Third in a series of Northwestern position-by-position breakdowns going into the 2019 season.
When most people think of spread offenses, they envision stellar athletes scorching the field with big-yardage plays and illuminating the scoreboard like a pinball machine with points. Much of that comes from the passing game and receivers.
The Northwestern offense takes a more controlled approach by getting what they can get with what they have. But for a team that typically plays with three (or more) receivers on the field at a time and hasn’t had too much in the way of quarterback turnover, they’ve only managed to develop two first-team All-Big Ten receivers during head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s tenure (Jeremy Ebert in 2011 and Austin Carr in 2015).
Still, this methodology has worked for them, as the Wildcats have won 36 games in the last four years, good for third-best in the conference during that time.
Receivers coach Dennis Springer has improved the productivity from this group in the past three years, going from an efficiency rate of right around 50% in 2015 to the upper 50s the past three seasons. The depth in this group has increased over that span as well. Knowing that the next man can step up when one of your No. 1s is off the field is a comfort for any offense.
The superback position is a bit more unsettled, as would-be senior Cam Green decided to retire this offseason rather than risk injuries. The players behind Green are as inexperienced as his last name, with only three combined catches among them. And with a good receiving superback a vital piece in offensive coordinator Mick McCall’s scheme, one of these kittens will need to mature.
The good
The passing game was one of the better facets of the offense last year. To start, there was depth. Five pass-catchers had 20 or more grabs, and three of them return in 2019. As a unit, they tallied 20 or more catches in seven games last year, and five of those came against teams that went to a bowl game.
Northwestern found some explosive players in youngsters Kyric McGowan (17.6 ypc) and JJ Jefferson (18.1) which allowed the offense to attack downfield for the first time in four years. The last Wildcat receiver with at least 10 catches and an average of more than 17 yards per reception was current New Orleans Saint Austin Carr back in 2015.
Another interesting positive was how this group didn’t let turnovers in the passing game affect them. In the seven games that Thorson threw two or more INTs, they won four of them. The point is that the receivers pressed on, continuing their grind to find space and make positive plays.
Areas to improve
All that said, there are still improvements that need to be made in order to promote a more fluid passing game. To start, the receivers need to get better at separating from the line and working downfield. The abundant amount of sacks Northwestern has suffered the past few seasons can be partially attributed to delays in the timing of routes being run.
This unit also needs to find that “home run” threat that every good offense has. Jefferson (68 yards) and McGowan (77) had the longest receiving plays from scrimmage a year ago, but only two others had a catch of more than 40 yards. Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman was one of those other two (52), but the three of them combined for just four total touchdowns. Part of the home-run moniker means you get points for your team, and that’s what this team will need.
In fact, the entire group needs to sniff the end zone paint more. Their leader in TD catches last season only had four, and Green isn’t returning – although the Wildcats had five games of two TD catches or more, and the Wildcats won four of those. Just saying.
What it comes down to
Quarterback Hunter Johnson comes in with as much, or more, talent than Thorson, and the passing game looks to be a bigger focus for the Wildcats with the Clemson transfer at the helm. Giving Johnson options at all levels is going to be a catalyst for success. With his accuracy and deep-ball ability, the Cats will be able to rely on more than just the mesh/timing routes fans have seen the last few years. Being able to hit the 6-yard, 16-yard, and 36-yard targets will spread a secondary around and create even more space for production.
Drops used to be an issue in the past under Springer, and it seems to have been rectified the last couple seasons. That trend must continue for this team to defend their Big Ten West crown. And though he hates the p-word, Fitzgerald and all of Wildcat nation knows this group has tremendous potential; 2019 needs to be the season where it comes to fruition.
The leaders
Senior Bennett Skowronek (6-foot-4, 211 pounds; 27 starts) must seem like he’s been in Evanston for six years for opposing fans, but trust us, it’s only been three. A tough kid from Indiana who earned playing time as a true first-year, Skowronek is never one to shy away from battle. He’s caught 45 passes in each of the last two campaigns, both of which put him second on the team. He only averaged 12.5 per catch last season, though, and scored just three TDs – both stats dipped since his sophomore season. He had 10 multi-catch games, but only three of his receptions went for more than 30 yards. On the other hand, Skowronek’s diving touchdown catch against Iowa that clinched the Big Ten West brought more value than any numerical stat could. In his final season in Evanston, No. 88 - with his incredible work ethic, his physical nature and his impressive leaping ability - appears primed for an all-conference type season. A more explosive season from Skowronek would certainly go a long way in helping the Cats exceed expectations this season.
Redshirt junior Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman (6-foot-2, 202 pounds; 0 starts) will get the first look at one of the open slots on the outside. RCB showed some of the best set of hands on the team last season, making a habit of hauling in the tough catch, especially on third down, when the Cats’ needed to reach the sticks. He made 20 catches for an average of 11.9 per haul, though he pulled a 23.8 mark in the final three games of the season. The former high school track and basketball star has made real strides since an inconsistent freshman year, and if he can find the endzone more this year (he has just one TD in two seasons of play), the team barber can cause opposing coaches to lose their hair.
