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Northwestern 2020 Season Preview: Defensive Backs

Seventh in a series of Northwestern position-by-position breakdowns going into the 2020 season.

OFFENSE: Quarterbacks l Running backs l Receivers l Offensive line

DEFENSE: Defensive Line l Linebackers


JR Pace
JR Pace (AP Images)
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In February of 2018, veteran coach Matt McPherson was asked to switch from coaching running backs to coaching defensive backs, even though he hadn’t coached on the defensive side of the ball since 2005.

Despite having to break in two new starters at safety, the Wildcats still won the Big Ten West that season, though their defensive numbers were down from the year before.

Last year was a different story. Though Northwestern finished in the Big Ten West basement, the team jumped from 109th all the way to 23rd, nationally, in pass defense. They also gave up fewer touchdown passes and allowed a lower completion percentage, rising from 76th to 49th in pass efficiency defense, even though they finished dead last in the country in interceptions.

So what can we expect in year three under McPherson, with all four starters returning and backed up by a trove of talent? Let’s take a look.


The good

Greg Newsome
Greg Newsome (Getty Images)

The numbers were pretty impressive last year, especially when considering the Wildcats' 3-9 record. The 2019 “Sky Team” finished 23rd in the nation in pass defense, yielding only 199 yards per game and only 17 aerial scores, which was tied for 28th-best in the country.

They allowed a single passing touchdown or less in eight of their 12 games, and their 4.9 yards per play allowed was 26th in the country and the team’s second-lowest mark in 12 years. So, yeah, they did a good job protecting the back end.

They also proved to be pretty good tacklers in the run game, especially at CB. Greg Newsome II and Cameron Ruiz may be the most underrated combo in the Big Ten West, and they enter 2020 with some pretty large chips on their shoulders. Safeties JR Pace and Travis Whillock proved to be effective defenders in previous campaigns and, after a relatively down year in 2019, these two seniors look poised to rebound in 2020.

Though the number of forced fumbles was lower than they’d hoped for, the defense at least recovered 70% of the loose balls they caused, and two-thirds of these recoveries were by a defensive back.

Head coach Pat Fitzgerald said he likes the depth in this group. We can see why. They’ve stocked talent well – so much so that two of their higher-recruited players elected to grad-transfer. If the talent continues to blossom the way it has in recent years, the Wildcats will sustain their success.


Areas to improve

Coco Azema
Coco Azema

To go from good to great the Wildcats need to be better in two major areas.

One is takeaways. The Sky Team intercepted just seven passes last season, which put them in a tie for worst in the country. Furthermore, only three of those picks came from the secondary. They recovered just six fumbles on defense, collectively putting them at 107th nationally in forced turnovers.

The other area to improve is third-down defense. Northwestern finished 81st in the nation on third downs, allowing opponents to move the sticks 41% of the time, and much of it came by way of the air. Granted, this can be expected from the “bend-but-don’t-break” defense that coordinator Mike Hankwitz employs, but that’s only acceptable if they clamp down in the red zone.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats ranked just 63rd in red-zone defense, allowing opponents to score 83% of the time they marched inside the 20. Teams found it a little easier to score through the air, as 15 of 25 the red-zone touchdowns came on passes.

This pass defense team struggled a bit down the stretch (after Newsome went down), especially against Indiana and Purdue. During a stretch of losing five of six games, the Wildcats allowed opponents to complete 65% or better of their passes, rack up 200 or more passing yards five times and throw a total of 13 touchdown passes. Their safeties struggled to help their young and shuffling corners on vertical/seam routes, and that should be an area of attention this fall.


What it comes down to

Travis Whillock
Travis Whillock (AP Images)

If they stay healthy, Northwestern's defensive numbers should be right around last year’s, if not better. They return everyone in the secondary, as well as all three starting linebackers.

The DB group has suffered through myriad injuries the last three seasons. Last year, Newsome and the now-graduated Tre Williams were out for three games, and Ruiz missed one. It would be incredible if they could get through just one year without missing a corner for a quarter of the season.

