After further review: Wisconsin 24 Northwestern 15

We give you the 3-2-1 on Northwestern's 24-15 loss to No. 8 Wisconsin and hand out some awards.

The offensive unit did a poor job picking up the blitz: After not giving up a sack in the first half, the protectors of the quarterback gave up five of them in the third and fourth quarters. In an effort to try and use more of the field to throw more effectively, the Wildcats went with four- and five-receiver routes, sacrificing an extra protector in the backfield. Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard realized this and started to send disguised edge pressure on delayed and “creep” blitzes from his safeties and OLBs.

Most of these edge sacks came untouched and unseen. One led directly to a defensive touchdown when S Eric Burrell jarred the ball loose from Hunter Johnson, causing it to roll into the end zone where Wisconsin DE Matt Henningsen recovered for six points. Another caused Johnson to need to leave the game temporarily with chest soreness.

There was also an A-gap blitz (between the center and guard) that forced a fumble, which Wisconsin recovered near midfield, and another off the edge that allowed the rusher to alter Aidan Smith’s delivery, causing the pass to flutter into the arms of LB Noah Burks, who then ran it back 60 yards for a pick-six.

This was the difference in the game in the second half, and something that the offense will need to fix moving forward.

The Wildcats are playing outstanding defense: The Badgers came into the game ranked in the Top 25 nationally in several offensive categories. Wisconsin was averaging 504 yards per game in total offense (21st) and 264 yards rushing (11th). They also ranked 16th in passing efficiency as Jack Coan was allowed to do his thing without much disruption or difficulty.

On Saturday, the Wildcats severely limited the Badgers in all of these categories. They gained only gained 130 yards on the ground, and though Jonathan Taylor hit 100 yards for the first time in three games against NU, he had just 119, only averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

In all, UW only racked up 243 yards of total offense (NU actually outgained them, with 255) and quarterback Jack Coan completed just 62% of his passes (compared to 77% coming in) for just 113 yards, with no TDs and his first INT of the year.

Northwestern did what they do best - keeping everything in front and limiting the big play. Wisconsin didn't have a play go for more than 19 yards, and only four total plays went more than 15. This group continues to impress and carry the load for a team working towards maturity.

Aidan Smith is starting to play well at quarterback: After starting the season as the third guy on the depth chart, with just a handful of snaps entering his fourth year in the program (and none of them meaningful), redshirt junior Aidan Smith is starting to look like a serviceable quarterback.

Sure, his stat line may not cause anyone to pick him up for their fantasy team, but when coach Pat Fitzgerald talked last week about trying to get a spark for this offense, we think Smith is starting to provide that for this group.

After relieving Johnson after he got drilled in the third quarter, Smith completed eight passes and threw a touchdown strike, and then led another scoring drive that brought the Cats to within striking distance. In fact, Smith has been the quarterback of record on all three of Northwestern's touchdown drives in the last two weeks.

What should motivate NU fans most is how Smith did not shy away from Wisconsin's top-notch defense, nor the sturdy group he faced in MSU last week. Even after throwing an interception and fumbling against the Badgers, he eventually settled into a rhythm and moved the offense. Given a full game’s body of work, where he has a chance to play in a close game, or even with a lead, he may be the spark Fitzgerald was looking for to ignite his struggling offense.

Assuming both are healthy, who will be the quarterback moving forward? Through three and a half games, Johnson is completing 48% of his passes for just one touchdown and four interceptions, averaging 91 yards passing per game. Smith has really just played in two halves and is completing 38% of his passes, but he has thrown a touchdown and three interceptions -- and none of the three were entirely his fault. The first was a blown-up receiver screen, where the ball was tipped and fell fortuitously into the arms of a Michigan State defensive lineman. The second was on a desperate heave on fourth-and-13 -- down 31-3, mind you -- where he was doing the right thing and trying to make something happen on a throw he would not ordinarily attempt. And the third was Saturday, when his backside tackle did not protect him and his arm was hit in his throwing motion, causing the ball to flutter into a drop-linebacker’s arms.

More important that just the stats, however -- we know that stats are for losers -- is the fact that Smith has moved the offense. Some of that can be attributed to the play selection and the defense late in Saturday's game, but Smith looked comfortable, confident and decisive -- three traits that Johnson has rarely shown.

Smith seems to have just as much going for him as Johnson does (some might argue more), and though Johnson’s rush numbers are better, Smith has looked equally as athletic when he tucks the ball. Unless they are seeing something stellar from Johnson in practice that we aren’t aware of that keeps him head-and-shoulders ahead of Smith, what could be the harm in giving Smith his shot against Nebraska next week?

What can this offense do to be able to better utilize two good RBs in Drake Anderson and Isaiah Bowser? Fitzgerald mentioned the early-season injuries that Bowser has been “grinding” through, and Anderson ran tough against a very good Wisconsin defense on Saturday. But moving forward, there has to be some creative ways to incorporate each of them more into their game plan.