Junior Kyric McGowan (5-foot-10, 198 pounds; 0 starts) brings the biggest threat of explosivity for the Purple on offense this year. His 16 receptions in 2018 netted 17.7 yards per catch, though just two TDs. McGowan really came on in the Michigan State game, when he got behind a good Spartan secondary to make a 77-yard catch and run for a score - his first of the season. He made another against Wisconsin three weeks later. Most encouraging was how he finished the season, combining for eight catches and 95 yards in the final two games against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game, and against Utah in the Holiday Bowl. He was a 100-meter track star in Georgia and it shows in his separation from the defense, as well as in his 11.3-yard per carry average when running around the end on jet sweep plays.
At superback, the meter is running on junior Trey Pugh (6-foot-4, 249 pounds, 0 starts), who came to Northwestern as a high three-star recruit out of Ohio and ranked as the 23rd-best TE recruit in the nation by Rivals. A talented, big athlete, a lot has been expected of Pugh ever since his early enrollment on campus in 2017. The injury bug has hindered him over the last few years, and he was out for spring ball after postseason surgery. With the loss of Green, there’s an even bigger sense of urgency for Pugh to deliver results. Over the last two seasons, Pugh has just three catches in 20 total games, though two of them came in the Big Ten title game, for 25 yards. The biggest hurdle he needs to overcome is his own health.
Competitive depth
Receivers
Redshirt junior Riley Lees (6-foot, 206-pounds) is a wildcard and could very well be one of the leading receivers when all is said and done. He had 22 receptions for 9.7 ypc and 3 TDs last year. In his two short seasons, he’s averaged 20 catches for 11 yards a pop and 3 TDs, which is slightly above the team average. He could provide the deceptive play-making ability that Nagel gave the Wildcats the last three years: someone who can slip by defenders with his 4.4 speed, find the open space near the sticks and make the tough catches that propel the Cats’ offense forward to a new set of downs. He’s also has been used in the backfield as a runner - whether on jet sweeps or as a Wildcat QB - but with limited success (save for his rushing TD in the Holiday Bowl).
Sophomore JJ Jefferson (5-foot-10, 167 pounds) is the other explosive weapon the Cats have in their arsenal. Though he caught just 10 balls a year ago, they averaged 18.1 yards. Hailing from the same high school as former Wildcat All-American Venric Mark, the Houston native certainly made some big plays in the 2018 West division title run. The two biggest were his 34-yard highlight-reel catch in a pivotal win versus Michigan State, and his game-tying TD against Nebraska. Described by coaches as the fastest receiver of the bunch, Jefferson gives Northwestern someone that can accelerate past a secondary and blow the top off of opposing defenses.
Redshirt sophomore Jace James (6-foot, 201 pounds) did not see any action in 2018 and was injured for the spring, but he is still seen as a feasible weapon in the vertical game. He came on late in the year during his first season, nabbing two catches in the Music City Bowl against Kentucky, both on third down, so he can be trusted to beat the sticks when necessary.
Redshirt sophomore Berkeley Holman (5-foot-11, 191 pounds) is another slick slot receiver who can pose some threats in the short game and give the Wildcats an edge-weapon on end-arounds and designed motion sweeps. A track star in high school, Holman is physically similar to Nagel and Lees and will give the Cats another shifty possession receiver in the slot.
This is a position where the Wildcats seemed to have brought in the most incoming talent in the 2019 recruiting class. Bryce Kirtz (6-foot, 175 pounds) adds a lot of excitement to this room, with his electric athleticism and an existing relationship with former Brownsburg (Ind.) teammate Hunter Johnson. Malik Washington (5-foot-9, 180 pounds) is another playmaker who can do damage in open spaces after the catch.
Fellow incoming first-years Genson Hooper Price (6-foot-5, 206 pounds) and Wayne Dennis (6-foot-3, 183 pounds) give the Cats more height on the outside. Keep an eye on Hooper Price, who brings a large frame and 10.5 100-meter speed in the same package. Think of Kyle Prater, but with breakaway speed.
Other members in this faction of catching Cats include redshirt sophomore Will Lansbury, redshirt first-year Raymond Niro and redshirt first-year walk-on Braeden Heald.
Superbacks
Sophomore Charlie Mangieri (6-foot-4, 233 pounds) appeared in 12 games last year, primarily in Northwestern’s “Heavy”/shot-yardage package and near the goal line. And while he’s been called on more to block, don’t be surprised to see him leak out as an option in the flats on goal line, play-action pass plays. A more focused effort on getting him involved in the pass game on standard downs is expected too, to help recoup the loss of Green. Mangieri comes from an athletic family, which includes uncles Ed and Danny Sutter, who both played linebacker for the Wildcats in early to mid-‘90s.
Speaking of that “Heavy” package, Northwestern likes to use beefy defensive linemen in the lineup when they need those two yards and a cloud of dust. They have worked Trent Goens (6-foot-3, 265-pound senior) and Tommy Carnifax (6-foot-3, 279-pound junior) this spring in such situations. Look for Goens, who will continue to be a rotational defensive end, to develop into an option as a receiver, as well.
First-year Thomas Gordon (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) may be called into duty if Pugh and/or Mangieri are shelved for any reason. He caught 33 passes for an average of 17 yards per catch and landed 10 TDs his senior year at Houston Strake Jesuit.
It will also be interesting to watch if redshirt junior Eric Eshoo (eight games, but primarily as a blocker) can emerge and claim some sort of role. He battled injuries last year but is back on the roster for the fall.
Walkons Cody Link, a junior who did not appear in any games last year, and sophomore Alex Oelsner (two games) round out the depth chart as regular superbacks.
