Jordan Mabin: I’m from Michigan and Ohio,so I’ve known the Big Ten schools, and then Isaw Northwestern, and academically that’severything I wanted. The young coaching staffwas saying, “You can be on the turnaround ofthis program.” So far, we’ve been turning itaround, and every year I’ve been here we’vehad a winning season.
DS: What’s the best part aboutNorthwestern?
JM: The guys that I hang out with. I justmoved off campus, I’ve got a house with eightor nine other guys, and we just have a goodtime. With football and school, it can stress youout, but having those guys right there, likeyour brothers, we just hang out, chill, go outand have a good time.
DS: What’s the best part about playing cor-
nerback?JM: You can change the game in one play.
I’ve told a lot of the younger guys “bad playscan happen.” But that comes along with theterritory. Just think positive and try to makethat play, and if you make that play, it canchange the game.
DS: What was the toughest part of playingas a redshirt freshman?
JM: Not having that many reps. I felt like Iwas good enough to play, I just didn’t have asmany reps as a veteran would have. It was justlearning, getting experience under your belt.Bad plays will come just because you’re new tothe position, so you just have to take it as alearning experience.
DS: What’s it going to be like withoutSherrick, once he graduates?
JM: He’s definitely going to be missedbecause he’s a great athlete, a great player anda great leader. But Justan Vaughn, MichaelBolden, guys like that can just step up. He’sdefinitely going to be missed, but those guysare chomping at the bit to get in there and startplaying. It’ll be sad to see him go but it’ll beexciting to see the guys step up.
DS: What’s Northwestern football going tobe like in five years?
JM: It’s going nowhere but up. I would sayRose Bowl. Ever since Fitz got here, he’sbrought that mentality of just winning, don’taccept losing. We’re getting better recruitingclasses each and every year and making betterbowl games each and every year.
DS: What’s the best piece of off-the-fieldadvice you’ve ever gotten?
JM: Just time management. I know lastyear as a redshirt freshman and as a fresh-man, that’s your first time away from home,
away from family, and you’re on your own.You could easily get caught up going on theXbox all day or going out on certain days, butyou have to stay on top of things. Once youget the stuff that you need to get done, thenenjoy yourself.
DS: What’s the biggest difference betweenthis year’s team and last year’s team?
JM: This year’s team went through moreadversity as far as injuries. And then the gamesthat we played, we had a lot of close games lastyear too, but we had a lot of close games thisyear and we fought back real hard. That justgoes to show the character of this team, gettingdown and being able to fight back.
DS: What is your proudest accomplishmenton the field?
JM: I would definitely say getting a fresh-man All-American last year. That was some-thing that I was kind of shocked by, but I wasexcited. Not too many people get that as afreshman.
DS: What has been your favorite on-the-field moment this season?
JM: When Sherrick got that interception atIllinois. Right before that I gave up a touch-down and I was just like “we were winningthis game” and then they got back into it.When he came up with that interception, itwas huge. And then I would also say the Iowagame, the whole game in general. That was agreat atmosphere.
DS: How would you describe coach PatFitzgerald?
JM: I would hate to play against him whenhe was in college. It’s cool to have him as acoach though, because he’ll get after you, butthen tell you what you did wrong and whatyou need to do to fix that.
DS: What do you do in your free time?JM: When I do have free time, just Xbox,
that new Call of Duty, I’m on that a lot. And Ireally like watching new movies.
DS: What actor would play you in a movie?JM: Will Smith. I’m not a drama or horror
kind of person; he’s more of a comedy, easygo-ing kind of person.
DS: Have you ever gotten pranked?JM: Last year, Fitz had a random team meet-
ing and he was all serious at the front and said,“All right, some guys on the team have gotteninto trouble.” And these cops came in and theypulled us out of the meeting and had us hand-cuffed and we were all scared, we didn’t knowwhat was going on. Then they took us out ofthe room and everyone just started busting uplaughing. We were all nervous and scared.They got us pretty good, it was pretty funny.
DS: What are you most looking forward toabout the Outback Bowl?
JM: Just trying to send these seniors outwith a victory, that would be the first thing Iwant. And then just having a good time downthere with them. Trying to just leave them witha victory, enjoy the last game with them andget the win.
THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 | 4
Covering the cornerBY BRIAN CHAPPATTA
THE DAILY’s Brian Chappatta talks with Jordan Mabin
DAILY FILE PHOTO BY RAY WHITEHOUSE
DAILY FILE PHOTO BY RAY WHITEHOUSE
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Aplaque with three goals hangs in theNicolet Football Center, the Wildcats’meeting room adjacent to Ryan Field.These include “consistently prepare
for victory” and “earn aNorthwestern degree.”
After being coveredwith tape at the begin-ning of the year, the Cats’final goal wasn’t revealed until recently: Win abowl game.
It is a feat NU hasn’t realized in six bowltrips since 1949. After falling to Missouri inovertime last year, the Cats have their seventhopportunity to reverse their bowl blues whenthey face off against Auburn in the OutbackBowl on Jan. 1.
The game marks the first time the schoolshave ever met, but it is not the first time NUhas faced an SEC opponent on a New Year’sDay Bowl.
In 1997, the Cats faced Tennessee in theCitrus Bowl. That year, Peyton Manning andthe Volunteers’ offense lit up Pat Fitzgeraldand NU’s defense for 48 points. Fitzgerald hasmoved from the field to the sidelines, but hestill understands the magnitude of this game.
“The facts are the facts,” Fitzgerald saidabout NU’s bowl losing streak. “What we cando about it (comes) right now. We talkedabout getting this monkey off our back, andhere’s the opportunity in front of us, so let’s gotake advantage of it.”
The Tigers hope to keep the monkey on theCats’ back. Led by Doak Walker semifinalistBen Tate, Auburn boasts the nation’s 13th-bestrushing attack. The senior rushed for 1,254yards and eight touchdowns this year.
On the other side of the ball, Auburndefensive coordinatorTed Roof is familiar withNU senior quarterbackMike Kafka. Roof heldthe same post at
Minnesota when Kafka galloped for 217 yardsagainst the Golden Gophers in 2008.
NU’s win over Minnesota sparked a sea-son-ending surge in which the Cats won threeof their last four games. This year, NU wasvictorious in each of its last three games, withtwo victories coming over ranked teams. Asthe Cats have soared, the Tigers have stum-bled, losing five of its last seven games. Withsuch a long layoff separating the teams’ lastgames and the Outback Bowl, senior safetyBrendan Smith said he believes both teamscome into the game with a blank slate.
“You cannot look at someone’s record,” hesaid. “We should treat them as though theyare 12-0 right now. And we have to play likewe’re 12-0, because when you come into it,everyone is 0-0 right now, and we just have towin this game.”
If Smith starts in the Outback Bowl, hewould become the first NU player to play inthree bowl games.
5 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL
Cats hope to get rid ofmonkey against Tigers
BY ROBBIE LEVIN
SATURDAY SHOWDOWN
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THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 | 6
For complete bowl game coverage, go to www.dailynorthwestern.com.
NORTHWESTERN (8-4)vs. AUBURN (7-5)
FRIDAY, JAN. 1, 10 A.M. | RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM IN TAMPA, FLA. | TV: ESPN
13 QB MIKE KAFKA20 RB SCOTT CONCANNON
11 WR JEREMY EBERT85 WR ZEKE MARKSHAUSEN
12 WR ANDREW BREWER5 WR SIDNEY STEWART
75 LT AL NETTER63 LG KEEGAN GRANT65 C BEN BURKETT
64 RG DOUG BARTELS79 RT NEAL DEITERS
52 DE ANTONIO COLEMAN93 DT MIKE BLANC91 DT JAKE RICKS
45 DE ANTOINE CARTER46 OLB CRAIG STEVENS17 MLB JOSH BYNES
21 OLB ELTORO FREEMAN6 CB WALTER MCFADDEN
15 CB NEIKO THORPE25 S DAREN BATES
14 S DESMOND WASHINGTON
99 DE COREY WOOTTON98 DT CORBIN BRYANT
79 DT ADAM HAHN94 DE VINCE BROWN
32 OLB DAVID ARNOLD57 MLB NATE WILLIAMS
41 OLB QUENTIN DAVIE24 CB SHERRICK MCMANIS
26 CB JORDAN MABIN17 S BRAD PHILLIPS4 S BRENDAN SMITH
12 QB CHRIS TODD44 RB BEN TATE
27 FB MARIO FANNIN5 TE TOMMY TROTT
81 WR TERRELL ZACHERY89 WR DARVIN ADAMS
73 LT LEE ZIEMBA66 LG MIKE BERRY50 C RYAN PUGH
57 RG BYRON ISOM75 RT ANDREW MCCAIN
Northwestern Offense Auburn Defense Northwestern Defense Auburn Offense
NO
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BURN
KEY MATCHUPS
BURNING QUESTIONS
Tate ranked in the top-25 nationally inrushing yardage with 1,254 yards this yearand tacked on eight touchdowns. The 5-foot-11, 218-pound tailback uses his powerfullower half to pack a hefty punch when he hitsthe hole. Williams was third on the team with79 tackles, including five for loss. The juniormiddle man will play an important role in hit-ting the interior gaps to contain Tate’s powerthreat and not let him get to the second level.
