Northwestern's Hankwitz ready to play 'those guys up north' in football

Perhaps this should be kept quiet because it ruins a great storyline. Aw, what the heck. Let's share.

Northwestern defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz - 22 months after getting fired from the same job at Wisconsin - still works on behalf of the Badgers.

Unofficially and occasionally, of course. The explanation for this relationship comes in a minute.

First, let's unfurl the story that was supposed to take precedence this week as Northwestern prepares for No. 16 Wisconsin in Saturday's Big Ten finale at Ryan Field.

The tale began in January 2008 when Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema fired Hankwitz after a season in which the Badgers went 9-4 and allowed a reasonable 23.2 points per game.

"I really felt at the time I needed to make a change, and it didn't, it wasn't indicated by that we were real bad on defense," Bielema said. "It's just something I felt inside of me and needed to move forward on."

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, searching for a new defensive coordinator after his Wildcats went 6-6 and surrendered 31.0 points per game, snapped up Hankwitz almost immediately.

Since Hankwitz' arrival, the Wildcats have gone 16-8 and given up just 21.3 points per game. That's the best winning percentage and scoring defense at Northwestern since Fitzgerald roamed the field at middle linebacker in 1995-96.

"Along with Coach Fitz, Coach Hank has a lot to do with our success," said senior safety Brendan Smith. "I firmly believe that. He puts us in a position to win every week."

But this week marks the first Northwestern-Wisconsin matchup since Hankwitz switched schools, so it's supposed to serve as the 61-year-old Hankwitz' chance to throw his success in Bielema's face.

Even Bielema recognizes reason for ambivalence on Hankwitz' side.

"I've bumped into Mike at a couple different outings or coaching things, and we definitely say hello," Bielema said, "but I'm sure I'm not very popular in the Hankwitz household."

As it turns out, if Hankwitz holds a grudge he has a funny way of gripping it.

He and Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, with whom he shared the job during their two seasons together in Madison, Wis., remain compatriots more than competitors.

"Dave Doeren and I have exchanged information the last couple of years," Hankwitz said. "We did that when I was at Colorado and he was at Kansas. And even the last couple years when we played common foes, we're willing to exchange information to help each other."

Then Hankwitz smiled.

"I mean, shoot, defensive coaches have to do that with the way coaches are anymore. I think he's done a great job. I have great respect for him.

"I felt like I learned things from him when I was at Wisconsin. We felt like it was a collaboration. It wasn't just me saying, 'This is what we're doing.' I learned things from him, changed things we did and maybe I brought some things that he hadn't done."

Well - that's no fun. There's no animosity here at all? Smith offered the closest thing to a slight he has heard escape Hankwitz' lips.

"He'll refer to them as 'those guys up north,' " said Smith, indicating Hankwitz ordinarily uses a school's name when discussing other Big Ten foes.

Rest assured Hankwitz won't reference his former employer as he prepares his defense for Saturday. Here's as far as this self-effacing Midwestern man allows himself to go:

"I have pride, yeah," Hankwitz said. "But I mean, players don't know anything about the past. They don't care. So it wouldn't matter anyway, you know?"