Wildcats' defense getting a new look
Since launching his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan in 1970, new Northwestern defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz has been a part of 302 college wins.
He owns 23 games' worth of bowl coaching experience. He wears a 1990 national championship ring for his work as Colorado's defensive coordinator.
Obviously Northwestern, with just six bowl appearances and no national titles on its resume, can't match Hankwitz's high level of success. And for the program to match Hankwitz's win total, it needs to shake down the archives and count back a long, long way.
The Wildcats earned the first of their most recent 302 wins Oct. 8, 1927 -- the same day a Babe Ruth homer helped wrap up a World Series sweep for the New York Yankees.
So, yeah, Northwestern can use someone with Hankwitz's experience.
Fortunately for the Wildcats, Wisconsin no longer does. Just more than a week after Badgers coach Bret Bielema relieved Hankwitz of his co-defensive coordinator duties in January, Pat Fitzgerald swept him up to fix the ailing Wildcats.
"It wasn't long, a matter of days," Hankwitz said. "Because I was impressed with him and impressed with what he's done here -- his passion for Northwestern and the direction I feel this program is going."
Wildcats fans have the chance to judge the program's direction -- and Hankwitz's influence on the revamped defense -- at noon Saturday when Northwestern holds its spring game at Ryan Field.
Hankwitz claims the Wildcats aren't doing anything "earthshakingly different" in their new scheme.
He's being modest.
After Northwestern managed just 18 sacks and forced just 16 turnovers in 12 games last year, something needed to be changed.
"We're trying to be more aggressive up front," Hankwitz said. "Attack the line of scrimmage with D-line and linebackers. We feel like our stunts and zone blitzes will complement that."
With a fistful of likely starters either out or limited this spring because of injury, Hankwitz has had a chance to see lots of youngsters get a shot.
Redshirt freshmen David Arnold and Brian Peters are pushing incumbents Brendan Smith and Brad Phillips at safety.
With junior corner Sherrick McManis out this spring to heal a surgically repaired pectoral muscle, redshirt freshman Jordan Mabin, sophomore Justan Vaughn and senior David Oredugba have earned extra reps.
"That's created excellent depth there," Hankwitz said. "I like where we're at right now."
Bacher calls on Kennedy: If you haven't heard anything about left guard Keegan Kennedy, you're in the vast majority.
The 6-foot-2, 280-pound senior from Jupiter, Fla., has never started a game at Northwestern. He didn't even switch from the defensive line to the offensive line until this off-season.
But NU senior quarterback C.J. Bacher thinks people need to learn about No. 62.
"You can mark my words if you want," Bacher said. "I think (Kennedy) is going to be an all-Big Ten player. He's really got a lot of potential.
"He's just got to just learn all the little nuances of playing O-line, and he has an abbreviated amount of time to learn it. But he gets off the ball quick. He's got a real strong upper body and lower body. Really athletic, too."
Kennedy and expected left tackle Al Netter, a redshirt freshman, give Northwestern a talented but inexperienced duo on Bacher's blind side.
Spring game events
Where: All at Ryan Field in Evanston
Radio: WNUR 89.3-FM and www.wgnradio.com
Schedule
9 a.m.: "Walk for Randy" 5K
10 a.m.: Wildcat Alley opens
11:30 a.m.: Pat Fitzgerald speaks to fans on Wildcat Terrace
11:45 a.m.: Stretch with the 'Cats (for all children eighth grade and under)
Noon: Warmup
12:35 p.m.: Scrimmage for approximately 90 minutes