Newsome and Whillock have earned preseason All-Big Ten recognition, while Pace has the talent to join that list as well. Ruiz is the ultimate underdog in this group and could be poised for a big year statistically playing opposite Newsome, the conference’s second-best pass defender a season ago.

If they can provide tighter coverage and allow the re-stocked defensive line to put more pressure on the quarterback, this defense will be as good as advertised and should give the Cats the backbone to build a solid season in 2020.


The starters

Cameron Ruiz
Cameron Ruiz (AP)

Junior CB Greg Newsome II (6-foot-1, 180 pounds, 12 starts) is one of the better corners in the Big Ten. His 11 pass break-ups (in only nine games) ranked second in the conference, and of his 36 tackles, 28 of them were solo (78%). That solo-tackle percentage was better than 10 of the All-Big Ten DBs ahead of him, yet Newsome didn’t even make so much as honorable mention. In fact, 80 percent of his 59 career tackles have been solo, so he’s a great help in the open field.

Newsome was often put on an island last year, and he fared well. He currently stands with 15 career PBUs (in only 15 games) and is nine away from cracking the Top 10 in program history. Though it would be nice to see the ball stick to him a few times as he has yet to notch an INT in his Northwestern career.

As good an open-field tackler as Newsome was a year ago, junior CB Cameron Ruiz (5-foot-11, 180 pounds, 13 starts) was even better. His 35 solo tackles, out of 44 total, gave him a solo-tackle rate (STR) of 80%. Only two other Big Ten players cracked 80%, and only one of them was All-Big Ten.

In addition to being a great open-field tackler and solid run supporter, Ruiz was steady in man coverage. Like many “other-side” CBs in their first year as a starter, Ruiz made some mistakes. But overall he played well, accounting for 6 PBUs and an INT, along with 3 TFL, a QB hurry and a forced fumble.

Being opposite Newsome, Ruiz saw a lot of action, and though he may have been picked on, it made him stronger as the year progressed. One area he needs to improve, however, is in hand discipline, as he committed too many pass-interference penalties last year. Don’t sleep on this young man. We honestly feel that he and Newsome could form one of the better corner duos in NU history over the next two seasons.

Senior SS JR Pace (6-foot-1, 205 pounds, 26 starts) brings two years of starting experience but hopes to return to his stellar sophomore form. His stats were down last season, as he made just 42 tackles, with 4 PBUs and an INT. Compare that to 82 tackles the previous season, with a team-leading 3 INTs and 7 PBUs, numbers that earned him honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2018.

Pace seemed a bit tentative, perhaps thinking too much against some of the stronger opposing offenses a year ago. He needs to get back to that casual confidence that was on display his first two seasons. He does a good job of closing and is the mental leader of this secondary. It’ll be refreshing to see him return to form, and the defense can only get stronger when he does.

Senior FS Travis Whillock (6-foot-1, 200 pounds, 16 starts) was the only Wildcat DB to earn All-Big Ten honors last year, making honorable mention. His 78 tackles (42 solo), 3 TFLs and 2 fumble recoveries, along with a sack and a forced fumble, show that he’s typically around the ball. He had some trouble breaking down to make tackles early in the season but cleaned it up to be a durable defender by the year’s end.

Though Whillock is counted on more to provide run support, his pass defense skills – especially when covering over the top – have to improve. If he and Pace can elevate their games, combined with the tandem of Newsome and Ruiz, this will be a very skilled Sky Team.


The competitive depth

Bryce Jackson
Bryce Jackson (AP)

Like many position groups for the Wildcats, this group of corners and safeties finds itself with the healthy “issue” of having a lot of backup guys who want to earn more playing time.

At corner, redshirt sophomore A.J. Hampton (5-foot-11, 180 pounds, 1 start) has the most experience. He made 15 tackles, 12 of them solo, for a STR of 80%. He also picked off a pass and had a PBU. He had a solid performance in the “Hat” game against Illinois, punctuating a season of positive growth, especially in coverage. Though he was beaten early in the season, he took his lumps in stride and became a stronger defender, eventually becoming a reliable nickel/slot corner. Look for him to play a similar role in 2020.