Coleman is a two-time All-SEC First Teammember, earning the honors after posting ninesacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in 2009. The 6-foot-3, 261-pound senior rushes relentlesslyoff the edge. In last year’s Alamo Bowl, NUsurrendered five sacks, including two todefensive end Stryker Sulak. Deiters, whostepped into the starter’s role halfwaythrough the season, can’t let that happen ifKafka is going to have a big passing day.
Nate WilliamsMiddle linebacker
Ben TateRunning back
!
Can Northwestern buck the bowl losing streak? It has been 61 years since NU’s last bowl win. Coach Pat Fitzgerald etched his name
into the school’s history book as a player. Now, he has got a chance to do the same as acoach. A bowl victory, not to mention one on New Year’s Day, would go a long way toaltering the national perception of NU football. Fitzgerald likes to joke that roughly 99.9percent of the population is picking against his squad. With his back to the wall, thefourth-year coach can prove how far his program has come and where it’s going.
!
Will the Wildcats suffer the consequences of the extended break?Between their last game of the season against Wisconsin and the Outback Bowl, the Cats
will have spent 40 days without toeing the turf for game action. That break includes aThanksgiving feast, studying and taking final exams, and a three-day layoff for Christmas.Auburn’s final game of the regular season came a week after NU’s last contest. Fitzgeraldlearned how to script a bowl preparation schedule last year against Missouri, and this yearit will be imperative to start fast against the Tigers to have a chance to win the Outback Bowl.
Neal DeitersRight tackle
Antonio ColemanDefensive end
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Quentin Davie claims to be the funniestplayer in Northwestern’s locker room.But once he steps on the field, the jun-ior linebacker’s play is no longer a
laughing matter.Davie led the Wildcats
with four sacks and ninetackles for loss, and wassecond behind seniorsafety Brad Phillips with 81 tackles — onetackle shy of the 82 he racked up in his firsttwo seasons combined.
Davie also registered an interception andfumble recovery. This knack for being aroundthe ball and making stops has gotten coach PatFitzgerald, a former linebacker himself, excitedabout Davie’s potential.
“He’s in a position to be able to make plays,moving inside, and he’s just gotten better eachweek,” Fitzgerald said. “Since day one, he’salways been around the ball and made plays,big plays. Now there’s been an air of consisten-cy in his play, and that’s what’s been reallyencouraging.”
Davie attributes his success this season tobeing older and better understanding thedefensive scheme, as opposed to “just play-ing.” But it’s not just his mental game that hasimproved. His teammates have seen Davieincrease his work regimen to get strongerphysically too.
“Off the field, he’s a pretty goofy guy, espe-cially in the locker room,” junior NateWilliams said. “But on the field he’s prettyhigh demeanor, he likes to get up and get excit-ed around everybody. He’s a hard worker,both on the field and in the weight room.”
Davie and Williams couldn’t think of agood, appropriate example of a typical Davie
joke. But Davie was willing to share his philos-ophy about what makes a good jokester.
“Some guys are funny, but you have to beable to be funny at certain instances,” he said.“If you go ahead and crack off a joke or some-one laughs, someone’s going to come back
with a joke, but you haveto keep popping them offand have everybodylaugh. If one guy laughs,you need to stop and you
can’t tell any more jokes, that’s the rule. But ifyou keep making them laugh, then that’s it.That’s my logic.”
