Northwestern wanting defense to step things up
Greg Colby knows he can't just flip a switch with Northwestern's defense.
"It's like a dimmer bulb," the Wildcats' defensive coordinator said. "You start turning that thing up, it starts getting a little bit brighter. Hopefully, at some point, it'll be turned on.
"If it could come on overnight, it would have already."
NU expected electric play from a unit returning eight starters, including the entire line and three-fourths of the secondary. But many of the ills that surfaced from past seasons are back.
NU's offense continues to supply the power, generating 97 points and 1,200 yards the last two weeks to bail out the defense. Quarterback C.J. Bacher and his mates have looked foolproof, particularly in clutch situations, but can they maintain their mind-boggling production?
At some point, the defense will need to pull its weight. NU hopes the shift begins tonight against Eastern Michigan at Ford Field in Detroit (6 p.m., ESPNU).
Colby admits motivating the defense and building momentum has been more difficult than he anticipated.
"We're not playing fast, we're not playing with enough intensity, and that's all attitude," Colby said. "When a play breaks down, we don't have other guys playing so fast that they cover up for the mistakes.
"We probably as coaches let it slip a little bit early in the season. We've just got to keep working at it until we hit the right button."
Last season, the defense improved after a second-half collapse against Michigan State. Colby hoped a similar evolution would happen after a strong performance Sept. 29 against Michigan.
There have been glimpses of promise -- the final 10 minutes and overtime against Michigan State, a goal-line stand in the first quarter against Minnesota -- but the progress hasn't lasted.
"I'm not really sure why these guys aren't the way that we were last year," Colby said. "It's basically the same guys. … You've got to focus on those things that we are doing right."
Defenders can look across the practice field for evidence. The offense has built momentum the last two weeks, allowing coordinator Garrick McGee to expand his play selection.
"Anything he calls, he feels that we'll be able to run perfectly," wide receiver Ross Lane said. "It doesn't matter who we're playing.
"It's really special."
Of NU's 170 offensive plays the last two games, 108 (63.5 percent) have been passes. Coach Pat Fitzgerald notes that swing passes, screens and shuffle passes are essentially runs, but McGee might accentuate the ground game against Eastern Michigan, which ranks 100th nationally in rushing defense.
Junior running Tyrell Sutton practiced this week for the first time in nearly a month, but if he plays tonight it will be in a limited role.
Eastern Michigan quarterback Andy Schmitt is questionable for the game with a shoulder injury. If the versatile Schmitt can't play, the Eagles will use true freshman Kyle McMahon, who played late in Saturday's loss at Ohio.
Whoever lines up under center will run a spread offense that NU defenders know well after seeing it daily in practice and last Saturday against Minnesota.
"The more you work on it, the better you're going to recognize what you see," Colby said. "It's an advantage to play the same offense twice in a row."
Northwestern (4-3) vs. Eastern Michigan (2-5)
When: 6 p.m. at Ford Field in Detroit
TV: ESPNU Radio: WGN 720-AM, WNUR 89.3-FM
Series: Northwestern leads 1-0
Coaches: Pat Fitzgerald (8-11, second year at NU and overall); Jeff Genyk (11-30, fourth year at Eastern Michigan and overall).
Players to watch: NU's Eric Peterman has become C.J. Bacher's top target outside of the red zone. Peterman has 21 catches for 255 yards in the last two games. Kicker Amado Villarreal has missed his last 3 field-goal attempts after making his first 7. … Eastern Michigan linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw leads the MAC and is tied for sixth nationally in tackles (11.6 pg). Defensive tackle Jason Jones is fifth nationally in tackles for loss (2 pg).
The skinny: After another comeback preserved its bowl hopes, Northwestern seeks a less-dramatic win against Eastern Michigan. Eagles quarterback Andy Schmitt has completed 62.9 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions this season, but he's questionable with a shoulder injury. NU running back Tyrell Sutton likely won't play until next week at Purdue. The Wildcats make their second trip to Ford Field after losing to Bowling Green in the 2003 Motor City Bowl. NU is 11-8-1 all-time against MAC teams but takes a four-game winning streak into tonight.
-- Adam Rittenberg