We understand that the Cats have been playing further from the first-down marker than they have close to it, which naturally dictates more passing attempts. But running zone and power schemes time and time again against faster defenses is proving limited. These are two dynamic backs with different running styles, and like coach Fitzgerald acknowledges, “it starts with us as coaches.” We agree, and we have faith that this group of offensive minds can figure out a way for the offense to get going. It must start with these two running backs in order to have any sort of trickle-down effect to the passing game.

There has to be some real close examination of the offensive philosophy: Okay, so Fitzgerald explained his decisions to go for two, claiming analytics support his decision. But the most disheartening part of his post-game presser was that he did not want to talk much about the plays that were called and poorly executed on those two-point plays.

The first was an attempted shovel pass to Anderson, where he would have needed to catch it and run five yards to get to the goal line against a defense that is very tough inside. The second was a screen pass set up for Anderson with a unit that hasn’t really been able to effectively block for this screen play all year.

We don’t want to beat the dead horse that NU fans have pounded into glue the past three seasons, but let’s look at this for what it is: Mick McCall likes the up-tempo spread where he runs first, tries to throw the safer passes by using misdirection of receivers who try to cross up defenders and/or quickly get into the passing windows in a zone, and methodically move the chains.

But does the tempo really give them an advantage? Often times this year, it appears that its causing players to think too quickly and has resulted in poor execution of their concepts. Especially with two inexperienced quarterbacks who need to be able to properly identify defenses and linemen that need to solidify their blocking schemes. Does this tempo truly make sense right now?

And the conservative offensive approach just doesn’t mesh with what they need right now, either. Yes, they play good defense, and playing safe to keep your defense in good shape is healthy when the offense is capable of having your back. But right now, the offense is is struggling mightily, and there have been cases where “taking a shot” or throwing an unsuspected punch might not only catch a defense off guard, but may send a message to NU players that there is faith in what this offense can do, instead of a message of “we don’t want to screw things up for our defense”.

This conservative approach is not just hurting the Wildcats on the scoreboard, but it may also affect recruiting. In today’s high-speed, high-scoring college football landscape, how many special offensive players with game-breaking abilities would be interested in coming to Evanston to play in a safe, conservative offense -- even if they do “fit the program”?

We don’t have the answers, but we’re quite certain there is a fix and that coach Fitzgerald will eventually make the right moves necessary to get it done -- whatever that requires.

Offensive game ball: RB Drake Anderson

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot to draw from on this side of the ball, but Anderson earns yet another offensive game ball for a 68-yard performance on the ground, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and scoring another touchdown to give him three consecutive games finding the end zone for the Wildcats. Anderson had a 31-yard burst in the first quarter behind the right side of that offensive line. Though the redshirt freshman found tough sledding more often than not against this rugged Wisconsin defense, he totaled 20 more yards than the leading rushers of Wisconsin’s first three opponents combined!

Defensive game ball: S Travis Whillock

After a “slippery” first game against Stanford, Whillock has gotten back to form over the last three games. Against punch-you-in-the-mouth, run-heavy Wisconsin, he led the way with 13 tackles (seven solo), a sack and a TFL, and he had several great form tackles, especially in the open field. The junior is, once again, looking like a linebacker in a safety’s body. His positioning and leverage helped him to thwart progress from one of the nation’s best running backs in Johnathan Taylor, as well as helping to limit the supplemental passing game by keeping receivers in front of him. His contributions at safety have helped this defense continue to keep the ‘Cats competitive.

Special Teams game ball: Raymond Niro

Once again, the former walkon from nearby Barrington (Ill.), who we learned recently, earned a scholarship, has been a menace to opposing special teams units. The redshirt frehsman logged a tackle and recovered a fumbled punt Saturday, and he continues to be the first man downfield in coverage, clearly making him the special teams superstar for the Wildcats thus far. Most catching has been Niro’s contagious enthusiasm and pride for his role -- the same spirit we’ve seen from previous special teams studs like Warren Long and Joe Bergin in years past.

Wildcat Warrior: QB Aidan Smith

Not to keep going on too long about Smith, but he earned this award this week for coming into a game where it seemed like hope was waning. Smith generated two scoring drives, going against a Badger defense that was still playing to protect the lead and snuff any Wildcat comeback efforts. Smith hung tough and connected on the first touchdown pass of his career, and directed that offense like he was a seasoned backup, when, in actuality, this was his first true test of his career, all things considered. He came out alright and might have given NU fans hopes of better things to come.

Down 24-9 with under nine minutes to play, true freshman walkon Trey Finison was called on to execute an onside kick, and he hit it about as perfectly as it could have been hit. With the proper downward force, he kicked the ball into the carpet to his right, it took a bounce and banked right off the chest of a Wisconsin up-man with enough force to work its way to a closing Kyric McGowan, giving the Wildcats possession near midfield. Not only did this provide the Wildcats with some much-needed energy, it proved that the coaching staff works on the little things to always give their team a shot. Kudos to Fitzgerald, special teams coach Jeff Genyk and Finison for putting players in the right position for success.

Tim Chapman covers Northwestern football for WildcatReport. He 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.