JACK OF ALL TRADESOn the field, it looks like Davie was born to
be a linebacker. But in high school, he playedbasketball and ran track in addition to beingon the football team. As a football player, heplayed quarterback, tight end and linebacker.
When it came time to make a decision onone sport and one position, it was football, andit was linebacker. Though he left basketballbehind, Davie took some of the skills from thehardwood and used them to his advantage onthe gridiron.
“I was a great defender, and defense frombasketball translates to defense in football,”Davie said. “You have to be able to move yourfeet and have the instinct to break on the ball,so that really helped me.”
Davie has no regrets about his decision toplay on the defensive side of the ball, onlyoccasionally missing the opportunity to run adefender over. He said he does not want tohave to rely on other people throwing him theball, and would rather hit than be hit.
But when he first came to NU, his fellowlinebackers would joke with him about his205-pound frame, saying he should be a wide
receiver instead of a linebacker.“We used to call him skinny, and he had a
skinny waist and he still does, but he workedhard in the weight room to get his weight upand really worked hard on the field,” Williamssaid. “We used to tease him in the locker roomthat he was going to be a wideout, but he stuckwith it and pushed through. He’s been doing areally great job from last year to this year.”
FAMILY COMES FIRSTFunny as Davie may be, he is serious about
his family. He said his mother and brother arethe two most inspirational people in his life,and NU’s proximity to his home state ofMissouri was a major reason why he chose theschool. His mom attends nearly every Catsgame, missing only one this season.
“It’s been my whole life, she’s been comingto every game, every sporting event, not just
football, but every sport I play,” Davie said.“That’s a big inspiration to see how strong sheis and to keep it together and come see me.”
His older brother, on the other hand, issomeone Davie looks at as friendly competition,always comparing himself with what his broth-er is doing and trying to match his success.
“My brother is going to be playing in theNAIA Championship game on Dec. 19, andthat’s inspiration to me as well,” Davie said.“I see my brother doing good, and he cameout of high school before me. I want to be likehim, and I worked hard, and this is where itgot me.”
And with last year’s Alamo Bowl loss tohome-state Missouri still fresh in his memory,nothing would be better to come home withthan an Outback Bowl victory against Auburn.
7 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL
Laughable in locker room, lively between linesBY BRIAN CHAPPATTA
SPOTLIGHT ON...O
n a critical fourth-and-short late in thethird quarter against Minnesota, seniorquarterback Mike Kafka rolled to his leftand was immediately swarmed by
Gophers defenders. Kafka stopped and threw up adesperation lob to the back right corner of the endzone. Senior superback Brendan Mitchell bobbledthe ball several times before being being pushedout of bounds. But Mitchell held onto the ball,and his catch put Northwestern in the lead.
As a superback, Mitchell doesn't get as manyopportunities to prove himself as the Wildcats’other pass-catching targets. When he does,Mitchell rarely fails. Mitchell has eight careercatches, and of that number, two were touch-downs. THE DAILY's Robbie Levin spoke withMitchell to discuss his career at NU.
DAILY Sports: What is your favorite Big Tenstadium other than Ryan Field?
Brendan Mitchell: My favorite one has tobe Happy Valley. Just the atmosphere wascrazy. That was the first real big time Big TenStadium that I went in as a player. I justremember seeing the great fans. It was awhite out game so everybody was in cos-tume, they were all together and they had alot of great football knowledge as to when tocheer, when to be quiet, how to help theteam in certain situations. That was my firstmemory of being introduced to Big Ten foot-ball and Big Ten stadiums.
DS: What actor would play you in yourbiography?
BM: I’d have to go with Will Smithbecause when he was younger he was out-going, and he kind of reminds me of myself
at this stage in my life. And then when hegrew older he matured and played moremature roles. Hopefully, if my life goes asplanned I’ll mature just like you saw him doin the movies. Get more deep roles.
