Wearing white: NU’s Braun had solid response to Tulane claims of disrespect

Northwestern has had a difficult time dodging controversy lately.

Last weekend in Tulane, controversy jumped the median and drove onto the sidewalk to strike the Wildcats.

Following an ugly 23-3 season-opening loss, Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall decided to turn a uniform choice into extra motivation. The plan was for Tulane to honor the 20th anniversary of the first game the team played after Hurricane Katrina, roughly a month after the storm struck New Orleans.

“I'm not trying to take a shot, but we requested to wear white jerseys because that's what that team wore,” Sumrall said. “That’s their (the Wildcats') prerogative, but when you show disrespect to the city of New Orleans, that’s what’s going to happen to you.”

First of all, Sumrall clearly was trying to take a shot, while saying he wasn't. Why Northwestern wearing white jerseys equates to disrespecting the city of New Orleans remains unanswered.

In college football the visiting team wears white, unless a special agreement is made, and that typically happens in the spring. Northwestern reportedly received the request to change jersey colors on Aug. 17, less than two weeks before the game, and declined.

Now it's hard for anyone outside the equipment room to judge what sort of logistical challenges would be involved in changing wardrobe for a road game with less than two weeks notice. The hot, humid weather could have been another reason why Northwestern decided to stick with white.

Sumrall could have said, “I disrespected the city of New Orleans by not asking Northwestern to wear dark jerseys in the spring.” But that doesn't have quite the same zing to it.

Wildcats coach David Braun took the high road when he addressed the uniform dispute on Monday. In fact, he had a pretty good flex ready.

As a student at Winona State at the time, Braun joined several football teammates and coaches on a post-Katrina relief mission to New Orleans.

“Seeing it firsthand, it was devastating,” Braun said. “May of 2006, myself and 20 of my teammates and coaches got in vans and drove down to New Orleans and spent a week mucking houses and just trying to do our small part in trying to help that community.”

Braun said he spoke to Sumrall by phone on Sunday in an effort to clear the air. Sumrall did not mention the uniform disagreement during his Tuesday news conference.

“The timing of the request did hinder our ability to accommodate the request,” Braun said. “Ultimately the decision around that was certainly not a gesture of disrespect.”

Whatever jerseys they wear, the Wildcats don't need another game with 5 turnovers. Preston Stone, the transfer QB from SMU, threw 4 interceptions at Tulane and lost a fumble.

Northwestern gets a chance to bounce back against an FCS foe in Western Illinois on Friday at its lakefront stadium, but hosts No. 6 Oregon a week later.

“The reality is as a program, we just need to take a deep breath and say, 'You know what, one day doesn't redefine the last nine months of work we put in,'” Braun said. “Let's also acknowledge that we played really poorly and get back to work.”

Redbirds arrive

Illinois State checked in at No. 6 in the preseason FCS poll. The Redbirds return QB Tommy Rittenhouse (St. Francis) and receiver Daniel Sobkowicz (Rolling Meadows), and added Missouri transfer Jack McGarry (Hinsdale Central). On defense, linebacker Patrick Bauer (St. Viator) and safety Jack Dwyer (Lake Zurich) were among the leading tacklers in Week 1.

It's hard to take much from last week's 35-3 loss at Oklahoma. The Redbirds host Morehead State on Saturday. Rittenhouse missed the second half of the Oklahoma game with a shoulder bruise, but coach Brock Spack said his senior QB returned to practice Monday and should be fine.

Kicking off

Several of the area's smaller colleges will open this weekend. Wheaton, ranked No. 17 in the preseason poll, has a tough test playing on the road at No. 2 Mount Union (Ohio) on Saturday.

No. 24 Aurora will host No. 14 Wisconsin-Platteville, which has recruited well in the Chicago suburbs, on Saturday afternoon. Benedictine hosts Buena Vista in Lisle.

Roosevelt, beginning its second season in Division II, will host Quincy on Saturday in Arlington Heights.

No. 1-ranked North Central will wait until next week before opening at home against Wisconsin-Oshkosh.