Redshirt first-year CB Rod Heard (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) should get time as the fourth corner in NU’s arsenal. He enrolled early last winter and has been coached up and physically primed for a year-and-a-half now. A two-way player in high school, Heard brings a lot of athleticism and quiet confidence to the position. Big things are expected in his future.

Redshirt first-year CB Cameron Mitchell (5-foot-11, 192 pounds) played sparingly in four games but was able to keep his redshirt and will likely to see more time on special teams this season. Fellow redshirt first-year, Tyler Haskins (5-foot-11, 180 pounds), a walkon, will continue to learn the outside spot.

With two senior starting safeties, the Cats will need to get some good looks from their wealth of depth over the top.

Junior FS Bryce Jackson (6-foot-1, 185 pounds, 1 start) has shown the most so far, with 20 tackles (14 solo), a PBU, a QBH and a fumble recovery in 12 games last season. He got the start in the finale against Illinois, earning six tackles and a fumble recovery, and also had four stops against Michigan State. He’s a good fifth or sixth DB that can play either safety spot, to spell Pace or Whillock.

Redshirt first-year FS Brandon Joseph (6-foot-1, 182 pounds) played his four redshirt games, getting most of his action on special teams and notching four solo tackles. He’ll be one to keep an eye on. He starred in high school as a versatile defensive player, recording 95 tackles, 10 PBUs and 5 INTs his senior season, while also scoring three different ways on defense and special teams.

Fellow redshirt first-year SS Coco Azema (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) is also an interesting option. Though he played in just four games, making 4 tackles (2 solo) and forcing a fumble, his one-game, 123-yard rushing performance as an emergency RB against Illinois is what everyone remembers. Still, the fact that he’s penciled in as a backup at safety after averaging 17.6 yards per carry as a RB, shows how special he can be in the NU secondary. He’s a hitter with good field vision and should be a lot of fun to watch over the next four years.

Sophomore FS Jeremiah McDonald (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) brings size and covers a lot of ground. A slightly better tackler than a pass defender, he proves to be around the ball a lot and could easily put the pressure on the guys ahead of him. Junior walkon SS Donovan Sermons (5-foot-11, 192 pounds) is in his fourth year in the program and continues to battle for opportunity.


The rookies

Gunner Maldonado
Gunner Maldonado (Rivals.com)

S Gunner Maldonado (6-foot, 180 pounds) comes from Chandler (Ariz.) High School, the 2019 state champions and the same program that produced Wildcat RB Drake Anderson. A two-way player for Chandler, Maldonado excelled at safety and tackles violently, using a lot of acceleration to explode through his target. He could give the Cats a fun player to watch in the near future.

CB Jaheem Joseph (6-foot, 175 pounds) is from Miami (Fla.) Monsignor Pace, the same alma mater of former star NU LB Anthony Walker Jr. Joseph gives the Wildcats a “swagger” corner who plays with attitude and confidence. A physical player who loves to hit, he chose the Wildcats over Michigan and Louisville and could see his career start a little earlier than others.

CB Nigel Williams (6-foot, 185 pounds) from Richmond (Va.) College is a heady, physical player and a proven leader. A captain and team MVP for two years, Williams also played WR and QB on offense. His knowledge on that side of the ball should help him translate into a solid college defensive back.

CB Garnett Hollis (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) from Franklin (Tenn.) Battle Ground Academy, is another long athlete with two-way experience, equally talented on both sides of the ball. He’s a competitor who comes in perhaps a bit overlooked and looking to prove his merit on a bigger stage, much like Montre Hartage did five years ago.


Tim Chapman is a teacher and former Michigan high school football coach who is currently working on a book titled "ChampioN Underdog" about the 1995 Northwestern Rose Bowl team. Follow him via Twitter: @Champion_Lit. Email him at nufbhistorian@gmail.com.

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