DS: What is Pat Fitzgerald like as a coach?BM: The thing about Coach Fitz that I love
the most is anytime you call coach Fitz or askcoach Fitz for something, he’ll help you thebest way he can. He puts everybody elsebefore himself. When you say, “Hey coachFitz, what about doing this for the team?” or,“What do you think about this idea or thatidea?” he doesn’t just brush it off or put it tothe side. He’ll address it immediately andtell you why he can or can’t do it. Same withif you need help. If you say you are havingtrouble with a class and you need a tutor,he’ll hook you up immediately. Anythingyou need, he’ll put his foot down and try tosolve it for you immediately. It’s just greathaving a coach like him. I’m so proud to playfor him for four years. I’m really blessed tohave this opportunity.
DS: Growing up, who had the biggestinfluence on you?
BM: Coach Fitz has taught me great les-sons, but as far as inspiration is concerned,I’d have to say my parents. They sacrificedso much for me. When I thought I wanted toplay basketball in college, they were on theroad with me going to all the AAU games.When I wanted to do football, they were inthe car taking me to football camps. Theywere always trying to help me better myselfby sacrificing things throughout their lives.… One day I hope to pay them back in greatamounts. Right now I just want to do littlethings here and there, but one day I’m going
to get them back for that.DS: What is one thing people don’t know
about you?BM: I‘m a big soccer fan. People don’t
know that. I’m really into soccer, and I’mexcited about the World Cup coming up. I’mreally going to be cheering on the U.S. I’vegot to represent for the homeland, so I mightas well watch soccer. I think it’s a great sport,and I love watching the athletes go out thereand perform.
DS: What is your favorite sport other thanfootball?
BM: Definitely basketball. I didn’t reallyplay soccer growing up, and basketball wasthe first sport I loved. I remember being inthe driveway and doing little drills with mydad. It wasn’t until the 11th grade that Ithought I was going to play football at thenext level. It wasn’t until I realized mypotential and people told me I had potential.But up until then it was all basketball. I lovebasketball and I still love it to this day. Anytime I can go in and shoot around and play agame of horse or do things like that I love toget into that.
DS: What are your plans after graduation?BM: One of my dream jobs, which I’d real-
ly love to do, is I’d love to start broadcasting.Sports anchoring or something like that. Ilike talking, I like entertaining people, I likebeing able to get up there and show myknowledge about sports. So if I was able tobe a sports anchor, I would love that.
DS: What is your best memory from yourtime at Northwestern?
BM: My best memory is really being withthe team and having great teammates. I’vehad family around me at all times. In the
middle of our values it says ‘family,’ and Ireally believe in that. Throughout these fouryears I’ve been here, from the minute Iwalked in, I just felt these people are family.That’s something I’ll never forget.
THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 | 8
Super(back) seniorBY ROBBIE LEVIN
THE DAILY’s Robbie Levin talks with Brendan Mitchell
DAILY FILE PHOTO BY RAY WHITEHOUSE
DAILY FILE PHOTO BY PAUL TAKAHASHI
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1. Lowry Park Zoo – The family-friendly zoo is hometo more than 2,000 animals. Zoo-goers will have a chanceto feed giraffes or take a ride on water slides. The zoo isabout 10 minutes from Raymond James Stadium.
2. The Florida Aquarium – Housed in a huge atrium,this kid-friendly aquarium features more than 20,000aquatic plants and animals. Attendees can “swim withthe fishes” or “dive with the sharks” in two exhibits, ortake a ride on an Ecotour around the bay. The aquariumis roughly 15 minutes from the stadium.
3. Golfing – With more than 20 courses within anhour drive from downtown Tampa, make sure to bringyour clubs to hit the links. Innisbrook Resort in PalmHarbor, Fla., and Westchase Golf Club in Tampa earnrave reviews for long and narrow fairways and smoothand fast greens.
9 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL THE DAILY’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK BOWL FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010 | 10
ROADTRIPPER: A guide to the Outback BowlThe Wildcats will be playing in their eighth bowl game, going for their first postseason win since a 20-14 Rose Bowl victory over California in 1949. But the bowl experience isabout much more than the game. For a week leading up to the New Year’s contest, fans can join the team at various events in and around the city. First, you’ve got to learn aboutthe basics of the game. Then, you can learn about the other ways to have fun.
Outback BowlLocation: Tampa, Fla.Time: Jan. 1, 2010 at 10 a.m. CTTV: ESPNPayout: $3.3 million,minimumTickets: Available, $70through Northwestern
Quick Hit: In the 23-year history of the OutbackBowl, the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference havehad tie-ins since 1996. The third picks from each confer-ence have faced off against each other, though BCS bowlshave thrown a twist in the picking process. AgainstAuburn, Northwestern looks to cut the series deficit toone game: The SEC holds an 8-6 all-time advantage.
the game
Raymond James StadiumCapacity: 65,657 | Built: 1998 | Surface: GrassQuick Hit: Nicknamed “The Ray Jay” or “The New
Sombrero,” Raymond James Stadium is one of the mostdistinctive venues in football, hosting a 103-by-78-footreplica pirate shop behind one of the end zones. Theship’s canons fire the equivalent of the number of pointsscored on any given play, and a talking parrot perchedon the stern of the boat talks to passersby. The stadiumhas also been named one of the best in football, hostingthe Super Bowl twice in the last 10 years.
the stadiumAuburn TigersRecord: 7-5Coach: Gene Chizik, 1st seasonMascot: Aubie the TigerFight Song: War EagleQuick Hit: Auburn is one of the most storied pro-
grams in the history of college football, donning theburnt orange and navy since 1892. The Tigers have the13th-most wins in the sport’s history and were a peren-nial top-25 team during the middle part of the lastdecade, but the team fell off during Tommy Tuberville’slast few years. The school has produced several well-known running backs, including Bo Jackson. Morerecently Ronnie Brown, Carnell Williams and BrandonJacobs have starred in the NFL.
the opponent
Dec. 28 – The teams will hold morning practices andcheck out Busch Gardens theme park in the afternoon.
Dec. 29 – After player interviews and the team lunch-eon, both teams will practice in the afternoon. Then, atnight, the teams will attend GameWorks in Ybor Cityfrom 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 30 – The teams will spend the afternoon onClearwater Beach, one of the nation’s finest gulf beaches,after practicing in the morning.
Dec. 31 – Bands from each school will participate inthe New Year’s Eve Parade in Tampa’s Historic Latin dis-trict. The teams will hold a pep rally at 7 p.m.
Jan. 1 – Parking lots for tailgating will open at 8 a.m.,where the pre-game bowl bash with bands and cheer-leaders from each team will take place. Kickoff is sched-uled for 11 a.m.
the schedule other things to do1. Outback Steakhouse – How could you not make
a trip to bowl’s title sponsor? There are three steakhous-es in downtown Tampa and seven total within a 20-mileradius, so no matter where you are in the city, there’salways an Outback nearby.
2. Bern’s Steak House – If you’re in more of the turfthan surf mood in Florida, check out Bern’s for fine din-ing. The restaurant offers fine wines and spirits, as well.George W. Bush thought Bern’s was so good he wenttwice during his presidency.
3. Frenchy’s – When you’re at Clearwater Beach,don’t forget to stop by the home of the “world famous”Grouper Sandwich. Frenchy’s has four locations,including one on the beach and another on the sightlybeach walk. Frenchy’s is a laid-back picnic table-likebar setting.
places to eat
NO. 8 OHIO STATE VS. NO. 7 OREGONRose Bowl, Jan. 1
Even a midseason stumble against Purdue couldn’t prevent Ohio State from taking part in a BCS game for the fifth consecutive season.The Buckeyes haven’t lost since that 26-18 debacle in West Lafayette, Ind., and much-maligned sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor hasbeen more functional. Their defense has clamped down on opponents, giving up more than 10 points just once in the last five games. Butmomentum is on Oregon’s side, after a victory over rival Oregon State earned the Ducks a Rose Bowl berth. They have a handful of runningthreats, with mobile quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, freshman running back LaMichael James and the return of fellow tailback LeGarretteBlount from his suspension. Ohio State gave Texas a competitive game in last year’s Fiesta Bowl, but the Buckeyes haven’t played as wellthis season. It doesn’t seem like the Big Ten’s Pasadena drought will end in this game.
Prediction: Oregon 31, Ohio State 20
NO. 10 IOWA VS. NO. 9 GEORGIA TECHOrange Bowl, Jan. 5
One of the biggest mysteries of the bowl season will be which Iowa team shows up. The Hawkeyes weren’t the same after junior quar-terback Ricky Stanzi injured his ankle against Northwestern, though they did play inspired the next week in a dogfight with Ohio State forthe Big Ten title. With Stanzi back to practice and expected to take the field, it remains to be seen if Iowa can recapture some of its early-sea-son magic. Georgia Tech wasn’t overly impressive in its last two outings, losing to Georgia before squeaking by Clemson in the ACC cham-pionship game. But the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option ground attack will be a different challenge for the Hawkeyes’ stingy defense.
Prediction: Georgia Tech 23, Iowa 17
NO. 11 PENN STATE VS. NO. 13 LSUCapital One Bowl, Jan. 1
They might as well rename this one the “Two Teams That Haven’t Beaten Anybody” Bowl. Penn State and LSU notched their mostimpressive victories — over Northwestern and Auburn, respectively — against the two squads playing in the bowl below them. But that’snot to say these teams aren’t talented. Nittany Lions senior defensive tackle Jared Odrick was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, andthe Tigers got solid production out of sophomore quarterback Jared Jefferson and an All-SEC season out of senior tackle Ciron Black. Bothteams are ranked in the top 12 nationally in scoring defense, so expect a low-scoring battle.
Prediction: LSU 24, Penn State 13
NO. 25 WISCONSIN VS. NO. 15 MIAMIChamps Sports Bowl, Dec. 29
Keep an eye on this game, as it features two sophomores that will be at the top of 2010’s preseason Heisman watch list. Miami quarter-back Jacory Harris had his ups-and-downs but showed potential, throwing 23 touchdowns, while Wisconsin running back John Clay rushedfor more than 1,200 yards and was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. It’s a matchup on conflicting styles, with the phys-ical, ground-oriented Badgers trying to slow down the athletic Hurricanes. With both teams winning four of their last five games behindexplosive offenses, they figure to put on one of the more exciting games of the bowl season.
Prediction: Wisconsin 34, Miami 30
MICHIGAN STATE VS. TEXAS TECHAlamo Bowl, Jan. 2
This matchup is a prime example of why the Big Ten has a poor record in recent bowls. With two teams playing BCS games, every teamin the conference is bumped up one spot in the pecking order — meaning an 8-4 Texas Tech team is paired with a 6-6 Michigan State squadthat lost its last game 42-14. Not only that, but the Spartans have suspended eight players, including three starters, stemming from a fightin a campus dorm a few weeks ago. Sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins progressed nicely in his first year as the starter, though it will bedifficult without wideouts B.J. Cunningham and Mark Dell at his disposal. Despite not being as good as last year, the Red Raiders shouldcruise.
Prediction: Texas Tech 38, Michigan State 24
MINNESOTA VS. IOWA STATEInsight Bowl, Dec. 31
The last Big Ten-affiliated bowl features two teams going in oppo-site directions. Minnesota took a step back this year, and the offensewas relatively inept in its last two games. Not having star widereceiver Eric Decker, who’s out for the season with an ankle injuryand missed the last month, didn’t help matters. On the other hand,the Cyclones surprised some in coach Paul Rhoads’ first year at thehelm — their six wins were more than they had in the last two sea-sons combined. They also prevailed in one of the strangest games ofthe season, a 9-7 win over Nebraska in which the Cornhuskers com-mitted eight turnovers, half of which were inside the 10-yard line.Neither Minnesota nor Iowa State finished particularly strong, so it’shard to predict how the two teams will come out.
Prediction: Minnesota 16, Iowa State 10
— DANNY DALY
Breaking down the Big Ten bowl games
BOWL GUIDE EDITORMatt Forman
DEPUTY EDITORBrian Chappatta
REPORTERSDanny Daly, Robbie Levin
COPY EDITORChristine Todd
DESIGNERSteph Wang
PHOTO EDITORRay Whitehouse
www.dailynorthwestern.com
THE DAILY’s Guide to the Outback Bowl is a publication of Students PublishingCo. All material is copyrighted 2009 Students Publishing Co. Questions orcomments should be sent c/o Bowl Guide Editor Matt Forman, 1999 CampusDrive, Evanston, IL 60208 or by e-mail to [email protected].